Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe (Old Fashioned)
Watch me make these easy, old-fashioned chocolate chip cookies from start to finish.
I use to call these “lunchbox chocolate chip cookies” when I was little. I can remember waking up to the smell of fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies, which meant one thing; there would be five wrapped together in saran wrap in my lunchbox. Yeeeeeeah!!!
It would only take my mother about 10 minutes to whip up this dough, and as soon as the preheated oven beeper went off, those cookie dough balls were on the pans and ready to bake.
I use to think she was so awesome to make homemade chocolate chip cookies that fast, now that I have the recipe, I see just how easy it really is (although I still think she’s pretty darn awesome).
This easy, old-fashioned chocolate chip cookie recipe is my go-to when I need a quick, homemade snack to pack in a lunchbox, picnic basket, or when last-minute company drops in. I usually have all of the ingredients in the house, and I’ve even mixed everything in one bowl without using a mixer, and they still come out great. Gotta love recipes like that!
They bake up slightly crisp and chewy on the outside and soft and chocolaty on the inside. It is definitely one of my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipes. (And yes, I plan on listing every one of my many favorite chocolate chip cookies recipes on this blog. I mean, can ya really have too many tasty chocolate chip cookie recipes???? NEVER!)
This easy chocolate chip cookie recipe freezes great. Just shape the cookie dough into balls and place them on a cookie sheet. Place into the freezer until the dough balls are partially frozen. Then transfer them into a freezer-safe bag or container. When you’re ready to bake them, just let them thaw out and bake. They’ll last 9-12 months in the freezer.
Store any leftovers in a super air-tight container.
Getting a Super Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie: The key to a chewy, soft cookie is removing them from the oven before they have had a chance to bake completely. This varies from oven to oven, but you want them to be golden around the edges but still a little gooey and puffy in the center. Remove from the oven and let them sit in the pan for a few minutes. They will continue to cook on the pan. Transfer to a cooling rack to finish the cooling process. This may take some practice to know just when to take them out of the oven, but you’ll quickly learn that crucial timing.
Baking: These cookies always turn out the best in appearance when I bake them on a baking stone. If using a baking stone, you may need to cook it a little bit longer. Just keep an eye on it at the 8 minutes mark. Mine usually takes about 10-12 minutes on a baking stone and 7-10 minutes on a regular cookie sheet.
Cookies not spreading? If you are having trouble getting this cookie recipe to spread for you, here are some things that may help. The cookies do not spread as much on dark, nonstick pans. Also, the dough should be at room temperature and don’t try to substitute the ingredients for lower-fat versions.
Get the Recipe: Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe (Old Fashioned)
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/3 cup shortening
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 6 oz package semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside
- In a large bowl, cream together shortening, butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla.
- Gradually mix in half of the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to incorporate the other half of the flour mixture if the dough gets too thick for the mixer.
- Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Roll the dough into tablespoon sized balls.
- Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, 2 inches apart
- Bake for 7-10 minutes.
- Remove from oven when cookies are slightly golden around the edges and soft on the tops.
- Leave cookies on the pan for 2-3 minutes to continue cooking outside of the oven.
- Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Serve immediately. Store leftovers in an air-tight container.
Video
Notes
Be careful not to overbake. (see recipe)
Jazz it up! Add oatmeal, m&m's, etc. if desired
Freezes well.
It’s me again! So I really do like this recipe, it’s fantastic! The shortening really does its magic of making the cookies not spread out much and have a light, airy texture that you can’t get with just butter. I pulled it out of the oven at 10 minutes and let the cookies cool for about 5 before transferring them to a wire rack to cool. They are puffy at first, but as they cool they start to take the shape of the cookies you would see at a bakery. The color isn’t too dark. It’s more of a light brown. The taste isn’t very sweet, which I like, because I can eat a lot more without getting sick. It is a little crispy on the outside edges, and chewy and soft in the middle. And as for the spreading, I’m glad I didn’t chill the dough, because they spread out just a little without being to round or too flat. One change I might make is add a little it more sugar, because the shortening blands out the cookie a bit. All in all. Fantastic recipe, Monique!
Hey Monique, love your channel! I was considering this recipe and another one that had raving reviews, but I opted for this one because the other recipe made way too much, even when I split the recipe. I’m having good hopes, because I’m using high quality ingredients, and my dough looks like yours in the video. The one thing I am concerned about is the baking time, as it is in the oven right now. I usually put my dough in the refrigerator, but because this has shortening, I’m hoping it won’t spread out into a flat disk, but come out like yours! I will write another comment later, reviewing the cookie and the taste!
Hi Monique! I really want to try this chocolate chip cookie recipe but I have one dilemma. I only have butter flavored shortening– how much will that effect the cookie?
what can i use instead of shortening??
Monique What can i use instead of shortening?
I LOVE this LOL OMG TTYL