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 in 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 room temperature and don’t try to substitute the ingredients for lower-fat versions.
Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe (Old Fashioned)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup shortening
- 1/3 cup 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 combine half of the flour mixture into the wet mixture. Use a rubber spatula to incorporate the other half of the flour mixture if the dough gets to 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 over bake. (see recipe)
Jazz it up! Add oatmeal, m&m's, etc.
Freezes well.
my mixture comes out “loose” I’m using a standard mixer to cream my ingredients but I haven’t had this issue before? any ideas as to why it’s not as together as in the video?
These came out amazing! I didn’t have any shortening, so I just used more butter (same amount it called for) and I cut the sugars down by a smidge. My daughter and I loved them, this will be my new go to recipe!
Made these today & they turned out perfect!
This recipe is amazing no doubt! The flavor and texture satisfying! BUT I’m having trouble achieving the same flat chewy I see in the pic. They are coming out more cakey or puffy. I bake them 7-10 minutes, for my oven 10 mins work best. My butter was room temp but not the egg. Any suggestions anyone??! I have the same issue with other recipes too? Maybe drop the baking temp??
Make sure you are using baking SODA and not baking powder (super common mistake) I bake mine at 365′ at 8 min for my oven. When on1st take them out they are slightly fluffy looking but flatten-out as they sit on pan after a couple of min. during the Carry-over cooking process
You can always slam the cookie sheet down a few times in the oven. This will flatten out the cookies
This is a Really good recipe!! delicious
These cookies are sooo good and came out great for me. I made them once, now people are ordering in batches ! Thanks Mo
Made these today! The best cookies I have ever made. So delicious!! Thanks for the recipe.
I couldn’t find my chocolate chip cookie receipe that I have used for ages. I found this one and it is easy and delicious. My gradson wanted me to make chocolate chip cookies and we had a good time. He loved them. This is very similar to the recipe I had. I will make them again butI may tey cutting back on the sugars. Great recipe and thanks for sharing.
I have been using this recipe for a couple of years now because it is my favorite. Easy and delicious. Thank you
will love to try these. what would be a perfect replacement for the shortening or would the cookies still come out great without it?
I would just substitute the 1/3 cup of shortening with butter. Cookies that are made with butter has a great flavor because of the butter though they’ll spread out more compared to ones that use shortening so you might want to refigerate the finished dough for an a hour or more before baking them to reduce the spread. Shortening though also tends to make the cookies softer so all butter cookies will have a different texture compared to the 1/2 butter shortening mix in this recipe but it should still be good.