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.
MONIQUE PLS ANSWER BACK
I can’t find shortening do I have to add shortening or can I just leave it?
I just made this cookie for our Sunday dinner dessert. I let my husband taste test a cookie from the first batch and I had to hide the cookies until after dinner. Thanks for the recipe. This will be added to my favorite go to recipe.
Made these cookies several times but each time I do something different. Today I tried them with butterscotch and peanut butter chips instead of chocolate chips and they were soooooo good please try 🙂
Just baked this. Absolutely fantastic! 🙂
I have been searching for years for a beautiful, soft, crisp cookie, and this is it. Definitely a convert to the shortening camp.
I made these chocolate chip cookies last night and they turned out DELICIOUS! Whenever I use a recipe for the first time, I always follow it exactly, then the next time I tweak it to my taste buds, if necessary. I read through all of the comments before I started baking and several people commented on their cookies not turning out right. If you follow the recipe, your cookies will be delicious too! The recipe calls for shortening AND butter….believe her when she says NO SUBSTITUTES! If you don’t like using shortening, then maybe you need to find another recipe! Follow her tips that she gives before the recipe…they really do work! To Monique I say, thank you for sharing with us!
I absolutely love this recipe!! I made this on Tuesday, and I’m making this same recipe right now!! I love this website, its my favorite recipe website.