New York-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies
Why this recipe works
- Crisp edges, soft centres: Baking until the edges are just golden keeps the middle tender while giving the outside light structure.
- Deeper cookie flavour: Light brown sugar adds gentle caramel notes alongside the butter, vanilla and dark chocolate.
- Dough that can wait: Chilling the dough improves shape and makes it easy to bake the cookies when needed.
Get the most out of this recipe
Timing notes
- Chill before baking: The 60-minute chill helps firm the butter in the dough, reducing spread and giving the cookies their thick shape.
- Let them set on the tray: A short rest after baking allows the soft centres to firm up enough to move without breaking.
Texture tips
- Pull them out while soft: The centres should still look slightly underdone when the cookies leave the oven; they continue to set as they cool.
- Bake with steady heat: Baking one tray at a time gives more even heat around the dough balls and helps the edges brown consistently.
Ingredient notes
- Use softened butter, not melted: Room-temperature butter creams properly with the sugars, helping the dough hold air and structure.
- Choose the chocolate to suit your taste: Dark chocolate keeps the cookies rich and less sweet, while milk chocolate gives a softer, sweeter finish.
Make-ahead tips
- Chill the dough in advance: The dough can be prepared ahead and kept covered in the fridge before baking.
- Freeze baked cookies: Freeze cooled cookies, then defrost at room temperature and refresh in a 160°C (320°F) oven for a just-baked texture.
Equipment you'll need
Ingredients
Instructions
- Beat the butter, light brown sugar and caster sugar together until lighter in colour and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and fine sea salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix just until no dry flour remains.
- Fold in the dark chocolate chips until evenly distributed. Cover the bowl and chill the dough for 60 minutes so the cookies bake up thick.
- Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and line two baking trays with parchment paper. Scoop the dough into 16 equal portions and roll into balls, then place them well spaced on the trays.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the trays halfway through, until the edges are lightly golden and the centres still look soft. Leave on the trays for 5 minutes to set, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool.
Recipe notes
Tips
- For the thickest cookies, keep the dough cold and bake one tray at a time so the oven heat stays steady.
- If you like a more rugged New York style look, press a few extra dark chocolate chips into the tops of the dough balls before baking.
- Food safety note: if serving to young children, pregnant people, older adults, or anyone immunocompromised, use a pasteurised egg.
Substitutions
- Replace vanilla extract with madagascar-vanilla-paste for a more intense vanilla flavour.
- Replace dark chocolate chips with milk-chocolate-chips for a sweeter cookie.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 4 days
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months; defrost at room temperature, then warm in a 160°C (320°F) oven for 4 to 6 minutes to refresh.
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Recipe overview
- Servings: 16 pieces
- Total time: 1h 30min (20min active)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cuisine: American
-
Allergens:
Eggs Gluten Milk Wheat
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