How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookies From Scratch

Introduction:

Hi! In this Instructables, I hope to provide a clear and precise guide for those who want to learn how to bake a simple, yet delicious classic chocolate chip cookie. These instructions are made to follow along easily and are perfect for first-time bakers. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do and find it very informational as well, now let’s get started!

Ingredients:

2 ½ Cups of All-Purpose Flour

2 Teaspoons of Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon of Salt

16 Tablespoons (2 Sticks) of Butter (room temperature)

1 Cup of Granulated Sugar

1 Cup of Brown Sugar (light or dark)

2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

2 Large Eggs

2 Cups of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Tools Required:

2 Large Bowls

Whisk or Wooden Spatula

Measuring Utensil for 1 Teaspoon

Measuring Cup for ½ Cup

Measuring Cup for 1 Cup

Electric Mixer with Whisk Attachments

Silicone Spatula

Ice Cream Scooper or Spoon

Trays

Note: Before starting this recipe, I recommend preheating the oven to 375°F so it has time to warm up before the cookies are placed for baking.

When it comes to baking, you want to make sure you separate the dry from the wet ingredients. For this recipe, the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt are the dry ingredients while the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract and eggs are the wet ingredients. The chocolate chips are technically considered wet ingredients since they can melt, however, we don’t add these until the very end. For this step, we will begin with the dry ingredients:

1. Place a large bowl and your dry ingredients on a flat surface.

2. Add your flour, baking soda, and salt to the large bowl (preferably in this order).

3. Take a whisk or wooden spatula and mix the ingredients together.

4. Set aside for later use.

Now it’s time to make the creamy mixture using the wet ingredients!

1. Take another large bowl and add the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract.

2. Using the electric mixer, gently whip the ingredients together until the consistency is smooth (make sure there aren't any big chunks of sugar left over).

3. Next, add two large eggs into the mix and stir until smooth (if wanted, you can add the eggs individually to make sure they get mixed evenly).

We have finally come to the step of mixing the dry and wet ingredients together. To do this, grab your bowl of dry ingredients that we set aside in the very first step. Slowly add in the dry ingredients to the bowl containing your wet ingredients. I suggest doing this in parts of two or three so the mixture is evenly distributed and doesn’t spill on the floor. Then, gently stir the mixtures together until well-combined.

Just like the previous step, this one is very simple. Take the chocolate chips and add them into the batter. Instead of using an electric mixer, grab a silicone spatula and fold the chocolate chips into the batter until they are evenly spread. We use the silicone spatula because it is much more gentle while the electric mixture can crush the chocolate chips into smaller pieces.

For this step, we will be splitting the batter into small portions to shape the size of each cookie. To do this, we will use an ice cream scooper, however, if you don’t have one at home, you can use a metal spoon. With the utensil of your choice, scoop a small size of batter and place it onto your tray (no need to grease the trays). Repeat this process until the batter is finished. Make sure each portion is even and placed 2-3 inches away from each other to avoid the cookies connecting together.

As mentioned in the beginning of this instructable, your oven should be preheated to 375°F. If not, set your oven to 375°F and wait about 10-20 minutes for it to warm up. Once this is done, place your trays in the oven and let your cookies bake for about 8-10 minutes. You will know it’s time to pull them out when the cookies are a light golden brown color. Although they may not look completely baked, that’s okay! The cookies continue to bake while they cool down, changing their appearance to a darker color.

I know you’re eager to eat them, but you need to hold off for a little while longer! As mentioned previously, the cookies continue to bake while they cool, allowing them to get darker in color. Let your cookies cool down for about 8-10 minutes before scarfing them down. I promise, it’s worth the wait!

I think this step is the hardest by far because you have to wait for this one to come. You need patience, control, and not have the urge to make this the very first thing you do once the batter is made. All jokes aside, it is time to relax and enjoy the wonderful recipe you worked so hard to put together! You can enjoy these cookies with a glass of milk, or simply by themselves. Hope you had fun and liked the recipe :)