Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies with Dark Brown Sugar
These soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies are made with dark brown sugar for a richer, deeper flavor than your average cookie. Simple pantry ingredients, no chilling required, and ready in under 30 minutes. The dark brown sugar adds layers of warmth and a perfectly chewy texture that keeps you coming back for one more. A guaranteed hit with family and friends every single time.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 minutes
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 18 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
Ingredients
- ½ cup (105g) salted butter, softened
- ½ cup (107g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (98g) dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1½ cups (189g) all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 cup (157g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, whisk the softened butter with both sugars on medium speed until light and combined, about 2 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until just incorporated, about 1 minute.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold until just combined. Do not overmix — stop as soon as you no longer see streaks of flour.
- Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
- Using a cookie scoop or spoon, portion the dough into balls roughly 2 tablespoons each. Place on your prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges are golden. The centers will look slightly underdone — that is exactly right. Do not overbake.
- Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. They will set up as they cool.
Notes
Butter: Make sure your butter is properly softened — not melted, not cold. Take it out of the fridge at least one hour before baking. Properly softened butter creams correctly and gives the cookies their structure and chew.
Flour: If measuring by cups, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level with a knife. Do not scoop directly from the bag — this packs the flour and can add too much, leading to dry cookies.
Don’t overbake: This is the most important note. The cookies will look slightly underdone in the center when you pull them out. They finish setting up on the hot pan as they cool. Golden edges are your signal — not a fully set center.
Chilling: Not required but optional. If you have time, refrigerate the dough overnight for an even chewier, more flavorful cookie.
Freezing: Scoop into balls and freeze on a parchment-lined tray for 30 minutes, then transfer to an airtight container. Keeps for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen at 350°F for approximately 15 minutes.
Storage: Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.