Scratch Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Last Updated on July 9, 2025 by Toya

These are the BEST Scratch chocolate chip cookies you can make right at home in minutes! These yummy cookies with crispy edges and chewy centers are made with easy-to-find ingredients like butter, brown sugar, flour and of course chocolate chips and they taste so so good!

If you’ve been on the lookout for a great chocolate chip cookie recipe from scratch that comes out amazing, then you’ll love this easy to follow recipe that I’m sharing today!

Ingredients

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
• Scant 1 cup salted butter, softened (just under a full cup)
• Scant 1 cup granulated sugar (about 14 tablespoons)
• Scant 1 cup packed light brown sugar (about 14 tablespoons)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 small eggs, or 2 large eggs with 1 tablespoon beaten egg removed
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 ⅔ cups (about 8oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips or chocolate chunks
• Optional: ⅓ cup caramel baking chips (reduce chocolate chips by ⅓ cups if adding these)
• Optional: Flaky sea salt for sprinkling the tops

Tools to Make These Cookies

These are the tools you’ll need to make your chocolate chip cookies from scratch

Silicone Baking Mats
If you need a reusable alternative to parchment paper, a silicone mat is the way to go. This mat helps to prevent sticking and help the cookies bake with perfectly golden bottoms.

Hand Mixer with Multiple Speeds
A hand mixer is needed for creaming the butter and sugar quickly and evenly. Plus, if you like baking at home, this one linked above is a must-have tool!

Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls Set
I love these stackable bowls for mixing both wet and dry ingredients.

Cooling Rack
A cooling rack will help your cookies cool faster and it helps prevents soggy bottoms!

Measuring Cups & Spoons
You need these or a food scale to measure out all your ingredients accurately. Even being off by a tablespoon can throw off the entire recipe sometimes!

Silicone Spatula
This is an essential for folding in your chocolate chips without over-mixing your dough. It’s also perfect for scraping down the bowl so you get everything out!

Baking Sheet
Needed to bake your cookies on!

Cookie Scoop – 1.5 tbsp Size
A cookie scoop helps you to make uniform cookie dough balls so your cookies bake evenly and look bakery-perfect.

Click any of the links above to grab them on Amazon!

How To Make Chocolate Chip Cookies From Scratch

First, gather all your ingredients in one place. Make sure you’ve measured all the ingredients accurately. This will help make the entire process smoother as you bake the cookies. Then, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat like this one.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix then, set aside for a few minutes.

Then grab a large mixing bowl and a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy(this’ll take about 2 minutes).

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Also, stir in the vanilla extract, , then use a spatula to gently fold in the chocolate chips. Make sure you’re not over-mixing in this step.

Scoop the cookie dough into balls using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop like this one, and place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.

Finally, bake the cookies for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers are still soft. They’ll continue to cook slightly on the baking sheet after coming out of the oven.

Pull the cookies out and let them rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if you want and enjoy!

How to Bake 30 Cookies in Batches (Using One or Two Pans)

This easy choclate chip cookie recipe makes 30 cookies using a standard 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop.

With two standard baking trays (13″x18″), here’s how to bake all 30 cookies without waiting forever:

1. You will scoop 12 cookies onto each tray (24 in total). Make sure to leave 2 inches of space between them so the cookies don’t spread into each other.
2. Then bake both trays at the same time — one on the top rack, one on the bottom rack.
3. Halfway through baking, switch the trays:
   • Move the top tray to the bottom rack, and the bottom tray to the top. This is important as it gives to each pan a turn in the best oven spot so all your cookies are cooked evenly rather than risking some becoming burnt while some stay raw!
4. Once those are done, bake the final 6 cookies on one tray.

✅ That’s it! Two trays = 2 rounds in the oven, and you’re done with baking all 30 cookies in no time!

Only have one standard size baking tray? Here’s how to bake all the cookies evenly:

1. Scoop 10 cookies onto the tray. Make sure they’re spaced out so they don’t touch when they bake.
2. Bake the first batch, then let the tray cool for a few minutes.
3. Scoop and bake the second batch of 10 cookies.
4. Repeat one more time for the last 10 cookies.

✅ A total of 3 batches to bake all 30 choc chip cookies with just one (13″x18″) tray. It’s a little slower, but still super easy and so worth it in the end!

How to Store

Storing is easy, Just cool the cookies and then place them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the cookie dough balls and bake them fresh whenever you’re feeling for some homemade chocolate chip cookies!

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to chill the cookie dough?
No chilling is needed for this recipe as it was designed to be quick and easy—just mix, scoop, and bake. That means you can have warm, gooey cookies in under 30 minutes. If you do have extra time and want thicker cookies with slightly deeper flavor, chilling the dough for 30–60 minutes or even overnight won’t hurt, but it’s optional.

Can I use unsalted butter? How much salt should I add if I do?

I use ¾ teaspoon of regular salt in this recipe since the butter is already salted. It’s just the right balance—enough to enhance the flavor without making the cookies taste salty. If you’re using unsalted butter, bump the salt up to a full teaspoon to make up for it.

Do I have to use both brown and white sugar?
Yes, for the best results, brown sugar adds moisture and chewiness to the cookies, while white sugar gives you those crispy edges.

What size cookie scoop should I use?
A 1.5 tablespoon scoop (size #50) gives you 28–30 evenly baked cookies. If you want larger cookies, you will need to use a 2 tablespoon scoop (size #40) and reduce the yield to about 24.

Can I freeze the dough?
Yes! Scoop the dough into balls and freeze them on a tray. Once frozen, store them in a zip-top bag or an air tight container. When you’re ready to eat, just bake them straight from the freezer — just add 1–2 minutes to the baking time to account for the frozen dough.

Can I add nuts or other mix-ins?
Absolutely. For this recipe, you can add up to ⅓ cup of chopped nuts, toffee bits, or a mix of dark and milk chocolate chips or caramel chips!

Why did my cookies spread too much?
Cookies usually spread too much when the butter is too soft or melted, or if the flour was under-measured. Make sure your butter is just softened—not melty—and always spoon and level your flour (don’t scoop directly from the bag). Also, using warm baking sheets can cause spreading, so start with a cool pan for each batch.

How should I store the cookies?
Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. I’ve mentioned it above, but you can also freeze the cookie dough (scooped into balls) for up to 2 months— you will need to bake them straight from frozen, but make to add an 1–2 extra minutes of bake time.