My chocolate chip cookie recipe

I always come back to chocolate chip cookies when I'm craving a simple, reliable, and frankly comforting dessert. I've tried quite a few versions over the years, and this one is my "standard": a buttery dough, a little brown sugar for texture, and chunks of chocolate rather than mini chips (that way, you get real melty pockets of chocolate).

What I love is the contrast: slightly crispy edges, a still-soft center. The little secret is not to overbake them and to let the cookies finish settling on the baking sheet after they come out of the oven. And for a personal touch that remains ultra-classic, I just add a little orange zest (it brightens up the chocolate) and a few toasted hazelnuts for crunch.

In terms of season, orange and hazelnuts are perfect: they add flavor without turning the recipe into a weird variation. You can also play around with the chocolate (mostly dark, a little milk if you prefer it milder), but keep in mind: coarsely chopped chocolate gives the best results.

If you prefer thicker cookies, you can chill the dough for 10 minutes while the oven preheats. And if you want them thinner and crispier, flatten the balls slightly before baking. In either case, you'll still have classic chocolate chip, just as you'd expect.

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Chocolate chip cookies

Recipe by Nathalie Laplace

0.0 out of 0 votes

Type of dish: dessertKitchen: FrenchDifficulty: easy

Portions

4

portions

Preparation time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

Classic chocolate chip cookies: crispy edges, a soft center, and big, gooey chunks. A little homemade touch: a hint of orange zest and a few toasted hazelnuts to enhance the chocolate without overpowering it.

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Ingredients

• 120g unsalted butter (at room temperature)

• 90g of brown sugar

• 40 g of powdered sugar

• 1 egg (medium size)

• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

• 180 g of wheat flour

• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon of fine salt

• 170g dark chocolate (chopped into pieces)

• 60g hazelnuts (roughly crushed)

• Finely grated zest of 1/2 an untreated orange

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan oven). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
• Roast the hazelnuts in the oven for 8 minutes (on a small baking sheet or in a corner of the oven). Let them cool slightly, then chop them if they haven't already. Lower the oven temperature to 170°C (340°F) if your oven runs hot, otherwise keep it at 180°C (350°F).
• In a bowl, work the softened butter with the brown sugar and sugar until you obtain a creamy texture (1 to 2 minutes).
• Add the egg and vanilla. Mix just enough to combine.
• In another bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt. Pour over the dough and mix with a spatula: stop as soon as there are no more traces of flour (if you overmix, the cookies will harden).
• Add the chopped chocolate, hazelnuts and orange zest. Mix quickly to distribute evenly.
• Form 12 balls of dough (approximately 45g each). Place them on the baking sheet, spacing them well apart (at least 5 cm).
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes: the edges should be set, the center still a little soft. This is normal; it will finish cooking as it cools.
• Let it rest for 10 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool (or enjoy it warm, that's the most dangerous moment).
• Bake in 2 batches if your baking sheet is small: well-spaced cookies are better than one large cookie.

📊 Nutritional Information

1 serving (approx. 120g, or ~3 cookies)

* RDA = Recommended Daily Allowance

📝 Notes

Storage: Keep them in an airtight container for 3 days. To restore their soft texture, microwave for 10 seconds. Raw dough: You can form the dough into balls and freeze them, then bake them directly, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the cooking time.

💡 Chef's Tips

For perfectly soft cookies, keep an eye on them while they bake: take them out when the center still looks slightly undercooked. And chop the chocolate with a knife: you'll get irregular pieces that melt better than uniform chips.

🔄 Variations

• For a richer chocolate flavor: replace 30g of flour with 20g of unsweetened cocoa (and add 1 tablespoon of milk if the dough seems too dry).
• For extra crispiness: reduce the butter to 110g and extend the cooking time by 1 to 2 minutes, keeping a close eye on the color.

Nathalie Laplace

Food writer for the Simple & Bon website. Passionate about healthy cooking and especially salads, slow-cooked or oven-baked recipes.