There is no universally perfect chocolate chip cookie, but we all know what cookie is perfect for us. And whether you like it chewy, crispy, cakey, or maybe a little salty, finding the right mix can take a lot of trial and error.
Landing on the perfect recipe doesn’t always mean starting from scratch, though! Tiny tweaks to a “close, but not quite perfect” recipe can make a big impact, and by swapping out ingredients and fine-tuning your method, you can make a cookie that is your perfect for you. It may take a few batches until you get there, but we bet you can figure out something to do with those.
Here are a few easy changes to try in search of your perfect cookie:
Sugar
Most chocolate chip cookie recipes call for sugar in the form of granulated and/or brown sugar. Brown sugar adds a little bit of a rich, molasses-y flavor, but it also works to tenderize the dough, resulting in a chewier cookie. Depending on your texture preferences, try swapping some (or all!) of the granulated sugar in your recipe for brown sugar. Or—if crispy is your goal—try using all granulated sugar. You’ll be surprised how much of a change you’ll see in the finished cookie.
If you like your cookies cakey and doughy, rather than chewy and buttery, try reducing the overall sugar, at any ratio of white to brown, by about 1/4 of the original recipe to start.
Patience
This can be a tough pill to swallow, but one of the best ways to make a good cookie dough great is to wait at least 24 hours between mixing and baking. When cookie dough rests in the refrigerator, the liquid ingredients hydrate the dry ingredients. This leads to chewy, tender cookies that bake evenly every time.
Chocolate Choices
Obviously, chocolate is an essential part of the chocolate chip cookie experience, and the one you choose can make or break your finished cookie experience. Many recipes call for semi-sweet chocolate chips, which are essentially “dark chocolate.” This slightly bitter, less sweet chocolate helps to balance the sweetness in your dough, but don’t be afraid to experiment with other chocolates.
Milk chocolate is sweeter and a little richer, making a decadent and creamy cookie (especially when they’re still warm!). Try a mix of half-milk and half-dark, or go full milk! And don’t forget to consider texture. Chips are great, but store-bought or hand-chopped chunks are perfect for a chocolate-lover. On the other hand, shaved chocolate from a block means no big bites for those of us who are in it for the cookie.
An important note: you are allowed to love chocolate, and we would be remiss if we didn’t tell you that increasing the chocolate to 18 oz of chips (that’s 1 1/2 standard bags) does certainly make an excellent cookie dough.
Salt
Salt may be the secret ingredient in all the best cookies you’ve had, since we know that salt works to enhance other flavors. If, by some chance, your recipe has no salt, then add at least 1/2 tsp (for about 2 to 3 cups of flour) with the other dry ingredients. Otherwise, consider adding an extra pinch in your next batch, or try topping your scooped cookies with just a light sprinkle of coarse finishing salt. Your cookies shouldn’t be salty, but you should notice a little “something extra” that may have been missing.
