Move over, chewy cookies. We're showing you how to make the best crispy chocolate chip cookies—perfect for dunking in a tall glass of milk.
Sure, there are chewy cookie fanatics out there, but they don’t appreciate the joy of crunching into super crispy chocolate chip cookies. Or dunking a crisp cookie into a glass of milk or—better yet—your morning mug of coffee.
If those crunchy cookies are more your style and you haven’t been satisfied with the typical back-of-the-bag recipe, you have to check out our Test Kitchen’s take. They’re delightfully crisp and chock-full of chocolate chips.
Secrets to Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies
There’s more to making crispy cookies than leaving them in the oven a little longer. In fact, creating the perfect chocolate chip cookie (in this case, a crunchy one) requires a few modifications to the classic cookie recipe.
Melted butter: Using melted butter helps create a cookie dough that spreads. Cookies that spread and flatten out will be thinner and crisper—something like a Tate’s Bake Shop cookie (one of our Test Kitchen’s favorite store-bought cookie brands).
Don’t chill the dough: Chilling dough firms up the butter and prevents cookies from spreading—two things that won’t give you a crispy chocolate chipper.
No brown sugar:Â That’s right. You can skip brown sugar when creating cookies with crunch factor. Brown sugar contains significant moisture thanks to the molasses. Skip it and use only granulated sugar to create crispy chocolate chip cookies.
Baking soda only:Â Baking powder gives cookies a cake-like texture. To avoid that softness, skip it and use baking soda only.
How to Make Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies
TMB Studio
Ingredients
1 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups chocolate chips
Yield:Â 48 cookies
Directions
Step 1: Cream ingredients
As with any chocolate chip cookie recipe, start by creaming together butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer until light and fluffy. This process should take about 5 minutes. Don’t rush this part!
Next, add in the eggs and vanilla and beat well—another minute or so should do it.
Step 2: Add dry ingredients
Then add in the remaining dry ingredients—flour, baking soda and salt. Beat until just combined. Overmixing cookie dough will cause the cookies to become tough—not crispy.
The finishing touch for the cookie dough is stirring in the chocolate chips. You can use any chips you like—milk, dark, white—but semisweet is the traditional mix-in for chocolate chip cookies. These are our Test Kitchen’s favorite brands of chocolate chips if you want to get the Taste of Home experience in your kitchen.
Step 3: Bake
All that’s left is to bake these cookies off. Scoop tablespoons of dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. You can use a spoon or cookie scoop for this job.
Bake at 325°F for 11 to 14 minutes or until the edges have started to brown. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool fully on wire racks before storing them.
How to Store Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Like most drop cookies, these cookies are best stored in an air-tight container. Try to enjoy them within a week for the best flavor and texture.
If you know you won’t be able to enjoy all these cookies within a few days, they can be frozen. Stash them in an air-tight container or zip-top bag. When you’re ready to enjoy, defrost at room temp. You can even crisp them up in the oven; pop them in at 350 for just one or two minutes.
The Ultimate Chocolate Chip CookieEveryone has a favorite type of chocolate chip cookie—a little crispy, a little chewy—but they all have to begin with a classic chocolate chip cookie recipe. This is the best place to start! —Megumi Garcia, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Sugar CookiesThis classic cookie dates back to a Swedish woman born in 1877! Her daughter, Esther Davis, shared the recipe with me and she came up with all the exact measurements, since the original cookies were mixed by feel and taste. These are my favorite cookies because I can bake a ton in just a few minutes. —Helen Wallis, Vancouver, Washington
Peanut Butter CookiesIt is amazing how much flavor these simple peanut butter cookies without brown sugar have. I make them very often because I always have the ingredients on hand. —Maggie Schimmel, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
Oatmeal CookiesI packed chocolate chips, raisins, nuts and cinnamon into my oatmeal cookie recipe. These classic cookies are easy to make. Best of all, our kids love them! —Janis Plageman, Lynden, Washington
Butter CookiesThis great butter cookie recipe is a favorite of my nephews, who love the creamy frosting. I love them because they can be mixed and baked in a snap! —Ruth Griggs, South Hill, Virginia
Chocolate CookiesThis classic cookie recipe—a favorite of our four children—has been in my collection for years. Sometimes I'll substitute mint-flavored chips for the semisweet chocolate chips. Either way, the chocolate cookies disappear quickly. —Sheri Ziesemer, Olympia, Washington
Molasses CookiesMy family always requests these soft molasses cookies. These classic cookies are also great for shipping as holiday gifts or to troops overseas. —Kristine Chayes, Smithtown, New York
SnickerdoodlesThe history of this whimsically named treat is widely disputed, but the popularity of this classic cookie is undeniable! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Ginger CookiesThese nicely spiced, big soft ginger cookies are perfect for folks who like the flavor of ginger but don't care for crunchy gingersnaps. Plus, they only take about 40 minutes to make 2 dozen cookies! —Barbara Gray, Boise, Idaho
Coconut MacaroonsThese coconut macaroons are my husband's favorite and earned me a first-place ribbon at the county fair. I especially like the fact that this recipe makes a small enough batch for the two of us to nibble on without lots left over. —Penny Ann Habeck, Shawano, Wisconsin
Peanut Butter Kiss CookiesBaking peanut butter kiss cookies to share doesn't get much easier than this. Stir together four ingredients. Bake. Top with a kiss. Done! Your family will love this Hershey's peanut butter blossom cookie recipe. —Dee Davis, Sun City, Arizona
GingersnapsI get tremendous satisfaction making and giving time-tested yuletide treats like these classic cookies. Dipping them in white chocolate makes much-loved gingersnaps even more special. —Laura Kimball, West Jordan, Utah
Spritz CookiesThis tender spritz cookie recipe is very eye-catching on my cookie tray. The dough is easy to work with, so it's fun to make these spritz cookies into a variety of shapes. This is hands down the best spritz cookie recipe ever. —Beverly Launius, Sandwich, Illinois
Sprinkle CookiesOf all the classic cookie recipes I make, this is my favorite. These sprinkle cookies take some time, but, believe me, they are well worth it! My husband and I used to operate an Italian American restaurant, and this recipe goes back generations. —Gloria Cracchiolo, Newburgh, New York
Meringue CookiesWant to learn how to make meringues? These meringue cookies are super light and airy. They're the perfect fat-free treat. —Jenni Sharp, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Peanut Butter Cookie CupsI'm a busy schoolteacher and pastor's wife. I wouldn't dare show my face at a church dinner or bake sale without these tempting peanut butter treats. They're quick, easy to make and always a hit. —Kristi Tackett, Banner, Kentucky
Macadamia CookiesWhite baking chips and macadamia nuts are a fantastic duo in these classic cookies. They are a nice change from the usual chocolate chip ones. —Cathy Lennon, Newport, Tennessee
Brownie CookiesThese deeply fudgy cookies are a clever way to make a friend. A little espresso powder in the dough makes them even more delicious. —Rebecca Cababa, Las Vegas, Nevada
Whoopie PiesWho can resist soft chocolate sandwich cookies filled with a layer of fluffy white frosting? Mom has made these for years. They're a treat that never lasts very long with me and my two brothers around. —Maria Costello, Monroe, North Carolina
KolachkesThese classic cookies have Polish and Czech roots and can also be spelled "kolaches." They are usually filled with poppy seeds, nuts, jam or a mashed fruit mixture. The ice cream is a unique twist on traditional kolachkes, and it's simplest to use a square cookie cutter to cut the dough. —Diane Turner, Brunswick, Ohio
Chocolate BiscottiMy neighbors look forward to getting my gifts of these classic cookies. I love that this chocolate biscotti recipe is such a cinch to make. —Ginger Chatfield, Muscatine, Iowa
Crinkle CookiesWhen I baked this moist, fudgy chocolate crinkle cookie recipe for the first time, my three preschool children went wild over them! But I like them because they're lower in fat and easy to mix and bake. —Maria Groff, Ephrata, Pennsylvania
Basic Cookie DoughSkip the store-bought cookie dough and learn how to make cookies from scratch—it's easy! Thanks to this basic cookie dough recipe, you can turn everyday ingredients into five sensational sweets. Bake some right away, then pop the extra dough in the freezer for later. —Gloria McBride, Payson, Utah
Lisa is an editor at Taste of Home where she gets to embrace her passion for baking. She pours this love of all things sweet (and sometimes savory) into Bakeable, Taste of Home's baking club. Lisa is also dedicated to finding and testing the best ingredients, kitchen gear and home products for our Test Kitchen-Preferred program. At home, you'll find her working on embroidery and other crafts.
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Updated: May 18, 2023
