This is America's Test Kitchen's perfected chocolate chip cookie recipe engineered to deliver crispy edges and chewy centers through careful ratios of butter, sugars, and leavening. The combination of granulated and brown sugar, plus an extra egg yolk, creates the ideal texture and flavor balance.
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Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and, using heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter until completely melted.
Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand for 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny.
Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if using), giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.
Divide dough into 16 portions, each about 2 tablespoons. Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets, 8 dough balls per sheet.
Bake cookies 1 sheet at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking.
Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; let cookies cool completely before serving.
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months. Dough keeps refrigerated for 2 days or frozen for 3 months.
The granulated sugar spreads the dough and creates crispy edges, while brown sugar adds moisture and chewiness to the centers. This 1:1 ratio produces the ideal texture contrast.
The yolk adds richness and fat, which helps create a chewier, more tender crumb in the cookie's center.
No—reduce the table salt to 1/2 teaspoon if using salted butter to avoid over-salting.
Bake until the edges are golden brown and the centers still look slightly underbaked. They will continue cooking on the baking sheet as they cool.
Yes, refrigerate the dough up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Frozen dough can be baked directly without thawing; add 1–2 minutes to bake time.
