Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you prefer your chocolate chip cookies to be thick, soft, and slightly crisp on the outside, this is the recipe for you!

These cookies are addictively delicious, packed with both dark and milk chocolate chips with hint of vanilla and coffee to enhance the flavour.

They’re also super quick and easy, making them my go-to for when I’m craving a sweet treat and feel like baking but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Butter

Butter is essential for this recipe as it gives the cookies the right texture and flavour. Oil won’t work as a substitute in this case, but a good vegan butter will.

I recommend using salted butter for a more flavourful result, although unsalted butter is fine if that’s all you have, just add a pinch of salt.

Sugar

For sweetness, I use a mix of caster sugar and brown sugar. The brown sugar adds depth and richness, while the caster sugar helps keep the biscuits light and crisp without making them chewy.

I wouldn’t recommend using artificial sweeteners as they’re likely to throw off both the flavour and the texture.

Eggs

Eggs help bind the cookie dough and contribute to the soft, light texture. Without them, the biscuits would be dense.

Vanilla Essence

Vanilla essence enhances the flavour and sweetness of the biscuits without adding extra sugar and compliments the chocolate perfectly.

Coffee

A little bit of coffee enhances the chocolate flavour without making the biscuits taste like coffee. I use strong instant coffee dissolved in a splash of boiling water. It’s a subtle flavour and can be omitted if you prefer.

Flour

I use plain (all-purpose) flour for this recipe. You could use self-raising flour but leave out the baking powder and baking soda.

Baking Powder and Baking Soda

Baking powder and baking soda work together to lift the dough making these chocolate chip cookies thick and soft.

Chocolate Chips

I recommend using a mix of dark and milk chocolate chips for the best flavour. That said, feel free to use whatever chocolate you prefer or have in the pantry as this recipe is very flexible. You can also use chopped up baking chocolate rather than chocolate chips.

Detailed Instructions

Step 1: Prepare Your Equipment

Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F) fan forced and line two baking trays with baking paper. I recommend using compostable baking paper because it’s eco-friendly and works just as well as regular baking paper.

Step 2: Mix the Wet Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, caster sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Then add the eggs and vanilla essence and whisk to combine.

Step 3: Add the Coffee

In a small bowl, mix the instant coffee with just enough boiling water to dissolve the granules; about ½ tablespoon is usually enough. Try not to use more than that, as too much liquid can affect the texture of the dough and the final cookies. Once dissolved, add the coffee to the butter mixture and whisk to combine.

Step 4: Add the Dry Ingredients

Add the baking powder, baking soda, and about half of the flour to the butter mixture. Stir gently until just combined. Then mix the chocolate chips in with the rest of the flour.

Step 5: Roll and Bake the Cookies

Roll the dough into smooth balls (roughly tablespoon-sized) and space them out evenly on the prepared trays. There’s no need to flatten them unless you prefer your cookies to be crunchy rather than soft and thick.

Bake the cookies for 10-15 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remember that they’ll firm up as they cool and that the exact baking time will depend on both your oven and how big you’ve rolled the cookies.

Serving Suggestions

These classic chocolate chip cookies are best enjoyed warm, with the chocolate still slightly melted but they’re also great cold. They’re perfect for lunchboxes, afternoon tea, or a quick snack.

If the cookies have cooled completely and you prefer them hot, you can pop one in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to bring back that fresh-from-the-oven softness.

Storage Tips

Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

The dough also freezes well but you’ll need to roll it into balls first, then freeze on a tray before transferring to a container or freezer bag. You can bake the cookies straight from frozen (just add an extra couple of minutes the baking time).

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