New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies

New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies are chewy in the center, crisp on the edges, and full of rich chocolate. This easy dough comes together in about 30 minutes and bakes into perfectly balanced cookies every time.

I have a chocolate chip cookie pinning problem. I have way too many versions saved, and somehow half of them trace back to the same source: the famous new york times chocolate chip cookies. The technique comes from Jacques Torres, whose approach helped define the famous New York Times cooking version!

If that many people keep coming back to it, I needed to know why. After making them, I get it. They are chewy, sweet, and completely satisfying. And just like my monster cookie recipe, the dough freezes beautifully so you can bake them whenever you want.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Cake flour: Keeps the cookies soft and tender. This is essential for balancing the chew from the bread flour.
• Bread flour: Adds structure and chew. This combination is what gives these New York Times chocolate chip cookies their signature texture. If needed, you can substitute all purpose flour, though the final texture will be slightly less chewy.
• Baking soda & baking powder: Work together to control spread and lift so the cookies aren’t flat or cakey.
• Kosher salt: Enhances the overall flavor and keeps the cookies from tasting overly sweet.
• Unsalted butter: Provides richness and allows you to control the salt level. Make sure it is softened for proper creaming. For a deeper, more caramelized flavor, my brown butter chocolate chip cookies take this same idea in an even richer direction.
• Light brown sugar: Adds moisture and chew while contributing a subtle molasses flavor. Or, if you’re out of brown sugar, my chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar (coming soon!) still bake up soft with crisp edges.
• Granulated sugar: Helps create those crisp edges while balancing the softness from the brown sugar.
• Eggs: Provide structure and richness. Adding them one at a time helps the dough emulsify properly.
• Vanilla extract: Rounds out the flavor and enhances the chocolate.
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips: The star of the recipe. Use a high-quality brand for the best flavor and melt.
• Sea salt: Sprinkled on top before baking to balance sweetness and highlight the chocolate.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations for New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Add larger chocolate pools. Swap some chocolate chips for chopped chocolate to create melty pockets throughout the cookies.
• Make bakery-style cookies. Use larger scoops of dough and bake a few minutes longer for thicker centers. For a thicker, more structured cookie, my bakery style chocolate chip cookies lean even more into that classic bakery texture!
• Bake from frozen. Freeze portioned dough and bake straight from frozen, adding 2–3 minutes to the bake time.

Professional Tips

• Cream until fluffy. Beat butter and sugars for about 3–5 minutes until light and airy for the best texture.
• Mix just until combined. Overmixing after adding flour will make the cookies tough instead of tender.
• Start checking early. Begin checking around 8 minutes so the centers stay soft and don’t overbake.
• Finish with sea salt. A light sprinkle before baking sharpens the chocolate flavor and balances the sweetness.

How to Make New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies

Use these steps to make perfect chocolate chip cookies with consistent results every time. The method is designed to meet the needs of home cooks of all levels while still producing bakery-quality cookies!

Step 1: Preheat the oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. This takes about 5–10 minutes.

You can also use a nonstick baking mat instead of parchment for consistent browning.

Step 2: Mix dry ingredients. Sift together the cake flour, bread flour, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt. Set aside.

Step 3: Cream butter sugars. In a stand mixer, beat butter with both sugars on medium speed for about 3–5 minutes until light and fluffy.

Step 4: Add eggs slowly. Add eggs one at a time, mixing fully after each addition and scraping the bowl.

Step 5: Stir in vanilla. Mix in the vanilla extract until evenly combined.

Step 6: Add dry mixture. Add dry ingredients in three additions, mixing on low just until combined after each.

Step 7: Fold in chocolate. Stir in chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Step 8: Optional chill dough. Refrigerate dough for 1–24 hours for deeper flavor. You can skip this if baking immediately.

If chilling overnight, cover the dough with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.

Step 9: Portion dough balls. Scoop spoonfuls of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing them a few inches apart.

Step 10: Sprinkle sea salt. Lightly sprinkle tops with sea salt before baking.

Step 11: Bake cookies. Bake for 9–12 minutes, checking at 8 minutes. Bake until the edges are golden brown.

Step 12: Let cookies rest on the pan for 2–3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to set the centers perfectly.

Use private notes or a private comment to track how your oven affects timing, this will give you generally better everyday cooking.

Recipe FAQs

Before You Go

I hope you enjoyed these chewy, bakery-style cookies. Check out our other delicious cookie recipes like these cream cheese chocolate chip cookies to keep your kitchen stocked with something sweet.

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