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Are you team crispy or chewy? These thin and chewy chocolate chip cookies will win you over from the very first bite. Rich, buttery, and loaded with melty chocolate, these cookies are the perfect balance of crisp edges and soft, gooey centers. You are going to love these Thin and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies!
You know I am a sucker for chocolate chip cookies and I have dozens on Modern Honey. I love trying every single technique and ingredient combination out there. These may be one of the simplest chocolate chip cookie recipes and they create a ridiculously amazing bakery-worthy chocolate chip cookie!
What makes this cookie recipe special?
The magic lies in a few simple tricks — melted butter for a tender, caramel-like texture, packing in plenty of brown sugar for that deep, toffee sweetness, mixing the dough just enough to keep it soft, and pulling them out of the oven while they are slightly underbaked. One bite, and you will understand why these are unforgettable. You are going to love these chewy chocolate chip cookies ever!
Why you will love these Thin and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies:
Chewy centers + crisp edges: the dream texture combo.
Deep caramel flavor: extra brown sugar and melted butter bring toffee notes.
Quick to make: no stand mixer needed—melted butter = easy stirring.
Beautiful spread: thin, wrinkly, glossy tops with visible melted chocolate.
My Thin and Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe has been a huge hit and now I am sharing a chewy version focusing on extra brown sugar for extra chewiness and melted butter for the perfect melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Thin and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Ingredients:
- Butter: Use salted or unsalted butter in this recipe but reduce the salt to 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon if using salted butter. Cut the butter into cubes and melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl until the butter is melted.
- Brown Sugar: Use light brown sugar and make sure to pack it into the measuring cup. For extra chewiness, use dark brown sugar. The extra molasses makes an even chewier texture.
- Sugar: Make sure to stir the sugars into the butter until completely smooth and dissolved to make the smoothest texture.
- Egg: Check to ensure the butter and sugar mixture isn’t too warm before adding the egg.
- Vanilla Extract: This adds warmth and flavor to the cookies. I like to use a good quality Mexican vanilla or Nielsen-Massey.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour in this cookie recipe.
- Baking Soda: Gives the cookies the perfect amount of loft. The extra sugars and melted butter create the perfect thin chocolate chip cookie.
- Salt: This is such an important ingredient as it balances out the sweetness of the chocolate chip cookie dough.
- Milk Chocolate Chunks: I suggest using milk chocolate chunks or chocolate cut from a bar since they melt instead of chocolate chips that hold their shape. I use the Trader Joe’s Pound Plus Bars, cut into chunks.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks: Use a mix of milk and semi-sweet for the perfect combination.
Why use melted butter in chocolate chip cookies?
No air whipped in = less lift, more spread. Since this chocolate chip cookie recipe uses melted butter, you aren’t creaming it with sugars for 3-4 minutes in a stand mixer, which adds air into the cookie dough, which creates lift. This means that without that extra whipped air, the cookies will spread more, creating a thinner cookie.
How to make the Chewiest Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever:
- Melt butter in a microwave-safe bowl. I suggest melting it at 50% power to avoid the butter from splattering in the microwave. Once it has melted, add brown sugar and sugar and stir well for about 2 minutes until completely smooth. This helps to dissolve the sugars.
- Add egg and vanilla extract and stir for 1 minute.
- Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before adding chocolate to ensure it doesn’t melt.
- Fold in chocolate chunks. Cover and chill the dough for 30 minutes or wrap in plastic wrap. For even more toffee-like flavor, chill for at least 24 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a light colored baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop the dough with an cookie or ice cream scoop onto the baking sheet, leaving at least 4 inches of space between the cookies. These cookies will spread so make sure to allow enough room for spreading.
- Bake for 11-15 minutes, or until the edges have started to turn a light golden color.
Thin Chocolate Chip Cookie Baking Tips:
Use light-colored aluminum pans. Dark pans brown too fast underneath.
Don’t overbake. Pull them when the centers still look soft… they’ll finish baking on the sheet.
One sheet at a time for even baking (or rotate halfway if you bake two).
Oven thermometers are your friend. Many home ovens run 15–25°F off.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Do I have to chill the dough? I suggest chilling the dough for at least 20-30 minutes as it improves flavor and gives you a more controlled spread.
Can I freeze the cookie dough? Yes! Scoop the cookie dough into balls, freeze solid on the baking tray in the freezer for at least 1 hour, and then place into a freezer-safe bag.
How do I store these cookies? Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Also, these cookies freeze beautifully so if you want to keep them fresh, I suggest freezing them.
Why should I chill cookie dough?
As the dough rests, the flour fully hydrates and the sugars begin to dissolve, creating deeper, richer flavors (kind of like aging dough). It creates a better texture. A short chil (30 minutes) slightly firms up the butter, giving the cookies a better shape and preventing too much spreading. Longer chills (24-48 hours) create a chewier center with more complex, deeper flavor. Also, when the butter is solidified, it melts slower in the oven, which helps to create those crinkly edges and chewy centers. Slightly chilled dough is easier to handle!
Popular Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes:
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
One Bowl Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies (with sweetened condensed milk)
Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Pan Banging Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Thin and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Butter (1 stick, melted)
- 3/4 cup Brown Sugar (packed)
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 1 large Egg
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 1/4 cups Flour
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 8 ounces Milk Chocolate and Semi-Sweet Chunks
Instructions
- Melt butter in a microwave-safe bowl. I suggest melting it at 50% power to avoid the butter from splattering in the microwave. Once it has melted, add brown sugar and sugar and stir well for about 2 minutes until completely smooth. This helps to dissolve the sugars.
- Add egg and vanilla extract and stir for 1 minute.
- Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before adding chocolate to ensure it doesn't melt.
- Fold in chocolate chunks. Cover and chill the dough for 30 minutes or wrap in plastic wrap. For even more toffee-like flavor, chill for at least 24 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a light colored baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop the dough with a ookie or ice cream scoop onto the baking sheet, leaving at least 4 inches of space between the cookies. These cookies will spread so make sure to allow enough room for spreading.
- Bake for 11-15 minutes, or until the edges have started to turn a light golden color.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
2nd time I’ve made these within a month and each time they came out perfect. My family loves them and I love the hint about beating the sugars with the butter after the fat is melted. You are correct, it makes the flour easier to incorporate.
Great recipe!
Thanks so much for using this recipe! I’m so glad you love it.
My favorite type of cookie! These were incredible with crispy edges and soft centers. Delish!
Thank you for making this recipe, Delilah!
Delicious! I love how I didn’t even have to get my hand mixer out! This is basically a one-pan cookie recipe. I had to cook some of the dough about an hour after they were mixed. They were chewy just like you said! I am going to let some of the dough “marinate” for 24-48 hours to see if i can tell a difference in the flavor. You gave excellent information in the tips.
The perfect thing cookie I’ve been looking for!! These were absolutely amazing and had the perfect rich flavor.
Thank you for making this cookie recipe Percy!