These easy chocolate chip sugar cookies are soft and chewy and loaded with mini chocolate chips. Made without brown sugar, they can be cut-out cookies or slice and bake. The best cookie recipe that is also perfect for decorating.
Lisa commented, "I did the slice and bake version and they were gobbled up at our Thanksgiving dinner!"
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As a busy mama and lifetime baker, I've got decades of sugar cookie making under my belt. And I've made plenty of mistakes and and run into problems along the way! But rest assured, I am an open book and share all my tips and secrets for making the best soft and chewy sugar cookies.
two sugar bugs has at least 18 sugar cookie recipes on it. From lemon cut-out cookies to almond sugar cookies to cinnamon sugar cookies, I've got you covered on flavors! Given the popularity of my chocolate chip cupcakes recipe, I realized it is time for a chocolate chip version.
💗 why this is the best chocolate chip sugar cookie recipe
- A simple dough that comes together in minutes!
- The cookies have a nice balance of vanilla and chocolate.
- The recipe has no brown sugar, so you get a true sugar cookie taste that is complimented by chocolate chips.
- The cookies hold their shape when you bake them, so they actually look like your cookie cutters! Perfect for cute Christmas, Halloween or Easter cookies.
- A great recipe for decorating with buttercream frosting, if desired.
are chocolate chip cookies just sugar cookies without chocolate chips?
No, chocolate chip cookies and sugar cookies are two very different cookies. The ratio of ingredients is different between a typical chocolate chip cookie and a sugar cookie, there is a higher amount of flour to sugar in a sugar cookie.
I do have chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar on the blog, if you are craving more of a classic drop cookie.
🍪 ingredients and substitutions
Please scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the full list of ingredients and baking directions.
- All-purpose flour ~ use your favorite brand. If you don't use a scale for measuring {this is the one I use and love}, make sure to use the spoon and level method to ensure you don't have too much flour. If you need gluten free cookies, a 1 to 1 gluten free flour can be substituted.
- Baking powder ~ this recipe calls for aluminum free baking powder. For sugar cookies that taste good, I highly recommend making sure your baking powder is aluminum free. I use Trader Joe's or Rumford.
- Unsalted butter ~ this is the time to splurge on a high quality butter such as Plugrá or Kerrygold.
- Kosher salt ~ if you only have table salt, use half the amount.
- Sugars ~ granulated {white} sugar brings the classic sugar cookie taste and provides structure to the cookie. The confectioners' sugar, also known as powdered or icing sugar, adds extra softness to the cookies. If you want to use all white sugar, use 1 full cup.
- Egg ~ one large egg is needed to bind the ingredients together. I have not tested this recipe with any egg substitutes.
- Vanilla ~ pure vanilla extract for flavor.
- Chocolate chips ~ mini chocolate chips perform best in this recipe, just like my mini chocolate chip cookies recipe. I like Ghirardelli mini chocolate chips.
🥣 how to make soft and chewy cookies
Start by combining flour and aluminum free baking powder with a whisk in a bowl. Set aside.
Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and kosher salt until combined, about 1 minute.
Add in both sugars and beat until smooth.
Now scrape up and down the bowl, then beat in the egg and vanilla and mix until well combined.
With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture a little at a time, occasionally stopping to scrape your bowl. When the dough has started to come together, but is still showing some flour add the mini chocolate chips.
Now mix until combined and the dough starts to ball up on the paddle. The dough should be soft, but not sticky.
Gently press the dough into a ball. Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and press into a 1 inch thick disk. Chill for a minimum of 30 minutes {and up to three days} before rolling out.
If desired, you can split the dough into two halves and roll into a log to chill and make slice and bake cookies instead of cut-outs.
Once the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 375°. Prepare baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
On lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about a ¼ inch thickness. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Re-roll the remaining dough and continue cutting until all is used. Arrange cookies on baking sheets about 1 inch apart.
Bake one sheet at a time in the middle of the oven, about 7-8 minutes, until puffy. Allow the cookies to rest for 2 minutes on the pan and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
💬 frequently asked questions
how are these cookies different from regular chocolate chip cookies?
This cookie recipe is a sugar cookie recipe with mini chocolate chips. Traditional chocolate chip cookies are made as drop cookies with a combination of white and brown sugars (my chocolate chippers recipe has a higher ratio of brown sugar, which is part of what makes them so amazing!).
can I make the cookie dough ahead?
Yes, you can make the cookie dough up to three days before you bake the cookies.
Chocolate chip sugar cookies can also be baked and then frozen for up to three months. Allow them to defrost at room temperature {about 30 minutes} before serving. {I just ate the last frozen sugar cookie from Christmas, which was almost six months ago, and the cookie was still fantastic!}
👩🏻🍳 expert tips
- Start with room temperature butter and a room temperature egg. This usually takes 1-2 hours of sitting on the counter {depending on the temperature of your kitchen}. To test, your finger should make an indent without sinking or sliding down into the butter. The butter should not be warm to the touch or shiny or greasy.
- Chill the dough. This recipe requires a minimum of 30 minutes; I typically go somewhere between 30 and 60 minutes of chill time. The dough can chill for up to three days. If it is chilled longer than 1-2 hours, allow it to sit on the counter for 15-20 minutes to warm up before rolling out.
- Try not to overwork the dough. Overworked dough = tough cookies.
- If the chocolate chip sugar cookie dough seems too warm after you've rolled and cut out the cookies, pop it in the freezer or refrigerator for 10 minutes to cool back down before baking them.
- If making the slice and bake option, use caution when slicing as the knife will give some resistance when it hits the mini chocolate chips.
- Do not over bake the cookies! It takes about 8 minutes for the cookies to bake. They should not have brown edges, but will appear slightly puffy on top when they are done. Allow them to cool on the pan for 2 minutes before moving to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Remember to pin this recipe to Pinterest! Use the button on the recipe card or the share buttons on the side or bottom of this page.
cut out sugar cookie troubleshooting
- Help, my dough is crumbly! The dough should be soft, but not sticky when it goes in for a chill. If the dough seems dry and crumbly when you press it into a ball, you likely added too much flour or overworked the dough. Add a little egg white {start with one tablespoon} and gently work it into the dough until it is soft, but not sticky.
- Help, my dough is super hard after chilling! If the dough chills for more than an hour, it will need time to warm up on the counter before rolling. Let it sit out for 10-20 minutes before rolling it out.
- Help, my dough is crumbly when I try to roll it! If the cookie dough is too cold, it will crumble when you go to roll it out. Let it warm slightly on the counter for 10-20 minutes and try again.
- Help, my cookies spread when they baked! Your dough likely got too warm when you rolled it out. You can always pop the cut out dough in the freezer or refrigerator for a 10 minute chill before baking them. {I have never had to do this, but my kitchen doesn't get overly warm most of the year}.
- Help, my cookies aren't soft after they cooled! Most likely they were over baked. This chocolate chip sugar cookie recipe only needs about 8 minutes in the oven. The edges should not be browned, but the cookies will be slightly puffy in the middle when they are done.
💡 variations
Add frosting ~ these chocolate chip sugar cookies are perfectly delicious all on their own. If you would like to decorate them, that would be yummy and pretty too! A chocolate buttercream {like the one from this chocolate chip cupcake recipe} would be delicious or go with a classic like my favorite American buttercream.
Slice and bake cookies instead of cut-out sugar cookies. See the recipe card for directions. When slicing the cookies, your knife may meet resistance when it hits some of the chocolate chips; just press down firmly.
Change up the chocolate ~ white chocolate {you can follow my white chocolate sugar cookies recipe} or replace the mini chocolate chips with ruby chocolate. If using ruby chocolate chips, I would chop them to make the chocolate pieces a little smaller.
Chocolate chip mint ~ add ½ to one teaspoon of mint extract with the vanilla extract for a classic chocolate chip mint flavor. Or bake the cookies as is and top with a mint buttercream {make my favorite American buttercream and substitute mint extract for the almond extract}.
🫙 how to store
Chocolate chip sugar cookies will stay fresh covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
They also freeze well for up to 3 months.
Remember to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram if you make these Chocolate chip Sugar Cookies. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!
more sugar cookie recipes
If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating. I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!
📖 recipe
Soft Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookies
recipe created and tested by:
I highly recommend using weight (metric) measurements when available for more accuracy and the best results.
Please note
When using 2x or 3x ingredients, the grams DO NOT adjust, you will have to manually do that.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour 375g
- 1 ½ teaspoons aluminum free baking powder
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature (226g)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup granulated sugar 150g
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar 60g
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips 82g
Instructions
- In a medium bowl combine flour (3 cups/375g) and aluminum free baking powder (1 ½ teaspoons) with a whisk. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter (1 cup/226g) and kosher salt (½ teaspoon) on medium speed until combined, about 1 minute. Add in both sugars (¾ cup granulated sugar/150g and ½ cup confectioners' sugar/60g) and beat until smooth, about 1-½ minutes. Scrape up and down the bowl, then beat in the egg (1 large) and vanilla (2 teaspoons) and mix until well combined, about 1 minute. Scrape up and down the sides of the bowl.
- With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture a little at a time, occasionally stopping to scrape your bowl. When the dough has started to come together, but is still showing some flour add the mini chocolate chips (½ cup/82g) and mix until combined and the dough starts to ball up on the paddle. The dough should be soft, but not sticky.
- Gently press the dough into a ball. Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and press into a 1 inch thick disk. Chill for a minimum of 30 minutes (and up to three days) before rolling. If the dough has chilled for more than a couple hours, let it sit on the counter for 20 minutes or so until you can roll it out without it cracking. If desired, you can split the dough into two halves and roll into a log to chill and make slice and bake cookies instead of cut-outs.
- Preheat the oven to 375°. Prepare baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- On lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about a ¼ inch thickness, use additional flour as needed to prevent sticking. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Re-roll the remaining dough and continue cutting until all is used.
- Arrange cookies on baking sheets about 1 inch apart. If the dough has gotten warm while rolling and cutting, pop it in the freezer for about 10 minutes before baking to help prevent them from spreading.
- Bake one sheet at a time in the middle of the oven, about 7-8 minutes, until puffy. Allow the cookies to rest for 2 minutes on the pan and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition information is based on third-party calculations, is an estimate only and may not be entirely accurate. Actual nutritional values will vary based on brands used and portion sizes.
Michelle says
These chocolate chip sugar cookies look so heavenly! Love how you've dollied up regular sugar cookies with the addition of chocolate! Yumm!
Tasia says
Thanks Michelle!
Janet says
Made the slice and bake version and my family loved them. Thank you for the easy recipe!
Lisa says
I did the slice and bake version and they were gobbled up at our Thanksgiving dinner!
Maggie says
Hello
I have made two batches of these sugar cookies to prepare for an upcoming event.
Can I leave the wrapped dough in the fridge for a week?
Tasia says
Hi Maggie, I usually recommend chilling for up to three days. I am not sure if the dough will hold for a full week. These sugar cookies freeze really well; I bake them and cool completely. Then freeze in an airtight container. They take about 30 minutes to defrost at room temperature in a single layer and will taste freshly baked.