Every home baker needs a reliable classic chocolate chip cookie recipe, so here is our small batch version.
Watch how to make them below:
Yields: 9 cookies (approx. 70g each)
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Baking Time: 15 minutes
Oven Temperature: 170°C (fan oven)
EQUIPMENT
baking sheet/tray
INGREDIENTS
110g butter, room temp*
70g caster sugar
80g brown sugar
1 egg, medium, room temp* (approx. 50g)
½ tsp vanilla paste or vanilla extract
160g bread flour (12% protein)
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt (skip for salted butter)
100g dark chocolate chips
100g walnuts, chopped
*room temp = around 20°C
METHOD
Preheat oven
Preheat the oven to 170°C (fan oven)
Step 1
In a large bowl, cream together 110g butter, 70g caster sugar and 80g brown sugar until paler in colour and smooth.
Step 2
In a separate bowl, lightly whisk together 1 medium egg (50g) and ½ tsp vanilla. Then add it to the butter-sugar mixture and beat together until it’s nicely combined.
Step 3
Sift 160g bread flour, ¼ tsp baking soda and ½ tsp salt (skip if using salted) and mix until the flour is about half mixed in, with some white still visible.
Step 4
Lastly, add 100g chocolate chips and 100g chopped walnuts (leaving some for decoration if you wish) and finish mixing the dough until everything is well combined. (While it would be advised not to go crazy with the mixing at this point, it is fine to mix for slightly longer to develop more gluten for a slightly chewier cookie).
Step 5
Using whatever tool is convenient (ice-cream scoop, spoon, hands) portion out the cookie dough into roughly 70g balls. Flatten them slightly and decorate with the extra chocolate chips and walnuts if desired.
Step 6
Place them on a paper lined baking tray, roughly 5cm apart as the cookies will spread during baking.
Step 7
Bake at 170°C on the middle rack of the oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Once they have cooled slightly on the tray and can be handled, move them to a wire rack and allow to cool completely (or for as long as you can resist).
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I use plain flour instead of bread flour?
Absolutely. We use bread flour for this recipe because its higher protein content allows for more gluten formation, which means more liquid retention and ultimately results in a chewier cookie. By using plain flour instead, the recipe will still work but there may be a difference to the final texture. If it’s a question of freshly baked cookies with plain flour or no cookies at all - definitely go with fresh cookies!
Can I use just one type of sugar instead of both?
You can, but it will definitely change the final texture and taste of the cookies. Firstly, brown sugar contains molasses which adds an almost caramel-y flavour to the cookie. It also retains more liquid than your average white sugar, resulting in a softer, chewier cookie. White sugar on the other hand, with its larger grain, encourages more spread of the dough while baking, resulting in a paler, thinner crisp cookie. We use both types of sugar to get the best of both worlds but we’d also encourage you to just test it for yourself and see how you prefer it.
Can I freeze the raw dough?
Yes. Once you’ve rolled and flattened the dough, place them on a tray and pop them into the fridge for 30-60 minutes or until they are firm. Then move them into a zip lock bag and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Whenever you want a cookie, simple bake from frozen at the same 170C (fan oven) for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.
Why are my cookies spreading too much?
Excessive spreading can occur if the butter in the dough becomes too soft during mixing. This could be due to warm weather, or simply using butter that was slightly too soft to start with. Ideally, you want your butter to be around 20C (i.e. “room temperature”) when you start creaming. Anyway, to prevent excessive spreading, simply pop the whole tray of portioned dough into the fridge for 30 minutes or until they are firm to the touch before baking as instructed in the recipe.
How can I make thicker cookies?
If you want to achieve a more Levain-style cookie, do not flatten the balls of dough. Place the whole tray of raw dough balls into the fridge for 30 minutes or more before baking. The Levain-style cookie tends to have a slightly under-done centre, so keeping the same baking temperature and time as in the recipe should be fine - however if you prefer, feel free to bake for a few minutes more as the cookies are thicker and would require more time to fully cook through. For even thicker cookies, you can also try 90g or 100g dough balls, but remember to adjust for a slightly longer baking time as these cookies will be significantly larger.
