🍪 Frequently Asked Questions 🍪

How do you make gooey chocolate chip cookies?

The trick to making this best chocolate chip cookie recipe gooey is to not over-bake them. Pull them out when they still look slightly underdone!

Why do cookies spread & flatten?

There are a few main reasons for this that I have found in my experience:

1. Expired leavening agents. If your baking soda or baking powder are past their prime, your chocolate chip cookies will likely flatten and spread.

   How to test baking soda: Combine 1/2 cup hot water, 1/4 teaspoon vinegar and 1/4 tsp baking soda. It should bubble immediately.

   How to test baking powder: Add 1/2 tsp baking powder to 1/2 cup hot water. It should bubble immediately.

2. Over-mixing. If you over-mix the ingredients you may end up with flat cookies.
3. Ingredients are too warm. Chill the dough before baking if this happens.
4. Incorrect oven temperature. Invest in a cheap oven thermometer to check.

Why didn't my cookies flatten?

If your cookies didn't flatten, here are a few things that could've been the problem:

1. The ingredients/cookie dough was too cold. Cold dough doesn't spread as well.
2. You accidentally used too much flour. Be sure to measure correctly by scooping and leveling.
3. The butter/sugar mixture wasn't fully creamed. Try creaming for longer.

Can you bake chocolate chip cookie dough from frozen?

Yes! I have tested baking this recipe from frozen more times than I can count. I have gotten the best results when I place the dough on a parchment lined baking sheet. Then, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (ONLY if you are baking the frozen dough) and put the cookies in the oven in the beginning of the preheating time. Set the timer for 15 minutes and remove the cookies after 15 minutes. The top will look a little more brown than usual, but they will still taste amazing.

Can I halve this recipe?

Yes, this recipe halves easily. Simply decrease the ingredients by half and the recipe will make 18 cookies.

Can I add nuts to this recipe?

Yes, you can add walnuts or pecans with great success. Simply decrease the amount of chocolate chips slightly to accommodate the extra nuts.

Can I substitute ingredients?

The only ingredient I feel confident that can be changed up is the mix-ins. Chocolate chips, sprinkles, peanut butter chips, etc. Do not change anything else in this recipe. However, here are some tested substitutions:

• Butter: Salted or unsalted both work. Just taste the dough!
• White Sugar: Granulated white sugar or organic cane sugar.
• Sea Salt: If using table salt, start with 1/2 tsp and adjust to taste.
• Chocolate Chips: Use chocolate chunks, chopped chocolate, or chips - just use 2 cups total.