chocolate chip cookies

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

12 minutes

Serves

20-24

Ingredients

  • 2 cups minus 2 tbsp cake flour
  • 1⅔ cups bread flour
  • 1¼ tsp baking soda
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • 1½ tsp coarse salt
  • 1¼ cups (2½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1¼ cups light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 cup plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1¼ lb bittersweet chocolate discs or chunks (60–70% cacao)
  • Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)

Steps

  • Whisk dry ingredients in a medium bowl: cake flour, bread flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • Cream butter and sugars in a large bowl until very light and fluffy, about 3–5 minutes.
  • Add eggs and vanilla: Mix in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla, scraping down the bowl as needed.
  • Combine dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.
  • Add chocolate: Fold in the chocolate chunks or discs.
  • Chill the dough: Cover and refrigerate for 24–72 hours for best flavor and texture.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Shape cookies: Scoop dough into large balls (about 3½ oz / 2–3 tbsp each) and place well spaced on baking sheets.
  • Bake for 18–20 minutes, until golden brown with soft centers.
  • Finish & cool: Sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt if using. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a rack.

My thoughts

Baking Jacques Torres’ chocolate chip cookies for the first time felt like a rite of passage for me. I’d heard so much about this recipe — how Jacques Torres, a legendary French pastry chef, designed it to be the perfect chocolate chip cookie, from the mix of cake and bread flour to the oversized pools of chocolate — that I was a little intimidated going in. The long chill time tested my patience, but it also made the process feel intentional and luxurious, like I was truly committing to the bake. When the cookies came out of the oven golden, with crisp edges and soft centers, I finally understood why this recipe is so famous. Recreating something so iconic felt special, and sharing the cookies warm with friends made the experience feel even more rewarding.