I Tested 5 Reader Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes in Search of the Best

I'm what you might call a "cookie connoisseur" — so much so that I wrote an entire cookbook dedicated to the subject. (It's aptly titled Cookies.) I've published hundreds of cookie recipes over the years and have talked at length about my love of the craft. But the one thing I decided to exclude from my cookbook is a classic, no-frills chocolate chip cookie recipe. Not because I don't like them, but because there are so many amazing chocolate chip cookie recipes already out there, I didn't think that creating yet another recipe would be very helpful. But baking through some of the most popular recipes online to pick out the best of what's already published? Now that's helpful — so that's exactly what I did.

Which Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes Did I Test?

Five chocolate chip cookie recipes stand out as reader favorites on Allrecipes, so I decided to test them in a side-by-side taste test. These recipes have thousands of glowing reviews and adoring comments. All of them are classic chocolate chip cookie recipes, but each of them uses slightly different techniques and ingredients to achieve unique results.

The lineup includes a beloved cookie recipe from Chef John, an award-winning recipe that uses an unexpected ingredient in the dough, a recipe that swaps out the butter for shortening, one that relies on an added egg yolk to achieve the perfect texture, and one that uses a slurry of water and baking soda to help the cookies rise.

How I Judged the Cookie Recipes

Each recipe was made using the same brands of butter, chocolate chips, flour, and vanilla. I baked them all in the same oven, following each recipe to a tee. I judged each recipe on appearance, taste, texture, and ease. Not only did the cookies have to taste good, but I wanted the recipes to be simple enough to make for any occasion. I gathered a few friends to taste the cookies and we all agreed that one recipe stood out as a clear favorite. Here's what I found.

1. The Best Big-Batch Cookie Recipe: Award Winning Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Fact Facts: Developed by an Allrecipes member, has 8,500 reviews with a 4.6- star rating
• Allstar Review: "I made only half of the recipe and got 18 cookies using a medium cookie scoop. They spread quite a bit so next time I will refrigerate the dough prior to baking the cookies. A little too soft for my taste but otherwise pretty tasty." — Yolanda Gutierrez

This recipe made perfectly soft chocolate chip cookies. The dough is made with two packets of instant pudding mix — an ingredient I had never seen anyone use in cookie dough — which seems to give the cookies a softer, more bakery-style texture. Think of these as the "soft-baked" style cookies that have a somewhat pliable, bendy texture.

But the most important thing to note about this recipe is that it makes a lot of cookies (six dozen to be exact!). This makes it an ideal recipe to whip up if you're baking for a large group, but not the best option if you're baking for just a few people. That said, you can pre-scoop the cookie dough onto a sheet tray, freeze the dough balls, then transfer them into zip-top bags and stash them in the freezer for later.

Get the recipe: Award Winning Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

2. The Best Recipe for Thin and Crispy Cookie Lovers: Chef John's Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Fast Facts: Developed by Chef John, has 164 reviews with a 4.5-star rating
• Allstar Review: "Overall, these are great chocolate chip cookies, especially right out of the oven. They have a golden brown exterior and crispy edges with a soft, fudgy interior." — Ashley Schuering

There's an art to making crispy cookies, and this recipe strikes the perfect balance of textures. The cookies are stunningly thin and crisp around the edges, yet they still have a bit of chew. They aren't crisp throughout like a Tate's cookie, but more dynamic. They also have a generous amount of salt in them compared to some of the other recipes, which helped balance out their sweetness while playing into their crunchy, snacky quality.

While some crispy cookie recipes rely on additional butter to help them spread (which can create a greasy texture), this recipe thins out the batter with milk, helping create perfectly thin cookies without an oily texture. If you're someone who loves your cookies on the crispier side, this recipe is for you.

Get the recipe: Chef John's Chocolate Chip Cookies

3. The Best Recipe for Chewy Cookie Lovers: Best Big, Fat, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie

• Fast Facts: Developed by ELIZABETHBH, has 9,646 reviews with a 4.6-star rating
• Allstar Review: "This is my all time favorite cookie recipe. I use it whenever I have an event or just for a snack with the family. Due to the large size of the cookies, it takes little time to put them on a cookie sheet and set the timer! The recipe uses readily available ingredients, takes a few minutes to put together, and the result is AMAZING — a big, soft, delicious cookie from beginning to end! I like substituting milk chocolate chips in this recipe, but like them with either kind of chocolate." — Donna Michaels

If you're a fan of fudgy, pleasantly dense cookies, this is the recipe for you. They have the texture of fresh-from-the-oven cookies even long after they've cooled — just like the ones you get at high-end bakeries.

The key to creating their fudgy centers all comes down to size. This recipe instructs you to create large, ¼ cup-sized dough balls. This creates cookies that are crisp around the edges yet still slightly undercooked in the center (in a good way!). If you like super decadent, rich cookies, this recipe is for you — but if you're someone who dislikes a doughy texture, this might not be the one.

Get the recipe: Best Big, Fat, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

4. The Best Nostalgic, Slightly Sweeter Chocolate Chip Cookie: Absolutely the Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Fast Facts: Developed by NICOLEFAUSTHUNT, has 1,176 reviews with a 4.5-star rating

These taste just like the cookies I remember eating as a child — similar to a classic Toll House chocolate chip cookie. They are chewy with crisp edges and a very buttery flavor. Unlike all of the other recipes that I tried, this one uses milk chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet or bittersweet. This not only makes the cookies slightly sweeter, but gives them a creamier texture as well. If you prefer your cookies on the sweeter side this might be the best choice. I could see these being delicious with a glass of cold milk. They're nostalgic, classic, and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for kids and adults.

Get the recipe: Absolutely the Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

5. The Overall Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe: Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Fast Facts: Developed by Dora, has 13,994 reviews with a 4.6-star rating

This recipe was hands down my favorite of the bunch. It made classic chocolate chip cookies that were a cinch to whip up and absolutely delicious. Equal amounts of brown and white sugars give them a classic chewy-yet-crisp texture while half a teaspoon of salt balances out the sweetness. Chopped walnuts giive the cookies a pop of texture that I really enjoyed, although you could easily leave them out. I loved the simplicity of this recipe and would happily make them again.

If you're looking for a classic, textbook-perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe, this is for you. It strikes the perfect balance of textures, is seriously delicious, and is a breeze to make. It's chewy, crispy, and loaded with just the right amount of chocolate: proof of how sometimes the simplest recipes are the best. If you were in need of a new go-to cookie recipe, I highly suggest saving this one.

Get the recipe: Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

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