Much like brownies, there are a million different kinds of chocolate chip cookies you can make. I stumbled onto a Buzzfeed recipe for chocolate chip cookies and then discovered 4 recipes in total to account for cakey, classic, bakery, and crispy cookies. I decided to tackle the classic and the cakey. My personal favorite was the classic cookie, partially because the cakey did not turn out quite right so that is the recipe I decided to share.

These cookies are super easy: they come together just like cookies should, the dough is incredible, and the end product is to die for. First of all, they do not turn out like fat lumps like the cookies I made first, these cookies spread into addicting circles of heaven. My only tip for these is to measure out your flour correctly, and follow the instructions in the order you’re meant to. As long as you follow everything, there isn’t too much to mess up: which makes this the best recipe.

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature (8 oz/226g)
1¼ cups packed light brown sugar (9 oz/250g)
¾ cup granulated sugar (6 oz/175g)
2½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (10.5 oz/300g)
1½ tsp kosher salt or ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
12-ounce bag (2 cups) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
Flaky sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Whisk the flour, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Set aside.

2. Whisk both sugars in a large bowl and make sure to break up any large chunks. If there are any stubborn lumps, break them up with your fingertips. Add the melted butter and whisk vigorously for about 1 minute, until the mixture forms one mass and starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a flexible spatula.

3. Whisk in one egg to the sugar-butter mixture, stirring until it’s fully mixed in. Scrape the sides of the bowl with your spatula. Whisk in the second egg and the vanilla and scrape the sides of bowl again.

4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir with the spatula to fully combine. Make sure you’ve scraped the bottom of the bowl and there are no streaks of dry ingredients left. Stir in the chocolate chips.

TO BAKE RIGHT AWAY: Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Refrigerate the dough for at least 10 minutes while the oven preheats, then scoop the dough in 2-ounce portions with a cookie scoop (or you can measure out ¼ cup/4 tablespoon scoops with your hands) and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Bake the cookies 3 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet (about 6 cookies per baking sheet) for 10 to 14 minutes, until the edges are set and the cookie is beginning to turn golden brown throughout. Let cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

TO BAKE AFTER DOUGH RESTS (recommended): Scoop the dough into 2-ounce portions with a cookie scoop (or you can measure out ¼ cup/4 tablespoon scoops with your hands) and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Wrap the baking sheet tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 3 days. You can also freeze the chilled balls of dough in an airtight zip-top bag for up to 1 month.

Thirty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 375ºF. Sprinkle the dough with flaky sea salt and bake 3 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 12 to 16 minutes, until the edges are set and the cookie is beginning to turn golden brown throughout. Let cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.