Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies (Bread Flour Method, No Cornstarch)

Soft centers that bend instead of crumble, glossy pools of chocolate, and crisp rims that hold their shape hours after cooling—chewy chocolate chip cookies with melted butter and bread flour.

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Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies (Bread Flour Method, No Cornstarch)

Recipe by Elle RiversCourse: DessertsCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

20

cookies

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

12

minutes

Calories

240

kcal

Total time

57

minutes

Thick, bendy-chewy chocolate chip cookies with melted butter and a bread flour blend. No mixer. 30-minute chill. Bakery-style texture at home.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Unsalted Butter, melted and cooled (170g)

• 1 cup Light Brown Sugar, packed (200g)

• 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar (100g)

• 1 large Egg (50g)

• 1 large Egg Yolk (18g)

• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract (10g)

• 1 1/2 cups Bread Flour (180g)

• 3/4 cup All-Purpose Flour (95g)

• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda (5g)

• 3/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt (3g)

• 1 1/2 cups Semisweet Chocolate Chips or Chopped Chocolate (255g)

• Flaky Sea Salt, for finishing (optional) (2g)

Directions

• Whisk the melted butter with both sugars until glossy, about 1 minute.
• Whisk in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until smooth.
• Whisk the bread flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.
• Fold dry ingredients into wet until a few dry streaks remain; fold in the chocolate.
• Chill the dough 30 minutes (or pre-scoop and freeze 15–20 minutes).
• Heat oven to 350°F. Line a light-colored sheet pan with a silicone mat or parchment.
• Scoop 2 tbsp dough for standard cookies (or 3 tbsp for large). Space 2–2.5 inches apart.
• Bake until edges set and centers look pale and puffed: 10–12 minutes (standard) or 12–14 minutes (large).
• Pan scoot with a round cutter for neat edges; sprinkle flaky salt if using.
• Cool on the pan 5 minutes, then move to a rack to finish setting.

Notes

• Crucial texture tip: Bread flour’s higher protein builds gluten for bendy chew. All-purpose only = softer bite with less chew.
• 
  Storage/Make-ahead: Store airtight 3–4 days. Freeze dough balls up to 3 months; bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes.
• 
  International Substitutions (Non-US Readers): For UK readers, use strong white bread flour for bread flour and plain flour for all-purpose; caster sugar for granulated; soft light brown sugar for light brown. For Australia, use bread flour and plain flour; caster sugar for granulated; soft brown sugar for light brown.

Why This Recipe Works

Melted butter creates chew by fully hydrating the flour and bringing the dough together without a mixer, giving the moist, bendy centers you expect from soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies while keeping the process simple. Bread flour builds structure—higher protein equals more gluten, which creates that flexible, bendy texture associated with bakery-style cookies. Paired with an extra yolk, you get density without cakiness.

Smart chilling controls spread. A short, targeted chill firms the fat so the cookies spread just enough for thick rounds. Light-colored pans and accurate oven temps prevent harsh bottoms while centers set gently.

Ingredient Notes

Unsalted butter (3/4 cup): Melted and cooled. Melted fat coats flour evenly and boosts chew without a mixer.

Light brown sugar (1 cup) + granulated sugar (1/2 cup): Use more brown than white for moisture and depth; white sugar helps edges crisp.

Egg (1 large) + extra yolk (1 large): One whole egg for structure; one yolk for richness and tenderness.

Vanilla extract (2 teaspoons): Rounds out sweetness and chocolate.

Bread flour (1 1/2 cups): Higher protein = more gluten development, which creates the signature bendy chew.

All-purpose flour (3/4 cup): Balances bread flour so cookies stay thick without getting tough.

Baking soda (1 teaspoon): Provides lift and controlled spread.

Kosher salt (3/4 teaspoon): Sharpens flavor.

Chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (1 1/2 cups): Chips for consistency; chopped chocolate for melty pockets and fine shards.

Flaky sea salt (optional): A light finish to balance sweetness.

If you swap to 100% all-purpose flour: expect less chew and a softer bite. Still great—just not as “bendy.” With AP-only, extend the chill to 45–60 minutes to control spread.

Equipment tip: You’ll need light-colored aluminum sheet pans for even baking, silicone baking mats or parchment, medium (2-tablespoon) and large (3-tablespoon) cookie scoops for consistent thickness, an oven thermometer to confirm true 350°F, and a 3–3.5 inch round cutter for a quick “pan scoot” to tidy edges.

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How to Make Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Step 1: The Melt-and-Mix ⏱️ 3-4 min

Whisk the warm melted butter with brown and white sugars until the mixture looks thick and glossy. Rest the mixture for 1 minute, then whisk again to help dissolve some sugar. Whisk in the egg, then the yolk, and vanilla until smooth and silky. In a separate bowl, whisk together the bread flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet just until a few dry streaks remain, then fold in the chocolate.

💡 Pro tip: The dough should feel soft and scoopable, not greasy.

Step 2: The Rest ⏱️ 30 min (or 15-20 min fast chill)

Chill the dough for 30 minutes to firm the butter and tighten the structure for controlled spread and bendy centers.

💡 Pro tip (Fast Chill): Pre-scoop the dough onto a lined sheet, then freeze 15–20 minutes until firm. Bake straight from cold for thick cookies without a long wait.

Step 3: The Scoop and Space ⏱️ 2-3 min

For bakery-style cookies, scoop 3 tablespoons of dough (about 55–60g) and space at least 2.5 inches apart. For standard cookies, scoop 2 tablespoons (about 38–40g) and space 2 inches apart. If the scooped dough feels warm or sticky, refrigerate the tray another 10 minutes.

⚠️ Don’t skip this: Chill when in doubt. Warm dough spreads fast—chill scooped dough 10–15 minutes if your kitchen runs warm.

Step 4: The Bake and Cool ⏱️ 10-14 min baking + 5 min pan cooling

Bake at 350°F on a light-colored sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment. Pull when the rims look set and a shade deeper, while the centers are pale, puffed, and soft—about 10–12 minutes for 2-tbsp scoops or 12–14 minutes for 3-tbsp scoops. Right out of the oven, scoot each cookie inside a round cutter for neat edges. Sprinkle with a pinch of flaky salt if using. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack. As steam escapes, the cookies gently settle into that bendy chew.

💡 Pro tip: Underbake slightly. Pull when centers look a touch underdone; carryover heat finishes the set for a chewy middle.

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Expert Tips

• Weigh your flour. Too little flour makes flat cookies; too much causes a dry, cakey texture.
• Mind your pans. Dark pans brown faster; reduce bake time by 1–2 minutes or switch to light-colored pans.
• Bread flour vs. all-purpose for texture? Bread flour delivers a chewier, more flexible center. All-purpose alone gives a softer bite with less chew.
• Do I need cornstarch for chew? No. Bread flour’s protein builds more gluten for bendy chew. This recipe relies on the flour blend, melted butter, and an extra yolk.

Storage & Freezing

To Store: Keep cookies in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 3–4 days. Slip in a slice of sandwich bread to maintain softness; replace as it dries.

To Freeze Baked Cookies: Wrap airtight and store up to 2 months; refresh at 300°F for 3–4 minutes to revive edges and warmth.

To Freeze Dough: Scoop, freeze solid, and bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 350°F, adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my cookies flat? Warm dough, hot pans, or under-measured flour cause quick spread. Chill scooped dough, start with cool, light pans, and weigh your flour.

Can I skip chilling? Not recommended. Even 20–30 minutes of chilling firms the dough so cookies stay thick and don’t over-spread.

How do I keep cookies soft? Airtight storage, a slice of bread in the container, and a quick 300°F refresh restore that just-baked feel.