Ultimate Chocolate Chunk Cookies

These cookies use chopped semi-sweet chocolate chunks instead of chips, and that makes all the difference. Chunks melt into uneven, gooey pockets throughout the cookie while chips hold their shape and stay waxy. Real chocolate chunks give you that pull-apart, melty experience.

A full cup of butter and a mix of white and brown sugar create a cookie that’s rich and chewy with slightly crispy edges. The brown sugar brings moisture and chew from its molasses content, while the white sugar helps the edges set and crisp.

Drop these by teaspoonfuls and keep them two inches apart. They spread as they bake, and crowded cookies merge into one giant cookie sheet blob. Pull them at 8 minutes if you like them soft and gooey in the center, or go the full 10 for a crispier edge with a tender middle.

Pro Tips

• Chop a chocolate bar into rough chunks rather than using bagged chips. The irregular sizes mean some pieces melt completely while others stay chunky.
• Softened butter means room temperature, not melted. Melted butter makes flat, greasy cookies. Press the butter with your finger: it should dent easily but not be squishy.
• Let the baking sheet cool completely between batches. Hot pans cause the dough to spread before the edges have time to set.

Variations

• Use dark chocolate (70% cacao) for a more intense, less sweet cookie.
• Add a generous pinch of flaky sea salt on top of each cookie right after baking.
• Stir in toasted walnuts or pecans for crunch.