Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
Add-ins
- 1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips (a mix of regular and mini chocolate chips recommended)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside to prevent sticking during baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. This ensures even distribution of the leavening agent and seasoning.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the room temperature unsalted butter with both the granulated sugar and light brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy—this usually takes about 1-2 minutes.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until there are no visible streaks of flour. Avoid overmixing to keep cookies tender.
- Incorporate Chocolate Chips: Fold in the semisweet chocolate chips gently to evenly distribute throughout the dough.
- Portion Dough: Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, place approximately 2 tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing each scoop about 2-3 inches apart to allow spreading.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 9-11 minutes, until the edges start to turn slightly golden and the centers remain slightly underdone for a soft texture.
- Cut into Hearts: Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, while still hot, use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to carefully cut each cookie into heart shapes.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5-7 minutes to set the shape, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving or storing.
Notes
- Using room temperature butter and eggs helps to create a smooth, creamy dough for better texture.
- Pressing in chocolate chunks or sprinkles on top before baking can add extra texture and decoration.
- Be careful when cutting cookies immediately after baking as they will be hot and soft; use a sharp cookie cutter for best results.
- If cookies spread too much, try chilling dough before baking or adjusting the amount of butter slightly.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week for freshness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
