Chocolate Chip Cookies
Honestly, a great chocolate chip cookie is one of life's simple joys and these ones are absolutely class. We keep coming back to this recipe because the result is that perfect combination of crispy edges, chewy centre and little pockets of melted dark chocolate in every bite. They're the kind of cookies that disappear within minutes whenever we make them, and we're not even slightly sorry about that. Whether you're baking for friends, a movie night, or just for yourself on a Tuesday, these are always the right call. Get them in the oven tonight and thank us later.
Before You Start
- Preheat oven to 180°C
- 2x baking trays lined with parchment paper
- Food processor
- Wire racks for cooling
Ingredients
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp golden syrup
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 250g plant-based butter
- 225g caster sugar
- 300g plain flour
- 85g dark chocolate
Method
Make the batter
- Put the butter, sugar, vanilla extract and golden syrup into the food processor and whizz to a cream
- Pour in the flour, baking powder and salt and whizz everything together (you could also do all this in a big bowl with a wooden spoon)
- Turn off the food processor and remove the blade
- Chop the dark chocolate into small chips and fold them through the mixture with a spatula until they’re evenly spread
Shape the cookies
- Spoon walnut-sized pieces of the mixture on to the lined baking sheets, leaving 5cm between each ball of dough (you may need to cook them in batches)
- Squash the balls to flatten them slightly (but not flat like pancakes)
Bake the cookies
- Put the baking sheets in the oven and bake for 12–14 minutes, swapping them over halfway through so that they cook evenly
- When they are ready the cookies should be golden around the edge, but paler in the middle
- Take the baking sheets out of the oven but leave the cookies on them for 5–10 minutes to firm up a little, then transfer carefully to wire racks to cool
Tips & Variations
- Chill the dough: If you've got time, pop the shaped cookie dough in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking. It helps them hold their shape and makes the flavour even better. Trust us on this one.
- Chocolate choices: We love a good 70% dark chocolate here but if you prefer things a little sweeter, a 50-60% works brilliantly too. Henry sometimes throws in a mix of both.
- Don't overbake: They'll look slightly underdone when you pull them out and that's exactly right. They firm up as they cool on the tray, and that's how you get that gorgeous chewy middle.
Why This Works
The trick here is creaming the butter, sugar and golden syrup together really well before anything else goes in. That golden syrup is the secret weapon, it adds a subtle caramel depth and helps keep the cookies chewy rather than dry and crumbly. Chopping your own dark chocolate rather than using pre-made chips means you get proper irregular chunks that melt differently throughout the cookie, and that's what makes every bite feel a bit special.