If you love my cut-out Sugar Cookies and my classic Chocolate Chip Cookies, you are going to love these Chocolate Chip Cut-Out Cookies! They have the buttery, soft texture of a cut-out cookie with mini chocolate chips in every bite. They are fun to make, easy to decorate, and perfect for holidays, birthdays, or anytime you want a special homemade treat.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Unsalted Butter: Softened butter gives the cookies a rich, buttery flavor and helps create a tender texture. If using salted butter, the cookies may taste a little saltier.
- Brown Sugar & Granulated Sugar: A blend of brown sugar and granulated sugar adds sweetness while keeping the cookies soft and flavorful.
- Egg: A room-temperature egg mixes more easily into the dough and helps hold the cookies together.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla adds warmth and enhances the buttery, chocolate chip flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour gives the cookies enough structure to hold their cut-out shapes.
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch helps make the cookies soft and tender while reducing crumbling. I don’t recommend leaving it out.
- Baking Powder: A small amount of baking powder gives the cookies a little lift without causing the shapes to spread too much.
- Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: Mini chocolate chips are the best choice because they are easy to cut through and spread evenly throughout the dough. Regular chocolate chips can be used, but cutting the shapes may be more difficult.
Tips for the Best Chocolate Chip Cut-Out Cookies
- Use mini chocolate chips. Mini chocolate chips are easier to cut through and help the cookies keep their shapes better than regular chocolate chips.
- Roll the dough evenly. Roll the dough to about ¼-inch thick so the cookies bake evenly.
- Chill the dough if needed. If the dough becomes soft while rolling or cutting, chill it for 10 to 15 minutes. You can also chill the cut-out cookies for 5 to 10 minutes before baking to help them hold their shape.
- Do not overbake. Bake the cookies until the edges are just beginning to turn golden. They will continue to set as they cool, giving them a soft, tender texture.
- Reroll the scraps gently. Gather the leftover dough, press it together, and reroll it gently. Overworking the dough can make the cookies a little tougher.
- Add extra chocolate chips. For a bakery-style look, gently press a few mini chocolate chips into the tops of the cookies before baking.
FAQs
Do I have to chill the dough?
Not always! If your kitchen is cool and the dough is easy to handle, you can roll and cut the cookies right away. If the dough feels soft, chill it for 10 to 15 minutes before rolling. You can also chill the cut-out cookies for 5 to 10 minutes before baking to help them hold their shape.
Can I use regular chocolate chips?
Mini chocolate chips are recommended because they are easier to cut through and spread more evenly throughout the dough. Regular chocolate chips will work, but the cookies may be harder to cut into clean shapes.
Do these cookies hold their shape?
Yes! These cookies are made to hold their cut-out shapes while baking. For the best results, avoid overworking the dough and chill the cut cookies for a few minutes if they become soft.
Can I decorate Chocolate Chip Cut-Out Cookies?
Yes! Once the cookies have cooled completely, decorate them with royal icing, buttercream, melted chocolate, or a simple glaze. You can also press a few extra mini chocolate chips onto the tops of the cookies before baking for an extra chocolatey look.
How to Store Chocolate Chip Cut-Out Cookies
Store Chocolate Chip Cut-Out Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To help keep them soft, place a piece of bread in the container with the cookies. Replace the bread as it becomes dry.
You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely, then store them in a freezer-safe container or bag with parchment paper between the layers. Thaw at room temperature before serving or decorating. Check out my Guide to Freezing, Baking, and Storing Cookies for more helpful tips.
Can I Freeze the Cookie Dough?
Yes! Chocolate Chip Cut-Out Cookie dough freezes well. You can freeze the dough as a wrapped disc or roll it out, cut out the shapes, and freeze the unbaked cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet until firm. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
When ready to bake, place the frozen cookie dough shapes on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake as directed, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time if needed. There is no need to thaw the dough first.
Chocolate Chip Cut-Out Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 227 g) unsalted butter, softened
- â…“ cup (71 g) light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups (281 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup (128 g) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus more for topping, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a large bowl and hand mixer), beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms. If the dough seems crumbly at first, continue mixing for 30 to 60 seconds until it comes together.
- Fold in the mini chocolate chips.
- Divide the dough in half. If the dough feels very soft, wrap and chill for 10 to 15 minutes. Otherwise, continue with rolling.
- Roll the dough to ¼-inch thickness between two sheets of parchment paper or on a lightly floured surface. Cut into desired shapes, gathering and rerolling scraps as needed. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets. If the cutouts become soft, chill the baking sheets for 5 to 10 minutes before baking.
- Bake for 8 to 11 minutes, depending on the size of the cookies, or until the edges are just beginning to turn golden. Do not overbake.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Decorate as desired.
Did you make this recipe?
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