There were two major influences on this chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe: the Nestle Toll House back-of-the-package recipe (which I think we can all agree is pretty much The Standard as far as chocolate chip cookies go) and a recipe from Christina Tosi’s cookbook Milk Bar Life. It’s thanks to Christina’s chocolate chip cookie recipe that I discovered the wonders of this one special ingredient that makes all the difference. Milk Powder!

Video: How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookies

Secret Ingredient for Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Have you ever used powdered milk in chocolate chip cookies, or any cookies for that matter? Before coming across Christina’s recipe, it had never occurred to me to use milk powder in anything except my California Emergency Earthquake Preparedness Kit. But as I learned from Christina’s recipe, milk powder gives cookies a distinct chewiness as well as a subtle caramel flavor that (for me) takes a cookie from good to amazing. You don’t need much. Just two tablespoons will improve the texture, though I admit that I’ve gone as high as four tablespoons on occasion and been please with the results. Milk powder, also called powdered milk, keeps forever in the pantry (which is why it’s so good in emergency kits). Even once the package is opened, milk powder will keep for several months if kept in an airtight container.

Aside from the milk powder, this is a pretty straightforward adaptation of the Toll House chocolate chip cookie recipe – though I daresay I’ve managed to make a few improvements on the classic.

Want Even Chewier Cookies?

When you use a mixer to beat the butter and sugar, you also mix in a lot of air, which makes the cookies fluffier. So here’s a hot tip: for extra-chewy cookies, mix your cookie dough by hand using a stiff wooden spoon or spatula. The result will be a slightly denser, more compact cookie.

If you’re feeling wild, add up to 3/4 cup of any of the following:

Chopped nutsPeanut butter chipsCrumbled graham crackersRice krispies or cornflakesToffee chips or other small candy

Storing & Freezing Chocolate Chip Cookies

This chocolate chip cookie recipe makes cookies that are absolutely irresistible on the day they are made: the edges are buttery and crispy, the middles are soft and chewy, and the chocolate chips are perfectly semi-melty. They lose some of their crispness overnight, becoming softer. But I promise they are no less delicious and no less capable of satisfying your cookie cravings.

Store chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.Freezer instructions: Freeze individual scoops of dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet until firm. Transfer to a freezer bag, squeeze out as much air as possible, and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake straight from the freezer, adding an extra minute or two to the cooking time.

More Great Chocolate Chip Cookies to Try!

Thin and Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Brookies (Chocolate Chip Brownie Cookies) Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

For an even chewier texture, mix the cookie dough by hand with a wooden spoon or spatula. Adapted from Nestle Toll House. I usually bake my cookies one sheet at a time to help them bake evenly. If you prefer, or are crunched for time, bake two sheets at a time with one sheet in the upper third of the oven and the other in the lower third of the oven. The cookies are done when they look slightly puffed in the middle and are starting to turn toasty at the edges.