Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Set your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and let it fully preheat for at least 10 minutes. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper to ensure even baking and easy cleanup.
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and sea salt in a medium bowl, breaking up any lumps in the salt or flour. This distributes the leavening agent evenly throughout the dough so your cookies rise uniformly.
- Beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed for about 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then mix in the vanilla extract until fully combined.
- Gently fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients using a spatula or the mixer on low speed, stirring until just combined.
- Stir in the Ghirardelli chocolate chips by hand using a spatula until they're evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Drop rounded tablespoons or cookie scoop fulls of dough onto your prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are golden brown but the centers still look slightly underdone. The cookies continue cooking on the hot pan after you remove them.
- Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 3-4 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack. This resting period allows the structure to set slightly so they don't fall apart when you move them.
Notes
Use an oven thermometer to verify your oven's actual temperature; many home ovens run 25 degrees hotter or cooler than the dial shows. Pull cookies out when centers still jiggle slightly for the perfect chewy texture. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months or unbaked dough for up to 2 months.