Irresistibly Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies: The Ultimate Melted Butter Recipe (No Mixer Needed!)

If you’ve been on a quest for the perfect soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie, your search ends here. This incredibly easy chocolate chip cookie recipe is specifically designed for those who adore a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture with just the right amount of chew. What makes this recipe an absolute game-changer is the use of melted butter. Forget the fuss of creaming butter and sugar; with this method, you simply melt the butter and combine all your ingredients in a single bowl, streamlining the entire baking process. This eliminates the need for an electric mixer, making it accessible even for novice bakers or those short on time and equipment. However, it’s important to note: if you’re a fan of crunchy or crispy cookies, this particular recipe might not be your ideal match, as its primary focus is on achieving supreme softness.

For lovers of wonderfully soft and delightfully chewy cookies, this recipe includes a clever secret ingredient: either cornstarch or a touch of instant pudding mix. These additions are key to enhancing the cookies’ tenderness and creating that desirable chewy bite that makes them truly addictive. They help to keep the cookies moist and prevent them from becoming dry or crumbly, ensuring every bite is a delightful experience.

The Secret to Ultimate Softness: Instant Pudding Mix Cookies

One of the standout features of this recipe, and what truly sets these soft chocolate chip cookies apart, is the inclusion of instant pudding mix. The cookies pictured throughout this article were crafted using a hint of French vanilla-flavored instant pudding. This seemingly small addition plays a significant role in elevating the cookies’ texture and flavor profile. It imparts a subtle, creamy vanilla note that complements the chocolate beautifully, while also contributing to their distinctively soft and tender crumb. Beyond flavor, the pudding mix also helps achieve a lovely slightly golden hue on the cookies, making them as appealing to the eye as they are to the palate.

The magic of instant pudding mix lies in its composition, specifically the modified cornstarch it contains. This ingredient is a fantastic ally in baking, as it helps the cookie dough maintain its shape more effectively during baking. This means if you prefer cookies with a charmingly thick, slightly lumpy center, you can scoop the dough and they will largely retain that sculpted form, rather than spreading out into thin, flat discs. The cornstarch acts as a stabilizer and tenderizer, absorbing moisture and preventing excessive spread, which is crucial for achieving those coveted soft and chewy results.

For an even more pronounced effect on shape retention and an intensified buttery flavor, consider using high-quality butter like Plugra (a European-style butter with a higher butterfat content). Chilling the dough overnight with Plugra, or any butter for that matter, will allow the butter to firm up completely and the flavors to meld, resulting in cookies that truly hold their shape and develop a richer taste. The difference is remarkable; you’ll achieve those delightfully thick, artisanal-looking cookies with a substantial “lump” in the middle, indicative of a perfect soft bake.

Effortless Baking: No Mixer Required for Easy Melted Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

One of the most appealing aspects of this chocolate chip cookie recipe is its incredible simplicity, epitomized by the “one-bowl, no-mixer” approach. This method is a dream come true for busy bakers or anyone who dislikes the cleanup associated with multiple bowls and kitchen gadgets. The secret lies in using melted butter instead of softened butter. When butter is melted, it eliminates the need for creaming it with sugar to incorporate air, which is a common step in many traditional cookie recipes that require a stand or hand mixer. The melted butter provides a richness and moisture that yields a uniquely soft and chewy texture.

While some recipes suggest mixing dry ingredients separately, this easy chocolate chip cookie recipe truly embraces minimalism. You can simply add all your ingredients directly into one large mixing bowl. For optimal consistency and accuracy, especially in baking, I highly recommend adding ingredients by weight using a kitchen scale. This ensures precise measurements, which can significantly impact the final texture of your cookies. Furthermore, for an extra layer of convenience, if your mixing bowl is microwave-safe, you can even melt the butter directly in it! Just be sure to melt it gently on a lower setting to avoid overheating. After melting, it’s absolutely crucial to allow the butter ample time to cool completely before incorporating other ingredients, particularly the egg. Warm butter can cook the egg prematurely, leading to an undesirable texture. I often melt the butter an hour or so ahead of time, letting it sit at room temperature to cool down, then return to quickly stir together the dough. The cooler the butter, the better the final cookie will be, preventing too much spread in the oven and contributing to that delightful chewiness.

The Perfect Pairing: Milk Chocolate and Dark Chocolate Chips

While these very easy chocolate chip cookies are wonderfully versatile and delicious with virtually any type of chocolate chip, they truly shine with milk chocolate chips. The creamy sweetness of milk chocolate creates a harmonious balance with the soft, chewy cookie base, offering a comforting and indulgent flavor profile that is hard to resist. I am particularly fond of the large milk chocolate chips from Guittard, which melt beautifully and provide substantial pockets of chocolatey goodness. However, readily available brands like Ghirardelli and Hershey’s will also yield fantastic results. Don’t hesitate to experiment with your favorite!

If you’re looking to elevate the cookie experience further, consider incorporating dark chocolate chips or chunks for a more sophisticated flavor. A blend of milk chocolate and dark chocolate can create a dynamic taste, where the sweetness of the milk chocolate is perfectly contrasted by the slight bitterness and depth of the dark chocolate. Large Ghirardelli bittersweet chips, for example, work exceptionally well, especially in the larger cookie variations, providing a robust chocolate presence. Whether you prefer classic chips or chunky pieces, these soft and chewy cookies are incredibly adaptable, ensuring a perfect chocolatey treat every time. You can even chop up your favorite chocolate bar into irregular chunks for varying textures and bursts of intense chocolate flavor throughout the cookies.

No Pudding Mix? No Problem! A Simple Substitute

We understand that not everyone keeps instant pudding mix on hand, or perhaps you prefer to use fewer processed ingredients. Fear not, as this flexible recipe offers a simple and effective substitute to achieve similar soft and chewy results for your chocolate chip cookies. If you don’t have instant pudding mix available, you can easily swap it out for 1 ½ teaspoons of cornstarch along with an extra tablespoon of granulated sugar.

The cornstarch serves a similar purpose to the modified cornstarch found in pudding mixes. It acts as a tenderizing agent, preventing the development of too much gluten in the flour, which can lead to tough cookies. By interfering with gluten formation, cornstarch ensures a softer, more delicate crumb. Additionally, cornstarch helps to absorb excess moisture in the dough, contributing to that desirable chewy texture and preventing the cookies from spreading too much during baking. The extra tablespoon of granulated sugar is added to compensate for the sweetness that would typically come from the pudding mix, ensuring your cookies maintain their perfect level of sweetness. This simple adjustment means you can still enjoy these delicious, soft chocolate chip cookies even without the convenience of instant pudding mix.

Batch It Big: Making Large Size Melted Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

It’s fascinating how cookie dough, much like fine wine, can actually improve with age when stored properly in the refrigerator. This particular dough truly benefits from a little chill time; it firms up, allowing the flavors to deepen and meld, resulting in an even more delicious and stable dough for baking. This aged dough works exceptionally well for crafting big, fat, indulgent cookies that have a beautifully thick center and slightly crisped edges.

To create these impressive large cookies, simply take two or three of the smaller dough balls (the size you would normally use for a standard cookie) and gently smash or combine them together. This creates a larger, more substantial dough mass that will bake into a truly generously sized cookie. When baking these larger cookies, you’ll need to adjust your oven temperature and baking time. Instead of the standard temperature, bake them at 375°F (190°C) for approximately 15 to 18 minutes, or until they are nicely browned around the edges and still look wonderfully soft and slightly underdone in the center. The key is to watch for subtle browning and slight cracks on the surface. For these grander cookies, I highly recommend using a delightful mix of milk chocolate chips and larger Ghirardelli bittersweet chips. The combination of sweet and slightly bitter chocolate adds complexity and depth, making each oversized bite an extraordinary experience. Allow these large cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring them, as they will continue to set and firm up as they cool, achieving that perfect balance of soft interior and chewy exterior.

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