Lighter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Lighter chocolate chip cookies trim the fat and egg count of the classic Toll House recipe without losing the soft-centered, chewy character that makes the original such a cookie jar staple. Three-quarters cup of butter does the work of a full cup; one egg replaces two. Same proportions of flour, leavening, and a full cup of chocolate chips.

The equal split of granulated and brown sugars is what keeps these chewy. Brown sugar’s molasses content adds moisture and creates that soft, almost fudgy interior; granulated sugar crisps the edges and helps the cookies spread evenly.

Underbake them. The centers should still look soft when you pull the tray out. Carryover heat from the hot pan finishes the bake, leaving you with cookies that stay tender even at room temperature.

Pro Tips

• Use room temperature butter, not melted. Melted butter spreads the cookies thin and crispy; soft butter holds them tall and chewy.
• The dough is supposed to feel stiff. Don’t add liquid to loosen it; that’s the proportion that creates the chewy bite.
• Drop the dough in rounded teaspoonfuls, not tablespoons. Smaller cookies bake more evenly and stay soft longer.
• Pull cookies when edges are light brown but centers still look underdone. They firm up as they cool.

Variations

• Stir in ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans for a classic nut-and-chocolate combination.
• Swap milk chocolate chips for dark chocolate or a mix of dark and white for variety.
• Sprinkle flaky sea salt on each cookie before baking for that bakery-style salted finish.