These simple and unassuming chocolate chip cookies are so much more than they first appear. They’re soft and chewy, but also have an intense vanilla flavor that helps to bring out the taste of the semi-chocolate chips in them as well. In addition, they somehow manage to get even better after sitting for a few days after they are baked, which makes them the perfect Christmas cookie to add to a holiday cookie tray.
The key to every great holiday cookie tray is having a few, of what I like to call, filler cookies. What is a filler cookie? A filler cookie is a cookie that is super-easy to make, doesn’t require any extra decoration or time spent to pretty it up, and is also a cookie that everyone will instantly fall in love with. These vanilla-flavored chocolate chip cookies definitely count as a filler cookie.
At first, you might not think that these little guys are anything all that special. After all, they’re basically just a normal chocolate chip cookie. Then you’ll realize that after these bumpy, chewy, soft cookies sit for a few days, you were completely wrong in your original assumption. Because you know what? These little guys somehow manage to get even better as they sit.
Right out of the oven, these chocolatey cookies are pretty gosh darn yummy, but two days later, I’m telling you these cookies become absolutely amazing. Maybe it’s the vanilla, maybe it’s the corn starch, or maybe it’s the over-abundance of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Maybe we’ll never know. I, personally, am totally alright with that as long as these cookies are a part of my holiday season.
Ingredients:
- 3/4 Cup Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
- 3/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar, Packed
- 1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Egg
- 2 Tablespoons Vanilla
- 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2 Teaspoons Corn Starch
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 3/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 (12-oz.) Bag Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Directions:
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugars together on medium speed for 3 minutes.
- Add the egg; mix for 1 minute.
- Add the vanilla; mix for 1 minute.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, corn starch, baking soda, and salt.
- Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture; mix until just incorporated.
- Stir the chocolate chips into the cookie dough.
- Cover the mixing bowl tightly with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Using a cookie scoop, scoop 12 cookies out onto a Silpat or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. After you remove the cookies from the oven, gently use your fingers to press little indentations down into the top of each cookie. Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes before removing them to a baking rack to finish cooling completely. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough.
Suggestions:
- Make sure to use pure vanilla in this recipe and not imitation. It makes a huge difference in flavor.
- To measure the flour for these cookies, gently spoon flour into a measuring cup and then use a knife to level off the top. This helps to avoid using too much flour.
- I used an entire bag of chocolate chips in this recipe because there is almost nothing I hate more than having leftover chocolate chips. You can use less if you feel that an entire bag is too many.
- Gently pressing indentations into the tops of the cookies after you remove them from the oven, helps to give them a bumpy and more desirable appearance.
- As soon as the cookies have cooled, place them in an airtight container.
- This recipe will yield approximately 24 cookies. The number of cookies you end up with will depend on how large you make each cookie.
Improvements:
- Replace half of the chocolate chips in this recipe with peanut butter chips.
- Add chopped pecans or walnuts to the cookie dough.
- Make sure to leave a plate of these chocolate chip cookies out for Santa. Don’t forget the glass of milk.
- CLICK HERE to check out all of our past cookie recipes. Don’t forget to check out our Christmas cookies section.
Ingredients:
- 3/4 Cup Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
- 3/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar, Packed
- 1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Egg
- 2 Tablespoons Vanilla
- 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2 Teaspoons Corn Starch
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 3/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 (12-oz.) Bag Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Directions:
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugars together on medium speed for 3 minutes.
- Add the egg; mix for 1 minute.
- Add the vanilla; mix for 1 minute.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, corn starch, baking soda, and salt.
- Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture; mix until just incorporated.
- Stir the chocolate chips into the cookie dough.
- Cover the mixing bowl tightly with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Using a cookie scoop, scoop 12 cookies out onto a Silpat or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. After you remove the cookies from the oven, gently use your fingers to press little indentations down into the top of each cookie. Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes before removing them to a baking rack to finish cooling completely. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough.
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MORE GREAT CHRISTMAS COOKIE RECIPES
Lemon Iced Gingerbread Cookies
Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Toffee Cookies
Christmas is a time for family, friends, and delicious holiday cookies. From classic butter cookies to iced gingerbread cookies, this list of ultimate Christmas cookie recipes has something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for festive colors, unique seasonal ingredients, or just a cookie that’s super easy to make, these Christmas cookie recipes will help you find the perfect cookie for the season. CLICK HERE for the recipes.
CHRISTMAS COOKIES WEEK
Please make sure to check out the other great “Christmas Cookies Week” recipes below.
- Andes Mint Chocolate Brownies by Hardly A Goddess
- Snickerdoodle Crinkle Cookies by Daily Dish Recipes
- Brownie Bites with Peppermint Buttercream by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
- Brown Sugar Pecan Christmas Tree Cookies by Family Around the Table
- Chocolate Chip Vanilla Cookies by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
- Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies by The Freshman Cook
- Cinnamon Roll No Bake Cookies by Kelly Lynn’s Sweets and Treats
- Eggnog Macarons by The Redhead Baker
- Ginger Crinkle Cookies by Bear & Bug Eats
- Crispy Gingersnap Cookies by Everyday Eileen
- Holiday Cut-Out Sugar Cookies by Corn, Beans, Pigs & Kids
- Irish Shortbread Cookies by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Oatmeal Cranberry Walnut Cookies by Tip Garden
- Purely Peppermint Shortbread by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
- Turkish Baklava by House of Nash Eats
- Vegan Peppermint Bark Madeleines by The Baking Fairy
- Waffle Iron Cookies by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
CHRISTMAS COOKIES WEEK 2017 RECIPES
Crystallized Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Cookies
Mexican Chocolate Chip Crinkle Cookies
CHRISTMAS COOKIES WEEK 2018 RECIPES
Chocolate Espresso Brown Sugar Cookies
White Christmas Peppermint Holiday Cookies
Chocolate Chip Vanilla Cookies
No-Bake Peanut Butter Cup Cereal Cookies
Whoville Christmas Wreath Sugar Cookies