I want to shout it from every rooftop that I finally have the Best Crunchy, Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. If you enjoy a thick, crispy chocolate chip cookie, then this recipe is perfect for you. Every bite guarantees an explosion of chocolate chips accompanied by a satisfying crunch. This recipe stands out from the rest as it produces exceptionally hard chocolate chip cookies. It’s a cookie for those who truly adore thick and crunchy cookies.
This recipe comes from my mother’s collection, and I’m not entirely sure of its origin.
Honestly, I haven’t encountered any other chocolate chip cookie quite like it. Unlike the soft or semi-soft variety, this cookie is notably firm. However, there’s no need to worry, as it has become a treasured treat among those who have baked it.
I assure you, you’ve likely never tasted a cookie quite like this before!
The Hunt for the Best Crunchy Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Growing up, my mom always made homemade cookies for our family of seven. Yes, we rarely had store-bought cookies like Oreos, Yodels, Chips Ahoy, and all the rest.
Instead, she would always have a fresh batch of cookies in the cookie jar for us, and one of my all-time favorite cookies is her Almond Cookie recipe. Furthermore, we all adored her unique recipe, which I genuinely believe is the ultimate crispy chocolate chip cookie. You see, my mom taught us to appreciate crunchy cookies, and this one definitely falls into that category of delightful treats!
Instead, this chocolate chip cookie is much taller than the classic cookie. It isn’t a soft and thin type of cookie, but instead, it is somewhat crunchy and delicious.
Why You’re Going to Like This Crispy Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
- Texture: The cookie’s crunchiness and thickness offer a delightful contrast to the softness of the chocolate chips. Each bite provides a satisfyingly crisp experience that enhances the overall enjoyment of the cookie.
- Chocolate Chip Intensity: This cookie is truly a chocoholic’s dream. It is generously packed with an abundance of chocolate chips, ensuring that every bite is bursting with rich, melty chocolate goodness. The chocolate chips add a luscious and indulgent element to the overall flavor profile.
- Unique and Memorable: Unlike the typical soft or chewy chocolate chip cookies, this crunchy and thick version stands out from the crowd. Its distinctive texture and taste make it a memorable treat that is sure to leave a lasting impression on anyone who tries it.
- Keeps Well: Due to its firm texture, this cookie has a longer shelf life compared to softer varieties, allowing it to stay delicious for an extended period.
- Travels Well: Due to its firm texture, this hard chocolate chip cookie holds up remarkably well during travel, making it an ideal treat to take on trips or send as gifts. Its sturdy structure ensures that it remains intact and enjoyable, even when transported over long distances.
How to Make These Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
- Shortening adds a tender and flaky texture to the cookie dough.
- Vanilla Extract enhances the flavor profile with its sweet and aromatic notes.
- Brown Sugar contributes moisture and a rich, caramel-like taste to the cookie.
- Granulated Sugar provides sweetness and helps create a desirable texture by adding a slight crispness to the cookie’s exterior.
- Egg acts as a binding agent, adding structure and moisture to the dough.
- Flour serves as the base ingredient, providing structure and stability to the cookie.
- Salt enhances the overall flavor balance and helps bring out the sweetness of the other ingredients.
- Baking Powder acts as a leavening agent, causing the cookie to rise and giving it a light and airy texture.
- Chocolate Chips are the star ingredient, bringing bursts of chocolatey goodness to each bite.
- Chopped Walnuts add a delightful nutty crunch and enhance the texture and flavor of the cookie.
Cookie Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Step 1 – Make Cookie Dough
Step 2 – Mold Cookies
Step 3 – Bake Cookies
Baking Facts
Well, my little journey to creating this yummy recipe taught me a few things along the way, So I thought it might be fun to share them with you. If you get bored, skim through to the bottom of this post for the original recipe.
What is the difference between baking soda and baking powder?
So back in the day, before there was baking soda or baking powder, there was yeast to bring height to your baked goods. You can see this in my French Savarin cake, which is a yeasted cake soaked in delicious syrup.
Circling back to the baking powder, it has sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and a weak acid base of cream of tartar or monocalcium phosphate. The two react and create gas when wet. Before the development of baking powder in 1843, yeast was used to increase volume and lighten baked goods. Baking powder takes less time than yeast, so this revolutionized the baking world.
Baking Soda is otherwise known as sodium bicarbonate. It is used primarily in baking as a leavening agent. When it combines with acid, there is a reaction, and carbon dioxide is released.
Unlike baking powder, it does not contain an acid of cream of tartar. So, if you are using it in a recipe, you must have acid in the ingredients, like brown sugar, lemon juice, buttermilk, vinegar, or cocoa.
What is double-acting baking powder?
So, it turns out that when baking powder is mixed with a liquid, the reaction between the acid and base takes place.
But rest assured, if you use a double-acting baking powder, the second rise comes again when the mixture is heated. So, because it has two reactions, it isn’t too crucial that you get your baked goods into the oven right after mixing the ingredients. I decided to add baking powder to my recipe since I read that it will slow down the process of spreading.
And if you like a chunky thick cookie, then baking powder is your friend.
Should I use shortening (Crisco) or butter when making cookies?
Shortening or Crisco creates higher and lighter textured baked goods than butter. So, when I made a version of my chocolate chip cookies in which I substituted the shortening with butter, the results were that the cookies spread and were flat. I even refrigerated the butter and the mixed dough, and it still spread. If you like the thin, soft cookie, then butter is for you. But I’m rather fond of the thicker cookie, and my best chunky, crispy chocolate chip cookie recipe uses Crisco to get that cookie lift.
I don’t have shortening (Crisco). What can I use?
Well, I made the cookies using vegetable oil, and they came out fabulous. So I substituted 1/2 cup of oil for the Crisco, and I love the results. The cookie is crunchy and tall. So, hooray, for those of you living overseas, you can make this cookie with cooking oil.
Does sugar make a cookie spread?
So too much sugar and butter will make your cookies spread. I guess when sugar and water come together in the baking process, the sugar locks in the moisture and creates a delicate pastry.
Also, as the sugar melts, it encourages the spreading of the dough, so, at one point, I eliminated the granulated sugar. The cookie had the height, but it was dry in flavor. So, the lesson learned is don’t remove the sugar.
My Journey to Creating This Crunchy and Dense Chocolate Chip Cookie
So seven batches of cookies later, I finally came up with some interesting findings in regard to my mom’s old recipe. Don’t get me wrong, I have her original recipe, but for some reason, when I made it, the cookie spread and they didn’t come out as tall or chunky. Here is what I figured out.
1. I mixed it with a handheld mixer and bowl. My Kitchen Aid mixer and beater attachment weren’t getting a lift of creaminess into the dough. With the handheld mixer, I could control where I mixed; ultimately, all the ingredients got mixed evenly and thoroughly.
2. So, I found that if I roll the cookie dough into balls and then freeze them or refrigerate them for about 15 minutes, they come out so much better.
3. The cookies came out soft from the oven; I remember this about this recipe. But after a day, they hardened up exactly how I remember from my childhood. I was super delighted to finally have the cookie that my mom used to make, which in my opinion, is the best crunchy, crispy chocolate chip cookie!
Crunchy Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookie
Ingredients
- ½ cup shortening
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 ½ cup flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 - 1½ cups chocolate chips
- ½ cup chopped walnuts optional
Instructions
- Combine and mix flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl.
- Place the egg in a small bowl and whisk with a fork thoroughly.
- Whip shortening for a minute or two with a handheld mixer.
- Add vanilla to the shortening and mix well.
- Add brown sugar and granulated sugar to the shortening and mix for another minute or two until combined well.
- Next, add the egg mixture to the shortening and blend well.
- Add portions of the flour to the sugar/shortening mixture and beat well after each addition.
- Once all the flour is added beat for a minute.
- Add nuts and chocolate chips and mix well.
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Mold the dough into balls, place them on a plate, and refrigerate them for at least 15 minutes.
- Place cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown. Cool slightly and transfer to a wire baking rack. If baking in a non-convect oven, bake for additional 1-2 minutes.
Nutrition
Oh my goodness, I cannot express to you the immense relief and excitement I feel about this cookie. My deep love for desserts, as you can clearly see from my blog, knows no bounds.
I love cookies so much that I created a few other cookies that might interest you.
- Almond Cookies
- Ranger Cookie Recipe
- Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
- Crispy Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
In my opinion, this is the ultimate recipe for crunchy chocolate chip cookies. In fact, as I write this, I find myself craving these delectable treats.
Prepare yourself for a delightful experience, as each bite of this cookie offers an abundance of chocolate chips, perfectly complemented by a flaky and crunchy texture that will undoubtedly please your taste buds.
So give this recipe a try if you like your cookies crunchy!
Cheers,
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Leigh
This is exactly the cookie I’ve been looking for! My husband loves crunchy cookies so we did a taste test with 2 other recipes. This one was the clear winner! Thank you for sharing!
happyhappynester
Hi Leigh,
Oh my goodness, I’m so happy you like my mom’s cookie! If you like a chunky and crunchy chocolate chip cookie, then this is the one!
My brothers and I LOVE this recipe too. This is the cookie that we grew up with! I wish my mom were still around to tell her how much you like her recipe!
Thanks for sharing your experience and generous rating!
Aaron JL
Can you use lard or tallow instead of shortening?
Janine Waite
Yes, that will probably be fine!