Chocolate

Jacques Torres' Chocolate Chip Cookies

by:
June  4, 2021
4
20 Ratings
Jacques Torres' Chocolate Chip Cookies
Photo by Posie Harwood
  • Prep time 24 hours
  • Cook time 15 minutes
  • Makes 2 1/2 dozen large cookies
Author Notes

Beloved for good reason, these epic cookies are packed with gooey puddles of melted chocolate. Cake flour, bread flour, and a 24-hour rest give them an exceptional chewy but firm texture. —Posie (Harwood) Brien

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 2 cups minus 2 tablespoons cake flour
  • 1 2/3 cups bread flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
  • 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/3 pounds bittersweet chocolate discs
  • flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Directions
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the cake flour, bread flour, baking powder, baking soda, and coarse salt. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
  3. Add the eggs, one at a time, to the butter/sugar mixture and beat well. Add the vanilla and mix thoroughly, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go.
  4. Add the flour mixture gradually, beating until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds.
  5. Fold in the chocolate using a spatula.
  6. Press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the dough and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, or up to 72 hours.
  7. When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350° F.
  8. Scoop large spoonfuls of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet (I did about 1/4-cup spoonfuls). Sprinkle with the flaky sea salt and bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to brown and the middle still looks soft.
  9. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
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45 Reviews

Christine
Christine February 3, 2023
So I see you didn't post my well-written review...only the effusive stuff, eh?

I'll find a way.
 
CtyGrl
CtyGrl December 4, 2022
The absolute best chocolate chip cookie recipe! Butter temperature is critical and do not over beat. I make the dough into balls, then refrigerate for 48 hours before baking or freezing
 
UMMIE8
UMMIE8 October 15, 2022
Best I've tried by far! Came out perfectly, buttery and soft but prefer I do prefer AP flour over using the bread flour because the first time I tried the recipe I had no bread flour so had to use AP and turned out brilliantly.
Then I purchased bread flour and made them again and I wasn't very happy with the results. They seemed a little dry.

I'm gonna try for a 3rd using half bread half AP along with cake and report back.

But I think ultimately I will just stick with the AP.
 
JoyGim
JoyGim August 7, 2023
Thanks, I only have AP flour at moment and will try :)
 
sjl
sjl November 22, 2021
By far the BEST chocolate chip cookie recipe I've ever made. LOVE THESE!!!
 
Keenan
Keenan May 23, 2021
We have chocolate chip cookie bake offs in my apt... trying to find the best homemade version (we are big fans of Levain cc cookies). They have to be crisp on the outside but very soft and gooey on the inside... so far these are the winners. We continue to try out new recipes but these have yet to be beat.
 
ydonaldson
ydonaldson September 11, 2019
Can't wait to make these. Salted or unsalted butter? Or does it matter? I usually use unsalted for baking.
 
Posie (.
Posie (. September 11, 2019
Unsalted!
 
Dawn
Dawn April 17, 2019
Finally a chocolate chip cookie that is perfect at high altitude!! This is the best cc cookie I have ever had...YUM
 
chudson07
chudson07 January 13, 2020
Can I what altitude you are baking at? I'm at 6,600 ft and am wondering if I should make adjustments. I typically do but if this recipe worked for you at a higher altitude then it could work for me too! (fingers crossed)
 
Petite F.
Petite F. November 16, 2018
As said, crispy outside, moist inside...perfect!

Thank you for sharing...
 
Tracy
Tracy May 17, 2018
I think these are the best cookies i have ever baked! Something about the texture, chewy and crunchy! Thank you!
 
Debbie
Debbie March 20, 2018
These are OUTSTANDING! I made the dough this afternoon and baked only 2 cookies. One to try now (because I'm completely impatient) and another to save for tomorrow to test next to the ones that have rested/chilled for 24 hours. So this review is only based on the immediately baked cookie - it really was sooooo good! I'm so excited to try them tomorrow! I used 12oz large chocolate chips instead of 1⅓ lb bittersweet discs -- I prefer less chips in my cookies. Happy baking!
 
Debbie
Debbie May 18, 2018
update...They are good straight away. But they are AMAZING if you let them rest. Very rarely do we let them rest for 72 hours (I'm not that good of a planner). We usually make it somewhere between 3-24 hours. People now ask me to make these for them. :) So delicious!
 
ymelda
ymelda August 25, 2018
Thanks for testing because of your impatience! Will make this NOW!♥
 
tersher
tersher July 10, 2017
I've just separated all the "extra" cookies in a freezer bag for a later session and am about to pop round one of these babies in the oven....my amendment is the addition of hazelnut flour!! I am so freaking excited. Will update!
 
tersher
tersher July 10, 2017
okay update! They are fantastic! The texture has a crunch, but then immediately gives into this soft, chewy inner body....just fantastic! I could have used more vanilla though and more chocolate chips, and maybe some almond extract to enhance the hazelnut flour....but all in all, I am extremely happy with the turn out. Also, I forgot to mention, I didn't have bread flour, but I did have semolina...so I threw that in to compensate for the lack of protein the the APF....def something to the cake/bread flour combo! Great share!
 
Debbie
Debbie December 1, 2016
to all those asking about the flour amounts.. Its ABSOLUTELY CORRECT !! I've made these dozens of times and this is BY FAR the most decadent delicious PERFECT Chocolate chip cookie on the earth. NO LIE! I will admit I have played with the recipe a bit but the flour mixtures are imperative... ive split half butter half coconut oil with very good results some actually liked it better for the subtle coconut flavor. But this recipe is the gold standard!!
 
Shelley P.
Shelley P. July 24, 2016
Any thoughts/feedback on the Torres flour quantity mentioned by Kate? I am a newbie baker and don't want to goof it up. shelley
 
Kathy L.
Kathy L. July 22, 2016
I notice that neither recipe mentions adding walnuts. In my opinion, walnuts MAKE the cookie! It's not worth going to all the effort without them. I'm going to try the Jacques Torres recipe WITH walnuts...yum!
 
kate
kate July 22, 2016
These sound fabulous - but I'm confused (and more confused that no one has asked about this yet!). In the introduction, it says that the Torres recipe calls for about 2 1/3 cups of flour (combo), but the recipe calls for about 3 1/3 (which sounds like a lot). Help! ;)
 
Lisa K.
Lisa K. July 24, 2016
Agreed! That's A LOT of flour...
 
D.J.
D.J. May 30, 2016
Posie, when the New York Times first published this recipe in the summer of 2008, I was a teacher on summer break who thought it'd be fun to make homemade cookies. It sparked something in me and I'm now a professional pastry chef. It all started with these amazing cookies. Thanks for exposing this recipe to the masses again!
 
lacrema
lacrema April 18, 2016
My go-to for chocolate chip cookies. I use Ghirardelli 60% cocoa chips and add a bit of rum (I'm cooking at high altitude and somehow the liquid seems to help-- plus the taste blooms a bit). They're beyond amazing.
 
Jacqueline H.
Jacqueline H. August 14, 2016
I started my own vanilla extra a couple of years ago now with (I don't even remember what brand...) rum. While I've switched the beans out a couple of times and it's very clearly vanilla extract, the rum smell is definitely still there. I'm wondering if that is the little extra "something" that people comment on in my baked goods that I've just taken for granted! Food for thought. :)
 
Connie
Connie April 17, 2016
When I stumbled on this recipe, I couldn't imagine bothering with a chocolate chip cookie recipe that required a 24 hour resting period. It seemed awfully fussy--bread and cake flour? special chocolate? flaked sea salt? C'mon! I have been baking cc cookies since I was a kid! How could these be that much better? I stand corrected. As promised, the cookies are slightly crunchy outside and oh, so tender inside. They have a perfect balance of salty and sweet, gooey and crunchy, humble and transcendant. My husband and son are chocolate chip cookie snobs and each have their own favorite recipe. Both of them declared these delightful. Going forward, I will always have these gems portioned out in my freezer, ready to bake in the time it takes to preheat my oven. Thank you, Food52 and Jacques.
 
Posie (.
Posie (. April 17, 2016
Ooh this comment so made my day! Happy you went out on a limb and tried them. It's a more intense cookie for sure, but really a worthwhile recipe to have when you want a SERIOUS dessert! (I have two bags of dough balls in my freezer right now -- you're a wise woman.)
 
Courtney C.
Courtney C. April 7, 2016
These are perfect - seriously. Make them and devour them.
 
Hemz7781
Hemz7781 April 6, 2016
I adore this recipe; it's the only chocolate chip cookie recipe I use. I do, however, find that it has way too much chocolate. So instead I use a 16 oz bag of ghirardelli mini chocolate chips.