Introduction

These shaped chocolate chip cookies offer a fun twist on a classic favorite. Soft, chewy, and studded with melty chocolate chips, they’re perfect for any occasion where a little extra charm is welcome.

Shaped Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe - Recipe Image

Ingredients

2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
¾ tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
½ cup light brown sugar (packed)
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs (at room temperature)
1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips (a mix of regular and mini chips works well)

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Step 3: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla extract, mixing until just combined.
Step 4: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing only until you no longer see streaks of flour. Fold in the chocolate chips gently.
Step 5: Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them 2 to 3 inches apart to allow for spreading. If desired, press extra chocolate chunks or sprinkles onto the tops.
Step 6: Bake for 9 to 11 minutes until the edges are just turning golden but the centers remain slightly soft. Remove from the oven and immediately use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut shapes while warm (handle with care). Let cookies cool on the sheet for 5 to 7 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips & Variations

Use room temperature butter and eggs to ensure smooth mixing and even texture.
Try substituting half the semisweet chocolate chips with white chocolate or butterscotch chips for a different flavor.
If you prefer crisper cookies, bake a minute or two longer and allow them to cool completely on the baking sheet.
For extra flair, decorate the warm cookies after cutting with colored sugar or edible glitter before they set.

Storage

Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To keep them fresh longer, freeze in a sealed container for up to 3 months. Reheat briefly in a low oven or microwave to regain softness before serving.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted?

Yes, but reduce or omit the added salt in the recipe to prevent the cookies from becoming too salty.

Why do I cut the cookies into shapes after baking instead of before?

Cutting right after baking while the cookies are still warm helps create clean shapes without spreading or losing definition. If you cut before baking, the shapes may expand and lose their form.

Shaped Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 66 reviews

These Shaped Chocolate Chip Cookies are soft, buttery, and deliciously loaded with semisweet chocolate chips. After baking, they are cut into charming heart shapes using a cookie cutter, perfect for special occasions or everyday treats. The cookies have a slight golden edge with a tender, slightly underdone center, ensuring a moist and delightful bite every time.

Author: Tara
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: About 24 cookies depending on size 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
¾ tsp salt

Wet Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature

Add-ins

1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips (a mix of regular and mini chips)

Instructions

Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside to ensure the cookies don’t stick and bake evenly.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. This ensures the baking soda and salt are evenly distributed throughout the flour for proper rise and flavor balance.
Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the room temperature unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar together for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. This incorporates air, which helps with the cookie’s texture.
Add Eggs and Vanilla: Mix in the eggs one at a time along with the vanilla extract until just combined, avoiding over-mixing to keep cookies tender.
Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing just until no flour streaks remain. Then gently fold in the semisweet chocolate chips ensuring they are evenly distributed without overworking the dough.
Shape Cookie Dough Scoops: Using a spoon or cookie scoop, place approximately 2 tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2-3 inches apart to accommodate spreading. Optionally, press extra chocolate chunks or sprinkles on top of each cookie for decoration.
Bake the Cookies: Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes, monitoring closely until the edges turn very slightly golden while the centers remain a bit underdone to retain softness.
Cut into Heart Shapes: Immediately after removing from the oven, while the cookies are still hot, use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to carefully cut them into shapes. Take precautions to avoid burns.
Cool the Cookies: Allow the cut cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5-7 minutes so they firm up, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before serving or storing.

Notes

Using room temperature butter and eggs helps the ingredients combine smoothly for a better dough texture.
Do not overmix the dough once you add the flour to avoid tough cookies.
If you don’t have a heart-shaped cookie cutter, any small cookie cutter shape or even freehand shaping with a knife while warm works.
The cookies will spread while baking, so spacing dough scoops properly is essential.
For even softer cookies, slightly underbake and allow them to set on the pan before transferring.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage.

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