📖 Instructions

1. Before anything else, preheat your oven. Get it to a solid 350°F (175°C). While it's heating, line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. This is essential for preventing sticking and ensuring those beautiful crispy edges.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients: the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and a good pinch of salt. Make sure there are no lumps of cocoa or flour; a smooth blend here means a consistent cookie texture later. Set this aside for a moment.
3. Now for the star of the show: the butter and sugars. In a large bowl (preferably a stand mixer bowl with the paddle attachment, or a large bowl with an electric hand mixer), cream together the softened unsalted butter with both the granulated sugar and the light brown sugar. Beat these on medium speed for about 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and looks significantly paler. This creaming process is crucial for incorporating air, which helps achieve that lovely texture.
4. Next, beat in the large egg and the vanilla extract. Mix until they are fully combined. Don't overmix here, just enough until everything is homogenous. You should have a glossy, smooth mixture.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Do this in two additions, mixing on low speed after each addition until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the dough once the flour is added, as this can develop too much gluten and result in tough cookies. Stop mixing as soon as you no longer see streaks of dry flour.
6. Stir in your chocolate chips. Use a spatula to fold them into the dough until they are evenly distributed. I love a mix of semi-sweet and dark chocolate chips for extra depth of flavor, but use what makes your heart sing!
7. Using a tablespoon or a small cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons of dough), drop rounded balls of dough onto your prepared baking sheets. Space them about 2 inches apart. If you want truly perfect, uniformly sized cookies, you can gently roll each scooped portion into a smooth ball before placing it on the sheet.
8. Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes. The key here is not to overbake! You want the edges to look set and slightly golden, but the centers should still appear soft and slightly underbaked. This is the secret to that perfect chewy interior. If they look too gooey, give them another minute, but watch them closely!
9. Once out of the oven, let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes. This is critical! They continue to set up as they cool on the hot sheet, developing those crispy edges. After 5 minutes, carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Try not to eat them all immediately, though I totally understand if you do. They're irresistible warm!
10. Once fully cooled, store your cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Though, honestly, they rarely last that long in my house!