Gooey Cookie Recipe

Prepare oven and dry ingredients

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. In a medium bowl whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and fine salt until evenly combined; set aside.

Cream butter and sugars

In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle), beat the softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and packed light brown sugar together on medium speed until light, smooth, and slightly fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed.

Add eggs and vanilla

Add the whole egg and the extra egg yolk to the creamed butter-sugar mixture along with the vanilla extract. Beat on medium-low just until incorporated, about 30 seconds; do not overmix.

Combine wet and dry

With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture and mix until just combined and no streaks of flour remain. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky — this is desirable for a gooey center.

Fold in chocolate

Using a spatula, fold in the semisweet chocolate chips until distributed evenly through the dough.

Portion cookies

Using a 2-tablespoon scoop or a tablespoon spoon, portion dough into generous mounds about 2 tablespoons each and place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 to 3 inches apart. For extra goo, press each mound slightly and optionally brush the top with a little melted butter.

Bake

Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the edges are set and lightly golden while the centers still look soft and slightly underbaked. Rotating the sheet halfway through baking helps even coloring.

Finish and cool

Remove the baking sheet from the oven. If using flaky sea salt, sprinkle a small pinch on top of each hot cookie. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 8 to 10 minutes to finish cooking and set; they will be gooey in the center. Transfer to a wire rack to cool further if desired.

Serve warm for maximum gooeyness. Reheat gently in a microwave for 8–10 seconds or a 300°F (150°C) oven for 3–4 minutes before serving if cookies have cooled. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days; to restore gooeyness, warm briefly as above.