The Nestlé Toll House cookie recipe is the classic chocolate chip cookie: crisp edges, chewy centers and semi-sweet chips in every bite. This version follows the proportions printed on the yellow bag, with metric weights added and a few tips for consistent results.
It makes about 5 dozen cookies with a rounded tablespoon of dough each. Each batch bakes in about 10 minutes.
Toll House Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat. Heat the oven to 190 °C (375 °F) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
- Cream. Beat the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla until creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the eggs. Beat them in one at a time.
- Combine. Gradually beat in the flour mixture just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and the nuts, if using.
- Bake. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough 5 cm apart. Bake 9–11 minutes, until golden brown at the edges. Cool 2 minutes on the sheet, then move to a rack.
Notes
The story behind Toll House cookies
The recipe comes from Ruth Wakefield, who ran the Toll House Inn in Whitman, Massachusetts, in the 1930s and added chopped semi-sweet chocolate to her butter cookies. Nestlé later printed the recipe on its chocolate packaging, which is why so many people know it as the Nestlé cookie recipe.
Tips for perfect Toll House cookies
- Spoon and level the flour. Scooping straight from the bag packs in extra flour and gives dry, cakey cookies. 2¼ cups should weigh about 280 g.
- Soft butter, not melted. It should give under a finger but still hold its shape.
- Stop mixing early. Once the flour disappears, stir in the chips by hand.
- Trust the hot oven. 190 °C (375 °F) sets the edges fast while the centers stay soft. Take the cookies out when the centers still look slightly underdone.
- Want thicker cookies? Chill the dough for 30 minutes before scooping.
Variations
- Pan cookie: spread the dough in a greased 38 × 25 cm (15 × 10 in) pan and bake 20–25 minutes, then cut into bars.
- Sea salt: sprinkle a few flakes of salt on each cookie as it comes out of the oven.
- Other chips: swap half of the semi-sweet chips for white chocolate, or try these white chocolate chip cookies.
- More chocolate: for a cocoa dough, see the double chocolate chip cookies.
Storage and freezing
Keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Freeze scooped dough balls for up to 3 months and bake them from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes. Baked cookies also freeze well; let them thaw in their container.
Toll House cookies FAQ
Is this the original Nestlé recipe?
It uses the same ingredients and proportions as the recipe on the Nestlé Toll House bag, with gram weights added for accuracy.
Why are my cookies flat?
Usually because the butter was too warm, the flour was under-measured or the dough went onto a hot tray. Let trays cool between batches.
Can I make half a batch?
Yes: halve every ingredient and use 1 egg. Bake times stay the same.
Do I have to add nuts?
No. The nuts are optional; leave them out or replace them with an extra ½ cup of chips.
More cookie recipes to try
- White chocolate chip cookies: soft and chewy with creamy white chocolate.
- Double chocolate chip cookies: fudgy cocoa dough, double the chocolate.
- Banana bread cookies: a soft, one-bowl cookie with 6 ingredients.
Happy baking! — Hassoun