Most occasional bakers will go to the store, buy a bag of chocolate chips, and follow the recipe on the bag. 

More experienced and confident bakers search for recipes online.

Online options might have more concise instructions…if you’re lucky. 

The problem with either scenario is that the instructions, as well intended as they are, leave out many nuances and intrinsic information.

They think you know what you dont know. 

And it’s a crying shame. 

But it’s not their fault. 

The chocolate chip bag only has so much space to teach you how to make cookies!

They have to be as concise as possible. 

The instructions on most blog posts are more than adequate but will not make you a chocolate chip cookie legend. 

Let’s closely examine the directions on the back of a chocolate chip bag line by line. 

Chocolate Chip Bag Instructions: Where to Start

First, the instructions on the back of the bag include high-altitude instructions.

I’ll give them credit for that.

But they bury them at the bottom as an afterthought. 

They catch the eye of do-good bakers, most often at the end of all the measuring and mixing. 

I’ll admit that a seasoned home baker will seek out these tips before getting started. 

But most occasional and novice bakers don’t.

Knowing what altitude you are baking at and adjusting as needed alone can solve many mysterious chocolate chip cookie mishaps. 

Yet, it’s probably the most misunderstood and overlooked puzzle piece. 

Check out this altitude map and find out your elevation. 

If you live higher up, you will use slightly different ingredients and measurements. 

Three thousand feet above sea level and higher is considered high altitude.

If I were a chocolate chip bag designer…and I am not…I would slap that information at the very tippy top of the instructions.

It is absolutely where you should start.

Preheat the Oven

The first thing they have you do is preheat the oven. 

It seems logical enough, but what kind of oven do you have?

Standard electric or electric convection. 

If you don’t know what a convection oven is, you probably dont have one.

But they are a baker’s dream and the only ovens you’ll find in professional bakeries.

They make them for home kitchens, too.

A convection oven has a fan that circulates hot air, preventing hot spots and ensuring even cooking and browning.

They bake faster than conventional ovens, so you must adjust the temperature and times. 

Adjust the Temperature: Typically, you should reduce the baking temperature by 25°F (about 15°C) from what a recipe calls for in a conventional oven. 

For example, if a recipe says to bake at 350°F (175°C), set your convection oven to 325°F (160°C).

That would mean going from a 375° oven to 350° degrees for chocolate chip cookies.

Start checking your cookies 2-3 minutes before the timer as well. 

They might get done sooner… and that is a real perk to these ovens.

Combine All The Dry Ingredients

The word combine also seems straightforward but leaves out so much. 

To me, that says,…dump them all in a bowl, and you are done.

What they leave out is…

…after combining them into a small bowl, they must be sifted or whisked together. 

This will even distribute the leavening agents and salt throughout the flour. 

Nobody wants a clump of salt or soda in a single cookie.

There are a couple of ways to do this, but it should be done.

Beat the Butter With Sugars

Creaming the butter is crucial; they tell you to … just do it. 

For how long, what will it look like, and why are we doing that?

There are a lot of opinions on how hard or soft that butter should be.

I prefer soft room-temperature butter, as does this chocolate chip bag. 

It is a standard if you are looking for a particular type of texture. 

Cream the butter and sugar for at least one minute, depending on a few telltale signs, such as color and consistency.

The butter-sugar mixture gets light and fluffy as you go.

As soon as you notice a color difference and everything looks smooth and blended…you’re done.

Add Eggs One At A Time…Beating Well After Each Addition

I was happy to see this on the chocolate chip bag!

Back in the day, when I was learning, this was a gold nugget to me. 

Maybe it was there.

However, for as long as I can remember, I cracked both eggs into my mixer simultaneously. 

Adding eggs one at a time ensures they fully integrate with the butter and sugar mixture, creating a smoother and more consistent batter.

I indeed saw a difference in my cookies with this technique. 

Beat In The Flour Mixture…Gradually

This step is essential and is summed up in one sentence on the bag directions. 

The word “beat” has a pretty aggressive vibe to it.

Considering this is a delicate part of the process, it can give the wrong impression to speed-happy bakers.

Beating something into submissions sounds effective, right?

It’s effective, alright. 

But not in getting the results you want.

At least for cookies. 

Beating the tar out ingredients is appropriate for some recipes, especially regarding fluffy frostings.

But not cookies. 

I’ll give them credit when adding the word “gradually,” yet again, they use a word with a lot left to fill in for yourself. 

Is this over seconds, minutes, hours, or days? Can you switch up your laundry and come back to it? Do you leave the mixer on or off?

That is silly, I know…but I am making a point because it matters!

It’s one of those things that if you don’t know… you don’t know.

Overmixing flour is a real thing, and it can happen quickly. 

Overmixed flour is overdeveloped gluten, which makes tough cookies.

Mix a third of the flour until it has just been absorbed, and repeat until all the flour is in, not a second more.

Stir In Morsels and Nuts

Finally, a word I can get behind!

Stir.

This implies a hand tool appropriate for mixing chocolate chips and other goodies that don’t need to be whipped into submission. 

A simple wooden spoon, a rubber spatula, or a metal spoon would be perfect for gently folding chocolate chips. 

Why?

To review, we are trying not to over-agitate the flour. 

Yes, it’s that important. 

Drop Onto Ungreased Sheets By Rounded Tablespoon

A lot can be said here, but I will keep this blog post simple. 

These directions are made for every baker, and this instruction is good enough. 

It’s not wrong…but it’s not thorough.

An ungreased cookie sheet is suitable for working with non-stick cookie sheets. 

If you put them on a ½ sheet pan like many bakers do…

… you will want assurance that those cookies will slide off when done. 

You also want to make sure they will bake consistently on the bottom.

The best option is to line your cookie sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. 

I highly recommend parchment paper as it is reusable, easy to find, and easy to clean up.

As far as rounded tablespoons of dough, yes.

No more than twelve per sheet.

There are faster, easier ways to shape cookies that I prefer, but in the spirit of this blog post…the chocolate chip bag speaks the truth.

Bake For 9-11 Minutes Until Golden Brown

Everyone loves a golden brown chocolate chip cookie.

A deep brown color is so appealing and mouth-watering. 

With that said…the oven is not the modality to a golden brown cookie.

I would not rely on the oven to get the rich brown color everyone is attracted to. 

I hate to tell you, but if you pull your cookies from the oven when they are brown all over, they have been overcooked. 

That will be a very crispy cookie, which is great if that is what you crave, but overcooked does not taste good.

Truthfully, most traditional chocolate chip cookies come out very light in color…

…even fully cooked. 

We’ll discuss a few ways to get delicious brown cookies again later.

For now, a done cookie will have brown edges and brown tips on the tallest part of the cookie. 

That’s it.

Take the cookie from the oven and let it sit on the hot sheet to set up and finish cooking. 

Remove to Wire Racks to Cool Completely

This is true. 

Unless you live at my house and peel it off the cookie sheet and hot potato that baby into your mouth. 

With that said…

…if you don’t have a wire rack, slide them onto a sheet of paper towels.

Conclusion

Directions on the back of a chocolate chip cookie are adequate for the typical home and novice baker. 

They get you started!

With that said, there is ample intrinsic knowledge that is missing. 

The knowledge contributes to more favorable outcomes. 

If you want to cut through the noise and adopt the most essential techniques that save you time, ingredients, and heartache…

… get your copy of our comprehensive chocolate chip cookie ultimate guide. 

It’s a curated book of techniques streamlining the process of making chocolate chip cookies. 

You’ll be able to make perfect cookies whenever you want without the anxiety and hassle of chaotic production, overwhelming cleanup, and relying on chocolate chip bag recipe directions.

Making chocolate chip cookies will be enjoyable again! 

Make it an easy yes the next time someone asks you to make them..and they will ask often!