The 6 texture levers 

1. Sugar type

• More brown sugar = more chew (moisture + caramel notes)

• More white sugar = more crisp (dries + spreads)

2. Fat choice

• Melted butter = more spread + chewier edges

• Soft/creamed butter = thicker, more cakey

3. Flour amount

• More flour = thicker, cakier

• Less flour = flatter, crispier

4. Egg situation

• More egg/white = more structure (can go cakey)

• One whole egg + extra yolk = richer, chewier

5. Chill time

• Chilling = less spread, deeper flavor, chewier centers

• No chill = more spread, crispier edges

6. Bake time

• Underbake slightly = gooey center

• Bake longer = crisp all the way through

One Master Dough (makes ~12–14 cookies)

Ingredients

• 115 g butter (½ cup), melted and cooled 5 minutes (or use softened for thicker cookies)

• 150 g brown sugar (¾ cup, packed)

• 50 g white sugar (¼ cup)

• 1 large egg

• 1 egg yolk (for chew + richness)

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 180 g all-purpose flour (1½ cups)

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp salt

• 170 g chocolate chips/chunks (1 cup)

Method

1. Mix melted butter + both sugars until glossy.

2. Whisk in egg + yolk + vanilla.

3. Fold in flour, baking soda, salt.

4. Fold in chocolate.

5. Rest 10 minutes while oven heats to 175°C.

6. Scoop into balls (about 2 tbsp each). Bake 10–12 minutes until edges are set but centers look slightly underdone. Cool 10 minutes on tray.

This base lands in the chewy zone. Now choose your texture path.

Texture Path 1: EXTRA CHEWY (soft center, bendy edges)

Do this

• Keep more brown sugar (like the base)

• Add 1 extra egg yolk (optional but powerful)

• Chill dough 30 minutes to overnight

• Bake 10–11 minutes

Pro tip: bigger cookies = chewier center. Scoop 3 tbsp portions.

Texture Path 2: CRISPY (snappy edges, crunch all over)

Do this

• Swap sugars: more white sugar, less brown

  • Use 100 g brown sugar + 100 g white sugar

• Use softened butter (not melted) or melted butter + reduce flour slightly

• Scoop smaller (1–1½ tbsp)

• Bake 12–15 minutes until deeper golden

Optional crisp boost: 1–2 tbsp extra white sugar sprinkled on top before baking.

Texture Path 3: GOOEY (thick + underbaked, “pull-apart” centers)

Do this

• Chill dough at least 1 hour (or freeze 15 minutes)

• Scoop big (3 tbsp)

• Bake 9–10 minutes only

• Add a center surprise (optional but viral):

  • 1 square chocolate

  • a spoon of chocolate spread (freeze dollops first)

  • caramel chunk

Pro tip: take them out when the center looks too soft. Residual heat finishes them.

The “looks underbaked” rule (the one people get wrong)

Cookies firm up while cooling. If you wait until they look fully done in the oven, you’ll get dry cookies.

For chewy/gooey: edges set, center still glossy.
For crispy: bake until the whole cookie is more golden.

Add-ins that change texture (choose wisely)

• Chocolate chunks stay gooier than chips

• Nuts add crunch

• Oats add chew + thickness

• Cornstarch (1 tsp) makes cookies softer/tender

• Espresso powder boosts chocolate flavor (doesn’t change texture much)

Fix it fast: cookie troubleshooting

• Too cakey: too much flour or over-mixed; use melted butter next time

• Too flat: butter too hot or no chill; chill dough and check baking soda freshness

• Too dry: overbaked; pull 2 minutes earlier + slightly bigger scoops

• Not spreading at all: too much flour; press dough balls slightly flatter before baking

• Burning bottoms: tray too dark/hot; double-pan or raise rack one level