To me, these Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies (with two secret ingredients) are the ultimate chocolate chip cookie. They’re also known as Secret Recipe Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Baking different varieties of chocolate chip cookies seems to be all-the-rage these days. If someone claims to have the most superior recipe, I’ll give it a go. I’ve tried many recipes but I always come back to this one. This recipe was on a recipe card that I’ve had for many years. I’m not quite sure where it was originally published.
I’m personally happy nibbling away on the cookie dough. My husband freaks out about that. I try to explain to him that I grew up eating cookie dough and cake batter and all that stuff and I don’t seem to harbor any ill-effects. The best part about baking is licking the beaters and rubber spatulas. Yum.
I haven’t found any value in refrigerating cookie dough before baking… but I do like to plop it on my cookie sheets (lined with parchment) in a semi-round manner. I figure if it starts out round, it’s less likely that you’ll get the funky shapes. For these cookies, I use a regular-sized ice cream scoop (about 1/4 cup).
The result: Big. Round. Perfect.
Warm is best.
With milk, of course.
These Secret Recipe Chocolate Chip Cookies produce a big, round, chip-filled chewy cookie. And what are those secret ingredients I mentioned??
Vanilla and lemon. Lots of vanilla… 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract plus a scraped vanilla bean. Lemon juice too… just a teaspoon. You don’t taste it at all, but it helps produce a chewier cookie. I suppose there is a third secret ingredient to share too… oatmeal. Except that you put the oatmeal in the food processor or blender and pulverize it into an almost-powder. That adds a little twist to the dry ingredients.
So go ahead and continue your search for the ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe… refrigerate the dough for 24 hours, use parchment, use silpat, use insulated sheets, use jelly roll pans, bake them upside down or whatever… but if you try these, you might just wish to put an end to your search. Enjoy!
Here are a few more recipes for chocolate chip cookies you might enjoy:
- Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies
- New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Egg Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Kahlua- Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies
Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe Details
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup rolled oats (regular or quick)
- 2¼ cups all purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 vanilla bean, scraped (optional-- but so good)
- 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 large eggs
- 3 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1½ cups chopped walnuts, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Cover 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat mats.
- Place rolled oats in blender or food processor and process until finely ground. Combine ground oats, flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in mixing bowl.
- In another bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the butter, sugars, vanilla, vanilla bean and lemon juice. Add the eggs, and beat until fluffy.
- Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture, blending well. Add the chips and nuts (if desired) to the dough and mix well. Using 1/4 cup of dough for each cookie, scoop round balls with an ice cream scoop and place 2½-inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
- Bake until cookies are lightly browned, 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Store in a sealed container to keep them soft and chewy.
Video
Notes
- If you do not want to grind oats for this recipe, go ahead and use regular oats. Just make sure that you are using quick-cooking oats.
Nutrition
Thank you to Miranda from the CookieDoughAndOvenMitt.com blog for shooting some of these photos for me.
BEST recipe EVER
Was I supposed to use unsalted butter? I didn’t see anywhere that mentioned that so I used regular salted and after the .5tsp of salt and then 1.5 tsp of baking soda you need a cup of water to drink after because you’re gonna be thirsty! Very salty. Otherwise they’re alright. IF I make these again I will definitely be adjusting the recipe.
This is pretty much a copy of Doubletrees recipe
I have not seen that recipe, but yes… some have said the same thing.
I just printed out this cookie recipe to try, and made the site change to print for 48 cookies, not 24. Just wanted to point out to you, that when you do this the butter does change. From 1 lb (2 sticks) to 2 lbs’ BUT it still says the 2 sticks – so in the parentheses the number doesn’t change to 4 sticks.
I’m going to try your chocolate chip cookie can I sub peanuts instead of walnuts don’t like walnuts
sure!
Good Morning Lori, How are you? I found your recipes for the Secret Ingredient Choc Chip Cookies and want to make the TODAY!!! Sadly, I will not have the vanilla bean or paste. I do have a question though. The recipe calls for brown sugar. Is it light brown sugar or dark brown sugar. I know from a moisture point, it does make a difference. Thank you
Hi, I don’t pay much attention to using dark or brown, but I’d suggest using light brown sugar for Chocolate Chip Cookies 🙂
I have the same recipe card you were referring to. This is the only chocolate chip cookie recipe I ever use. I also search for years to find a really really good one and this is it.
I had this recipe and lost it, sadly, many years ago. It is bar NONE the best ever. I am making these tomorrow and am VERY excited!!!
Is there an alternative to the Lemon Juice? Perhaps some type of vinegar? My wife cannot have anything that has lemon juice – so in many recipes we substitute champagne vinegar.
I’m not familiar with subs for lemon juice… but perhaps vinegar would do the trick? Or you can just leave it out 🙂
Yes, vinegar is an acceptable substitute, do NOT leave it out. It is imperative to the success of this recipe. It activates the baking soda which gives the cookie the soft gooey goodness and makes them plump up.
BEST COOKIES in the HISTORY of EVER!!!
I’ve been making these cookies for years, from a recipe card as well. “Easy to Bake easy to Make”. I received the recipe cards in the mail every few weeks when I was a kid and first got into baking. I’m 31 now and I have held onto that recipe card ever since. I just moved to Australia and couldn’t find the recipe in all my boxes of cook books and I’ve been craving those cookies. I started googling the list of ingredients and chocolate chip cookies and found this post. Thank You! Best cookie recipe ever, so glad someone posted the recipe! Thanks a ton!
So glad you found it!
Hello I made your secret ingredient chocolate chip cookies. They where awesome. I gave some to my next door neighbors who are in their 80s. They said they where the best chocolate chip cookies they have ever had. I love that they didnt go flat. I didnt use the vanilla bean (its really expensive) but added more vanilla extract. Will be making these again. Thank you
Nothing better then hot chocolate chip cookies.
Hands down, the best chocolate chip cookies ever!
These are the best cookies ever! My family loved them!
Just pulled them out of the oven. Delicious!
A very similar recipe to the DoubleTree Hotel chocolate chip cookies, served warm when you check-in! No wonder you keep coming back to this one…I think it truly is the ultimate! The addition of the processed oats, lemon, and cinnamon definitely elevate the cookie. Thanks for posting 🙂
Lol, I have that recipe card in my recipe binder! Lunch Box Special, cookies & brownies card 1, easy to bake easy to make series. One of those subscription things where you get packs of cards every month. I still keep a few of them. I swear I made them in college, but my card says 2009. Maybe I got a second sample set years later because my head tells me it is 20 years old. And it IS a good recipe! I need to roll them out again.
Yes! It definitely was from some old recipe card subscription service a long time ago!
HI,
I only have regular vanilla extract, do I have to use the vanilla bean ??
No– it’s just an extra vanilla flavor. Add a little more vanilla if you’re not using the bean.
Delicious cookies! Can’t wait to try them!
These cookies are easy to make and a pleasure to eat.
Thumbs up all the way.
I use almost the exact recipe, but I use vanilla bean paste, I add half of a grated hershey bar to the dough, and use pecans instead of walnuts. Vanilla Bean Paste makes everything better.
I have tried many of your recipes and have never been disappointed. Thank you for having an excellent site.
Thanks for the tip. I actually just bought vanilla bean paste at Williams Sonoma the other day. I’m excited to use it!
How much vanilla bean paste do you use?
1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste can be subbed fro the one vanilla bean.
These are fantastic! I’ve been searching for my go-to chocolate chip cookie and this is the one.
Good to hear!
These are legitimately the best cookies I have ever made/eaten in my life! All the members of my track team agree!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I lost this recipe during a recent move. I have been on the web for hours trying to find it. I originally found it on a recipe card from the Easy to Make Easy to Bake club. I have made these cookies so many times I knew the ingredients but did not know the portions. Tips: If you substitute 1.5 cups of packed dark brown sugar for the sugars, you end up with a fatter, prettier cookie. Make sure to take them out of the oven when they look almost done. I have also been known to substitute different types of add ins, such as white chocolate and macadamia nuts or craisens and pistachios.