The Absolute Softest Chocolate Chip Cookies Are One Secret Ingredient Away

There's nothing that satisfies a sweet tooth or evokes feelings of childhood quite like a warm chocolate chip cookie bursting with gooey, chocolatey flavor. Not only are they nostalgic, but they also can be enjoyed all kinds of ways from crunchy and thin to cakey and thick, and pair perfectly with a glass of milk. If you prefer softer chocolate chip cookies, one ingredient is the key to giving you the softest cookies you've ever had. You'll want to make tangzhong — a Japanese cooking method that means water roux — and you can do it with two ingredients you already have and in less than five minutes.

To make a tangzhong, you simply have to make a paste of milk and flour and heat it for about five minutes in a pan on the stove. The heat helps the flour retain moisture so you end up with softer (and longer-lasting) cookies compared with just throwing room-temperature flour into your dough mix. A tangzhong is also a key ingredient in milk bread, helping to create a high-rising and strong, yet soft and moist bread. Essentially, you're taking that soft, wispy texture and incorporating it directly into a cookie classic.

Taiwanese writer Yvonne Chen is often credited for introducing tangzhong into the public consciousness. While this slurry is a secret ingredient for soft bread, it works magic in cookies. We like to brown butter for our cookies first, and then use the same pan to make the tangzhong. A half cup of milk and 3 tablespoons of bread flour are all you need, and then whisk them until the mixture is smooth. Then place the pan on low heat on the stove and continue to whisk frequently to create a thick paste. After that, add the tangzhong to your bowl of butter and sugar and whisk everything again until smooth. You can continue your baking process from there.

Making a tangzhong to incorporate into cookies isn't the only recipe change-up we recommend. Chill cookie dough overnight (or longer) to get a more consistent cookie shape. You can also use chopped chocolate in place of chocolate chips (or both) to make your cookies a touch more complex. With these tips, you'll have softer cookies with great texture while retaining a classic chocolate chip cookie taste.