Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies with Ghirardelli

For a Christmas cookie exchange or a New Year's Eve dessert tray, start with a recognizable classic rather than an untested chocolate swap. This post follows Ghirardelli's published chocolate chip cookie formula, with a separate shopping note for the bulk bag in our catalog.

Recipe at a glance

Makes about 4 dozen cookies. Oven: 375°F. Baking: 9 to 11 minutes per tray.

Ingredients

• 1 cup softened butter or margarine
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 1/4 cups unsifted flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups Ghirardelli 60% cacao bittersweet baking chips
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional

Method

1. Set the oven to 375°F. Combine flour, baking soda and salt separately.
2. Beat butter and both sugars until lighter and creamy. Incorporate eggs and vanilla at low speed.
3. Mix in the flour mixture gradually, then fold in chocolate and optional nuts.
4. Portion tablespoon-sized mounds onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake 9 to 11 minutes, looking for a golden-brown color.

Recipe source: Ghirardelli's Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies. Quantities and baking guidance are summarized in our own wording. This is a manufacturer recipe, not a recipe independently tested by TED Trade USA.

Choose the chocolate before scaling

Our Ghirardelli 60% cacao bittersweet chips, 5 lb bag match the chocolate style and cacao percentage named in the formula. The foodservice bag is not the original retail SKU. Check its current label and chip format, and make one batch before committing to a large holiday bake.

The recipe measures chips by the cup. Do not turn that into a guessed chip weight for ordering, because chip size affects how a cup fills. Compare the recipe with the current package directions when planning repeat batches.

Plan a holiday cookie tray

Keep any walnut or pecan variation separate and clearly identified when sharing cookies. Check every ingredient's allergen information for your guests. Let cookies cool before arranging them in gift packaging, and avoid promising a shelf life without a tested storage plan.

For a wider chocolate comparison, read our Ghirardelli chips guide or browse the Ghirardelli collection. Looking for a centerpiece instead? See our holiday dark chocolate cake.

Explore the rest of our holiday chocolate baking guide for separate cookie, cake and dessert-planning ideas.