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These Crisco Chocolate Chip Cookies are thick, soft, chewy, and loaded with chocolate chips. Using a combination of butter and butter-flavored Crisco gives you the best of both worlds — rich buttery flavor and a cookie that stays wonderfully soft for days. This is the kind of dependable recipe you can make again and again with great results every time.
If you love homemade chocolate chip cookies, be sure to try my Best Chocolate Chip Cookies, Toll House Cookies, and Hershey’s Chocolate Chip Cookies, too — each one offers a different take on this classic favorite. Or browse my full Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes collection for even more cookie inspiration.
✨ Before You Begin
✨ Measure flour carefully. Too much flour is one of the most common reasons homemade cookies turn out dry.
✨ Use room-temperature butter. It creams more easily with the shortening and sugars, creating a smoother dough.
✨ Don’t overbake. The cookies should still look slightly soft in the center when you remove them from the oven.
✨ Line your baking sheets. Parchment paper or a silicone baking mat helps cookies bake more evenly.
✨ Food Safety Tip: Eggs should be cooked until the cookies reach a safe internal temperature of 160°F.
Why Use Crisco In Chocolate Chip Cookies?
Crisco shortening has been a favorite baking ingredient for generations because it helps create thicker, softer chocolate chip cookies.
Unlike butter, shortening contains very little water, so cookies spread less during baking and tend to stay softer longer. That’s one reason many classic bakery recipes and family cookie recipes still rely on shortening.
In this recipe, shortening works alongside butter rather than replacing it entirely. The butter provides rich flavor while the butter-flavored Crisco helps create the soft, chewy texture and thick centers that make these cookies so memorable.
Ingredients + Key Notes
Unsalted Butter: Adds the rich flavor that makes these cookies taste homemade and delicious.
Butter-Flavored Crisco: The secret ingredient that helps create soft, chewy cookies that stay fresh longer than many all-butter recipes.
Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps create lightly crisp edges.
Light Brown Sugar: Provides moisture, chewiness, and that classic caramel-like cookie flavor.
Eggs: Give the cookies structure and richness.
Vanilla Extract: Enhances all the other flavors in the dough.
All-Purpose Flour: Creates the sturdy yet tender texture these cookies are known for.
Baking Soda: Helps the cookies rise and spread properly.
Chocolate Chips: Semisweet chocolate chips provide the perfect balance of sweetness and chocolate flavor.
Pecans (Optional): Add crunch and old-fashioned bakery-style flavor.
🥣 How To Make Crisco Chocolate Chip Cookies
These cookies come together just like a classic chocolate chip cookie recipe. Start by creaming together the butter, shortening, and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla, then mix in the dry ingredients until a soft dough forms.
Fold in the chocolate chips and pecans, if using, then scoop the dough onto prepared baking sheets. Bake just until the centers are set but still look slightly soft. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
The hardest part is waiting for them to cool enough to eat!
Pro Tips
⭐ Slightly underbake the cookies. They will continue cooking on the hot baking sheet after you remove them from the oven.
⭐ Use a large cookie scoop. Uniform dough portions bake more evenly and create bakery-style cookies.
⭐ Press extra chocolate chips into the tops before baking. This gives the cookies that beautiful bakery-style appearance.
⭐ Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. This helps them finish setting up without breaking apart.
⭐ If your kitchen is warm, chill the dough for 20–30 minutes. This can help prevent excessive spreading.
Storing, Freezing, and Make-Ahead Instructions
Storing: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freezing Baked Cookies: Place cooled cookies in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Freezing Cookie Dough: Scoop dough into portions and freeze on a baking sheet until firm. Transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Make Ahead: The dough can be prepared up to 48 hours ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator.
Warming Leftover Cookies: For that fresh-baked texture, warm a cookie in the microwave for 8–10 seconds before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
◆ Is it better to use Crisco or butter for chocolate chip cookies?
Neither is necessarily better. Butter provides rich flavor while Crisco helps create a softer, thicker cookie. Many bakers prefer using both for the best balance of flavor and texture.
◆ What does Crisco do in chocolate chip cookies?
Crisco helps cookies stay soft, spread less, and remain fresh longer than many all-butter cookies.
◆ Can I use regular Crisco instead of butter-flavored Crisco?
Yes. The cookies will still be delicious, though they may have slightly less buttery flavor.
◆ Can I use half butter and half Crisco in cookies?
Absolutely. In fact, that’s exactly what makes this recipe so successful.
◆ Why do my cookies spread too much?
Excessive spreading is usually caused by butter that is too warm, insufficient flour, or baking sheets that are already hot from a previous batch.
◆ Why do my chocolate chip cookies turn out hard?
The most common causes are too much flour and overbaking. Measure flour carefully and remove the cookies from the oven when the centers still look slightly soft.
Still have questions? Drop them in the comments — I love helping you cook with confidence! 💗
More Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes To Try
Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies – If your favorite cookie is soft, chewy, and tender in the center, this reader-favorite recipe is for you.
Chocolate Chunk Cookies – Made with chopped chocolate instead of chips for bigger pockets of melty chocolate throughout.
Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies – A secret ingredient keeps these cookies extra soft and chewy for days.
Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies – Rich, buttery cookies with a tender crumb and plenty of chocolate chips in every bite.
Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies – A simple, foolproof recipe that’s perfect when you’re craving homemade cookies without a lot of fuss.
Tried This Recipe?
💗 If you made these Crisco Chocolate Chip Cookies, I’d love to hear how they turned out!
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Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today — happy baking, friends! ❤️ Kathleen
Crisco Chocolate Chip Cookies {Perfectly Soft Every Time}
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2/3 cup butter-flavored shortening
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 eggs large
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup pecans chopped-optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
- In a large bowl, cream together the shortening (2/3 cup), butter (2/3 cup), white sugar (1 cup), and brown sugar (1 cup) until smooth. Beat in the eggs (2) one at a time, then stir in the vanilla (1 tablespoon). Combine the flour (3 1/2 cups), baking soda (1 teaspoon), and salt (1 teaspoon); stir into the creamed mixture. Stir the pecans (1 cup) and chocolate chips (2 cups). Using a large cookie scoop, scoop dough onto a Silpat-lined cookie sheet.
- Bake for 14-16 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the centers are set. Don't overbake. Cool for 5 minutes before removing the cookies to the cooling rack.
These look so delicious! I want to eat them right up!
You can never go wrong with chocolate chip cookies! These look great, and think and chewy are the best! Thanks for the recipe.
I'm always up for trying another “best” chocolate chip cookie too. They sound scrumptious.
I love chewy cookies! Your pictures are fantastic and make this recipe hard to resist.