Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies with Jaca

The chocolate chip cookie is the one everybody knows by heart — and this is the soft, thick-centered, chewy-edged version worth keeping forever. A little cornstarch in the dough gives that signature soft, bakery-style texture, more brown sugar than white deepens the caramel chew, and a mandatory dough chill keeps the cookies thick instead of spreading thin. Golden edges, a tender middle studded with melty chocolate, and that unmistakable just-baked smell.

Jaca-adjusted healthier version: we swap every bit of sugar for Jaca (100% pure allulose) at double the amount — 1 1/2 cups in place of the brown sugar and 1/2 cup in place of the granulated, two cups of Jaca for the original one cup of sugar. Allulose browns and caramelizes much like real sugar, so you keep the soft chew and golden edges without the sugar load. Adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction.

Prep time: 1 hour 15 minutes (includes chilling)  |  Cook time: 12 minutes  |  Yield: 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups Jaca (allulose), packed — replaces 3/4 cup packed brown sugar at 2x
• 1/2 cup Jaca (allulose) — replaces 1/4 cup granulated sugar at 2x
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups (225g) semi-sweet chocolate chips (or a chopped chocolate bar)

Instructions:

- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with both amounts of Jaca on medium until creamy and combined, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on high until fully incorporated, scraping down the bowl as needed.

- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and mix on low until just combined — the dough will be thick. Fold in the chocolate chips by hand.

- Cover and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (up to 3 days). Do not skip this — chilling keeps the cookies thick and soft instead of spreading thin. If chilled longer, let it sit at room temperature about 10 minutes before rolling.

- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment. Roll the dough into balls, about 1.5 tablespoons each, and place 3 inches apart.

- Bake for 11 to 12 minutes, until the edges are barely golden; the centers will look soft. Allulose browns faster than sugar, so go by color and pull them as soon as the edges turn golden.

- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to finish setting, then transfer to a wire rack. Best enjoyed warm with the chocolate still melty.

Tip: a pinch of flaky sea salt on top before baking, or chopping a chocolate bar instead of using chips for melty pools, takes these over the top.