Easiest Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe is a one bowl chocolate chip cookie recipe that makes soft chocolate chip cookies in less than 20 minutes- no mixer necessary, no chilling needed.
I’ve made a lot of chocolate chip cookies. A lot a lot. Probably more cookies than I should say. Sometimes, I break out my mixer and make a recipe like my brownie cookie recipe that needs time to chill.
Other times, I want cookies five minutes ago. When those cookie cravings hit, I need a simple, easy, go-to cookie that I can whip up in just a few minutes.
This Easiest Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe is just such a recipe. The cookies can be made from scratch in less than 20 minutes, and there’s no need to get the mixer out or to chill the dough. All of which make this the simplest chocolate chip cookie recipe.
This popular recipe has been shared over 100,000 times and has thousands of glowing reviews. Give it a try, and it may just be your new go-to easy chocolate chip cookie recipe!
“This was seriously the easiest and most delicious cookie recipe I’ve ever tried! and I’ve tried a lot!!!” – Treasure via Pinterest
What makes this the easiest chocolate chip cookie recipe?
This recipe
- uses just a few basic ingredients like flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
- is so fast and so easy that you can make it in less than 20 minutes – no mixer needed, no chilling required.
- is a one-bowl recipe so both mixing and cleanup are easier.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Butter: This recipe begins with melted butter. I prefer to use salted butter, but you can use unsalted butter if you prefer.
- The butter should just barely be melted. That means that it shouldn’t be sizzling hot or browned.
- If you’re worried about getting it too hot, melt the butter about 90% of the way and then whisk it until it is completely melted.
- Sugars: This recipe uses both brown sugar and granulated (white sugar). If you would like to use only brown sugar, check out my brown sugar chocolate chip cookie recipe.
- Using only granulated sugar will give you crispier cookies.
- For this recipe, you can use either dark or light brown sugar. Dark brown sugar will give you a slightly richer flavor.
- I’ve also swapped the amounts of brown sugar and granulated sugar and used 1/2 cup of brown sugar and 1/4 cup of granulated sugar. The cookies are slightly chewier this way.
- Measuring Flour: If you aren’t weighing your ingredients, I can’t recommend that enough. If you are using measuring cups, be sure to sift or stir the flour before measuring. Flour packs easily and using too much flour in cookies will give you dry, crumbly dough and cookies that don’t spread.
- Salt: Kosher salt is a larger-grain salt that isn’t as “salty” as table salt. If you’re using table salt, be sure to use 1/4 teaspoon.
- Please note that the recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt. I’ve seen people who have commented that the cookies were salty, and it turned out that they had used several times the amount of salt that the recipe calls for.
- Chocolate Chips: I use semisweet chocolate chips. You can use dark, bittersweet, milk, or white chocolate chips. People have used all sorts of mix-ins, like M&Ms or other candy and chip combinations, in this recipe.
How to make easy chocolate chip cookies
This is a seriously simple recipe with just a few steps. Here are step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe.
Step 1: You’re going to start by melting the butter. The butter shouldn’t be sizzling hot. If you’re not sure how hot is too hot, you’ll want it about 90% melted, and then you’ll whisk it until it finishes melting.
Step 2: Once the butter has melted, whisk in the sugars until well-combined.
Step 3: Mix in the vanilla extract and the egg.
Step 4: Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in just until combined. You don’t want to overmix the dough.
Step 5: Stir in the chocolate chips, and then scoop the dough. Place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
Step 6: Bake until the cookies are set on the edges but slightly underdone in the middle, about 7-10 minutes. Slightly under-baking the cookies helps to keep them soft.
Since oven temperatures can vary, you may find that you need to adjust the baking times.
Recipe Tips!
There are over 1,000 comments and questions on this recipe. I’ve added this section to answer some of the common questions in the hope that it saves people from having to try to sift through all of those comments. If you have a question that isn’t answered below, please feel free to ask!
- Mixing: I recommend mixing the cookie dough by hand to avoid overmixing the dough. However, you can mix the dough using an electric mixer if you prefer.
- Gluten Free: I haven’t tried it, but I’ve heard from several people who have used a measure-for-measure gluten-free flour in this recipe, and they’ve said that it worked well. However, I haven’t heard from anyone regarding other flours, such as almond flour.
- Freezing: You can freeze the baked cookie dough or freeze the cookie dough.
- Cookies: To freeze the cookies, bake them as-directed, and let them cool to room temperature on a wire cooling rack. Once the cookies have cooled, place them in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 1 month.
- Cookie dough: To freeze the cookie dough, scoop up the cooking dough and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Flash freeze until the dough is frozen through. Once the scoops are frozen through, place the frozen scoops in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 1 month.
How to make soft chocolate chip cookies
The best way to make soft chocolate chip cookies is to slightly under-bake the cookies. In order to slightly under-bake the cookies, the edges should look set (but not brown).
The center of the cookies should look soft and even a little puffy still. This trick will help to keep your cookies nice and soft.
Storage
Store any leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. The cookies are best eaten within 3 days.
More chocolate chip cookie recipes!
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Easiest Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour properly measured
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Microwave the butter for about 40 seconds. Butter should be completely melted but shouldn’t be hot.
- In a large bowl, mix butter with the sugars until well-combined.
- Stir in vanilla and egg until incorporated.
- Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Please read the recipe note about properly measuring flour.
- Mix dough until just combined. Dough should be soft and a little sticky but not overly sticky.
- Stir in chocolate chips.
- Scoop out 1.5 tablespoons of dough (medium cookie scoop) and place 2 inches apart on baking sheet.
- Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until cookies are set. They will be puffy and still look a little underbaked in the middle.3
Video
Notes
- Flour: Be sure to fluff and then scoop and sweep to measure the flour. Too much flour will result in a dry or crumbly cookie. For the ingredient measurements by weight, please click “metric” directly underneath the ingredients.
- Salt: Or 1/4 teaspoon table salt.
- Baking: Don’t over-bake the cookies, or you won’t end up with soft cookies. Several people have said that they’ve needed to bake the cookies for longer. Since oven temps can vary, I suggest starting with the listed baking time and increasing the time as needed.
- If you’re interested in the chocolate version of these cookies, you can find that recipe here.
- Nutrition facts are estimates.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Originally published 8/16/16. Adapted from Pinch of Yum.
Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Debra Hoover says
*****5 STAR***** By far the best chocolate chip cookie in years!
Kate Dean says
Thank you!
Taylor S says
I use choc chunks, & sub a teaspoon of vanilla for 1/2 tsp of almond extract. I also add sea salt on top after baking. They are SO GOOD
Kate Dean says
Thank you!
Jennifer says
I made these on a whim on a chilly rainy afternoon and they turned out delicious! Simple ingredients that I had in my pantry and so easy that my kids were able to help!
Kate Dean says
Thank you! I’m glad to hear that!
Julia says
This recipe is horrible if doubled. It asks for over a tablespoon of vanilla extract. I couldn’t believe it but did it anyway. The cookies taste like bitter alchohol.
Kate Dean says
It sounds like your vanilla has gone bad. One tablespoon of vanilla for 48 cookies will only make the cookies taste bad if the vanilla has turned.
Marie says
Cookies were delicious but they wouldn’t flatten. The top was still rounded even after cooling them. Regardless they taste amazing! But how do I get the cookies to flatten when they bake?
Kate Dean says
Hi! There could be three reasons why the cookies didn’t flatten. First, if your baking soda isn’t working well, the cookies won’t flatten. The second is that the oven is baking hot and the cookies are getting set before they get a chance to spread. If it’s this issue, you can try reducing the oven temperature by 25F to give the cookies a chance to spread more before setting. The third is that there is too much flour in the dough. Since the cookies tasted good, I would guess that it’s not this issue. You could also try just pressing the dough down a bit to see if that helps.
Chloe says
Best cookies I have ever eaten!
Kate Dean says
Thank you!
bill says
good.
Kate Dean says
Thank you!
Jem says
Easiest and super yummy cookies! May I ask if I can add nuts and seeds? If so, how much? Thanks so much!
Kate Dean says
Thank you! Yes, you can add nuts or seeds. I’ve added 1/4 chopped nuts to this recipe before, and it worked well. I hope that helps!
Sam says
This was a great recipe!
Kate Dean says
Thank you!
Vicki Frederick says
Easy , chewy and delicious!
Kate Dean says
Thanks!
Lyndy says
These cookies deserve an A+. Easy to make and delish! Lots of chocolate chip cookies turn out too flat, but not these. I will definitely make again.
Kate Dean says
Thank you!
Brooks says
This is my 2nd or 3rd time making these and this recipe is great! I do alot of time cook them almost twice the suggested time, but that is probably since i have no sense of cookie sizes 😅. Still good though!!!!
Kate Dean says
I’m glad to hear that! Ovens vary quite a bit, but as long as you’ve found a time that works for your oven, that’s all that matters. =)
Aviva says
Thank you so much for this delicious recipe. I love to use dark chocolate chips. Only recipe I use. So easy!
Kate Dean says
Thank you!
Jessica says
The recipe name says it all. These are absolutely delicious. The only recipe I use now for chocolate chip cookies!
Kate Dean says
Thank you!
Stephanie H says
Easy and delicious. Even better after a chill. You can even freeze the raw dough and cook later and they are still as delicious as the first batch! Thanks for sharing!
Kate Dean says
Thank you!
SarahC says
I made this with 2 children, 6 and 8. I’m wary of recipes with a really high rating because it often means the author is deleting the lower rating reviews (I’ve had some deleted before, even if I was fair and constructive). These cookies really were fabulous though! They were super easy to make, very tasty, and didn’t spread much in the oven. We used vegan spread instead of butter, and mini m&ms instead of chocolate chips.
Kate Dean says
Thank you! This recipe does well with a number of add-ins, and thank you for including your note about using vegan spread.
Christopher Koch says
I agree about weight vs measurement of ingredients… then you give us measurements 🤦🏽
Kate Dean says
As people use both types of measurements, I’ve provided both. You can find the weights by clicking on “metric” immediately above the ingredients. There’s also a note about finding the weights in the notes below the recipe.
Chloe Perjul says
Love this recipe! Perfect and easy for my son to do for his fundraiser. Thanks for sharing C.Perjul
Kate Dean says
Thank you!
Anonymous says
This recipe looks really good. I’m using it for a science fair, so this was the first good one I found. Thank you so much for putting this out
Kate Dean says
You’re very welcome! Good luck!