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
Donna says
No fail cookie!
Kate says
Thank you!
Shev says
I LOVE THIS RECIPE! Not only are these cookies incredible, but having an easy metric weight option is such a game-changer! Thank you!!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that the weights were helpful!
Emily says
Made with 1-to-1 gluten free flour and they’re great!
Kate says
Thank you!
Neri says
I’ve never been able to make cookies and these OMG they’re Amazinggg!! So chewy soft and the taste is just honestly like nothing I’ve ever been able to make! Thank you so much for sharing this receipt! <33
Kate says
Thank you!
Kellie Flannery says
I’ve been trying out a few different recipes and they have mostly been cake-like. It’s hard to explain…This one is perfect! We ate all the cookies so quickly! So glad I gave it a try!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad you liked the cookies!
katelyn says
Thank you for the lovely cookie recipe. Very delicious!!!!
Kate says
Thank you!
Joy Ringnald says
These cookies were absolutely delicious and fantastic!
Kate says
Thank you!
Jenna says
Oh my gosh these are SO GOOD! And so easy- made them with my 3 year old. We’re both big fans! Thank you for this awesome recipe!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad the cookies were a hit!
Mary Brewer says
Just made these this morning. It turned out 31 cookies. 12/2/2024. My husband says they may not last but one day, lol Now that’s a good cookie! I was forced into a wheel chair in December of 23, so these cookies are very easy to throw together. And SO good! Thank you so much for posting!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you found the recipe easy to make! Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Erin Bold says
This is the 3rd time I’ve made these cookies and felt I needed to share my rave review! These are so delicious and quick and easy to make with my 4 year old. :)
Kate says
Thank you!
alyssa says
thanks for this recipe! i had a little trouble finding where the list of materials where though lol
they came out great :)
Kate says
Hi! If you’re ever having trouble finding the recipe, you can click the jump to recipe button at the top of the page, and it will send you right to it.
WhitG says
I was looking for an easy recipe because I usually always end up being unsatisfied with how my chocolate chip cookies turn out. This recipe was fast and easy. I’d say it took me maybe 10min to whip the ingredients together from start to finish. I ended up with 16 cookies but my scoop may have been larger than the recommended. I had some spread while the cookies baked but not too much. It took a few minutes longer to bake in my oven (approx 13min) but they came out puffy and soft, and best of all, delicious! I’ll be saving this recipe!
Kate says
Thanks! I’m glad that you liked the cookies!
Victoria says
Loved this recipe. Super easy to make. They were all gone in 24hrs.
Kate says
Thank you!
Viktoria R says
Cookies took slightly longer than noted to prepare but not too much. Took about 20 minutes to mix everything together and the baking was exactly as written on the recipe (about 9 minutes per batch). I added cocoa powder to mine and white chocolate chips and it worked out great.
Will make soon again!
Kate says
Great! Glad you liked the cookies!
Lana says
The best chocolate chocolate chip cookies and the easiest ones to make ever. Couldn’t put 5stars, wasn’t working so it shows 4stars only. But it’s definitely 5stars. Like it that it’s not that much sugar as other recipes. Will be making it over and over.
Kate says
Thank you!
Brooklyn says
It is the best recipe I’ve ever made
Kate says
Thank you!
Michael says
I love it! I am new to baking and I found this recipe to be doable at a beginner level but delicous. 🙂
Kate says
I’m glad that it was easy and worked out well for you!
Tifany says
These cookies are always a HUGE hit anytime I make them for events! They always rave about them and I end up sharing the recipe so they can make them too. And it is seriously the easiest cookie recipe I’ve ever made!
Kate says
Thank you so much!
Rosa says
I LOVE that they are SO CHEWY! And then you have the crispy edges!! Yummyyyy!!!!! Mine are around 47g each cookie (I made 1,25 times more than the recipe, so 18 cookies in total ^^) – Then I mix oat flour and Whaat floor, they get more salty so I don’t use salt in the recipe :-) I forgot baking powder lol, but they turn out perfect anyway!! The height is perfect for me, THANK YOU FOR THIS DELICIOUS RECIPE!! Recommend it 100%
Kate says
Thank you!