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
Caroline says
Absolutely delicious. Halved it and it still was amazing. Was planning to take some to work, but I’ll just keep the whole thing for myself.
Kate says
Thanks!
Ashley says
Thank you for this easy and delicious recipe!!
Kate says
You’re very welcome! I’m glad you liked it!
Paige P. says
I absolutely love these cookies. I make them a couple times a month and they are so easy.
I sub the kerry gold butter and cane sugar. It makes the cookie rich in flavor and a little better for you. I also had a sprinkle of sea salt and cinnamon when I pull the cookies out of the oven.
Kate says
Thank you!
Emily says
Took these cookies to a potluck and they were a major hit! I came home with none! I will be making them again and sharing the recipe. Great tips for being successful with timing and ingredients.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that the tips were helpful!
Elsie says
Me and my friend just made these and they were so simple and taste so amazing! I will definitely be making these again!
Kate says
Thank you!
Alex says
definitely not 24 cookies with 1 1/2 tbsp scoops but still yummy! makes about 12
Kate says
Thanks! I get anywhere from 22-24 cookies depending on how tightly I scoop the dough when I make the recipe with the 1.5 T scoop.
Kristen says
This recipe was super easy and fun to do! I live in 7,000 feet of elevation so i definitely had to have a longer baking time, just pay attention to your cookies in the oven! These were super yummy!!
Kate says
Thank you!
Alexis says
This TRULY IS the BEST cookie recipe and extremely easy to make. I haven’t found a good recipe in years and this was absolutely amazing and the cookies were so good. I highly recommend.
Kate says
Thank you so much!
Keith A Richards says
Easiest recipe ever.
Might be my oven but I had to extend the baking time.
Still delicious!
Kate says
Thank you! Yes, oven temps and baking times can vary quite a bit!
Empress says
Quick, minimal and easy! This recipe is great for kids. The brown sugar mix gave it a nice flavor, sweet but earthy so not overpowering – subtle. I did everything verbatim but used white chocolate chips. I made mini cookie bites and set them in balls but they didn’t fall much so were puffy versus flattened like cookies normally do when cooking. Either way, they tasted great. Thanks!
Kate says
Thanks!
Lisa says
This recipe is really easy and delicious, as well. I have to add that the cookies turn out with a nice cystic looking crust on top. Which made me think I had over cooked them but I didn’t. The cookies turned out crispy around the edges and soft and chewy on the inside which in my opinion makes the prefect cookie. Thanks so much for recipe. I haven’t made any since I lost my recipe from my mom’s old Betty cookbook. This will be my go to until it turns up. Thanks again
Kate says
Thanks! I’m glad it worked well for you!
Nikki says
Literally googled fastest cookie to bake and found this recipe. Probably the best chocolate chip cookie recipe ever! I followed the recipe exactly using the suggestion in the post that if you want chewy cookies switch the quantities for white & brown sugar and to underbake slightly. I did 9 min. Perfection! Thank you
Kate says
Thank you!
Sheri says
It won’t let me do 5 stars but I say 5/5! Super fest and easy! I lessen the white sugar and double the vanilla. Otherwise perfection!
Kate says
Thank you!
Tabatha Renee' Leath says
Made these delicious cookies because I wanted to make them from home, not buy them from a store.
Thank you they turned out fantastic and only took a few minutes.
Kate says
Thank you!
Maftuna says
I knew this was the recipe for me when I read the words, “Other times, I want cookies five minutes ago.” Dearest author, I felt as though nobody understood me quite like you in that moment. This recipe is absolutely a life-saving pick me up!
I’ve made these cookies a couple times and I’ve gotten many compliments about the taste.
As a final note, I sometimes throw a little food coloring in there, just for fun. It can get messy, but something about it just sparks joy.
Kate says
Sounds like we’re kindred spirits when it comes to cookies! I’m glad that the cookies have been a hit!
Nancy Snavely says
What a great and simple recipe to have on hand. Made 12 larger ones (baked a bit longer). Dark choc chips. Very forgiving too. I did the final mix before chips and it was so sandy. I had forgotten the egg! Added it and then the chips. Portioned them out and popped the tray in the fridge for 20 before the oven. They came out so good! Soft in the middle and a little crunch on the outside. Just perfect! Thank you again. Easy clean up too. Did not have to use my Kitchenaid.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that it worked out well for you!
Jessenya says
My 11yo is just getting into baking so I wanted to find a quicker and easier (love the one bowl aspect) recipe for her. I didn’t want her using my stand mixer yet as I want her to get a feel for dough before introducing machines that will do the mixing. This is perfect for her. Her first solo baking job and she did great. Can’t wait to eat them.
Kate says
I’m so glad that the recipe works well for your needs!
Noodle says
These are the most delicious and puffiestcookies ever. My go to recipe when just wanting something sweet and easy or going to a bake sale
Kate says
Thank you!
Emily says
I’d like to give 5 stars, but the last star just wouldn’t light up. I LOVE THIS RECIPE! It’s my go to.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad to hear that!
Leaira Perry says
Definitely one of the best recipes I’ve had!! I’ve never been able to make chocolate cookies at all let alone ones so good, doubled the recipe Friday and they were gone Sunday! 100/10
Kate says
Thank you!