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
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Originally published 8/16/16. Adapted from Pinch of Yum.
Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Andrew says
Do you have to also add baking powder to create lift? I was reading other recipes, and it seems like a lot of them include that ingredient in the recipe.
Thanks,
Kate says
Hi! No, you don’t need baking powder in this recipe. The baking soda helps the cookies to spread and helps them to brown. Some recipes also add baking powder, but it depends on the desired texture that the recipe is looking to achieve. These cookies are soft with chewy edges. Baking powder will give you puffier, cakier cookies.
Anna says
These are the easiest cookies in the world in and taste amazing. My boyfriend asks me to make a batch weekly and I have no objection because it’s so simple. Thank you for this recipe!!
Kate says
Thank you!
Aby says
My class loved them
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that the cookies were a hit!
Anthony Masi says
Really easy, and REALLY GOOD!! Seldom do those two things go together with baking…but this was it! Loved this recipe!
Kate says
Thank you!
Bella Hanley says
They are soooooo good. We made giant cookies 🍪.
Kate says
Thank you!
Gregg Gentile says
Can this be made with a 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce instead of an egg. I love this recipe, and a quick search seems to say so, but I’m not sure if I would also have to add baking powder.
Kate says
Hi! I haven’t tried using applesauce in place of egg in this recipe to say for certain. I’ve tried using applesauce or banana as an egg replacer in other recipes, but I’ve never found that those replacements work quite the same.
Alena says
Really simple chocolate chip cookie recipe. They’re so soft and a perfect size.
Kate says
Thank you!
Shawna says
Can you use self rising flour?
Kate says
Hi! Unfortunately, self-rising flour doesn’t work in this recipe because it has baking powder and salt in it.
June says
Oh My Goodness! My brother and I made these cookies, and they were delicious!! We added a little bit of nutella and peanut butter to the dough for a bit more flavor, and they came out so good. They took 5-6 minutes longer than expected, but were still so yummy. Thanks so much for the recipe Kate!! We will definitely be using the it again!
Kate says
Thank you!
Reese says
I give it a five star
Kate says
Thank you!
Teresa says
I chose to make these because I was short on time, and boy am I pleased I did! Easiest recipe and such a good cookie! I will definitely be making these again!
Kate says
Thank you!
Gloria says
The flour I have is self risen can I use it
Kate says
Hi! Unfortunately, self rising flour won’t work in this recipe because it contains baking powder and salt in addition to the flour.
Lauren says
Hi! How many servings/what is the serving size in this recipe?
Kate says
Hi! You should get about 24 cookies from the recipe. Just for reference – you can find the servings on my recipes next to the print, pin, and rate buttons. =)
leung says
I baked using ur methods
Properly measured farine.
I also twisted sugar 1/4 granulated sugar. 1/2 brown sugar(package)
Underabake , center of e cookies look soft , puffy
to get chewy & soft.
Thank Q & continue passionate & joy in ur Baking :)
F. Singapore
Kate says
Thank you!
Dakota says
My favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe! I’m trying out freezing, because I like my cookies fresh out the oven. Do you have a recommended baking time for baking from frozen?
Kate says
Thank you! Yes, it takes me about 3-4 minutes longer to bake a scoop of dough from frozen.
Susan says
I prefer a more cakey & soft cookie vs a crunchy, thinner cookie. This recipe fit the bill for me. I did question the doneness & did cook for about 10 min probably because I use the double wall cookie sheets or it’s my oven. I think the key too is to let them set and cool completely. If you eat one still warm they may seem under cooked. I will definitely use this recipe again. I would have given 5 stars but I pressed the 5th star about 20 times and it wouldn’t come on!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you liked the cookies!
Dawn says
I used gluten free flour and I chose this recipe because it was labelled easy. I wasnt sure about baking with broken wrist but these were excellent. Froze them quickly, so I wouldnt eat them all at once. Thanks.
Kate says
Thank you! I hope that your wrist heals quickly!