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
Kristina Estremera says
I made these for the first time today. I subbed milled flax seed for egg, and used margarine instead of butter. I used a 2 tbsp scoop instead of 1.5, then rolled them into balls, and baked for 10-11min.
To my surprise they didn’t flatten while baking, or even after some cooling down; they stayed puffed. Almost like a dinner roll, lol.
They taste great tho.
Kate says
Wow, that’s a lot of changes! I’m glad that the cookies came out well for you! =) I wonder whether it was using the flax egg, the margarine, or the larger scoop that caused them to stay puffed up? I get a lot of questions about substitutions, and I think your comment will help people have an idea of what to expect if they need to make the same subs.
Larissa says
Wow! I love these cookies. Especially the ones that have chocolate drops .. I spend a fortune buying them at the supermarket, without having the slightest idea that they are not complicated to be prepared. Very good! Thanks for the content .. it will make me save a lot and I will definitely eat them made on time ..
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked them! =)
Carla says
Just made these for the first time. Turned out great. Thought my batter looked a little dry(especially after reading previous comments and responses) I added a few drops of almond extract. I put this receipe in my phone home page. Easy access.
Kate says
I’m glad you liked them! That’s a great addition – I love almond extract in cookies. Thanks for coming back to comment! =)
Lauren O'Connor says
That recipe was amazing because I made 3 batches and they all turned out fabulous.
Kate says
I love to hear that! Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a comment! =)
SHAR says
I have tried so many chocolate chips cookies over the years, and by far these are BEST and the easiest. My 14-year-old granddaughter found this recipe, and she has made them three times this week. I have found my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad to hear that you and your granddaughter like the recipe! Your comment really made my day. Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment!
Darlene says
I tried making these and thought I did everything correct. Didn’t have vanilla extract but had everything else. The cookies didnt spread and they were very crumbly and dry. Ugh. I obviously did something wrong but can’t figure out what. ??
Kate says
I’m sorry to hear that! What you described (cookies didn’t spread, dry, crumbly), are all signs of cookie dough that has too much flour in it. Flour can easily become packed, which leads to too much flour in the dough. I fluff up my flour before I measure, and it makes a huge difference. Please let me know if you have any questions!
Onay Gouda says
I made these cookies. I made half of the recipe
just to try it out, and it tastes amazing!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked them! Making a half batch to test out the recipe is smart. Thanks for coming back to comment! =)
Onay says
I made these cookies today. I made half of the recipe
just to try it out, and it tastes amazing!
Harley says
I don’t know if it was something I did, but they came out more like a cakey texture. Not complaining! They were delicious! I’ve never made cookies from scratch before, so was possibly a wrong move on my end. But I still love these and they taste amazing!
Kate says
I’m glad you liked them! And congrats on making cooking from scratch for the first time! =) Usually, if a cookie turns out cakier there can be a few things that cause that – like having too much flour in the dough. Since flour packs down, I take the measuring cup and fluff it up before I measure. Hopefully that will help!
Sarah says
I had to cook them much longer than 9 minutes, probably because my oven is weird, but they came out tasting fantastic! Made about 20 cookies with it. I’ll definitely be saving this recipe.
Kate says
Almost every oven is weird. =) Glad the cookies came out well! Thanks for coming back to leave a comment!
cookie lover says
how big are the cookies. I am doing a bake sale and they can’t be to big.
Kate says
They cookies are about 2 inches in diameter. They’re a pretty standard cookie size. I hope that helps, and good luck with your bake sale!
Jerome says
I made a batch but didn’t have brown sugar used molassis instead…. Came out great!!!
Kate says
Great idea! I bet the cookies had great texture. One of my fave oatmeal cookies uses a little molasses in it, and the cookies are wonderfully chewy. =)
Kristen says
I just made these And doubled for 2 batches. I added too much flour despite the warning. Added more butter hoping it would help. I suck at baking. But they taste awesome.
Kate says
If they taste good, then that’s a win! Glad you enjoyed the cookies!
Becky says
Hi. I made these cookies today and they were so easy and so delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Any idea about the nutritional facts for these cookies?
Kate says
I’m glad you liked them! The recipe calculator that I used put the recipe at 139 calories and 6.8 grams of fat per cookie. Hope that helps!
SUriyannie says
These are great, I just finished a double batch and left them in the oven longer as i love me some crunchy cookies. Used a lil bit more himalayan salt for that salty taste and turned out delicious! Thanks for a great recipe. This is going into my bookmarked page :)
Kate says
I’m glad you liked them! Great addition! Sometimes I add a little extra sea salt to my baked cookies for just a bit more bite, and it can really make a difference. Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment! =)
Tiffany says
Finally. Cookies that stay fluffy and soft when I bake them. Thank you for this fabulous recipe!
Kate says
I’m so glad that you like the cookies! Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
Yummmmyyyy says
I baked these and I love the simplicity of this recipe. For some reason my first batch spread too much and didn’t form a cookie shape :/ Instead they look like flat squares. They taste delicious!
Kate says
I’m so glad you liked them! If your butter is a little too warm, the cookies will spread more. So that would be my guess. Hope that helps for next time! =)
sarah says
I just made these today. We had a snow day…finally! Can’t believe it’s March and this is our first snow of the year. These are wonderful! I am pretty picky when it comes to chocolate chip cookies and I find that I don’t make them as often as I like because many recipes require too many ingredients and make too many cookies. These are easy and super delicious!!!! This made about 20 cookies for me. I found that I didn’t need to melt the butter completely. I used a heavy tsp of vanilla. I also reserved some of the chocolate chips and used the reserved ones to put on top of the cookies just before putting in the oven. Thank you so much for the recipe. Saving it to my recipe favorites!
Kate says
I’m so glad that you liked the cookies! And what a fun snow day activity! Thank you for your tip, too! Reserving the chocolate chips does make the cookies a little prettier.
It’s so warm here (90 yesterday) that I forget that it’s still winter in parts of the country. Glad you were able to enjoy it! =)
Crystal j says
Can you use fine sea salt instead of kosher salt?
Kate says
You can! Sea salt could be replaced 1:1. Hope that helps! =)
Chloe says
I was just wondering about how many cookies this makes.
Kate says
I think it makes 24 cookies.
Jamieanne says
Hi Kate, I just made these today (it’s the perfect baking day – rainy, cold and dreary) because I was really craving some chocolate chip cookies, but ones that I didn’t have to drag out my stand mixer for. I browned the butter in a saucepan, and switched the sugars around so I used 1/4 cup white sugar and 3/4 cup brown sugar. So yummy and delicious, definitely satisfied the craving! Thank you for sharing! :)
Jamieanne says
I mean 1/2 cup brown sugar! :)
Kate says
I’m so glad that you liked them! The browned butter sounds like a yummy change. =) Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
Chloe says
Do you remember how many a batch made