Easiest Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe is a simple chocolate chip cookie recipe that makes super soft chocolate, super yummy chip cookies – 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.
What Makes This the Simplest Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe?
This recipe uses just a few basic ingredients – flour, sugar, baking soda, salt.
Also, it is so fast and so easy – no mixer needed, no chilling required – that the cookies can be mixed up and baked in less than twenty minutes.
How To Make Chocolate Chip Cookies
For this recipe, 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.
Once the butter has melted, whisk in the sugars until well-combined. Mix in the vanilla extract and egg.
Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in just until combined. You don’t want to overmix the dough.
Stir in the chocolate chips, and then scoop the dough. Place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
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.
Can I Use an Electric Mixer?
Sure! You can use one if you would prefer. I do recommend mixing in the flour by hand, though, to avoid overmixing the dough.
Tips/FAQ
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!
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 the measurements on the 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.
Tips For Making 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.
Kitchen Tools I Use When Making Homemade Cookies
Here are some of my must-have kitchen essentials that help to make this recipe even easier.
Whisk: A good whisk doesn’t have to be expensive, but it’s a kitchen must-have for really combining ingredients like the melted butter and sugars.
Cookie Scoop: I use my cookie scoop so often that I bought a second one. It’s great for scooping cookies, mini muffins, and even meatballs.
Silicone Spatula: A great all-purpose spatula is a must-have. They’re great for incorporating dry ingredients that are harder to whisk in and scraping the bowl.
Kitchen Scale: Using a kitchen scale is easier than measuring with measuring cups. It’s also more accurate! I was a holdout for a long time, but now I love using my kitchen scale.
More Easy Cookie Recipes!
- Chewy Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Thick Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you’ve tried this easiest chocolate chip cookie recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from people who’ve made my 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 flour¹
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt2
- 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
- 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.
- Or 1/4 teaspoon table salt.
- 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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Published 8/16/16. Updated with new photos and tips 10/3/18.
Adapted from Pinch of Yum.
Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Cheryl A Bedard says
Thanks for the recipe, they came out perfect. The tip about the flour was a plus. Great job!
Kate says
Great! I’m glad that the cookies came out well for you and that the tips helped. =) Thank you for commenting!
Linda says
My favorite cookie recipe! I followed the recipe to a T and used the notes. The cookies were perfect, and they looked just like the pictures.
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad you liked the cookies! Thank you for coming back to comment! =)
Jacob Hawran says
Mine came out really tall and had to cook much longer. Maybe I did something wrong. Taste good tho.
Kate says
Hey! Glad that they tasted good! What you described is the result of too much flour in the dough. Try using a little less flour next time, and it should help the cookies spread and be less doughy. =)
Rosyiidah says
Made these yesterday and it turned out great! My family and I loved them. This will be my go-to recipe for cookies for sure :) Thank you!
Kate says
Yay! I’m so glad! Thank you for coming back to comment!
Nur Rosyiidah says
Tried this out yesterday and it turned out lovely! My family and I loved them. This will be my go-to recipe for sure. Thank you! ?
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that your family liked the cookies. =) Thank you for commenting!
Nicole says
Thanks for this recipe! Cookies came out great and FAST, so I could make multiple batches with limited time and limited clean up. A real time saver and tastes delicious, will definitely be using this recipe again!!
Kate says
You are very welcome! I’m glad that you liked the cookies. =) Thank you for coming back to comment!
Lauren says
Made these cookies today and really like them! So easy. I wanted to try a recipe where I already had all ingredients in the house (Canadian snow day today!) so I tried this one on a whim.
I’m glad I noticed the recipe note to be careful measuring my flower and not put too much, mine turned out pretty perfect but can see where too much would not be good here!
When I took them out of the oven I almost thought they were not done but trusted the recipe and sure enough they were perfect!
Kate says
I’m so glad that the cookies turned out well for you and that the notes were helpful! =) Thank you for coming back to comment!
Anonny says
I made these with my 5 year old. It was not stressful because it was simple. They came out as the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever made.
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad! Baking cookies shouldn’t be stressful. =) Thank you for coming back to comment!
The Lazy Ass Cook says
Hi, I made these and I made them Monster Size and got #15 Huge cookies, yum ?
Kate says
Yay! I’m glad that they came out well for you that way! =) Thanks for commenting!
SAMANTHA LACOMBE says
Thanks for sharing. Combined batches and they’re delicious!
Kate says
Good! I’m so glad to hear that! Thank you for coming back to comment! =)
Lashawnda Jones says
I just made these..
They look great.. But they are thick and didn’t spread out… But they still look yummy to me.. Thank you
Kate says
Thanks! If you would like them to spread more, try adding a little less flour next time, and that should help. Thanks for commenting! =)
Veena de Souza says
Just made these as a midnight snack! So quick and easy. My new go to recipe for chocolate chip cookies. Will be trying the chocolate mayonnaise cake next. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you liked the cookies! I hope you like the chocolate mayonnaise cake, too! =)
abby says
these cookies are absolutely AMAZING! i’m not a fan of homemade cookies usually because they always turn out crunchy, but i have made these three times and every time they’re soft and delicious! so easy, highly recommend!
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad that you like the cookies and that they stay soft for you! Thank you for coming back to comment! =)
Fernando says
Hey thanks a lot for this recipe. I’m notoriously bad when it comes to baking but I made these right on the first try. It’s my first time making good cookies!
Kate says
Congrats!! =D I’m so glad that they worked for you! Thank you for coming back to comment!
Jayden sanchez says
This is great!
YUMMY
Kate says
Thank you! Glad you liked them. =)
Nicole Prochnow says
I have butter in sticks but it is salted. Do I also need to add salt or how much should I use to accommodate the salted butter? Just do not want salty chocolate chip cookies!
Kate says
If you are using salted butter and are worried about ending up with a saltier cookie, you can leave the salt out or just add a pinch. Hope that helps! =)
Nicole Prochnow says
Thank you. I did use just a pinch. They are almost done…I cheated a little and tatsed the dough it tasted perfect to me!!! Thanks for.the recipe
Nicole Prochnow says
They we’re so fluffy and perfect…just got them a little too thick but they still came out awesome! First time I have had success with cookies EVER!!!!!
Thompson Caroline says
Me and my granddaughter made these Friday for the first time every time she come over for a sleepover she like to make homemade chocolate chip cookies found this recipe on my tab and the cookies came out soft and chewy just like you said follow the recipe right my son said mom they was so soft too we definitely will continue to used this recipe from now on my granddaughter can pass this down to her kids if she has any
Caroline says
Me and my 10 year old granddaughter made these Friday for the first time every time she come over for a sleepover she like to make homemade chocolate chip cookies found this recipe on my tab and the cookies came out soft and chewy just like you said follow the recipe right my son said mom they was so soft too we definitely we continue to used this recipe from now on my grand when she get older can pass this down to her kids if she has any
Kate says
Yay!! I love this! Thank you so much for sharing. Your comment really made my day. =)
inah Venelle Oriño says
how many cookies will i make with this recipe? im planning to make some for my son’s birthday party ?
Kate says
The recipe will make 24 cookies if you use a 1.5 tablespoon scoop. Hope that helps!
April says
Delicious & so easy… Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked them! =) Thank you for coming back to comment.