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
Di says
Love this recipe! My 10 year old girl and my first bake ever. The only problem was I overlooked that the temperature stated was in F and not in C (I’m frm Singapore). The first batch came out alittle burnt. So I made adjustment to the timing. The rest came out fine and we had great fun!
We did another round 2 days later with shorter timing and all were perfect.
Now I know I hv to convert F to C ?
Kate says
I’m so glad that you two enjoyed the cookies! And I’m glad that you caught that and made the adjustment! =) Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Di says
Is it salted or unsalted butter in your recipe?
Kate says
I use salted. However, you could certainly use unsalted if you prefer.
Cynthia says
My 10 year old grand daughter made these cookies today… super easy and delicious.. I actually added course sea salt to the tops! She said “ this is a keeper recipe”! Thank you!
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad that you two enjoyed the cookies! I like to add a little sea salt to the tops, too! =) Thanks for coming back to comment!
Breana Rowe says
I followed the r recipe perfectly and somehow they were too salty?
Kate says
Hi! I’m surprised to hear that as the recipe calls for less salt than most cookie recipes. The recipe only calls for 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt (which would be 1/4 teaspoon of table salt). Did you happen to use 1/2 tablespoon of salt instead?
abigail says
oh my gosh, i did
K J says
Wonderful!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked the cookies. =) Thanks for commenting!
Tori Maureen says
How many cookies does this make?
Kate says
Hi! The recipe makes 24 cookies.
Toni says
Hi. Made it. Used self rising flour. Omitted the salt and soda. Came out great. Thanks
Kate says
Thank you! That’s great to hear! And thank you for taking the time to come back and comment. =)
Michelle says
Super easy chocolate chip cookie recipe! The cookies were really good. Thanks!
Kate says
Thanks! I’m so glad that you liked the cookies! Thanks for commenting! =)
Ryan says
Good job easy and fast and good this was really good and fun to make with my daughter’s I’m a single dad in this was a very good easy recipe for me to make with my kids I really enjoy it thank you so much for the recipe
Kate says
Thank you! How fun! I love to hear that people are getting in the kitchen and baking with their kids! =) Thanks for commenting!
verondra t. dunning says
I am wondering if it’s okay to refrigerate the cookie dough without it becoming hard as a brick
Kate says
Unfortunately, I haven’t tried chilling it to say how it will work out.
Morgan says
Love this recipe so much!! Just wondering if you would be able to use margarine instead of butter to make them dairy free?
Kate says
Thank you! I’ve heard from people who have used nondairy milk and nondairy butter subs, and they’ve said it worked out for them. However, I haven’t tried it.
verondra t. dunning says
Try coconut oil it’s a wonderful dairy substitute, Wal-Mart carries an organic oil it’s a Great Value product and reasonable priced
Kate says
Thank you! Coconut oil can be a great in cookies.
Kelsey says
My fave easy chocolate chip cookie recipe! I’ve been making these cookies every week for the last year. They always come out perfect.
Kate says
I’m so glad that you liked the cookies! Thanks for taking the time to comment! =)
Marisa Cirasella says
Can I substitute the baking soda for baking powder?
Kate says
Unfortunately, they don’t sub at a 1:1 ratio. I don’t feel comfortable telling you to try it without having first tried it to tell you how much you would need and what other changes might need to be made.
Sarah says
I have tried this recipe a couple times now and I can pretty confidently say that I will never need to look for another chocolate chip cookie recipe. <3 These are the exact right texture–soft but not too cakey–for me, and the recipe is reliable; the cookies come out the same every time. Thank you for putting in weights, because I just throw a mixing bowl on my scale, tare it, and then add everything in steps. Easy and no beaters, whisks, or even measuring cups to wash. Perfection in a cookie.
Kate says
I’m so glad that you liked the cookies! And I’m glad that the measurements in weights helped. =) Thank you for taking the time to comment!
Molly Hadson says
Made 3 batches for a party and they were completely devoured with many compliments. All these years of choco chip cookie recipes and you taught me that I was baking them all wayyyy too long. Can’t wait to try all you cookie variations now. Thanks!
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad that the cookies were a hit and that the notes were helpful! That is great to hear. Thank you for taking the time to comment! =)
Abby says
Should I use salted or unsalted butter? Thanks!
Kate says
Hi! I use salted butter. However, if you like a cookie with less salt, you can use unsalted butter.
tika says
Can I wrap this in saran and store over night in the fridge?
Kate says
I haven’t tried making this cookie dough ahead of time, but I don’t see any issues with it. Best of luck!
Kelsey B says
Best chocolate chip cookies EVER!!! Thanks for the easy recipe!
Kate says
Thanks! I’m so glad that you liked them! Thanks for commenting. =)
Crystal Morey says
Put them in for 10 minutes and they still weren’t done… trying for a little longer…. and I’m using pecans since I do not have chocolate chips… My little girl wanted some cookies and so we tried this one
Kate says
Hi! Unfortunately, oven temps can vary, so you may find that you need to bake the cookies a little bit longer. Hope you two enjoy them! =)
Kelsey says
I baked these for my bf and he said they were better than his moms recipe! We’re still soft 3 days later. Awesome recipe and it was my first time baking chocolate chip cookies.
Kate says
That’s a huge compliment! =D I’m glad that they came out well for you and that you two enjoyed the cookies. Thanks for coming back to comment!
Rachel Ely says
ahh loved this recipe! forgot i had a lesson and it took me about 15 minutes and they are delicious!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that they worked out well for you. =) Thanks for taking the time to comment!