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
Shailjah says
These cookies were so easy to make! My toddler helped me and they turned out so thick and gooey and delicious! 5 star recipe all around for taste, texture, easy and speed! Love it!!
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m glad that you enjoyed the cookies and that they were easy to make. =) Thanks for commenting!
Elizabeth says
Do I use salted butter or unsalted butter?
Kate says
You can use either one! If you prefer less salt in your cookies, go with unsalted. If you like a bit more, go with salted butter.
Luna wolfe says
I made these with white chocolate chips for a lemonade stand, and they were so good! I highly recommend these.
Kate says
Thanks! I’m so glad that you liked them. =)
heather says
great! thank you so much!
Kate says
You’re welcome! I’m glad that you liked the cookies! =) Thanks for commenting!
Shanita says
Girl! what an amazing quick and easy chocolate chip cookie recipe! love, love, love how they turned out! Thanks bunches!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you loved the cookies! =) Thank you for taking the time to comment!
Michelle says
I follwed the recipe to a T and the cookies were great. Thank you.
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad! Thanks for commenting!
Rissa says
I’m not normally a fan of chocolate chip cookies, but these are probably the best things I’ve ever had in my life! These cookies have become a straight-up addiction, they’re almost too good! The recipe is sooo easy and they’re sooooo absolutely delicious! ♡♡♡ Thank you for restoring my faith in chocolate chip cookies ♡
Kate says
Love it!! Thank you so much! =D Thanks for commenting!
Ruby says
I am making them now and the balls did not flatten out to a cookie shape, why is this
Kate says
It’s usually a matter of too much flour in the dough if the cookies hold their shape as they bake. How are you measuring your flour?
Matilda Mottram says
Love!!!!!! Taste so good, and the easiest recipe ever!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked the cookies! =) Thank you for commenting!
Samantha Giampa says
I made these for a Christmas party and everyone loved them. I am planning to make them for my sons Sesame Street birthday party next month. Do you think they would freeze well if I made them early?
Kate says
I’m so glad! =) I think so! I don’t see any reason why the cookies wouldn’t freeze well.
Susanne says
Absolutely loved this recipe and cookje. Was truly the best and easiest. I will have to keep this one in stock!!! My husband loved it and it’s his go to treat. His backpacking staple from now on. Thanks a million.
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m so glad that it’s been a hit! Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a comment! =)
Kelekona says
The dough got a bit soft and sticky, so I chucked it in the fridge… it needed to come back up to room temp the next morning for me to work with it… flattened between parchment and then chilled seems easier.
Kate says
I’m glad that you found a way to make it work for you! =) Thank you for sharing!
Mike says
WOW. Had a craving for cookies, but did not want to invest the time just then. This was a great and easy solution!
Thank you!
Kate says
Thank you! Sounds like this recipe was just what you were looking for. Glad you liked the cookies! =) Thanks for commenting!
Tiffany says
Amazing and so simple!! Love this recipe! Thanks for sharing:)
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked it and found it simple to make. =) Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Alison says
These cookies are so good! Thank you for this recipe, I’ve been trying to find a perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe and tried plenty and have been very disappointed but this easy recipe was fast and the cookies are soft, chewy, and perfect! I can’t wait to try your other recipes!
Kate says
I’m so glad that you liked the cookies! Thanks for commenting, and I hope you find more recipes that you like! =)
Trina says
Wonderful cookie recipe! It’s so easy and the cookies are soft just the way we like them.
Kate says
Thanks! I’m so glad that you liked the cookies! Thanks for commenting. =)
Christina says
Taste absolutely great but the cookies came out pretty much exactly the same size as they went in? So I flattened them with a spatula as soon as I took them out, but still ended up with pretty tiny cookies! What did I do wrong?
Kate says
Hi! You shouldn’t need to flatten them. The dough should be soft and a little sticky. It sounds like too much flour in the dough, and that will prevent the cookies from spreading properly. How are you measuring your flour?
Kols B says
Really appreciate the nutritional information! Not many sites have this!
Kate says
You’re welcome! =) I’m so glad that that’s helpful.
Heidi Malloy says
Must have done something wrong as the dough did not seem “wet” enough and did not stick well?? Used my hands to blend?
Kate says
If the dough was dry, it was probably that you used too much flour in the dough. How do you measure your flour?
Chef Abigail says
delicious, but not thick enough in my opinion
Kate says
Thanks! Yes, these are regular-sized cookies. If you’re looking for a larger, thicker cookie, you may find my thick chocolate chip cookie recipe more to your liking. =)