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
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Originally published 8/16/16. Adapted from Pinch of Yum.
Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Kat says
I love these cookies!! I was a little concerned that they looked a little different then the cookies are usually make, not only are they delicious but the easiest cookies by far. I use the recipe to a t except on the second batch I decided to throw in a handful of white chocolate chip morsels along with the semi sweet they turned out delicious to and now I have a new recipe! The kids love them and so does the hubby!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you and your family liked the cookies. =) Thanks for commenting!
Helen says
I did that too! With mini chocolate chips!
Kate says
Great idea! I love using mini chips in cookies (and brownies). =)
Hilarie Balz says
Awesome easy recipe
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad you liked the cookies. =)
Tiffany says
I have made these cookies every week! I have to have them all the time!!!! They do turn out a bit different every time I make them? The first time was the best (I only had 1 cup of flour and used 3/4 cup almond flour) so maybe I’ll try that again, but nonetheless these cookies are so delicious!! I have them in the oven right now! Great simple recipe!
Kate says
Thank you! I’ve never tried using almond flour in this recipe, but it’s good to hear that it worked out well for you! Thanks for commenting! =)
nay vaz says
Easy recipe for kids! I had to chill until firm so that we could form balls or I think it would’ve turned into a big cookie sheet! it yield 20 cookies for us.
Kate says
Hi! Glad that you liked the cookies! Thanks for commenting! =)
Stella says
I have tried many cookie recipes but the result was never what I was looking for until I tried yours! They came out perfect, soo tasty and soft in the middle!!!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that the cookies were what you were looking for! Thanks for taking the time to comment! =)
celibelle says
Made this quickly as a treat for my kids today! I put white chocolate chips instead and added a raspberry on top of each one. I also halved the sugar as I prefer them less sweet. SO yummy! The really mooshy middle is a bit daunting, but still so yummy! Will be experimenting more with this recipe :):):)
Kate says
What a fun twist! I’m glad that you enjoyed the cookies! Thanks for commenting! =)
justin says
just tried this recipe today- they turned out surprisingly amazing! theyre also fascinatingly soft and ooey gooey- was afraid they were undercooked but theyre not— and seem to be permanently chewy ooey gooey even after an afternoon of cooling. no idea how that happened, but everyone’s loving it!
Kate says
That’s great! I’m glad that you’re enjoying the cookies. Slightly underbaking the cookies really helps to keep the cookies soft. =) Thanks for commenting!
Tyler Smith says
Amazing recipe, I love how there is salt in the mix. Sweet and salty are the best combo!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked the cookies! =)
Donna says
Wow, these were perfect. I used my tablespoon measuring spoon to place them on cookie sheet and they came out rounded and fluffy at 10 minutes. This approach yielded 22 cookies. Thanks
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m so glad that you liked the cookies and that they came out well for you. =) Thanks for commenting!
Susan says
Loved them they did come out a little crumbly. So what do I do to fix
Kate says
Hi! Using a touch less flour next time should help with that. =) Glad that you enjoyed the cookies!
Holly Meeker says
I just made these cookies, holding my breath because my cookies turn out flat. Not only was the recipe easy, I didnt have to get the mixer out…no flour mess. I took them out at 7 minutes. The cookies were thick and so soft! My husband loves chocolate chip cookies and he devoured them! Thank you for making me look like Martha Stewart!
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad that you and your husband liked the cookies! Thanks for taking the time to comment! =)
Jenna says
This has replaced ALL my previous chocolate chip cookie recipes, I’ve only been making this one for about a year now. Thank you so much! FYI we’ve also used with a higher gluten bread flour and it works perfectly!
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad that you like the cookies! I’m going to have to try it with the bread flour. Thanks commenting! =)
Shirin says
I put this in for 10 min but the inside was still doughy I put it in longer and it was still doughy could I have put too much flour? I did the 1 and 3/4 cups but maybe I should have put less??
The dough was super crumbly and I had to smush it together myself
How can I make the middle cook right and not be doughy?
Kate says
Hi! It’s probably an issue with the way the flour was measured. It’s really easy to pack in extra flour, and that extra flour can make the dough crumbly and the cookies doughy. I recommend sifting or stirring the flour before measuring it. Then, lightly spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off. I hope that helps! If you have any other questions, please let me know!
Anita says
I made these tonight. Super easy and very tasty. I added peanut butter M&M’s. :-)
Kate says
Yum!! M&M’s are a great addition! =) Thanks for commenting!
Josephine says
Great recipie!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked the cookies! =)
Makahia says
will the cookies taste good if I put dark chocolate chips in instead?
Kate says
Yes, you can use milk chocolate, semisweet, or dark chocolate chips.
SE says
Hi,
Any alternative way of melting the butter? I don’t own a microwave…
Kate says
Hi! Yes, you can melt it on the stove. You’ll just want to watch it so that it is just barely melted and doesn’t cook beyond that.
Trixie says
I am a FAN! I made these as directed with my 3-year-old son, and it was so easy and the result was delicious. My husband actually said, “These are the most perfect cookies I’ve ever had!” And my son was already asleep, so I know the compliment wasn’t just for his benefit ;). I made them again tonight but used chopped Reese’s mini pb cups with a handful of regular and mini semi-sweet chips. Success again! The fact that they’re one-bowl is just a cherry on top. Makes dishes/cleanup a breeze. I’ve found my new go-to!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad!! The Reese’s sound like a yummy twist. =) Thanks for taking the time to come back and comment!
vita rafaela says
loved these.thx lots.
Kate says
You’re very welcome! I’m glad that you liked the cookies. =) Thanks for commenting!
S.A says
Amazing!! Thank you!!
Kate says
You’re so welcome! I’m so glad that you liked the cookies! Thanks for commenting. =)