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
Caleigh Messer says
I made this with my daughter and we LOVED them. Definitely had to leave them in for 10 minutes for the crunchy outside and soft inside. We did kosher salt and salted butter and it definitely breaks up the sweetness of the cookie.
Honestly, it’s the best chocolate chip cookie recipe I’ve ever made (and this girl loves to make cookies). Thank you for this recipe. I will be making this ever time I decide on chocolate chip cookies.
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad that the cookies were a hit and that the recipe worked well for you. Thanks for taking the time to comment! =)
Jackie says
I want to bake my brother cookies for his birthday. He loves walnuts. Could I omit the chocolate chips and put walnuts instead?
Kate says
I don’t see why not! I’ve made these cookies with other mix-ins like M&Ms in place of the chocolate chips. Hope that helps!
T says
but can you use bake power
Kate says
Baking soda and baking powder aren’t interchangeable. I can’t say how baking powder would work in this recipe without testing it.
T says
do you need to use baking soda
Kate says
Yes, the cookies will likely turn out hard and flat without the baking soda.
CM says
Delicious !
Can I keep dough in refrigerator and bake the next day?
Kate says
Thank you! Yes, chilling the dough should be fine.
Teena says
Indeed the easiest chocolate chip cookie recipe….22 cookies…loved them!!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked the cookies. Thanks for commenting! =)
T says
Beautiful cookies, soft on the inside, crisp and golden brown from the outside. We only had self-raising flour at home instead of all-purpose so I just skipped on the baking soda and they still turned out good. Nevertheless, I’m sure sticking to the recipe will ensure the best results. Maybe I was just lucky? Yielded 23 cookies all of which were devoured quickly :)
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked the cookies. =) And thanks for your note about the self-rising flour. It’s helpful to hear the things that have worked for other people. Thanks again for commenting!
baylynn says says
loved then! they where quick and easy =D
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad to hear that. Thank you for commenting!
paige says
Mine made 21! That’s the closest to any recipe ever
Kate says
Yay!! Do you use a cookie scoop? That makes a huge difference for me.
TINA says
This is a great, simple recipe. My husband was begging me to make some chocolate chip cookies at 9 pm so I needed a quick recipe so we wouldn’t be up all night. These were exactly what I was looking for! They turned out perfectly, they stayed puffy and soft. Perfect!
Kate says
I’m so glad that they were what you were looking for! =) Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Tammy says
I just made these cookies. They are great. I will be making them again. Thanks for the recipe.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked the cookies. Thanks for commenting! =)
Tammy says
Very quick, easy, and tasty. I did half on parchment lined cookie sheet, the other on non-stick cookie sheet. Those not on parchment had really nice brown, crisp bottoms. Both good. But, if you prefer a crisp bottom, I recommend no parchment.
Kate says
Thank you! And thanks for your note about using parchment paper. It’s great to hear how the recipe works for other people. Thanks again! =)
Addison says
Great recipe! They went over great at our lemonade stand. So simple too, my 13 year old brother, who lives terrified of the kitchen, could even handle this recipe. Thanks so much.
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad that they turned out well for you, and I hope that it helps your brother to be a bit less terrified of the kitchen. Also, I hope your lemonade stand was a huge success! =D Thanks for commenting!
Nicole F says
So easy and delicious! My go-to for cookies. I use to always have flat, pancake like cookies but thanks to this recipe that is a distant memory :) my boyfriend ate my entire last batch lol
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad that they were a hit! =) Thanks for commenting!
Stella Simmons says
Used this recipe many times and even my kids love making this one on their own. Easy and fast. 10 minutes top. Great family fun, easy to clean recipe!
Kate says
Thank you! That’s so great to hear! =) Thanks so much for coming back to comment!
Jaqueline says
So I woke up on a Saturday and I was like… oh shoot. I forgot to make dessert for my friend! She always takes me out to eat, and won’t accept money so I pay her in sweets instead. XD I frantically searched the internet for a good recipe that was super fast, and this one worked out perfectly in no time! Thank you so much!
Kate says
What a fun trade! I’m so glad that the cookies came out well for you. =) Thanks for commenting!
Sophia says
I changed the serving size to 12 when I was making these cookies. However, I didn’t realize the gram conversion next to each ingredient didn’t change with the adjustment and ended up putting over 1 1/2 cups of flour for just 12 cookies. Miraculously, the cookies turned out pretty good. Other than that, great recipe!
Kate says
I’m glad that they came out well. Thank you for mentioning that! Now, if you click over to metric and adjust the serving size, the grams will change.
Antonella says
I’ve tried to make cookies multiple times in the past but they never came out how I wanted. However this recipe was so easy and they are soo good. I had to bake them for a few minutes more because of my oven. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that the cookies turned out well for you! =) Yes! Ovens can vary so much, and it’s great to know how yours bakes. Thanks for commenting!
Ashley says
I made these with my girls but didn’t have butter so I used coconut oil instead, and they ended up delightful! Nice and fluffy, chewy cookies! Great recipe.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked the cookies. =) And thanks for your note about using coconut oil. It’s always helpful to hear what subs work well.
Nela says
Amazing. Children liked them a lot. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that they were a hit! =) Thanks for commenting!
Robin says
I just made these cookies and they turned out amazing! These are the best cookies ever, thank you for sharing this recipe!
Kate says
Thanks! I’m so glad that you liked them! =) Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Janen says
Hello! Can I use salted butter instead? If yes, should I omit the salt? First time baker here.
Kate says
Hi! Yes, you can use salted butter. I use both salted butter and the kosher salt, but it depends on your preference. To me, the salt balances the cookies and gives them better flavor, but skipping the salt will give you a slightly sweeter cookie. Hope that helps! =)