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
Hannah Colver says
i love these cookies.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so happy to hear that. Thanks for commenting! =)
Aine says
Really nice soft cookies, so simple to make. My husband loved them, thanks so much for the recipe!
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for taking the time to comment. =)
Jennifer says
Delicious cookies! My kids loved them, thank you! So easy to make.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that the cookies have been a hit with your family. Thanks for commenting! =)
Olivia says
These are the most AMAZING cookies ever!!
I made these for a party and I think they were gone in 5 minutes! Thank you SOO MUCH!!
Kate says
Thank you so much! I love hearing that the cookies were such a hit! Thanks for coming back to comment! =)
Grace says
Super easy and delicious! I agree it looks like it’s undercooked but it’s cooked. It’s a repeat !
Kate says
Thank you! Yes! Slightly undercooking the cookies really helps to keep them soft. =) Thanks for commenting!
Sariah says
Followed the recipe exactly as it said. The only thing was I used shortening instead of butter or margarine. The cookies were great!!! I also used a silicone cookie sheet so I baked the cookies for 11 minutes and they came out wonderful!!
Kate says
Happy to hear that! Thanks for commenting.
Floranet says
Amazing work!! Looking for more from you.
Kate says
Thank you! =)
Donna says
My husband was wanting chocolate chip cookies ( I forgot to pick up some at the store ) so I went searching for a quick recipe. I came across your recipe and thought I’d give it a try. I don’t have a small scoop so I used a rounded tablespoon. The last little bit of dough, I added some walnuts. I had to bake them for about 17 minutes. They turned out so good. They were crispy around the edges and chewy in the middle. Next time though, I’ll use a rounded teaspoon because they did spread a little, they were like 3 inch cookies , but they are fantastic !!!!!!
Kate says
I’m so glad that you liked the cookies!! =D Walnuts are a great addition! Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Mary says
Just found out I’m pregnant and wanted to bake some cookies to celebrate and this recipe is perfection!! I added mini Reese’s and Reese’s pieces mix that I found at the store.
Kate says
Congrats!!! That sounds like a yummy twist! Thanks for commenting! =)
Dayna says
I never write reviews. But tonight my husband really wanted a cookie and we had no store bought in the house SO being a good wife i found the fastest recipe possible :-) We had no chocolate chips so I substituted m&ms..won’t use another recipe..so easy and yummy!
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad that you liked it! And M&Ms are a fun twist. Thanks for commenting! =)
Isha says
I seldom, if ever, write reviews. I am compelled to acknowledge how simple your recipe is and how delectable the cookies turned out! Thank you so much..
P.S. I also tried the same recipe with white chocolate chips instead of regular plus added 1/2 tsp each of Cardamom powder and Cinnamon powder. Even those came out delicious and soft. Thank you.
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so happy to hear that! How yummy! Thanks for sharing your twist. =)
emilia and ellA says
good. me and my friend made the cookie dough into the shape of an e because our names start with e. pretty clever huh? it was Excellent!
Kate says
How fun! That sounds like something that my girls would do. =) Glad you liked the cookies!
Sylvia says
The easiest recipe and the best tasting chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever made
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you enjoyed the cookies and that the recipe was easy to make. Thanks for commenting! =)
Misti Bray says
Mine didn’t flatten out- not sure what I did….
Kate says
Hi! The two most common reasons that cookies don’t flatten out at they bake are that they have too much flour in the dough or that the oven is baking too hot. In order to avoid getting too much flour in the dough, I recommend stirring your flour before you measure it. This helps to break up the flour so that it isn’t packed down. Then, lightly spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off. Hope that helps!
PHUONG says
Your recipe is so good. I’m making the cookies for the third time now, these cookies are SO DELICIOUS!!!!!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so happy to hear that you like the cookies. =) Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Nourdeen says
These cookies was just the thing for me and my mom to have special time
Kate says
Yay!! I love that you and your mom were able to spend time together making the cookies! Thank you for taking the time to comment! =D
Lee Henson says
I halved the recipe, threw in a handful of chopped pecans, and got 6 absolutely delicious cookies that were no trouble at all to make! Thanks for this recipe!
Kate says
I’m so glad that you liked the cookies! And pecans are a great addition. =) Thanks for commenting!
Jezebelle says
This was a good average cookie recipe. Was easy to mix up and bake. I did have to cook for about 15 minutes in my oven and they turned out pretty good. These were not soft gooey cookies but kind of soft cakey cookies so won’t be my go to recipe but good in a pinch
Kate says
Hi! One of the reasons that I recommend slightly underbaking the cookies is to get that gooey texture. Also, it sounds like your oven isn’t baking to temperature. You may need to increase the temperature in order to avoid an extended baking time, as an extended baking time can result in a cakier cookie. Hope that helps for next time!
Chesney says
I made these cookies for my little sister’s third birthday. They turned out great and made 21 large cookies. This recipe is fantastic! 10/10 would use again (and will)
Kate says
Yay!! Happy birthday to your little sister! I’m so glad that the cookies came out well. Thanks for commenting! =)
candy says
a bit confused
followed the steps all right but “dough” was more like batter
was flour not enough?
i added 3/4 cup
Kate says
Hi! The recipe calls for 1 and 3/4 cups of flour so that’s why your dough wasn’t thick enough. Hopefully you can add the missing cup of flour and enjoy the cookies. =)
Heather says
I needed to add extra flour as well. About 1/2 cup. They’re in the oven currently
Kate says
Hi! Did you see that it was 1 and 3/4 cups flour? It seems that there was some confusion on her part about the amount.