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
Lori Smitherman says
Perfect quick delicious cookies.
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you liked the cookies. Thanks for commenting!
Nix says
Im so glad I came across this recipe! Its quick, easy and the cookies came out delish!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you liked it. Thanks for commenting!
hi says
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe with us ,
very easy to read thanks.
Kate says
Thank you! So glad you liked the cookies. =)
Linda Cox says
Wow, have been looking for the perfect thick cookie, this was amazing , added 1/4 choc chips and 3/4 salted caramel chips , thanks muchly
Kate says
You are very welcome! I’m glad you liked the cookies. =) Thanks for commenting!
Addie says
These are sooooo good!! I love baking so much! I have used this recipe twice and they both came out great!! :))
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so happy to hear that you’re enjoying the cookies! =) Thanks for commenting.
Allison says
I’ve made the Pinch of Yum ones (love her food), but these are WAY better! My go-to recipe for chocolate chip cookies and so quick and easy! ??
Kate says
I’m a big fan of their site, so that’s a huge compliment! Thank you!!
Lynnea says
Love this recipe! Makes super good THICK chocolate chip cookie. I use it all the time :)
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so happy to hear that you’re enjoying the recipe. =) Thank you for taking the time to comment!
Cookie says
Can I just use melted butter from melting it over the hob and let it cool or do I need to microwave it
Kate says
You can heat it on the stove. If you do that, I recommend only melting it about 80% of the way and then removing it from the stove. Then whisk it until it’s completely melted.
Cheryl Hardin says
These cookies turned out perfect. I made them exactly like the recipe. I added 1/2 cup of chopped pecans. Thank you for a simple and delicious recipe. I will be making these for the holidays.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for taking the time to comment! =)
Shivani says
I did the cookies with my kids… i was stressed but they enjoyed it… it tasted delicious… thank you so much
Kate says
Thank you!
Senda says
Thank you soo much ! I’ve been looking for a good recipe for so long, well this one is just peeerfect !
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so happy to hear that you liked the cookies. =)
CookieMonster says
Great Recipe.
Kate says
Thanks!
Marie foster says
I did the cookies but they came out flat but good and delicious what did I do wrong.
Kate says
Hi! Glad to hear that they were still delicious. =) When you say that they were flat, did they bake out (spread too much)?
Christie says
I have searched so far and wide for the perfect cookie recipe, this is definitely it. They were perfect! Thank you!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad they came out well for you. =)
Marie Claire Claus says
Wow fantastic cookies! I did some modifications I had room temperature butter and only used brown sugar, they needed 12 min cooking time …sooo worthit! Thank you
Kate says
Thank you! So happy to hear that you enjoyed the cookies. And thanks for your notes about the changes you made. =)
KidBakerNeedsAssistance says
Could I just divide everything by 3 and get one-third of the number of cookies?
Kate says
Hi! If you would like to scale the recipe, you can hover over the servings and then slide the bar to adjust the ingredient amounts.
Jennifer says
I wasn’t sure if they were cooked enough, but they were fantastic. Thank you for reminding me to fluff my flour.
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so happy to hear that! And I’m glad that that note was helpful. =) Thanks for commenting!
Judith says
Omg, I’ve been Making Chocolate Chip Cookies for “MANY” Years, and these are the Most Delicious Yet?And So Easy. Thank You for such an Amazing Recipe ??I will be certain to Share.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the cookies. =) Thank you, and thanks for sharing!
lizsm says
This was exactly the recipe I was looking for! I changed a few things, like used vegetable oil instead of butter, and did 1 1/3 cup packed flour, and they turned out perfect. Thank you!
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for noting your changes. It’s helpful to hear that things that have worked for other people. =)
Janet says
How much oil
Do you use?
Mary says
Great cookie recipe and very quick & easy. I used 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1/2 cup peanut butter chips… yummy! This will be my new go to when my sweet tooth kicks in. I bet they’d freeze well too!
Kate says
Thank you! Swapping in different flavors of chips is such a fun way to change the cookies. =)