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!
If you’ve tried this easiest chocolate chip cookie recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from people who’ve made my recipes!
You can subscribe to receive my latest recipe newsletters or follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for even more delicious food.
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?
Share it with me on Instagram @i_heart_eating and follow on Youtube @katedean and Pinterest @katedean for more!
Originally published 8/16/16. Adapted from Pinch of Yum.
Reader Interactions
Love this recipe?
Share your thoughts below and let’s chat! Make sure to connect with me on your favorite social platform below and show me what you made!
Comments & Reviews
Maddy B says
I usually do box mix cookies but we didn’t have any so I tried this out… my brother says I’m the only one who’s allowed to make cookies now. We’re actually making these a second time right now :)
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad that they worked well for you!
Alyse Sarkinen says
These are the best cookies i have ever tasted!!!
Kate says
Thank you so much!!
Kendall says
LOVE this recipe. I made it last week for the first time and they came out perfect. I made them again today but I doubled the recipe. This time they came out fluffy and almost spongy. Stills tastes delicious just not the right texture. Do you know why that happened?
Kate says
Thanks! Did you change anything?
Trish says
I only had peanut chips and they turned out amazing. Exactly three months since lockdown, no income, getting really lonely. This lovely, huge plate of peanuchip cookies filling the house with such a comforting smell. Thank you so much. I can even share them with my dogs cos there’s no chocolate.
Kate says
Thank you! I hope that you’re doing well!
Zippy the baker says
This recipe is good now I make delicious cookies????
Kate says
Thank you!
Tia Lalande says
I usually won’t give a 5 star on a review unless I’m blown away! :) I just made these chocolate chip cookies, they are simply delicious! The only thing I would do differently next time is put 1/4 of a teaspoon lf kosher salt . It was a tiny bit on the salty side. Because they’re undercooked, it gives them that melt in your mouth gooey yummyness! I would definitely recommend this recipe.
Kate says
Thank you so much!
Angie says
So easy… Soooooo good!! Had to bake them slightly longer but other than that they were done before we knew it!! Going back to the market today so I can make more. M&M’s this time.
Last recipe Killed my arm(as I don’t have a mixer) so these were a breeze.
Thank you
Kate says
Thank you so much!
haley says
I just made these last night- I added a little bit of shredded coconut and they were SO good!! Love this quick and easy recipe!
Kate says
Thank you!
Cla says
This is the best cookie recipe I have ever used. I was looking for an easy recipe so I could do it with my two young children. It’s not only easy, but they are the best tasting cookies I have made!
Kate says
Yay!! Thank you!
Javeed Ahmed says
Can we use a stand mixer?
Kate says
You can, but I think mixing by hand gives better texture. Just be careful not to overmix them!
Tiffany Lee says
Can these be made with baking powder instead of baking soda? What would the measurement be? I’m excited to try this recipe!
Kate says
Unfortunately, baking powder and baking soda aren’t interchangeable. Baking soda also helps the cookies to spread, so I would recommend using baking soda.
Nicole says
It was a vary good recipe but in the end it was a road bit to dry so I added another egg and they turned out wonderful
Kate says
Thank you!
Christina says
Added peanut butter protein powder and used peanut butter chips. It was really good.
Kate says
Yay!!
Glenda says
I am so sorry (grovel, grovel) just seen the metric measurements….
Kate says
Glad you found them!
Glenda says
You talk about weighing the ingredients, then give us the recipe in cup measures. It drives me nuts. It’s not accurate ( as you mentioned) and how on earth does one measure butter accurately in cups. Either you melt it first and risk wastage, or you do it bit by bit which is time-wasting.
Kate says
Agreed! The reason that I have the metric the way that it is is so that the metric measurements will scale with an increased or decreased yield.
Minnette Hockley says
It was very easy to make and tasted great! Thank you so much, we loved it!
Kate says
Thank you so much!
Yaima says
Easy, simple n yummy.
Kate says
Thank you so much!
Nicole Van Zandt says
These were absolutely the best. My 11-year-old daughter loves to bake and she made these following your recipe. She experimented with pressing the chips onto the tops of each cookies rather than incorporating into the batter and they ended up with a nice texture that way. Thank you for a fantastic recipe with lots of good directions and details.
Kate says
Thank you so much! I think it’s great that she’s experimenting in the kitchen! =)
Gabi says
I definetly recommend this recipe I am 13 years old and it made the best cookies I ever tasted thank you kate.
Kate says
Yay!! Thank you so much!!
Ingrid says
When they come out of the oven they dont seem ready but just let them cool and they are fluffy delicious amazing cookies. I love it!♡♡
Kate says
Yes! Slightly underbaking helps to keep those cookies soft!