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
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Originally published 8/16/16. Adapted from Pinch of Yum.
Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Nathan Sumida says
BEST COOKIES EVER!! SO FAST AND EASY AND TASTY!
I was going to a bible study and I was gonna bring some cookies, but I lost track of time and needed to leave in 30 minutes, but these cookies saved me in 15!! 11/10!!
Kate says
I’m so glad that they worked out well for you! Thanks for commenting! =)
Kevin Crenshaw says
Yaass! I found your recipe, hungry and lonely in the night lol. I ran to the late store and bought a chocolate bar because I had everything except chocolate chips. My corona cookies where/are a hit. This is my go to recipe now.
Thank you so much for spreading your skills across the lands. Hello from Berlin.
Kate says
Yay!! So glad that they worked well for you!
JB says
The chocolate chip cookies were really good. It was late, and my son & I needed to have chocolate chip cookies that were easy to make….and these were gobbled up. Thanks for sharing this easy to follow recipe.
Kate says
Thanks!
Emily H says
Something strange happened and I have no idea why, but the cookies were still amazing (and I have a feeling it was my mistake, not the recipe’s) so I’m giving this 5 stars. The strange thing: I scooped them out, placed the raw cookie balls on the baking sheet, cooked them, and got… baked chocolate chip cookie balls; they never spread out. Was I supposed to spread them out? Or any ideas on what I might have done wrong? Though, again, they were absolutely amazing and the kids loved the “funny shaped cookies.”
Kate says
Hi! I’m glad that they kids liked them! I’d suggest using a bit less flour next time to help them spread.
Lois says
You forgot the vanilla extract in the demo!?
Kate says
Nope! I added it along with the egg, and the word “vanilla” appears right after “egg” in the video. =)
Lois Schwartz says
Opie gooie yummy cookies. Just the fix I needed-!
Kate says
Thank you!!
Anna McGuire-Johndrow says
I had an impromptu meeting and thought some cookies would melt the pandemic funk…your recipe was fantastic! Quick and delicious. But, I only baked a dozen. Can I freeze the rest of the dough for another time?
Kate says
Absolutely! I find that it’s easiest to freeze scoops of dough. Glad they were a hit! =)
Katie says
Love these! I needed to refrigerate the dough for 15min to be able to work with it. Great with pecans too!
Kate says
That’s great to hear! Thanks for commenting! =)
Lisa says
Delicious! These are quick and easy with basic ingredients. No mention of salted or unsalted butter and no mention that these surprisingly do not expand Like the photo (at least mine didn’t). Took them out of the oven at 10 mins and they were a very light golden brown on the bottom. I think because they do not expand its a little deceiving when you’re watching them bake. I used cane sugar and salted butter and they’re a big hit. Even better with vanilla ice cream.
Kate says
Thanks!
Sue says
I added exactly the right amount of kosher salt and the first thing my son said was that the cookies tasted salty. Perhaps table salt and just a 1/4 teaspoon is the way to go.
Kate says
Hi! I’m sorry to hear that! I’ve never had that issue with such a small amount of kosher salt. However, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt is as salty as 1/4 teaspoon table salt, so if you found that to be too salty, the table salt will likewise be just as salty. Perhaps a pinch (1/8 teaspoon) or omitting the salt would work better for you.
Patti Wilson says
I made these cookies for the crew at work and they were a Huge hit !!! Mine don’t look like yours but they are really delicious !!!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that they were a huge hit! =)
Jackie says
I love, love, love this recipe! I’ve made it many times, and have had no problems. I’ve also made jumbo cookies, and now prefer those. Perfect quarantine snack! I’m making them again to take to the pool for my family, and I’m sure they’ll be gone before we get back! Thank you so much for this recipe, it is now my go-to!!! <3 <3 <3 =) =) =)
Kate says
Thank you so much!! I’m glad that they’ve worked out well for you! =)
Abigail Johnson says
Had to use a little more oil and brown sugar but that’s because I put all flour in at once. Had to bake for a little longer too but I have a propane oven. Very nice! If you use oil you’re supposed to do 1/3rd of what recipe calls for butter wise just FYI ☺️
Kate says
Thanks!
Debbie says
Just made these last nite since my hubby and I were craving something sweet. So quick, easy and very tasty. I had mini choc chips so just used 1/2 cup and added a 1/4 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut to dough. Used a tsp for cookie scoop and they came out a perfect puffy bite size cookie. Hit the spot and were delicious!
Kate says
Yay!! That’s so good to hear! Thanks for commenting. =)
Jem says
your cookies recipes are always great!
Kate says
Thank you so much! =)
Alamanda says
They are the perfect recipe . Not to sweet and not to salty. Perfect and AMAZING!
Kate says
Thank you so much! =)
Rosie f says
Great receipes
Kate says
Thank you!
Martin says
Easy to bake and comes out as precisely as seen in the pictures. Takes a little time to bake and is an easy recipe for beginners
Kate says
I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks! =)
Gabriella says
Love this recipe and it worked well the first time I made them, but this second batch was a bust and I ended up in tears. The dough got too sticky and right off the bat I could tell something was wrong when I added the flour. I did the whole fluffing thing and it still didn’t come out right the second time and I’m just so so sad. For future reference, if the dough gets overly sticky what would you recommend? ?
Kate says
You could try chilling the dough if you find it’s overly sticky. That’s the first thing I try when I’m dealing with sticky dough. Hope that helps!
Dalton Mitchel says
Really delicious! first time making cookies was yesterday and I messed up during the process they were overly puffed out so i made sure I had enough butter and packed it more and than also made sure flour was puffed/fluffed fully and pulled out earlier than I expected I would have to because I notice they still cook for a bit after you pull them out so they seemed a little raw at first but by the time they started cooling down they were crunchy on sides but almost the entire middle was still soft and delicious!!!! Thanks for the great recipe!!
Kate says
You are very welcome! I’m glad that you liked the cookies! =)
Dee from Kampala Uganda says
my first time to bake choc chip cookies and this was an easy recipe and the cookies were very nice
thanks
Kate says
Thank you!