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
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour properly measured
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ 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.½ cup butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar
- Stir in vanilla and egg until incorporated.2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 large egg
- Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Please read the recipe note about properly measuring flour.1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Mix dough until just combined. Dough should be soft and a little sticky but not overly sticky.
- Stir in chocolate chips.1 cup semisweet 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
Siedha says
I baked these cookies yesterday. I think my scoops were too large so I only got a dozen out of this recipe. However, those cookies didn’t last the night! & not because there were only 12, they were so good!! My family ate them for desert and I’m making some more today. I’m going to make the scoops smaller this time.
I also made my own brown sugar from molasses and granulated sugar and it gave them a nice, rich undertone. I shared this recipe with two of my friends because it was so easy & tasty. This is my first time baking cookies from scratch.
Kate says
I’m so glad that they were a hit! =) Thanks for sharing and for commenting!
Toby Rosen says
Excellent! I made this today and it is so easy , no mixer required.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked the cookies. =)
Evie says
I tried this today and the cookies never flattened out!! Any ideas?
Kate says
Hi! There are 3 common reasons why cookies may not flatten. First, you have too much flour in the dough. This will give you a dough-y cookie that never flattens properly. Second, expired/old leavening agent. Baking soda helps the cookies to spread, so if it’s old, it won’t work as well. Third, your oven bakes hot. If your oven bakes hot, it can set the outside of the cookie before it has had a chance to spread. I hope this helps!!
Karen says
Me and my niece are making chocolate chip cookies in this recipe was great
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m glad you liked it!!
Podys says
Great cookies, thanks for the recipe! My SO has a crazy sweet tooth. Approved by him!
Kate says
Yay!! You’re welcome, and I’m glad that you enjoyed them! =)
Markela says
Wow! Amazing cookies! Incredibly fast and easy to make and incredible taste! 11/10!!!
Kate says
Thanks so much!! I’m so glad that you liked the cookies!
Siena says
I love this recipe so much! I’ve tried this recipe with macadamias instead of choc chips and chopped peanuts with the choc chips on different occasions. They both tasted delicious and I definitely recommend it. I have made these with coconut sugar instead of brown sugar and it still tasted good. Thanks for this great recipe!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad those variations worked out well! =) Thanks for commenting!
Suzette Djerf says
Made this and used unsalted butter and all organic ingredients. They came out fantastic. Hubby came home from the fire station and asked if there was enough to take to the guys back at the station. Guess I’ll be making a double batch tomorrow.
Kate says
Thank you so much!! I’m so glad that they were a hit!
lil says
This is the only chocolate chip recipe that actually works!! i made this for the first time in April 2019, best ever made. Thanks
Kate says
I’m so glad that they’ve worked out well for you! =)
Farlene says
I love this recipe. I’ve even made it Keto friendly.
Kate says
That’s awesome! I’m so glad that it worked out!
Corrine says
I’ve made these several times now and they are so soft and delicious every time! I love how easy the recipe is to make and how easily the dough scoops into balls. Everyone else always loves them, too. Thanks for the great recipe!
Kate says
You are so welcome! I’m glad that you like it! =)
Yubleni says
I’ve tried so many different chocolate chip cookies recipes over many years in quest of the perfect one. This one is definitely my favorite . It’s easy, quick and makes perfect cookies! My whole family loves these!
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad that the cookies have been a hit! =)
Madison says
This was so fun and easy to make! They are delicious.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad to hear that! =)
Adriana says
Hi! I’m a college student that wanted to try something sweet as a reward LOL! I made these for my boyfriend and I as a study treat and I added some cocoa powder to the last few cookies. They’re SOOOO good when they come out fresh with some milk to dip! I thought using melted butter would destroy the cookies but it actually works out just fine. Thanks so much for this recipe!!
Kate says
You are so welcome! I’m glad you two enjoyed the cookies! =)
Jessica says
These are quick and amazing! My four year old had a great time making them with me and we got lots of compliments. Thanks!
Kate says
Yay!! That’s so great! Thank you for commenting!
Dianne says
Can these cookies be baked in an 8″ x 8″ baking pan to make bar cookies?
Kate says
If you’re looking for a bar cookie, here is an easy one.
Phaedra Fairwell says
I wanted an easy cookie recipe to try with my new quinoa flour… these were AWESOME! I used coconut sugar – not packed (I don’t have regular sugar in the house) and found that they were perfect! I may have gone a bit heavy handed with the chocolate chips – next time I’ll go lighter and make them a bit smaller.
Kate says
So glad that they worked out well for you! I really like quinoa cookies, and it’s good to hear that that worked out well. =)
Eric Johnson says
I made these with Stevia brown sugar and Splenda white sugar, as well as some handmade naturally sweetened chocolate chips. My girlfriend who doesn’t eat sugar raved and said they are BEST sugar free cookies ever! My only problem was that they didn’t flatten out and were crumbly. They retained their ball shape! Weird. We will make them again because they made her so happy! I am pleased with the result and want to thank you!
Kate says
Hi! So glad that your gf liked them! Sounds like you did a great job with your subs. =)
Dina Martinez says
8- ( I had to put the ingredients in the bowl out of the order you showed. Now the mix is crumbly. What do I do now? Please help
Kate says
When you say that you put them in out of order, could you tell me more about what happened?
Rachel Connell says
Followed the recipe exactly and they were absolutely incredible…so soft and puffy!! I will be sharing with all my friends. Thank you!!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad you liked the cookies! =)
Jamie says
I was looking for a simple cookie recipe to make one night after dinner. My six year old and I made this one and it was a hit! Even my husband had some cookies and he’s not a dessert guy at all. We had some leftover buttercream frosting and made a couple of cookie sandwiches that were so good! I’m getting ready to make these cookies again right now. Love love love! Thanks for the recipe!
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so happy to hear that they were a hit! Thanks for commenting. =)