Easiest Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe is a simple chocolate chip cookie recipe that makes super soft chocolate, super yummy chip cookies – 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.
What Makes This the Simplest Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe?
This recipe uses just a few basic ingredients – flour, sugar, baking soda, salt.
Also, it is so fast and so easy – no mixer needed, no chilling required – that the cookies can be mixed up and baked in less than twenty minutes.
How To Make Chocolate Chip Cookies
For this recipe, 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.
Once the butter has melted, whisk in the sugars until well-combined. Mix in the vanilla extract and egg.
Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in just until combined. You don't want to overmix the dough.
Stir in the chocolate chips, and then scoop the dough. Place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
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.
Can I Use an Electric Mixer?
Sure! You can use one if you would prefer. I do recommend mixing in the flour by hand, though, to avoid overmixing the dough.
Tips/FAQ
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!
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 the measurements on the 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.
Tips For Making 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.
Kitchen Tools I Use When Making Homemade Cookies
Here are some of my must-have kitchen essentials that help to make this recipe even easier.
Whisk: A good whisk doesn't have to be expensive, but it's a kitchen must-have for really combining ingredients like the melted butter and sugars.
Cookie Scoop: I use my cookie scoop so often that I bought a second one. It's great for scooping cookies, mini muffins, and even meatballs.
Silicone Spatula: A great all-purpose spatula is a must-have. They're great for incorporating dry ingredients that are harder to whisk in and scraping the bowl.
Kitchen Scale: Using a kitchen scale is easier than measuring with measuring cups. It's also more accurate! I was a holdout for a long time, but now I love using my kitchen scale.
More Easy Cookie Recipes!
More Easy Cookie Recipes!- Chewy Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Thick Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies
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!
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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 flour¹
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt2
- 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
- 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.
- Or 1/4 teaspoon table salt.
- 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 Information
Published 8/16/16. Updated with new photos and tips 10/3/18.
Adapted from Pinch of Yum.
veronica says
They were great! I switch up some of the ingredients so it was healthier and it still tasted amazing.
Kate says
Thank you so much!
Jay says
I would to add nuts…would that be possible w/o altering the rest of the recipe?
Kate says
Absolutely! Just add in the chopped nuts with the chocolate chips.
Gordon Shephard says
Amazing recipe – I tried them for the very first time and they turned out perfect. Incredibly tasty and super simple to make. Absolutely not salty – I did use kosher salt and no tools at all other than a spoon for mixing and a scale for weighing the flour.
I did change the cooking time to 15 minutes though. I’m not sure if it’s because of my cookie sheet (it’s an insulated one) or that my oven wasn’t at 350 degrees (though I did pre-heat it) – but the cookies, even at 15 minutes, were still pretty soft (perfect, actually) – and not brown at all. I’m going to do a second batch, and this time cross-check with the oven thermometer to make sure it’s at 350 and report back. Everything else worked out like a charm – hand mixing was a piece of cake.
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m so glad that they worked out well for you! And thank you for sharing your notes!
Gordon Shephard says
I made them a second time – this time calibrated my oven thermometer with my remote-thermapro. Temperature on both of them was 350-355, but it *did* take 20 minutes after my oven registered 350 before the inside got there – when the oven said 350, it was actually 330 according to the two thermometers.
But – Hah, I figured out why the cookies were still a little underdone at 15 minutes when I read your recipe more carefully – this recipe is for *24 Cookies* – not 8. :-) They still turn out marvelously, though you definitely need to cook them for more than 8-10 minutes if you are only cooking 8 at a time. Thanks again for perhaps one of my favorite recipes of all of 2020. I’ll be coming back to this one for years to come – It’s perfection. Might even inspire me to purchase a second cookie tray…
Gordon Shephard says
Completed my third batch – this time scooping them into 1 1/2 tablespoon smaller cookies. I also added a Pizza Stone right under the cookie tray and pre-heated for 30 minutes, and calibrated both my oven thermometer and remote therma-pro to be sure that I was right at 350 degrees. Opening up the oven would drop it to 335, and it would take about 90 seconds to get back to 350, probably helped a bit by the pizza stone acting as a store of heat.
With all that said, and even at 24 cookies per batch – 8-10 minutes still results in very soft cookies. I did the second tray at 12 minutes, and they still come out very soft, though, this time with a *hint* of golden on their bottoms (though definitely not close to brown). I’m wondering if the difference is I have an insulated cookie sheet? The good news is the cookies are incredibly delicious, so none of this experimentation has been problematic whatsoever.
Kate says
Thanks so much for sharing all of your results! I use a 1.5 tablespoon scoop to make the cookies, and I slightly underbake my cookies to keep them soft. I don’t let them get golden brown so that they will stay soft longer. Also, I don’t use an insulated cookie sheet, but I do use silpats when I bake the cookies. Again, thanks for sharing your results! =)
Erik Parker says
Second time making cookies from scratch and so far this is the winning recipe! I used carob chips instead of chocolate chips and added in some walnuts and they were delish! Thanks so much for the recipe!!
Kate says
Thank you! And thanks for sharing your notes!
Jayjay says
Great it’s a favourite
Kate says
Thank you so much!
Mary says
My five year old said these cookies are glorious! :)
Kate says
Yay!! Thank you both!
Olivia says
Damn it always works out, you can add cocoa if you want chocolate chocolate chip cookies 😅 Works with any additions, it’s perfect.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad you like them!
Daphne says
Great recipe. I added pecans. Very yummy and cooked perfectly according to your directions!
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m glad to hear that!
celeste says
Can I remove the egg and the vanila extract from this recipe?
Kate says
I haven’t tried that to say how that will turn out.
Nush says
First time baking chocolate chip cookies from scratch. Loved the recipe! We left the cookies in the oven for 15 minutes instead but it turned out great.
Kate says
Thank you so much!!
Gerald Cox says
First time cookies . turned out very,good
Kate says
Thank you so much!!
Bacon says
This recipe is so good. I love it. Thanks for making my day
Kate says
Glad you liked the cookies!
judah says
These cookies rock they are so good.
Kate says
Thank you so much!!
Meemee says
Tried this recipe. It came out amazing. Thank you
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you liked the cookies!
Lacy says
Best cookie recipe ever! Soooo good.
Kate says
Thank you so much!!
Jonathan says
This is a super easy, and yes, fast, cookie recipe. I’ve been using this base recipe for all sorts of additions. I usually add a tsp or so of half-n-half to help moisten the batter-it’s very dry here in Idaho and I find this helps. A great recipe-where has it been all my life?
Kate says
Thank you!! I’m glad that you found it! =)
Larry says
I just made these cookies, and they’re delicious!
Kate says
Thank you so much!
Supna says
I’ve been trying to find some easy beginner cookies recipes and this was seemed perfect! I bet it would have been wonderful if I knew more about baking and was better at it. I think I made a few mistakes and therefore there not as good. I made them too big and baked them a little too long. Anyone have any tips for beginner bakers? (I’m 12 btw)
Kate says
Absolutely! Did you have any specific questions about baking?
As far as the size goes, I find that it’s easiest to use a cookie scoop because then you get cookies that are the same size, so they bake more evenly that way. To keep your cookies soft, I recommend slightly underbaking the cookies. The edges should be set, and the middles should look slightly underdone (still be a little puffy and look soft). This will help to keep your cookies soft after they’ve cooled.
Nancy says
These are my go-to recipe! Easy to make. I’m too lazy to cream butter, hah. Thanks!
Kate says
I’m glad that the cookies have worked well for you! =)
Diana Lynn Bellas says
very good and easy to make.
Kate says
Thank you!