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
Christina Upchurch says
I made 100 of these this morning for a funeral dessert. Wow. Every single one turned out perfectly. Followed the recipe exactly. This is the quintessential chocolate chip cookie. Thank you!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that they all came out well for you! Thank you for taking the time to come back to comment.
Shane says
Well, here I am in the cooking mode again. I was going to do a macaroni pasta salad and ended up here. Guess I give I give this a shot and see how it goes. I enjoy the reviews and the website. All goes well, “I’ll be back” ??
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you are enjoying my site. Hope you enjoy the cookies as much as we do. =)
Shane says
Another great success! Want sure about it all when I looked at dough. Mixed in chocolate and peanut butter chips and it was enjoyed. Thank you for your time and your site. Bookmarked and I will use it mire. Try to post when I can.
Kate says
I’m glad they worked out! Peanut butter and chocolate is a great combo. =) Thank you for commenting!
Carl says
Nice! I was a chocolate chip starving guy just a little while ago… these were super easy and I couldn’t mess it up… delicious! Thank you
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad these cookies came through for you. =) Thanks for coming back to comment!
Mateo says
This recipe is very good. Just one thing, you should add 2 cups of flour instead of 1 3/4.
Kate says
Thank you! I haven’t had any issues with the 1 3/4 cups; however, amounts could vary depending on any number of factors such as the humidity that day. I’m just glad that you ended up with good cookies. =)
Meshalle says
2 cups of you are at high altitude! 1 3/4 if not… I have made them in both Colorado and in Georgia! Makes a difference both came out perfect!
Kate says
Thank you so much! I can’t test out high altitude adjustments, and I really appreciate it when people can jump in with tips like this. Thanks again! =)
Kaitlynn Burley says
These are the best cookies I’ve ever had, and my family loves them! I finally found an easy recipe that works! Thanks so much!
Kaitlynn Burley says
My family thinks they are the best, and it’s such an easy recipe too!! I’ve struggled to find an easy chocolate chip cookie recipe until now! Thanks so much!
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad you liked them and found them easy to make! Thank you for coming back to comment! =)
Chelsey says
Thank you for the recipe! I seriously struggle making chocolate chip cookies. Lol! Most of the time they are hard or cakelike or burned on bottom and doughy on top. This recipe turned out amazing though. My nine-year-old and I spent about 7 or 8 minutes making it and the cookies are perfect! No secret instructions or weird ingredients…just simple and straight forward. Thank you!
Kate says
Awww! Thank you so much!! I’m glad that you liked the cookies and that they came out well for you. Thank you for commenting! Comments like yours really make my day. =)
Michelle Cummings says
I made these last night when my husband said he was craving cookies. Holy cow are they delicious! I am not a big fan of the toll house style cookie. It’s either too cake like or too gooey. These are the perfect cookie! Soft, chewy, they dont crumble (I made sure not to over cook!) I had a cookie at a conference that was professionally catered and wondered how they made such delicious cookies….now I have the secret recipe! A+, I have pinned this as my go to recipe for cookie making!
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad you liked them! Thank you so much!! Those are some huge compliments! =) And thank you for taking the time to come back to comment!
Abby says
Hi, how are mine not flat like urs? ??? and still soft like not cooked cookies. Pls advise
Kate says
Hi! I’m sorry to hear that you’re having a hard time making the cookies! What you described (cookies not flattening/spreading, doughy) are signs that the dough had too much flour in it. It can be easy to get too much flour if your flour is packed. If you scoop up a spoonful of flour and then spoon it into the measuring cup, that will help, or you can fluff up your flour before you measure it. Hope that helps!!
Bobbi says
We didn’t have have any treats in the house and my two little ones begged me to make cookies! I wiped these up within a half hour this afternoon and they turned out super delicious! Thanks for the quick and easy recipe, I have two happy kiddos! I also did smaller cookies (for tiny hands!) and it made 24 cookies easily!
Kate says
Yay for happy kiddos!! I’m so glad that your family liked the cookies! Thank you for coming back to comment! =)
Milly says
Can I substitute raw cane sugar (turbinado) instead of brown sugar?
Kate says
Unfortunately, I haven’t tried using turbinado in place of the brown sugar in this recipe, so I’m not sure how it will work out.
Sarah says
The best chocolate chip recipe I’ve tried. I used mini chocolate chips instead and they turned out perfect !!!
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad that they worked out well for you. Mini chips are always fun. =) Thanks for coming back to comment!
jojo says
I made the chocolate chip cookies and they turned out really good except it made half of the servings that you said they would make, so that was kind of misleading. But, they turned out really good.
Kate says
Good! I’m glad you liked the cookies! Did you use a different size cookie scoop (or measuring spoon)? That’s the only way I could see getting 12 cookies out of the recipe.
Leah C. Evans says
I just found your recipe and made your chocolate chip cookies. My first time making chocolate chip cookies. They came out perfectly! Thank you for this easy and delicious recipe!
Kate says
I’m so glad! Congrats on making your first chocolate chip cookies! =) Thank you for coming back to comment.
Delicious Cookies says
The cookies looks very good I will definitely try baking these..
Thank You.
Kate says
Thank you!
KanpurCakes says
Seriously the cookies looks good I will definitely try baking these.. Thanks a lot.. :)
Kate says
Thank you! Hope you enjoy them!
Benedatte says
Interesting I love it keep up
Kate says
Thank you! =)
Russell says
First batch of homemade cookies I ever tried to make. My 90 year old mother loves them.
Kate says
Yay!!! I love this! Thank you so much for commenting!
Madison says
Love these cookies! So easy and so good!!!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Thank you for commenting! =)
Adrienne says
Made this multiple times! So good!!
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m glad you like the cookies! Thanks for taking the time to come back to comment. =)