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
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
Kaitlyn says
So good and easy! I folded in 3/4 c. of walnuts and half block of cream cheese cubes and made them loaded chocolate chip cookies. This will be my new go to chocolate chip recipe.
Kate says
How fun! Thanks for sharing that twist on the recipe!
Maria says
Best cookies!!!! Love this recipe!
Kate says
Thank you so much!
Wanda A Hall says
I made these this morning. They are very good!!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you liked the cookies.
Katie Jo says
My fiancé was making cute jokes about wanting cookies at 9:45 at night. I typed into google “the easiest chocolate chip cookie recipe” and lo and behold, I found it right away. He was munching on warm cookies by 10:30pm. Fool proof and tasty!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that they worked out well for you!
Bill Q says
My 11 year-old son and his older brothers wanted dessert, and we didn’t feel like going out, so googled and found this recipe. It turned out really good. Not sure what we did wrong, but the dough was pretty crumbly when putting on the cookie sheet, but they cooked up good and soft.
Kate says
I’m glad that they turned out well for you!
Dee says
My grandson and I enjoyed making these cookies. He loves them and he’s a tough critic! Thank you!
Kate says
Yay! I’m so glad to hear that!
Mandy says
Simple and Delicious=Yummy! A must try for everyone.
Thank you.
Kate says
Thank you!
Abby says
I am going to make them today, but I am sure they will be very good!
Kate says
Hope you like them!
Raquel says
My daughter’s and I (8 and 5) just made these. The recipe was so easy and they turned out delicious! I was a little worried about under cooking them but I baked them for 9 minutes and they were perfect!! Thank you for such an easy yummy recipe!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that they turned out well for you and your girls!
Jennifer says
Wow! I’m a great comfort food maker, but I cannot make desserts. I tried your recipe, and they were delicious!! Thank you for the recipe and easy to follow directions. They definitely gave me a boost of much needed confidence
Kate says
Thank you!
Stacey Z. says
I replaced half the flour with almond flour, used Lakanto (sugar-free mixture of monkfruit and erythritol) brown sugar replacement in place of the brown sugar, replaced half of the sugar with Lakanto white sugar replacement, and used organic cane sugar for the other half, and I doubled the egg and added some baking powder (1/4 tsp for a half batch) and a little extra baking soda (1/8 tsp for a half batch) as a rising agent for the almond flour, and they came out perfect! I’m not sure if the same concept would work with a full almond flour replacement (either tripling or quadrupling the egg and even more baking powder/soda), but I can recommend this substitution for anyone trying to restrict calories! (I don’t like using all almond flour because of the weird, grainy texture.)
Kate says
Thank you for sharing those changes!
Lauren says
So good!!! So easy!!
Kate says
Thank you!
NO says
THE BEST COOKIES EVER!
Kate says
Thank you!
Irene J says
These were absolutely amazing! I’m usually horrible with baking, and I failed to make cookies 4 times, but this recipe was amazing. Even my picky mom and sister agreed. I think I will use a little less butter next time. Slightly oily, but was still delish! I even used full muscovado sugar, but still came out great. Will definitely make this again next time.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you liked them!
Callan says
Great recipe! Has a remarkably non-sticky texture, and is delicious in every way! Insanely easy. Will be making these again.
Kate says
Thank you so much!
Al Saveriano says
Superbly simple. Came out absolutely perfect. My wife said it reminded her of the Entenmann’s soft chocolate chip cookies , for those who live in the northeast or have heard of Entenmann’s. Perfect. Thank you.
Kate says
Thank you so much!
Ree says
Simple, Chewy & Delicious!!!! I will be making these again soon!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you liked the cookies!
Connie says
Holy cow! These are the best I have ever made—
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad you liked them!
Jessmarie says
I’ve used this recipe countless times! I’ve even wowed potential clients and friends that have come to my home for a dinner meeting, and I whip these bad boys up in no time at all! I add a small amount of molasses to these as well, and this is also my base for many cookies (oatmeal raisin, kitchen sink cookies etc. 😋 ) Thank you for this recipe!
Kate says
That sounds delicious! Thanks for commenting!
Gina Brown says
Wow. Who knew a choc chip cookie could be made so much easier and sooo good. I used Ghirardelli 69% cacao chips. Deee-lish! Thanks!!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked them!
naomi says
I love cookies!
Kate says
Great! You’re in the right place.
Cassandra says
Came out as perfect as your photos and the two kiddos here were so happy they could eat them up quicker than later as traditional chilled dough. Perfection!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that they were a hit!
Terry Esselborn says
The 5 stars are for the Chocolate Chocolate Chip cookies I made last night following your instructions to a tee. Only thing I did different is I used GLUTEN FREE FLOUR! They turned out awesome. Best cookies I have ever made. They were so good. I used everything organic except the flour was not, but it was NON GMO. So Gluten free flour works really well with this recipe. Hats off to you for the best chocolate chip cookie ever. Thank you so much it was soo good!
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m glad that you liked them!
KoKo E. says
I absolutely love this recipe!! I replaced the chocolate chips with dried cranberries and they turned out amazing!!
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m glad you liked them!
Christina says
Love this recipe. I use this as a base for a lot of cookies I will experiment with. They always turn out chewy and doughy, how I like them. I’ve added different nuts, sprinkles, cacao powder, or a mixture of these ingredients to switch up the type of cookie. I also have used this recipe to teach my home ec students how to make cookies. The melted butter makes it much easier.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that it has worked out well for you and for your students!
Anonymous says
I’ve been searching for a long time for a cookie recipe to fall in love with and this is the one. It might seem sketchy but these are the best best best. Do everything the recipe says, unless you don’t have semisweet chocolate chips and used bittersweet like me.
WendyG says
Fantastic recipe! The whole family loves them!!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad your family likes them!
Jamie W says
If you suggest weighing the ingredients, why don’t you list the grams that need to be weighed out?
Kate says
You can click on the “metric” link directly underneath the ingredients to get the weights.