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
Loretta says
Can you make this as a bar cookie? How long and what temp would you bake them for?
Kate says
Hi! You can find my chocolate chip cookie bar recipe here.
Tru says
So easy and delicious. Perfect for a late night snack. Thanks for this awesome recipe. I will definitely be back for more,😋😍
Kate says
Thank you! I hope you find more you like!
Sarah says
Delicious! We loved these and so so easy.
Kate says
Thank you!
Anonymous says
Is this supposed to be baking soda or baking powder?
Kate says
Hi – The recipe calls for baking soda.
Alice says
Seriously, the easiest & best cookie you can ever make!!! I’m making a double batch next time to freeze,cause this one was gone in a flash!!!
Kate says
Thank you so much!!
Autumn says
They are super easy and fun. I am 12 and I love them.
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad that they were easy and that you liked them!
Dave Walker says
If you live alone, do not – I repeat – do not use the 24 cookie recipe. Cut all measurements in half, unless you think it’s a good idea to eat 24 cookies in a single day.
Follow the recipe to the letter and you will never buy another chocolate chip cookie again. These are great. Next time, I’m adding pecans.
Kate says
I’m glad that you liked the cookies! If you want to make the full recipe, you can also freeze scoops of the cookie dough for later.
ilyssa rubenstein says
These were so salty they were barely edible. Not sure why, I used the kosher salt as mentioned but clearly the measurement is way too much. So disappointed
Kate says
I want to double check that you used 1/2 teaspoon of salt. It definitely sounds like something went wrong because 1/2 teaspoon is a tiny amount of salt when spread among 24 cookies.
Lolly says
These are amazing! Quick troubleshooting question though. I made these once and didn’t have a problem with leftover flour in the bowl. This time I needed to add a little more liquid to mix it all together. Suggestions/tips to not have that happen again?
Kate says
Thank you! Did you make any changes the second time?
Gloria says
These cookies are addicting lol.
Have made multiple times. My family can go through them in a day! Be careful lol! Stash half away :)
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you like them!
no one says
You are crazy. They are prefect.
Stephanie Blank says
To the guy that said they were salty..you probably used one tablespoon instead on accident. My boyfriend tried to pour that in the bowl before I was like woahhh no!
Ronan says
Amazing cookies. They were easy quick and most of all delicious. I hope more people make these cookies.
Kate says
Thank you so much!
Ronan says
I made this for my family and they all enjoyed it. It was quick and easy. I hope more people use this recipe.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad you liked the cookies!
Beck & Bulow says
Love these cookies! Quick question – can we use any chocolates?
Kate says
Thank you! You can use another type of chocolate chip, like milk chocolate chips, if you prefer.
Anna says
To double the recipe, would it just be doubles of everything?
Kate says
Hi! Yes, it should be. You can hover over the serving size and increase it to 48. That will show you the measurements for a double batch. Hope that helps!
Kathy says
I have used this as my go to recipe for about a year now! Love them! And I just tried milk chocolate chips in them. They were yummy!
Kate says
Thank you!
Laurie B says
These came out so perfectly! I used the Toll House holiday mix with chocolate chips, marshmallows, and peppermint.
Kate says
Thank you! What festive add-ins!
K says
I’m literally crying… I’ve tried making every single recipe for homemade cookies and every time I make them they just become like cake or muffins?? It’s embarrassing and I have to make the store bought ones I don’t understand what I do wrong…
Kate says
How frustrating! Do you make an substitutions or changes to the recipe? Also, how do you measure your flour?
nina says
hi kate happy holidays this is a easy tasty cookie with basic ingredients we have in the house.thanks!
Kate says
I’m so glad that you liked them!
Cora Murphy says
Hi Kate!! These were very quick and easy I really enjoyed making them,I added peanut butter to give them extra Flavor!!😉😇😋 my 4yr old boys are going to love them too 🧡💙
Kate says
Thank you! The peanut butter sounds like a delicious twist!
Hal says
This is absolutely my go-to chocolate chip recipe. I’ve made MANY different types of cookies for my partner, but these are the ones she always wants.
Quick question: is it possible to freeze this dough to keep it for a longer length of time? If so, how would you recommend baking them post freezing?
Thanks for the recipe and advice!
Kate says
Thank you! It is possible to freeze the dough. For frozen dough, I usually add about 2-3 extra minutes to the baking time, and then I just watch the cookies from there if they need additional time. Hope that helps!
Julia says
These were a huge hit with my coworkers! Quick question- can I make the dough ahead of time and bake a day or two later? Thank you so much!
Kate says
Hi! I’m so glad that it was a hit! You can. You can just store it in the fridge. Depending on how cold the cookie dough gets, you may need to let it come up in temperature some before baking.
Neveah says
I absolutely love this recipe!! I substituted the chocolate chips for cranberries, almonds, and white chocolate chips for grandma who is allergic to chocolate and they were delicious! I prefer that over the chocolate chips!! Thank you for an awesome cookie!!
Kate says
I’m so glad that you were able to make this work for your family! Thank you for sharing that! I made a version of these cookies last year with pistachios, dried cranberries, and white chocolate, and we loved them. =)
Larissa says
Super easy to follow and make the infrequent baker that I am. Melted butter and not chilling made this an easy pick up and go. Cookies turned out delicious!
Kate says
That’s so great to hear! I’m glad that they worked out well for you!
Jessica says
Thank you so much! This was super easy and my children loved helping along with loved the cookies.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you liked them!
Mariah says
Made these cookies a couple nights ago, and they were gone within an hour. Followed the recipe exactly except for the time. I think I kept them in for about 14 or 15 minutes, but they were twelve big boys so they probably needed the time. I’ve doubled up the recipe today, got twelve in the oven and the rest of the dough chilling in the fridge. Love this recipe!!!
Kate says
Thank you so much!!
Nicole says
Amazing, quick and easy! I found them done perfectly at 15 minutes! But super easy to throw together! Annndd always use kosher salt in cookies!
Kate says
Thank you!