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!
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!
You can subscribe to receive my latest recipe newsletters or follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for even more delicious food.
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?
Share it with me on Instagram @i_heart_eating and follow on Youtube @katedean and Pinterest @katedean for more!
Originally published 8/16/16. Adapted from Pinch of Yum.
Reader Interactions
Love this recipe?
Share your thoughts below and let’s chat! Make sure to connect with me on your favorite social platform below and show me what you made!
Comments & Reviews
Terry says
Hi Kate; I am using your recipe for the first time. I have 4x it because everyone in the family wants some of whatever I’m baking. For some reason my batter is very dry, flakey. I have to use a measuring spoon to get it to hold together and put it on my baking sheet. I have pictures but didn’t see a way to post them for you. The only thing I did differently was to use butter flavored Crisco instead of butter. Would that have caused the problem I’m having? They taste great and I have to squash them after being in the oven for a few minutes.
Kate says
Hi! It sounds like there are two issues here. Let’s talk about the Crisco first. Shortening and butter act differently in cookies and produce different results. This recipe was written using melted butter. Solid shortening and liquid melted butter are going to act differently in the recipe. Shortening helps cookies hold their shape (not spread out during baking) and produces soft cookies that are are taller.
Unfortunately, making a quadruple recipe isn’t as easy as simply multiplying all of the ingredients by 4. Most baking recipe will work out well if doubled, but making a 4x batch often requires other tweaks to the recipe. For instance, baking soda and baking powder don’t scale in a nice, neat fashion, so baking soda is once ingredient that you’d need to adjust as needed. Baking soda helps the cookies to spread while baking, so that may have been another problem. Also, if you’re making such large batches, I highly recommend investing in a kitchen scale to get accurate measurements. When you’re measuring that much flour, a little extra in each cup can really add up, which, in addition to less liquid from using solid shortening instead of liquid butter, would give you dry cookie dough.
Stephanie says
Very new to baking and had to google what ‘set’ meant in the recipe, but SO GOOD!!! Definitely using finishing salt on the cookies after they come out of the oven next time though :P
Kate says
I’m so glad that they worked out well for you!! In the future, if you ever have any questions about terms like that, I’m happy to help!
Chels says
SERIOUSLY THE BEST EVER!!!
Kate says
Thanks!!
Natalie says
Thank you for sharing! I have two very happy junior chefs who love this recipe.
Kate says
Yay!! I’m glad that it was a hit!
Maddie says
the recipe is fire!!!
Kate says
Thank you!
Bev says
I just spent the last 20 minutes scrolling up and down this article, trying to find the recipe, good grief! By the time I FINALLY found it, I was far too **** off to even TRY your recipe, so I will pass on yours and find another recipe!!! (grrrrr!!!) 😡
Kate says
Hi Bev! I’m sorry that you weren’t able to find the recipe. When you first land on the page, there’s a big blue “jump to recipe” button. That will take you straight to the recipe. Also, my recipes have a large blue box with a photo at the top, so they should be hard to miss.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you liked the cookies!
Jenny says
These were perfect and I’m not a good cookie maker. I followed this recipe exactly. Thank you!
Kate says
Yay!! I’m glad that they turned out well for you!
Les Addler says
My 5yr old son chose this as his first cookie recipe. We made them together, it was super easy and delicious. Thank you so much!
Kate says
How sweet!! I’m so glad that you two enjoyed the cookies!
Claire says
Elegantly easy and quick – and delicious!
Added chopped walnuts too, with good results.
Kate says
Thank you so much!
Lisa says
These cookies are fantastic! Thank you for a perfect recipe. I will make these over and over! YUM!
Kate says
Thank you so much!
Mary Messick says
Super tasty chocolate chip cookies! And they are nice and soft! Love this recipe and would advise anyone who likes chocolate chip cookies to try this recipe!!
Kate says
Thank you!
Bonniejean says
This is my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe. I make them once or twice a month!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that the recipe works well for you!
Robin says
It was 9:59 PM and I was dying for a cookie…nothing worth eating in the cupboard…I did a quick Google search for easiest cookies and took a chance on the first recipe that popped up!
I’m glad I went with it because I was eating an awesome, hot and gooey Chocolate Chip cookie by 10:26…. I used a cookie scoop that yielded 30 cookies I did add a couple extra minutes in the oven because they do look very light, even after 10 min….
I experimented with going to 375 degrees for 10 min and that added a touch more golden color without detracting from the gooey moist cookie. I don’t leave a lot of reviews, but I had to give kudos for this recipe!
Kate says
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review! I’m so glad that you liked the cookies!
Angelique says
What a great recipe! The best chocolate chip cookies I have ever made. I will definitely be using this recipe every time. Thank you for posting it!
Kate says
Thank you so much!!
Angela says
Wonderful recipe! Thank you for sharing it.
Kate says
Thank you!
Vina says
Today I tried this recipe for the first time! Love the cookies!!! Thanks for sharing the recipe
I use gluten free flour, and it still good! I added almond slice and chocochip this time ❤️ will try another next time
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that the gf flour worked out well!
Katie Biscope says
I lOVED these cookies it was fast and easy to make. Thank you for these amazing cookies!
Kate says
Thank you so much!!
Cheri says
Would I have to alter the recipe if I added dried cranberries?
Kate says
You shouldn’t need to make any changes if you add dried cranberries.
Emily says
Wow just wow my kids 9 and 15 loved this recipe! They both made it together and it’s overall just a really good convenient recipe defiantly recommend!
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad that they loved it!
Sandy Beeler says
Hi there ; these were great! I look after children and made these with three ,3 year olds and a 5 year old ! We had a great time ! Turned out to be quite the easy snack !
Kate says
Yay!! I’m glad that they were easy and worked out well.
Arka says
This recipe was super easy and very delicious. This recipe is perfect for my school project!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad it worked well for you.
Charlotte says
Seriously one of the easiest cookie recipes out there. I make these cookies every three days and my whole family loves them! I often change up the flavorings with cinnamon, white chocolate chips, dark chocolate etc. :)
Kate says
Thanks! I’m glad that the recipe was easy!
Hannah says
This recipe was so yummy! My mom hates big messes, but I finally got her to give me the thumbs up for this recipe. I made it, and it was SOOOO GOOD!! It also made little mess! For people reading this review, I think you should really try it! Thank you so much Kate!
Kate says
Thanks! I’m glad that it got the thumbs up!
Merline says
Was in the mood for cookies but was dreading the mess. This recipe was quick and easy and yummy!
Kate says
Thank you!
Kristin says
So mine turned out still very tasty but they didn’t spread out and were just a little cakey. Not sure what I did….I sifted the flour and everything. But seriously still easy and very yummy!
Kate says
Hi! If your baking soda is older or expired, that can keep the cookies from spreading. I’ve found that the cookies are cakey-er when I mix them with an electric mixer. If you used a mixer, you may want to try hand mixing. Hope that helps!
Julianna says
I had given up trying to bake cookies because whenever I tried in the past, they always ended up getting burned, but with your recipe, they turned out perfect! I baked them for about 10 minutes or so and they ended up being soft and chewy but not undercooked. Thank you for sharing this easy recipe!!
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad that the cookies turned out well for you!
Natty says
So good! So quick! So easy! I’ll admit, I had my doubts, since most great cookie recipes are usually a little more labor and time intensive, but these definitely exceeded my expectations. Thank you Kate, I’ll be using your recipe a LOT!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you liked the cookies!