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
Hayley says
Best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had honestly. Soo good.
Sadiya says
Easy, delicious cookies that keep well! My go-to recipe when making large batches of cookies.
Kate says
Thank you!
Alex says
I have made this recipe a few times. Previously I have measured the dry ingredients with measuring cups and used all purpose flour. They have turned out well. I decided to weight my dry ingredients and substitute the ap flour for bread flour… and they are the best cookies I have ever made!
Kate says
Thank you so much!
Abby says
Made these today! So easy and yummy!!
Kate says
Thank you!
Elisa says
My husband is a Cookie Monster and this is his favorite recipe. I don’t even really like chocolate chip cookies, but these are amazing. I personally use a flax egg, but otherwise follow this exactly step by step.
Also, a big plus — The only mixer I need is my fork!
Kate says
Thanks! I’m glad that you two are enjoying them!
Twisted says
Absolutely wonderful recipe making them with special butter! Yummy!
Kate says
Thank you!
Debra says
This is my new “favoritist” choc chip cookie recipe !!! My oven did require 10 min…made a perfect, chewy, slightly golden cookie. The tip for using fluffy, measured flour was helpful.
Kate says
Thanks! I’m so glad that the tips were helpful!
Joe Sank says
Made these cookies today wonderful recipe, very easy to follow i added pecans for a little extra goodness highly recommend checking this out
Kate says
Thanks!
Erie’s Food Junkie says
Awesome recipe very easy to follow I did cook mine a little longer but no problem at all thanks for the great recipe this is a keeper
Kate says
Thank you!
Jackie says
Is this salted or unsalted butter that is supposed to be used??
Kate says
I use salted butter.
Marley says
If you follow the recipe exactly these cookies will come out amazing! I made them with my kid and he had so much fun. Thank you so much for sharing.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you enjoyed the cookies!
Rose says
Can you freeze dough? I’m assuming yes?
Thank you!!
Kate says
You can! I recommend freezing the dough in scoops for ease in baking.
Carol Wickwire says
Perfect!! The only change I would make would be to double the recipe at a minimum. This made roughly 20 or so nice sized cookies.
Kate says
Thank you!
Caroline says
There is seriously a reason why this recipe is five stars. It is awesome! I currently have crummy measuring cups, but I got the right amounts of everything. The steps were clear and it was so easy to follow. The cookies were gorgeous and tasty! Thank you, Kate, for making a recipe that even a newbie like me can follow! (This was the first time I have made chocolate chip cookies from scratch.) Happy Christmas! :)
Kate says
I’m so glad that it worked out well for you! I hope you had a merry Christmas!
Susan says
This is my go to recipe now. It never fails! Just made a double batch to use as Christmas gifts this year!
Kate says
Thank you!
Shana Duncan says
We loved the cookies! Perfect and soooooo easy!
Thanks and Merry Christmas!
Kate says
Thank you so much! Merry Christmas to you, too!
Mimi says
Love how easy and delicious these are. Better than my mom’s and hers were pretty darn good. I am the new queen of chocolate chip cookies in our family!
Kate says
Yay! I’m so glad to hear that!
Cynthia says
Love this easy recipe!! My family loved the cookies and ate them all!!!!! Thank u
Kate says
I’m so glad that your family loved the cookies!
Lindsey says
Very easy and they taste really good!!
Kate says
Thank you!
Danielle says
Can you freeze the cookie dough to bake later?
Kate says
You can! I recommend freezing the dough in scoops.
Nadezhda says
Your website is not allowing me to give this recipe 5 stars!
Kate says
Thanks!