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
Franklin says
These were really good.
Kate says
Thanks!
Nancie says
amazingy the best. Does not spread out and flatten. Stays chunky
Kate says
Thank you!
D says
I had to bake them a little bit longer about 12 minutes and add a little bit more butter. Otherwise they were delicious! I made some chocolate chip and some coconut chocolate chip.
Kate says
Thank you!
Channon says
This is my most requested recipe. Perfect and delicious every time! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Kate says
Thank you!
JC says
Delicious cookies! Just had to add an extra tablespoon of butter, possibly due to high altitude.
Kate says
Thank you!
sarah says
“They were delicious even though I substituted the butter with olive oil. I had to bake them for longer than the recipe suggested, and when I added more time, they turned out to be slightly overcooked. However, I believe that was my error. Overall, it was a great cookie recipe!”
Kate says
Thank you!
Kirsten says
These are easy and awesome! I also add cream cheese chips in with the chocolate chips. So good!!
Kate says
Thank you!
Ashley says
Subbed flour for almond and rice and butter for coconut oil, worked perfectly!
Kate says
I’m glad that it worked out well for you!
Ka'mia says
I just love watching new recipes and treats everyday.Morning and night I watch these delicious recipes.They make me hungry.
Kate says
Thank you!
Tina says
Very easy and quick. I pre sifted my flour , then measured!! Worked great!!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that it worked well!
Rhonda says
Loved this recipe! It is simple & cookies are delicious.
Kate says
Thank you!
Dawn says
These are by far the Chocolate Chip Cookies I’ve Been searching for. They are Perfect!!!! Thank you 😊The Long Search has ended with a Most Yummy Victory🎉🪅👑
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad to hear that!
Justin Deans says
I’m trying them with cannabis butter ! Yeehaw!
Kate says
Good luck! I hope they turn out how you’d like!
Emily says
This has become my go-to cookie recipe! Thank you Kate for sharing. 🙂
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad to hear that!
Stephanie Deneau says
Simple. Perfection.
Kate says
Thank you!
Ka'mia says
Thanksgiving is coming to me early because of these go-to recipes.
Kate says
Thanks!
Jessie says
Oh man, this was exactly what I needed. I had that “I require fresh chocolate chip cookies, and I require them five minutes ago” feeling that you described, and this absolutely delivered. Thanks!
Kate says
I’m glad that they hit the spot! =)
Holly says
I’ve made these no exaggeration probably at least 15 times. My husband requests these every weekend. They are great!! And easy to make! I will say you have to make sure you have exactly half a cup of melted butter otherwise the cookies end up too crumbly and definitely sift the flour as you said. Thank you!!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that they’ve been a hit!
Serafina says
These cookies are delicious!
Kate says
Thank you!
Kitty says
Hello! I’ve tried your recipe twice now and mine don’t flatten, they’re more like biscuits than cookies. I fluff the flour and am using the same ingredients. Any reason this might be? And any tips to prevent this from happening again? Thanks!
Kate says
Hi! There are usually three reasons why cookies don’t spread. First, there’s too much flour in the dough.
Second, the leavening (baking soda) is old/expired. You can test your baking soda by putting a small amount in a dish and adding vinegar. If it foams well, then it’s working.
Third, the oven is baking hot and setting the cookies before they can spread properly. When it’s the oven, the cookies are usually set outside but underdone on the inside.
If it sounds like the second and third reasons aren’t an issue, you can try using less flour in the next batch. Try using 1/4 cup less to see how the cookies work. I hope that helps!
Charlie says
Great recipe, I make this for my partner once a month. The only change I’ve made is using the cooked egg yolk trick to make it even more forgiving with the timing.
Kate says
Thank you!
Brandy says
If you don’t mind me asking . . . . What on earth is “the cooked egg yolk trick” you speak of??? Inquiring minds need to know 🤔 Thank you in advance!!
Jen says
Perfect!
Kate says
Thank you!