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
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Originally published 8/16/16. Adapted from Pinch of Yum.
Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Shree Naik says
i made cookies for the first time and they turned out so well! i probably added a little too much sugar but i am gonna take care of that next time i make them. my brother never likes anything i bake and he loved these cookies. thank you!
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad! Thank you for coming back to comment! =)
Patti Smith says
The cookies are still in the oven but the dough is amazing!!!?
Kate says
Yay!! I hope you enjoy the cookies! =)
Francine says
This was the perfect recipe for my children to learn on. My 7 year old measured/weighed everything out, reinforcing her math skills. She loved it, we subtracted the amount she put in from the amount we needed, to tell us exactly how much over we went. It made her so excited that cooking has math involved! My two year old loved string the mixture up, observing the different textures and what happens when we add dry ingredients to liquid ingredients, he kept showing his sister and dad the different textures. This was the perfect indirect sensory experiment for him! Of course the best part was watching them eat the cookies. ? I baked them for the 8 minutes suggested, and they came out PERFECT. This is going to be my go to Christmas cookie recipe (and the kids will definitely be helping!). THANK YOU!
Does this cookie recipe double/triple well?
Kate says
Love this!! I love that you were teaching your kids math skills while baking. My kids learned basic fractions from baking, and I think it’s that those real-world uses are so great for kids. Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment! It made my day. =)
Anna says
I followed this recipe exactly, but the cookies came out more like cake than cookie texture. I double checked the recipe to make sure i didn’t make any mistakes. They’re also quite tall, not flat like in the photo. Any clues?
Kate says
Yep! What you described is the result of too much flour in the dough. If you spooned and leveled the flour, you may find that you just need to add a little less flour (start with 1/4 cup less and then go from there). If you have any questions, please let me know! I’m happy to help. =)
Stephanie Bennett says
Easiest BEST chocolate chip recipe EVER!! And they are DELICIOUS!!!
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m so glad that you liked the cookies. =) Thank you for coming back to comment!
Lauren says
This is the soft cookie recipe we’ve been looking for! They came out perfectly and I added just a few flakes of high quality flake salt to send them into the next level of salty-sweet perfection.
Kate says
Yay! I’m so glad you found it! I like a little bit of salt with my cookies, too. =)
Alaa Magdy says
Thank you so much the recipe is amazing
, It was my first trial and my friends liked the cookies so much
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad! Thank you for commenting! =)
Jaime Paul says
Best recipe ever!!
Made them the other night…. turns out my ovens a little hot so they hardened but still delicious! Made them again tonight…. less time…. PERFECT!!! Will continue to make them again and again! Thank you!! :)
Kate says
Thank you! Yes!!! Getting to know how your oven bakes is so key! I’m glad you were able to get them to work perfectly in your oven! Thank you for coming back to comment. =)
woan cian says
Hi Kate! I tried this recipe yesterday. It really taste good and easy to do for a beginner like me! Thanks , im from Petaling Jaya, Malaysia too!
Kate says
Yay! I’m so glad that you liked the cookies! =) Thanks for commenting!
Iwa Salim says
Hi Kate! Thank you for this! I was craving for some ‘easiest’ choc chip cookies and tried your recipe. It was yummy and satisfying! My husband loves it because it was soft to his liking, even my little brother said it’s “sedap!” (delish)! So, Terima Kasih! (that’s Thank You in Malay language) ~ From Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Kate says
Yay! I’m so glad! I love to hear that people are enjoying this recipe all over the world! =) Thank you for taking the time to comment!
Peter Thomas says
Have made these twice and both were amazing!!! I recommend adding a little less flour (about a tablespoon) and adding about half a teaspoon more of salt. Really good!!! I made with half white and half milk chocolate and it was aces. Really good recipe.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m always glad to hear that people are able to make tweaks to the recipe so that it’s just to their liking. =) Thanks for commenting!
Julie A O'Hagan says
These choc chip cookies are great! Followed your recipe exactly and my grandson, well, everyone, loved these. About to make more.
Kate says
Yay!! I love to hear things like that! =) Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment.
Sherry says
Thank you the recipe!! It is easy and these cookies are great!! I use peanut butter chips or m&m’ s sometimes too
Kate says
You are so welcome! Thank you! Those sound like delicious alternatives. =) Thanks for commenting!
Lydia says
This is a really good recipe! Served warm and not a cookie left! I didn’t melt the butter all the way (just softened in microwave). Dark brown sugar dark chocolate chips (what I had on hand.). Temp and baking time were perfect!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad the cookies were a hit. =) Thanks for coming back to comment!
Jeralyn Fetter says
Great cookie recipe!!!!! Not too difficult and delicious!!! Thank you for sharing with others!
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m so glad that you liked the cookies and found them easy to make. =) Thanks for commenting!
Krista says
I had to leave a review to say that I can never get my
Chocolate chip cookies to come right. I was pleasantly surprised how easy and tasty these cookies were! Thanks this is now my go to chocolate chip cookie recipe!
Kate says
Yay!! That’s awesome! I know how frustrating it can be when recipes don’t come out right, and I’m so glad that these cookies worked for you. Thanks for coming back to comment! =)
Daniela says
These literally are 10 min cookies and they turn out great. Simple, Fast, Delicious! What more do you need?
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked them. =) Thanks for commenting!
Heather says
These turned out DELICIOUS!! THANK YOU KATE!!!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked the cookies! Thanks for coming back to comment. =)
Brenda Dougherty says
I love this recipe. I dont own a mixer and using melted butter is magic for me. Thank you
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad to hear that. You might like my chewy brown sugar chocolate chip cookie recipe too. It’s also made with melted butter and doesn’t require a mixer. =)
Amanda says
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I just made these and they are amazing. Definitely saving this recipe :) Question: how long do you think this cookie dough would last in the fridge/freezer? I’m tempted to premake batches of this to have on hand at all times! Thanks again.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad you like the cookies! =) I’ve found that cookie dough is best used in the first 2 days. I think by the third day, the quality starts to decrease. I usually use frozen cookie dough within 3 months. Again, I think the quality starts to decrease after that. Hope that helps!