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
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour properly measured
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ 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.½ cup butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar
- Stir in vanilla and egg until incorporated.2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 large egg
- Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Please read the recipe note about properly measuring flour.1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Mix dough until just combined. Dough should be soft and a little sticky but not overly sticky.
- Stir in chocolate chips.1 cup semisweet 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
Abbie says
Very yummy! Did make some modifications. Ended up browning the butter on the stove for a bolder taste. And subbed coconut sugar for the granulated sugar. I did find that I had to cook a bit longer ~12 minutes. Could just be my oven though!
Kate says
Thanks!
B says
Wonderful
Kate says
Thank you!
Marty says
My family loved this recipe and it was the easiest chocolate chip cookie recipe that I have ever made. I am making it today for the second time.
Kate says
Thank you so much!
cate says
Could you freeze extra cookie dough if you’re baking for one? :)
Kate says
Absolutely! You can flash freeze scoops of the dough and then put the dough in a freezer-safe container. Then, you can grab one or two out to bake (from frozen).
Molly says
Super easy and super yummy!
Kate says
Thank you!
Kim says
Love it. Finally a right easy recipe !!
Kate says
Thanks!
Kim says
I love it !!
Kate says
Thank you!
Carmen says
I have to say,you are absolutely right,these are the best and easiest cookies,I don’t bake many cookies because they’re never great,but these were perfect and perfectly chewy,I followed your instructions for a chewy cookie,thank you,i thought my brother was going to cry,when he took a bite:)
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you enjoyed the cookies.
mia says
It doesnt have the measuring of how much butter or flour it needs to have!!!!!
Kate says
Hi! The butter measurement is the first given under the ingredient section. The flour measurement is the 6th given.
Linda Hansen says
This is my favorite choco chip recipe. I double the recipe, follow the dirctions and they turn out wonderful.
Kate says
Thank you!
Tim Goodyear says
Delicious
Kate says
Thank you!
Michelle says
Delicious and easy to make
Kate says
Thank you!
Wendy says
Have you ever baked these as a sheet pan cookie? Wondering how that might affect the cook time.
Kate says
I have a similar recipe that I make as cookie bars – https://www.ihearteating.com/chewy-chocolate-chip-cookie-bars/. It takes about 20 minutes for that recipe.
Susie says
Tasty recipe but I definitely had to cook them longer. They are actually still in the oven right now, not quite sure what the final cook time will end up being. They were very undercooked with the recommended cooking time, but perhaps her oven gets hotter than mine. Recipe was easy to put together though and they taste good.
Kate says
Thanks! Yes, oven temperatures and times can vary quite a bit.
Natasha says
Crowd favorite and SO easy to bake! I have made this recipe (and the chocolate version) at least a dozen times for my family and it is the most requested item to bake. I have served it a various parties I’ve hosted and everyone raves about these cookies! They are so easy to make and they are my go to for a sweet treat in the house!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that the cookies have been a hit!
Rachel says
I ran out of flour so I had to use 1 cup of regular flour and then 3/4 cup of white whole wheat flour. It was still really good. I also swapped the sugar quantities that you recommended. These are delicious and so easy!
Kate says
Thanks!
Sakeena says
Hi!
Love these cookies!! I was thinking of making a bigger version of these cookies.
The recipe called for 1.5 tbsp to put on the cookie sheet but if I wanted to make them bigger? I was thinking of doing 3 tbsp scoops but how long would you suggest they need to be baked?
Thanks so much!
Kate says
If you bake them larger, you could start with about 10-15 minutes and then check from there. Also, you may need to adjust the oven temperature lower by 25F if they cookies are baking too quickly outside and not baking through.
Gina says
These were perfect! I woke up wishing I had a cookie to dip in my coffee and was searching for something low effort that would come together in no time. These were easy and they came out sooo good! I topped them with flaky sea salt out of the oven. Thanks for the recipe!
Kate says
Thank you!
Melissa says
I had a craving for cookies at 11pm, so I found this recipe and wasn’t disappointed. It was easy and quick to put together. I followed your instructions for salt, and used 1/4 tsp since I did not have kosher salt. I also swapped the sugar as you suggested. I ended up rolling them big, I think I may have used too much flour however they turned out amazing. I ate 4 before bed and my craving was fixed instantly. Thank you!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad they took care of your cookie craving!
Robert says
Thank you for making my New Year even sweeter! 😋❤️
Kate says
You’re so welcome! I’m glad you liked the cookies!
Caryn says
I’ve made these several times as they are a HIT. Everyone always loves them. I originally chose this recipe due to the no chilling or mixer required. However, I got a kitchenaid stand mixer for christmas… can I use it for this recipe anyways? (Im a newbie when it comes to baking)
Kate says
Thanks! How fun! You’ll find so many great ways to use your Kitchenaid. It will give the cookies cakier texture if you use a mixer in this recipe.