Easiest Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (2024)

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Easiest Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe is a simple chocolate chip cookie recipe that makes super soft chocolate, super yummy chip cookies – 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.

What Makes This the Simplest Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe?

This recipe uses just a few basic ingredients – flour, sugar, baking soda, salt.

Also, it is so fast and so easy – no mixer needed, no chilling required – that the cookies can be mixed up and baked in less than twenty minutes.

How To Make Chocolate Chip Cookies

For this recipe, 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.

Once the butter has melted, whisk in the sugars until well-combined. Mix in the vanilla extract and egg.

Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in just until combined. You don’t want to overmix the dough.

Stir in the chocolate chips, and then scoop the dough. Place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.

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.

Can I Use an Electric Mixer?

Sure! You can use one if you would prefer. I do recommend mixing in the flour by hand, though, to avoid overmixing the dough.

Tips/FAQ

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!

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.
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.
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 the measurements on the 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.

Tips For Making 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.

Kitchen Tools I Use When Making Homemade Cookies

Here are some of my must-have kitchen essentials that help to make this recipe even easier.

Whisk: A good whisk doesn’t have to be expensive, but it’s a kitchen must-have for really combining ingredients like the melted butter and sugars.

Cookie Scoop: I use my cookie scoop so often that I bought a second one. It’s great for scooping cookies, mini muffins, and even meatballs.

Silicone Spatula: A great all-purpose spatula is a must-have. They’re great for incorporating dry ingredients that are harder to whisk in and scraping the bowl.

Kitchen Scale: Using a kitchen scale is easier than measuring with measuring cups. It’s also more accurate! I was a holdout for a long time, but now I love using my kitchen scale.

More Easy Cookie Recipes!

Chewy Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies
Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
Thick Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies

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!

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4.97 from 1561 votes

Easiest Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Author Kate @ I Heart Eating

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes minutes

Total Time 18 minutes minutes

Easiest chocolate chip cookie recipe - no mixer, no chilling necessary. Also, check out the video just above the 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 flour¹
▢ 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
▢ 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt²
▢ 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

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.
Or 1/4 teaspoon table salt.
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!

Published 8/16/16. Updated with new photos and tips 10/3/18.

Adapted from Pinch of Yum.

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Created by Kate

Kate got her first cookbook when she was five years old, and she hasn't stopped cooking since then! Her delicious recipes have been featured on Food Network, MSN, Better Homes & Gardens, Buzzfeed, The Huffington Post, and more. When she's not cooking or baking, she can be found on her mini farm with her husband and her five kids.

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!

FAQs

What is the secret to making good cookies? ›

The key is to always use top-quality ingredients as they'll result in a better cookie; it really is that simple.

Always use butter.
Choose the right sugar.
Choose the right flour.
Check your flour is in date.
Choose the right kind of chocolate.
Cream the butter and sugar.
Beat in the eggs.
Fold in the flour.

More items...

Discover More ›

What makes cookies soft or chewy? ›

If you enjoy your cookies soft and chewy, chances are likely the recipe contains a common ingredient that serves a very specific purpose. No, it's not granulated sugar, nor the butter. It's not the egg, all-purpose flour, or even the vanilla extract. The simple, yet oh-so-necessary component is cornstarch.

Read The Full Story ›

What is the secret to keeping chocolate chip cookies soft? ›

Putting a slice of fresh white bread in the container with the cookies will help the cookies stay soft: fresh bread is moist, and that slice will give up its moisture for the greater good: keeping the cookies from drying out.

Read The Full Story ›

What is the best flour for cookies? ›

All-Purpose Flour: The Versatile Choice

All-purpose flour is the most commonly used flour in cookie recipes due to its moderate protein content (usually around 10-12%).

Learn More Now ›

Why do my cookies get hard after they cool? ›

Cookies become hard when the moisture in them evaporates. This can be caused by leaving them out in the air for too long, baking them for too long, or storing them improperly. The lack of moisture makes the cookies hard and dry, which makes them difficult to enjoy.

Discover More ›

Why do my chocolate chip cookies get hard so fast? ›

Don't Overbake! This isn't a revolutionary tip and is probably quite obvious, but if you leave your cookies in the oven for even a few minutes longer than necessary, the mix will dry too quickly and lead to more rigid, dry cookies.

Why are my chocolate chip cookies so hard? ›

According to The Kitchn, this occurs when you over-mix the dough. Mixing the dough naturally causes gluten to develop in the flour, and while you do need a good amount of gluten to give your cookies structure, too much of it will result in hard cookies.

Get More Info Here ›

Why are my chocolate chip cookies fluffy and not flat? ›

Q: Why are my cookies so puffy and cakey? Whipping too much air into the dough. That fluffy texture you want in a cake results from beating a lot of air into the room temperature butter and sugar, and it does the same for cookies. So don't overdo it when you're creaming together the butter and sugar.

Discover More Details ›

Should you refrigerate cookie dough before baking? ›

Why You Need to Chill Your Cookie Dough. For starters, chilling prevents cookies from spreading out too quickly once they're in the oven. If you use a higher fat butter (like Kerrygold), chilling your dough is absolutely essential.

Should you chill cookie dough before baking? ›

Firm dough prevents the cookies from spreading too much, which is why chilling the dough is a crucial step for cut-out and rolled cookies. "The colder and more solid the fat is, the less the cookie will spread," says food stylist and recipe developer Caitlin Haught Brown.

Should I use baking soda or baking powder in cookies? ›

Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies. Since baking powder is comprised of a number of ingredients (baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, etc.), using it instead of pure baking soda will affect the taste of your cookies.

Show Me More ›

What are 4 tips to keep in mind while making cookies? ›

10 Tips for Baking Perfect Cookies

Ingredients at room temperature.
Cream butter and sugars.
Do not overmix cookie dough.
Use a cookie scoop for even cookies.
Chill cookie dough before baking/Age your dough.
Use silicone baking mats for easy release.
Bake in the center of the oven.
Do not overbake the cookies.

More items...

Dec 11, 2023

See Details ›

What is the most important thing in cookies? ›

Flour is the main ingredient that provides structure in a cookie – without it, there would be no cookie! The gluten in flour forms a web of sorts – the framework that catches the air bubbles/gasses given off during rising. This helps provide the structure.

Discover More ›

What makes a high quality cookie? ›

The best cookies have layers of texture. A slightly crisp outer shell that holds up to some heat with an inner core that's soft and chewy.

Get More Info ›

How to bake cookies like a pro? ›

After you cut out shapes, allow the dough chill on the pan in the refrigerator to prevent over spreading as they bake. For drop cookies, use a scoop to ensure even amount of dough for each cookie—uniform sized cookies bake more evenly. Give about 2 inches of space between cookies on the pan for spreading while baking.

Learn More Now ›

Easiest Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (2024)

What Makes This the Simplest Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe?

How To Make Chocolate Chip Cookies

Can I Use an Electric Mixer?

Tips/FAQ

Tips For Making Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

Kitchen Tools I Use When Making Homemade Cookies

More Easy Cookie Recipes!

Easiest Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Ingredients

Instructions

Video

Notes

Nutrition

Did You Make This Recipe?

New Recipes In Your Inbox!

Created by Kate

Reader Interactions

Love this recipe?

Leave A Reply!

Comments & Reviews

FAQs

What is the secret to making good cookies? ›

Should I use baking soda or baking powder in cookies? ›

References