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If you are craving chocolate chip cookies, but don’t want a whole batch then this small batch chocolate chip cookie recipe is perfect for you!
Sometimes you just need a cookie in your life am I right? But a whole batch? Mm, maybe not so much. Usually if I want just a few cookies I make a full batch and then freeze my cookie for later. But sometimes I just want a few cookies for now, and not have to deal with freezing my leftover cookie dough.
So when a reader reached out not too long ago asking for more “small batch” recipes and desserts for two I knew the first I needed to create was a small batch chocolate chip cookie recipe.
These are the best chocolate chip cookies – just made into a small batch. They have crisp edges. Chewy centers. In order to make these small batch chocolate chip cookies instead of using a whole egg we will use an egg yolk.
These small batch cookies make the perfect amount to enjoy today and not have a bunch of cookies leftover!
See Also:
- Pucker up and enjoy one of these homemade lemon cookies with easy lemon glaze drizzled over them!
- Coconut macaroons are an easy gluten free chewy coconut cookie. Dip in chocolate for an easy chocolate treat!
- Grab a jar of peanut butter and make these wonderfully easy old fashioned peanut butter cookies with criss cross pattern on top!
- Make these brown sugar chocolate chips cookies made with 100% brown sugar making them wonderfully chewy!
What Makes These Cookies Awesome
- Makes A Small Amount Of Cookies – This small batch cookie recipe makes about 7-8 regular sized cookies (or 4 giant ones if you’re like me!) which I think is a perfect small number. Some to eat now, some to share, maybe a few for tomorrow’s lunch if you’re lucky!
- No Stand Mixer Required – This recipes uses melted butter, so no creaming is needed. That means the dough comes together in about 10 minutes with a whisk and a spatula.
- Easy recipe – This cookie recipe uses melted butter so the cookie dough mixes up easily and quickly.
- Easy, Pantry Stable Ingredients – This recipes uses common chocolate chip cookie ingredients so you may even have everything on hand right now!
Recipe Ingredients
- All-purpose flour- Be sure to measure your flour correctly so you get soft, chewy cookies. Too much flour will result in dry, crumbly cookies and not perfect cookies.Â
- Baking soda
- Cornstarch – This ingredient helps to create a soft, tender cookie. Don’t skip it!
- Salt
- Unsalted butter – Melted and slightly cooled. I recommend unsalted butter because they will spread less than if using salted butter because it contains less water.
- Packed light brown sugar – Or use dark brown sugar. Make your own brown sugar with just white sugar and molasses!
- Granulated sugar
- Egg yolk – This recipe only needs one large egg yolk for this recipe. Save your leftover egg white and use it for another recipe, like these Flourless Chocolate Walnut Cookies
- Vanilla extractÂ
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
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Make cookie dough
- Prep oven and cookie sheets. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Combine dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Combine wet ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until no brown sugar lumps remain. Whisk in the egg yolk and vanilla extract.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together with a large spoon or rubber spatula. The dough will be quite soft but thick.
- Add chocolate. Fold in the chocolate chips (this part can be tricky but try to get them incorporated as best you can).
- Scoop cookies. Roll the dough into balls, about 2 Tablespoons of dough each. The dough may be crumbly at first, but will come together as you roll it in your hands. You can also use a small cookie scoop.
- Bake cookies. Bake the cookies for 12-13 minutes golden brown. Bake just until the edges are just set but the middles are still soft. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
HEATHER’S BAKING TIP: For that signature soft, chewy center with slightly crispy edges, you can’t bake the cookies too long. The centers should still look slightly soft when you take them out of the oven. They will continue cooking slightly on the cookie sheet.
More Baking Tips
- Measure flour carefully. You don’t want to over-measure. Use a kitchen scale for exact measurements, or use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a butter knife. Don’t pack the flour down. For best accuracy, use a kitchen scale!
- Adding the chocolate might be tricky. Because of the melted butter, it might be tricky to incorporate the chocolate chips/chunks so do the best you can!
- Don’t overbake. Your bake time may be a couple minutes more or less than mine. Every oven is different. But you want to remove the cookies when they look slightly underdone in the middle. They will appear puffy and soft but not wet or raw looking. The cookie will continue to bake after you remove them from the oven and set up perfectly.
- Bake on a cool baking sheet. Do not bake on a hot cookie sheet or the cookies will spread too much.
Recipe Variations
- Use different chocolate chips – Try making these with dark chocolate, white chocolate chips, or even cinnamon chips!
- Add crunchy nuts – Try adding toasted walnuts or toasted pecans for a little crunch!
- Use brown butter – For extra flavor, make brown butter chocolate chip cookies instead and use browned butter!
Commonly Asked Cookie Questions
Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature airtight container or ziploc bag for up to 1 week
Yes! You can never have too many cookies on hand in the freezer. 😉
To freeze unbaked:Â Make and scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Freeze the cookies on the sheet until solid, then store in an air-tight zipper bag or container. Bake straight from frozen, just add 1-3 minutes of extra baking time.Â
To freeze baked:Â Cool baked cookies thoroughly, then freeze until solid. Store in an air-tight freezer bag or container. Thaw at room temperature or microwave for a few seconds to re-warm.Â
For a complete tutorial, be sure to read my post How To Freeze Cookie Dough.
If your cookies spread or got very flat, it is likely due to one of these 8 reasons. Try reading through the list to pinpoint the problem. For this recipe in particular, it is important to start with room temperature butter (not too soft! See the notes in the recipe) and to measure the flour correctly to prevent flat cookies. You can always try chilling your dough for an hour, up to overnight to help reduce spreading.
When you go to scoop the dough your dough might be a bit crumbly, but as you roll the dough into balls in your hands the warmth of your hands will help bring the dough together.
More Recipes To Try
- Self Rising Flour Biscuits
- Lemon Cookies
- Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 20 Self Rising Flour Recipes
- Milk Bar Cake
Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoons (70 g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons (43 g) unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 1/4 cup (50g) packed light brown sugar (or dark brown sugar)
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cups (58 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips or chocolate chunks
Instructions
- Prep oven and cookie sheets. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Combine dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Combine wet ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until no brown sugar lumps remain. Whisk in the egg yolk and vanilla extract.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together with a large spoon or rubber spatula. The dough will be quite soft but thick.
- Add chocolate. Fold in the chocolate chips (this part can be tricky but try to get them incorporated as best you can).
- Scoop and bake. Roll the dough into balls, about 2 Tablespoons of dough each. The dough may be crumbly at first, but will come together as you roll it in your hands. Bake the cookies for 12-13 minutes until the edges are just set but the middles are still soft. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Storage: Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week
- Freezing: Make and scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Freeze the cookies on the sheet until solid, then store in an air-tight zipper bag or container for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen, just add 1-3 minutes of extra baking time. To freeze baked cookies, cool baked cookies thoroughly, then freeze until solid. Store in an air-tight zipper bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or microwave for a few seconds to re-warm.Â
- Adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Kris says
This was such an easy and tasty cookie recipe! My kids gobbled them up. 🙂
Heather says
aw glad your kids loved them!
Andrea says
These are perfect when you want a cookie but don’t have anyone to share with. Yum!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Perfect for when you need a sweet treat but don’t want to go crazy!
Scarlet says
These are pure happiness and making these small batch chocolate chip cookies is so fun too. Yummy!!
Heather says
great to hear Scarlet
Claudia Lamascolo says
Just by looking at that photo, this small batch will be doubled WOWZER just mouth watering!
Heather says
I promise they are as delicious as they look! wowzahhh!!
Jessica Stroup says
My kiddos loved this recipe! So good!
Heather says
so cute for the kiddos
Sue says
This recipe is genius! Since there are just 2 of us, 12 cookies is perfect 🙂
Heather says
such a fun size, you can enjoy many =)
Tavo says
These cookies look so yummy and easy to make. I am sure making a small batch, otherwise, I would go crazy on them.
Heather says
Let me know how they turn out for you – don’t go too crazy! 😜
Danielle Wolter says
Loving that these are small batch! It’s just me and my partner, and I always hate making a giant batch of cookies!
Heather says
Yay!