You will LOVE this quick and easy Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. These cookies bake up with crisp, buttery edges, soft centers, and lots of chocolate chips. Six cookies, made in one bowl, no mixer, no chill time. The perfect treat for those times that a cookie craving hits!
There are few things that are as satisfying as a fresh-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookie. For those times that you need a cookie IMMEDIATELY, but don’t want the temptation of several dozen cookies sitting around, you can reach for this recipe. It makes six perfect chocolate chip cookies in less than 30 minutes.
Some of our most popular recipes are small batch recipes. Small Batch Cupcakes, Small Chocolate Cake, and Brownie in a Mug. Small batch recipes are perfect for quickly satisfying your sweet tooth or baking for a small group. Sweet, chocolate-filled cookies, with crisp buttery edges and soft centers – HEAVEN!
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Ingredients needed
Start by gathering the following ingredients:
- Unsalted butter: Melted and cooled just a bit.
- Granulated sugar and brown sugar: Using a combination of both creates the best cookie texture.
- Baking soda: For the perfect lift.
- Salt: Just a couple pinches to balance the sweetness.
- Vanilla extract: Use pure vanilla, not imitation.
- Large egg yolk: Since this is a small batch recipe we only need the yolk, no white.
- All purpose flour: You’ll need at least ½ cup, plus a bit more, if needed (more on this below).
- Chocolate chips: Use any kind of chocolate chips that you like. Tip: chop a tablespoon of your chocolate chips so that you have tiny chocolate shards running all throughout the cookies along with the larger chips.
Recipe overview
Whisk melted butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar. Add an egg yolk and vanilla extract.
Sprinkle in flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
Scoop the dough, place on a baking sheet and bake!
Cookie sizing
I make 5-6 fairly large cookies with this recipe by scooping the dough into 2-tablespoon portions. If you’d like to stretch this recipe, you could get 7-8 cookies by making the dough balls a little smaller (if so, reduce the cook time by 1-2 minutes).
Tips for small batch chocolate chip cookies
- Ingredients: It is super important to be precise when making small batch recipes. Since you’re using such a small quantity of ingredients a little more or less of one thing or another can make a huge difference.
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper: This will help the cookies from spreading too much. Bonus: It makes clean up a breeze!
- Measure flour properly: Fluff the flour with your measuring cup, measure a heaping portion, then level it off with the back of a knife.
- Light brown sugar vs. dark brown sugar: You can use either for this recipe. I have noticed that the extra moisture in dark brown sugar makes the cookies spread a bit more than the light brown sugar, but they’re equally delicious either way.
- Adding extra flour: This recipe gives the option of adding up to 2 additional tablespoons of flour. This will create a thicker cookie.
- Don’t overbake: Pull these cookies from the oven before they are baked all the way through. The edges should be set, but the center should still be slightly underdone. They should be so soft that they would fall apart if you tried to pick them up straight from the oven (pssst, don’t do that). Once they cool on the baking sheet they will firm up. Underbaking slightly ensures a soft and tender cookie.
- Use your favorite “chips”: I most often make these cookies with chocolate chips/chocolate chunks, but I have also made them with white chocolate, peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips and walnuts (like a Kitchen Sink cookie). Use your favorite mix-ins.
I can’t leave you without sharing our family’s favorite way of enjoying these cookies. We each get a warm cookie and place it in a bowl next to a fat scoop of vanilla ice cream (Tillamook is our fave!). The warm cookie and cold ice cream create a swoon-worthy combo. Enjoy!
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Recipe
Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, still warm, but not hot
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (light or dark), packed
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup chocolate chips, plus extra for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk butter and both sugars until well combined (at least 1 full minute). Add the egg yolk and vanilla, whisking until combined. Remove the whisk, but first, tap it on the side of the bowl to allow any excess to drip into the bowl.
- Measure out ½ cup of flour by fluffing the flour with your measuring cup, scooping a heaping portion and leveling it off with the back of a knife. Sprinkle the ½ cup flour over the top of the wet ingredients, sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the flour. Using a rubber spatula, stir until combined. If the dough seems really wet you can stir in 1-2 additional tablespoons of flour until it reaches a cookie dough consistency. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Scoop the dough into 2 tablespoon mounds. Place on the baking sheet a few inches apart (you should have 6 dough balls). If desired, press some additional chocolate chips onto the tops. Make sure the dough balls are mounded higher rather than wider to ensure they won't spread too thin. Bake for about 9-12 minutes*, until the edges are set and the centers still slightly under baked. Place the baking sheet on a wire rack and let the cookies cool and firm up.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
Rachel
We made double batch of these for Father’s Day. Used King Arthur’s Gluten Free flour. Still turned out great. Definitely will be making these again.
Allison
I’m so glad! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Mackenzie
I’ve made these cookies a lot and always get raving reviews! Best cookies by far! Question though, I entered the ingredients into my fitness pal to track them and my nutrition facts came out differently then yours. What did you use to come up with the nutrition facts? 🙂
Allison
Hi, Mackenzie. There is a nutrition calculator built into my recipe card. I just double checked it and there was error for one of the sugars. Take a look at it now. Also, the nutrition facts do not include the additional 2 tablespoons of flour, since that is optional. I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Parisha
Hi!
Can you pls tell me a swap for egg yolk pls
Allison
I’ve only made the recipe as written. I don’t have a substitute. Sorry!
Ces
I suggest applesauce!
Elizabeth Joiner
Really nice way to enjoy homemade cookies without all the ongoing temptation of a full batch! Excellent recipe, thank you! I added about a Tbsp. of self-rising flour because it was a little wet, otherwise made as written.
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
ertyh
great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kylea
My favourote small batch chocolate chip cookies. They are soft and ooey-gooey and so quick to make
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed them!
Brittany Hall
My go to chocolate chip cookie recipe.. my family is obsessed!
Allison
I’m so glad! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Janet Cannon
Making them again 💗💗💗
Allison
Yay! Enjoy!
Sam
I made these last week and I’ve been craving them ever since. They’re genuinely the best cookies I’ve ever made
Allison
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Madeleine
Allison thank you for this recipe. It is perfect. It is so delicious that I would like to make an even larger batch. Can the recipe be doubled?
Allison
Yes, you should be able to double it. Enjoy!