EASIEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
These are the easiest chocolate chip cookies going: one bowl, melted butter, a spoon, and no mixer to drag out. They bake up with crisp golden edges and soft, chewy centres loaded with melting pools of semi-sweet chocolate.
Why you'll love this
- One bowl and melted butter mean no creaming and no electric mixer
- Cornstarch plus an extra egg yolk make the centres genuinely soft and chewy
- More brown sugar than white keeps them moist with a faint butterscotch note
- Crisp edges around a deliberately soft, just-set middle
Key ingredients & swaps
- Melted butter — gives the cookies their chewy texture without any creaming; cool it for about 5 minutes first so it does not cook the egg or make the cookies greasy
- Brown sugar (more than white) — the moisture and chew; its molasses keeps the cookies soft and adds a butterscotch depth, while the smaller amount of white sugar gives crisp edges
- Cornstarch — the secret to a soft, tender, slightly thick cookie; just a little adds chew without turning the cookies cakey
- Egg plus an extra yolk — the whole egg binds and the extra yolk adds fat for richness and chew; use them at room temperature so they blend smoothly into the melted butter
- Pure vanilla extract — rounds out and deepens the brown-sugar and chocolate flavour; use real extract rather than imitation for the best taste
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks — the star; chopped chunks melt into pools and bars give more contrast, while chips hold their shape, so use whichever texture you prefer
How to make it (step by step)
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1
Heat the oven
Heat the oven to 350F (175C) and line a baking tray with parchment. A fully preheated oven sets the edges quickly so the cookies spread just the right amount.
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2
Whisk the dry mix
Whisk the flour, baking soda, cornstarch and salt in a bowl and set it aside. Measure the flour by spooning it into the cup and levelling it; too much flour is the top cause of dry, cakey cookies.
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3
Combine the wet
In a second bowl, stir the cooled melted butter with both sugars until smooth, then mix in the egg, extra yolk and vanilla until creamy. Letting the butter cool first keeps the dough from going oily.
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4
Bring it together
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir just until no flour streaks remain, then fold in the chocolate. Stop mixing as soon as it comes together, because overmixing builds gluten and makes the cookies tough.
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5
Chill if you can
For thicker cookies that do not spread thin, chill the dough 30-60 minutes so the butter firms up. It is optional here, but cold dough holds its shape better and deepens the flavour.
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6
Scoop and bake
Scoop mounds onto the tray, leaving room to spread, and bake 10-12 minutes until the edges are lightly golden but the centres still look soft and underdone. Pull them while the middle looks barely set; that is the secret to chewy cookies.
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7
Cool to set
Let the cookies sit on the hot tray for a few minutes to finish setting, then move them to a wire rack. They firm up as they cool, so do not be tempted to bake them until the centres look fully done.
Pro tips
- Cool the melted butter for about 5 minutes before mixing so it does not cook the egg or make the cookies greasy.
- Spoon and level your flour (or weigh it); packed flour is the number-one cause of dry, cakey, puffy cookies.
- Slightly underbake: take them out when the centres still look soft and they will set into a chewy cookie as they cool.
- Chilling the dough 30-60 minutes gives noticeably thicker cookies and a deeper, more caramelised flavour.
Variations
- Brown butter: brown the butter first (then cool it) for a nuttier, toffee-like flavour.
- Salted: press a few flakes of sea salt onto the tops before baking to sharpen the chocolate.
- Mix-ins: swap part of the chocolate for chopped toasted nuts, or use a mix of dark and milk chocolate chunks.
Storage & freezing
Keep baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week; freeze baked cookies or raw dough balls for up to 3 months and bake from frozen, adding a minute or two to the time.
Recipe
EASIEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Ingredients
- 2 and 1/4 cups (280g) of all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled 1 teaspoon of baking soda 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of cornstarch 1/2 teaspoon of salt 3/4 cup (170g) of unsalted butter, melted and cooled for 5 minutes 3/4 cup (150g) of packed light or dark brown sugar 1/2 cup (100g) of granulated sugar 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract 1 and 1/4 cups (225g) of semi-sweet chocolate chips or chocolate chunks
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F) and line a baking tray.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl.
- In another bowl, mix melted butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth.
- Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Mix until creamy
- Combine dry ingredients with wet ingredients until just mixed.
- Fold in chocolate chips.
- Scoop dough onto tray, leaving space between each.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes until edges are lightly golden.
- Let cool on tray for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack.
Tips & notes
- Don’t overmix the dough or cookies will turn dense.
Chill dough for 30–60 minutes for thicker cookies (optional but recommended).
Cookies look soft in the center when done, they firm up while cooling.
Use room temperature eggs for better texture.
Slightly underbake for a chewy result.
Watch how to make it
Nutrition · per serving (estimate)
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Frequently asked questions
Do I have to chill the dough?
Not for this melted-butter recipe; it is built to work without chilling. That said, resting the dough in the fridge for 30-60 minutes gives thicker cookies that spread less and taste a little deeper, so it is worth it if you have the time.
What does cornstarch do in chocolate chip cookies?
Cornstarch makes the cookies extra soft and tender and helps them stay slightly thick. It boosts the chew without making the cookies cakey, which is why it is included here.
Why do you add an extra egg yolk?
The extra yolk adds fat and richness with no extra moisture from the white, which makes the cookies chewier and more tender. The whole egg still binds the dough; the bonus yolk is purely for texture.
Why are my cookies flat or spreading too thin?
Usually the butter was too warm or the dough too soft, so it melts and spreads instantly in the oven. Chill the dough so the fat firms up, always bake on a cool tray, and make sure you measured enough flour.
Why did my cookies come out cakey?
Cakey cookies almost always mean too much flour or overmixing. Spoon and level (or weigh) your flour, and stir only until the dry ingredients just disappear so you do not develop too much gluten.
Why use melted butter instead of softened?
Melted butter gives a chewier cookie and lets you mix everything by hand with no mixer. Just cool it for about 5 minutes first so it does not scramble the egg or leave the cookies greasy.
Should the centres look done when I take them out?
No. The centres should still look soft and slightly underbaked when you pull the tray. The cookies keep cooking on the hot pan and firm up as they cool, which is what keeps them chewy instead of dry.
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