Small batch chocolate chip cookies are the perfect treat to make when that sweet tooth strikes. This recipe makes a dozen chewy chocolate chip cookies in less than 30 minutes with no chilling required!
Ever had a craving for homemade, hot out of the oven chocolate chip cookies? This recipe makes a dozen warm and chewy chocolate chip cookies that are ready in less than 30 minutes!
If you keep simple baking ingredients on hand like flour, sugar, eggs, and chocolate chips, you can make a small batch of cookies right now. This recipe can even be customized with your favorite mix-ins like chopped walnuts, peanut butter chips, or M&M's candies.
Small batch chocolate chip cookies are perfect for your next family movie night or after dinner treat. You may also love my recipe for small batch brownies!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Unsalted butter - Butter adds moisture and flavor to your cookies, so I don't recommend omitting it or reducing it. The listed salt and unsalted butter can be substituted with salted butter if needed.
- Sugars - A combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar give these cookies a perfectly sweetened and chewy texture.
- Egg yolk - One egg yolk adds the perfect amount of moisture and stability to a small batch of cookie dough. Adding an entire egg would cause the cookies to spread more in the oven and turn out a bit cakey instead of chewy.
- Vanilla extract - Enhances the flavor of your cookies.
- All-purpose flour - Adds structure and stability to your cookies. I have not tested this recipe with other types of flour, so I can't say how substitutions would turn out. If you have a different type of flour on hand, I recommend searching for a recipe that was developed specifically for that type of flour.
- Salt - Enhances the flavor of your cookies.
- Baking soda - Adds lift to your cookies. Can't be substituted with baking powder, the two are not interchangeable.
- Chocolate chips - Feel free to substitute with your favorite mix-ins here. Milk chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips, sprinkles, M&M's candies, pecans, and walnuts are all great choices.
Tips and tricks
For a full list of my best baking tips, check out my post: 10 tips for baking cookies
Room temperature ingredients - Using room temperature ingredients make a consistent, creamy, and even dough. When beaten, the sugar and butter form an emulsion, which traps air in the dough, baking up into a soft and fluffy cookie.
Properly measure your flour - This is the most common issue I see in baking. By scooping directly from a bin or bag with a measuring cup, this compacts the flour into the cup, adding up to 25% extra flour to the recipe. Instead, I highly recommend using a kitchen scale. If you don't have a scale, use the spoon and level method. Stir your flour with a spoon, then gently spoon the flour into your measuring cup. Level off the top with a knife.
Use parchment paper - This helps prevent your cookies from spreading too much while baking. A greased baking pan guarantees your cookies spread more than they should, so I always suggest parchment paper (or a reusable baking mat) instead.
Storage
Homemade chocolate chip cookies will keep for about 5 to 7 days when stored in an airtight container. I like to place a slice of bread in my cookie container to help keep them soft for longer. Replace the bread slice as needed to keep your cookies fresh.
Frequently asked questions
Using a medium 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop this recipe makes exactly 12 cookies. If you don't have a cookie scoop, divide your dough into 12 balls. If you'd like to make more than a dozen cookies, I suggest trying my recipe for chewy chocolate chip cookies.
Your cookies will keep for up to 5-7 days in a tightly sealed container at room temperature. To help keep cookies fresh, place a slice of bread in the container with the cookies. Replace the bread slice as needed.
Yes, baked cookies can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Simply place on the counter top to thaw for about 30 minutes.
Dry baked goods can happen for several reasons. If any of the moisture-adding ingredients have been reduced, like sugar, butter, or the egg yolk, this can cause your cookies to turn out dry. If too much flour was added (I recommend weighing your flour or using the spoon and level method), cookies can turn out dry or cakey. Lastly, baking too long in the oven can dry out baked goods.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¼ cup (53 g) brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup (80 g) all-purpose flour, *measured properly
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup (85 g) chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, add butter and sugar. Using a hand mixer, beat until creamed and fluffy, about a minute. Add egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat until fluffy, about a minute.
- In a separate bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda to remove clumps.
- Gradually stir dry ingredients into butter mixture until just combined. Add chocolate chips, stirring until just combined.
- Scoop dough using a 1.5 tablespoon scoop or shape by hand into 12 balls.
- Place cookie dough balls 2 inches apart onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned around edges. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- * How to measure flour properly: Use a kitchen scale to measure flour for accurate results every time. If you don't have a kitchen scale, use the spoon and level method. Stir the flour (especially if it's been packed down in a bag/container), then gently spoon into the measuring cup, leveling off the top with a knife. Scooping with a measuring cup compacts flour into the cup and adds up to 25% extra to the recipe, resulting in dry, bland cookies that don't spread properly.
- The ingredients in this recipe are scaled to make 12 cookies. If you'd like to make a larger batch of cookies, I recommend trying my Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies instead of doubling or tripling this recipe.
- Your cookies will keep for 5-7 days in a sealed container. To help keep cookies fresh, place a slice of bread in the container with the cookies. Replace the bread slice as needed.
- Raw cookie dough will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days. Cookie dough balls (and baked cookies) freeze well, up to 3 months in a sealed plastic container or freezer bag. Allow frozen balls to thaw for up to 10 minutes on the baking sheet before baking, or add 1-2 minutes to the baking time.
- Be sure to check out my 10 tips for baking cookies, based on reader comments and questions!
I had this recipe from a while ago, couldn't find it - so glad I remembered (sort of) the page, so pulled it up and printed it off again. These are so good. They're easy to set together, just the right amount for a small family. Thanks..
do i add the whole egg or just the yolk?
Just the egg yolk!
If I do not have brown sugar can I substitute with either white granulated sugar or with maple syrup or honey?
You can use granulated sugar instead!