Small batch chocolate chip cookies are the perfect treat to make when that sweet tooth strikes. This recipe makes 9 chewy chocolate chip cookies in less than 30 minutes with no hand mixer needed.
Heather's recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Chewy, buttery cookies filled with rich, melty chocolate chips.
Quick and easy: No chilling and no hand mixer needed! Dough is mixed with a bowl and a spoon and cookies are ready in 30 minutes or less.
Yield: 9 cookies
Similar to: No Chill Chocolate Chip Cookies and Small Batch Brownies
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Butter - Butter and half of the listed salt can be substituted with salted butter if desired.
- Egg yolk - One egg yolk adds the perfect amount of moisture and stability to a small batch of cookie dough. A whole egg won't work in this recipe because the added moisture would cause cookies to spread more in the oven and turn out cakey rather than chewy.
- Mix-ins - Chocolate chips can be substituted with M&M's, other flavors of baking chips, or chopped nuts.
How to make chocolate chip cookies
- Mix wet ingredients in a bowl and whisk dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredient and stir to combine. Add chocolate chips and mix to incorporate.
- Portion dough into 9 balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake until set on top and golden brown around the edges.
Heather's Top Tip
For accurate results every time, use a kitchen scale to measure flour by weight. 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.
Tips and tricks
For a full list of my best baking tips, check out my post: 10 tips for baking cookies
Mix until just combined - There's no need to use a hand mixer or stand mixer for this recipe, the dough comes together easily with a spoon. Overmixing the dough overworks the gluten, causing cookies to turn out tough.
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.
Frequently asked questions
I used a medium 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop to make 9 cookies. If you don't have a cookie scoop, divide your dough into 9 balls.
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 and bland. Lastly, baking too long in the oven can dry out baked goods.
This recipe is developed to make a small batch of cookies. If you'd like to make more, I recommend my No Chill Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe which makes 18 cookies and uses one whole egg.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup (53 g) brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup (80 g) all-purpose flour, *measured properly
- ¼ 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 bowl, add melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Stir to combine. Add egg yolk and vanilla extract and stir until incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually stir dry ingredients into butter mixture until just combined. Add chocolate chips and and stir until just combined.
- Scoop dough using a 1.5 tablespoon scoop or shape by hand into 9 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 and across the tops. 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.
- Want more cookies? The ingredients in this recipe are scaled to make 9 cookies. If you'd like to make a larger batch, use my No Chill Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe, which yields 18 cookies.
- Storage: Cookies will keep for 5-7 days in a sealed container. To help keep cookies fresh, place a slice of bread in the container and replace as needed. Cookies can be frozen up to 3 months in a sealed plastic container or freezer bag.
- More tips: 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!