Soft, chewy, and chocolate-loaded Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies! Only one bowl, a wooden spoon, and eight ingredients are needed — no stand mixer or hand mixer needed.
And if you’re looking for a full batch of similar cookies, try these Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. These Snickerdoodle Cookies, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Peanut Butter Cookies are other reader-favorite recipes.
Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
This recipe for Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies is ideal for those moments when you crave cookies but don’t want to be overwhelmed with a large batch. Perfect for cookie lovers who find it hard to stop at just one, it’s a practical solution to manage cravings.
Additionally, it’s an excellent choice during the holidays, for cookie exchange parties, or even for leaving a treat for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve without the need to bake dozens of cookies. This recipe provides a convenient and delicious option for various occasions where fewer cookies are preferable.
Ingredients In Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Salted Butter: Adds moisture and fat, giving the cookies a rich flavor and tender texture. It’s partially melted for easier mixing.
- Brown Sugar and White Sugar: Sweeten the cookies and affect their texture. Brown sugar brings moisture and a caramel-like flavor, while white sugar helps the cookies spread and become crispier.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor of the cookies.
- Large Egg Yolk: Contributes to the richness and acts as a binder, ensuring a smooth dough. Save the egg whites to use in an omelet, add to this egg skillet, or use in this easy egg wrap.
- Baking Soda: A leavening agent, it helps the cookies to rise slightly and prevents them from being too dense.
- Flour: Provides structure, balancing moisture to create a moldable dough.
- Chopped Chocolate Bar and Chocolate Chips: The key flavor elements, offering rich chocolate taste and varied texture.
How To Make A Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Melt Butter: Partially melt butter, let it cool.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Combine cooled butter, brown and white sugars, vanilla extract, and egg yolk.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Mix in baking soda and flour.
- Incorporate Chocolate: Stir in chopped chocolate and chocolate chips.
- Shape and Chill: Roll dough into 9 balls, chill for 30-60 minutes.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 325°F, bake cookies 8-12 minutes until golden.
- Cool and Store: Let cookies cool, store in airtight container. Enjoy within 4 days.
Quick Tip
Fresh baking soda: Test the baking soda to be sure it’s fresh by adding boiling water to a small amount. If it fizzes, it’s good. Here’s how to test if your baking soda is fresh and will work in these Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Tips For Success
- Cool the Melted Butter: After melting, let the butter return to room temperature. Hot butter can cause the cookies to become greasy and spread too much.
- Chill the Dough: Chill the dough to allow the melted butter to solidify. This prevents cookies from spreading too thin and burning, and enhances flavor development.
- Shape Dough Taller: Roll the dough into taller, cylindrical shapes for a thick, chewy center and crisp edges.
- Add Extra Chocolate: After baking, press additional chocolate chips into the tops for more chocolate in every bite and an appealing look.
- Monitor Baking Carefully: Avoid hard cookies by not overbaking. Ensure the oven is correctly calibrated and watch cookies closely as they finish baking. Measure ingredients accurately and use fresh ingredients.
Storage
Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
To freeze, roll the dough into balls and freeze them on a parchment-lined sheet pan until solid. Once frozen, transfer the dough balls to a freezer-safe bag. When ready to bake, place the frozen dough balls directly on a baking sheet and bake at 325°F, adding a couple of extra minutes to the baking time.
More Cookie Recipes
- Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies massive cookies
- Monster Cookies with peanut butter
- Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies healthier option
- DoubleTree Cookies Hilton secret cookie recipe shared!
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies not the cakey version
Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- Sheet pan
- Parchment paper
- Cooling Rack
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup salted butter
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg yolk see note 1
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup chopped chocolate bar see note 2
- 2 tablespoons chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, partially melt the butter in a microwave (about 35 seconds straight from the fridge, just enough to easily mix it). Let butter stand until it has cooled to room temperature. Do not add sugars to hot butter, or the cookies will be greasy and spread.
- Once butter has cooled to room temperature, add brown sugar and granulated sugar. Stir until smooth and combined. Add vanilla extract and egg yolk. Stir to combine.
- Add baking soda and flour. Stir until a thick dough forms.
- Coarsely chop the chocolate bar and add in the chunks and chocolate chips. Stir until combined; you may need to knead the chips into the dough. Divide dough evenly into 9 parts; each cookie is about 2 tablespoons (38 grams). Roll dough into cookie balls that are tall and cylindrical (as opposed to short and round—see photos in post). Place dough balls on a parchment-lined sheet pan, cover, and chill for 30 minutes to an hour.
- When ready to bake, set the oven temperature to 325°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone liner. Place dough balls on sheet pan with plenty of space between cookies—I only bake 6 at a time. Bake 8–12 minutes or until very lightly golden brown at the edges and no longer glossy on top.
- Remove cookies from oven and let stand on the sheet pan for 3–4 minutes before removing with a metal spatula to a cooling rack to finish cooling. I like to press a few more chocolate chips into the tops of the cookies right out of the oven (optional).
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Okay so I made these cookies just like you said except I used unsalted butter because that was all I had. I have NEVER had cookies turn out this good before! I also did not refrigerate the dough. I just baked them because I was impatient! Lol I stacked the dough up into a rectangular shape and they didn’t spread out too much and were very chunky and gooey! I am definitely throwing out my old cookie recipe and this is my new favorite! Thank you so much for sharing! Love! Love! Love!
Yay!! I love hearing these turned out so well for you Miranda 🙂 Thanks so much for the comment!
This is the best chocolate chip cookie recipe I’ve ever tried (and I’ve tried a few). Funnily enough, this is my second time cooking them and I doubled the recipe, because they disappeared in 10 minutes last time!
Thank you!
Omg Yassssss! These cookies fucked me up with deliciousness. Thank you !
I did the ultimate bakers no no and made with margarine *gasp*. I bake quite often as a hobby and butter costs can add up quickly. It’s nice to know when you can bake on a budget and save a few dollars with a decent outcome. The result: cookies were great. Obviously they were a bit thinner but still had a crunchy outside and very soft middle. They stayed together and did not come out as oily as I expected!
Thanks so much for sharing your success with margarine! I’m thrilled to hear the cookies were great! 🙂
Wow! Best cookies I’ve ever made! My new go to chocolate chip cookie recipe. I’ve tried so many and could never find one that tasted this good. Your tips were helpful too! I live in Hawaii so it’s really humid and end up having to add a bit more flour to things. The cookies turned out perfect!
Wow what a compliment! I am so thrilled to hear this is your new go-to recipe 🙂 Thanks so much for the comment! And I’m glad you’ve been able to figure out with the humidity what needs changed. Thanks again!
Hi Chelsea, can I substitute the butter with unsalted one? Should I add salt if so? Thank you ?
For sure! Add about 1/4 teaspoon salt 🙂 Enjoy!
Made this cookies soon as i saw your post. Soooo gooood!!! I’ve tried a lot of CCC recipes and yours is a keeper!!! Ate one 5 minutes after i pulled it out from the oven. And ate another one after 5 again. Definitely a keeper!
Yay! So thrilled you loved these and they were a huge hit! Thanks so much for the comment Adrienne! 🙂
CHELSEA! GREETINGS FROM PAKISTAN!
Man were these cookies heaven on earth, damn yeah! loved how they turned out! love ! love ! loveee!
thanks so much for sharing the half batch, since sugar control is a thing for transplant patients like me. thanks so much <3 stay blessed!
Hello Tehru! 🙂 I am so, so happy these were such a hit!! Makes my day to hear that! Thank you!
I just made these for me and my boyfriend and they are PERFECT. Easy to follow recipe, perfect amount of cookies and they taste great. I have tried so many different recipes for chocolate chip cookies and these are the best thus far!
Wow! That is such a huge compliment! I am thrilled these were perfect for you and your boyfriend! Thank you so much LeAnn!
I made these and they were so good now my family business’ manager wants me to make two dozen to sell at the restaurant ????
Wow what a compliment! I’m so thrilled these cookies are so well enjoyed! 🙂
Have you doubled it at all incentive out posted the recipes just wondering
I’m sorry; I’m confused by your question?
Have you doubled it at all since you made them it would be. A real timesaver sry autocorrect the first time