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.

Freshly baked small batch chocolate chip cookies with melty chocolate chips visible on top.

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. 

Wet and dry ingredients being mixed together in a bowl to create the delicious dough.

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.
Rolled dough balls for chocolate chip cookies, chilled and placed on a baking pan, ready for baking.

How To Make A Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies

  1. Melt Butter: Partially melt butter, let it cool.
  2. Mix Wet Ingredients: Combine cooled butter, brown and white sugars, vanilla extract, and egg yolk.
  3. Add Dry Ingredients: Mix in baking soda and flour.
  4. Incorporate Chocolate: Stir in chopped chocolate and chocolate chips.
  5. Shape and Chill: Roll dough into 9 balls, chill for 30-60 minutes.
  6. Bake: Preheat oven to 325°F, bake cookies 8-12 minutes until golden.
  7. 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.

Dough balls arranged on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

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.

4.96 from 62 votes

Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies

Soft, chewy, and chocolate-loaded Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies! Only one bowl, a wooden spoon, and eight ingredients needed — no stand mixer or hand mixer required. 
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Chilling Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 9 cookies

Ingredients 
 

  • 1/3 cup salted butter
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 3 tablespoons white sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg yolk (Note 1)
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 cup white all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup chopped chocolate bar + 2 (25g) tablespoons chocolate chips (Note 2)

Instructions 

  • BUTTER: In a large microwave-safe bowl, partially melt the butter in the microwave. (Just enough that you'll be able to easily mix it, about 35 seconds straight from the fridge.) Let the butter stand until it has cooled to room temperature. Do not add sugars to the hot butter or the cookies will be greasy and spread.
  • SUGARS, EXTRACT, AND EGG YOLK: Once the butter has cooled to room temperature, add the brown sugar and white sugar. Stir until smooth and combined. Add in the vanilla extract and egg yolk (save or discard egg white). Stir to combine.
  • DRY INGREDIENTS: Add in the baking soda and flour. Stir until a thick dough forms.
  • CHOCOLATE: 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 the dough evenly into 9 parts; each cookie is about 2 tablespoons (38 grams). Roll the dough into cookie balls that are tall and cylindrical (as opposed to short and round — see photos in post). Place the rolled cookie dough balls on a parchment-lined sheet pan, cover, and chill for 30 minutes to an hour.
  • BAKE: When ready to bake, set the oven temperature at 325 degrees F. Line a pan with parchment paper or a silicone liner. Place cookie dough balls on a sheet pan with plenty of space in between the cookies — I only bake 6 at a time. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until very lightly golden brown at the edges and no longer glossy on top.
  • COOL: Remove cookies from the oven and let them stand on the cookie sheet 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 (this is optional). Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. Cookies are best enjoyed within 4 days.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Egg yolk: Egg yolk MUST be large. Reserve the white for another recipe or discard.
Note 2: Chocolate: For the chocolate chunks, I chop a milk chocolate bar and then add additional chocolate chips for added texture/flavor. You can use only chocolate chips instead of the chocolate bar and chips. Use your favorite type of chocolate for cookies — semi-sweet, dark, or milk. We like milk chocolate chips paired with a dark chocolate bar. High-quality chocolate makes a big difference in the flavor and texture of the cookies. Cheaper chocolate has fillers and wax, which (obviously) aren’t as pure as the good brands.

Nutrition

Serving: 9cookies | Calories: 168kcal | Carbohydrates: 21.9g | Protein: 1.6g | Fat: 8.3g | Sodium: 57.6mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 13.5g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Meet Chelsea


Hi there! Iโ€™m Chelseaโ€“the recipe developer, photographer, writer, and taste tester behind Chelseaโ€™s Messy Apron (although my little ones help me out quite a bit with the taste testing part!). I LOVE getting creative in the kitchen and then posting my creations here for you to enjoy.

Thanks again for stopping by!

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4.96 from 62 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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121 Comments

  1. Miranda Kramer says:

    5 stars
    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!

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      Yay!! I love hearing these turned out so well for you Miranda ๐Ÿ™‚ Thanks so much for the comment!

  2. Tatiana says:

    5 stars
    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!

  3. Jeremy says:

    Omg Yassssss! These cookies fucked me up with deliciousness. Thank you !

  4. Alexis says:

    4 stars
    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!

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      Thanks so much for sharing your success with margarine! I’m thrilled to hear the cookies were great! ๐Ÿ™‚

  5. Ashley says:

    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!

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      Wow what a compliment! I am so thrilled to hear this is your new go-to recipe ๐Ÿ™‚ 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!

  6. Lys says:

    Hi Chelsea, can I substitute the butter with unsalted one? Should I add salt if so? Thank you ?

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      For sure! Add about 1/4 teaspoon salt ๐Ÿ™‚ Enjoy!

  7. Adrienne says:

    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!

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      Yay! So thrilled you loved these and they were a huge hit! Thanks so much for the comment Adrienne! ๐Ÿ™‚

  8. Tehru says:

    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!

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      Hello Tehru! ๐Ÿ™‚ I am so, so happy these were such a hit!! Makes my day to hear that! Thank you!

  9. LeAnn says:

    5 stars
    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!

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      Wow! That is such a huge compliment! I am thrilled these were perfect for you and your boyfriend! Thank you so much LeAnn!

  10. Cookie Wizard says:

    I made these and they were so good now my family business’ manager wants me to make two dozen to sell at the restaurant ????

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      Wow what a compliment! I’m so thrilled these cookies are so well enjoyed! ๐Ÿ™‚

      1. Cookie Wizard says:

        Have you doubled it at all incentive out posted the recipes just wondering

        1. chelseamessyapron says:

          I’m sorry; I’m confused by your question?

          1. Cookie Wizard says:

            5 stars
            Have you doubled it at all since you made them it would be. A real timesaver sry autocorrect the first time