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
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- 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.
Great recipe for a small batch! I stuffed them with a Reese peanut butter cup and made only five medium size cookies…they were delish!
Glad you enjoyed these! 🙂
Tried these today. Can’t get brown sugar due to COVID-19 so added a little maple and golden syrup to white sugar. When I took them out, they were puffed up in the middle and I thought they had not worked but a few minutes out the oven and they sank back and made the best cookies ever. I did half white chocolate and the other white and dark chocolate. I will definitely make these again as they really are amazing.
Wow, way to work with what you have! I’m so happy to hear you loved them and thanks for the suggestions on substitutions that work!
These cookies were amazing!! I had a hankering and this was the perfect half-batch.
YAYYY!! I am sooo happy to hear this! Thanks for your comment! 🙂
THE BEST chocolate chip cookies I have EVER made. Thank you so much!
Ahhh YAYYY!! I’m so happy to hear this! Thank you so much! 🙂
These are the BEST chocolate chip cookies I have ever made (or TASTED)! I found your recipe last week and have made them three times already! I have shared the recipe with all of my friends. OMG. I don’t think I will ever make a full batch again. I wonder now, if I could double this recipe!?!? Because the flavor is just so good compared to full batch recipes.
Late to the party but had to weigh in. These were fantastic cookies! My boyfriend begged for cookies tonight and I didn’t want to dirty the stand mixer. So happy I stumbled upon your recipe in my search for a one-bowl cookie option! OH NO — cookies can happen at any time now!!
Yay!! I’m so glad you guys enjoyed! Thanks Lisa! 🙂
I have to say…..
Made these last night and had them this morning and they are the best cookies I have made! I couldn’t believe it. ? definitely adding to my recipe list!!
So happy to hear that! 🙂 Thanks for the comment Kathy!
I appreciate how easy this was. I have a feeling they’ll be great.
Nice to be able to make it fast and not have 10k cookies laying around.
Hi Chelsea,
These cookies are, hands-down, THE most addictive and delicious chocolate chip cookies I’ve had! My husband and I ended up finishing the cookies within a day! Thank you for this wonderful recipe 🙂
If I want to make a batch a couple of days before baking, would that be all right? Or is it best to only chill the dough overnight?
I’m so happy to hear this! Thanks Geraldine! The dough should be fine for a couple days before cooking as long as you keep it covered! 🙂
I made the cookies using this recipe.It turned out really good.Next I want to make 40 cookies with this recipe as base.Could you suggest the change in the quantity of the ingredients.
Hi Elza, I’d recommend using this recipe: chewy chocolate chip cookies