These small batch chocolate chip cookies give you four perfect cookies for when a little craving hits. All you need is one bowl and less than thirty minutes!
Small batch chocolate chip cookies are the best simple and quick cookie to make when you want a chocolate chip cookie, but don't feel like making a bunch. With only four cookies you are sure to not have too many.
If you're looking for other variations of the classic chocolate chip cookie you should try my butterscotch chocolate chip cookies, inside out chocolate chip cookies, or marshmallow chocolate chip cookies.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THESE
NO CHILLING REQUIRED- These cookies can be made in less than 30 minutes.
SMALL BATCH- Perfect for when you just need a few!
ONE BOWL- You only need to dirty one bowl, and no mixer required.
INGREDIENT NOTES
- Butter: Make sure butter is room temperature.
- Egg Yolk: Save your egg whites for another bake.
- Flour: Make sure not to use too much flour. It makes a major difference in such a small recipe.
- Chocolate Chips: I used semi-sweet, but use whatever you love!
- Flaked Salt: A sprinkle on the top brings out the buttery and chocolatey flavors.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
STEP ONE: Place the butter and sugars in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolk and vanilla and mix until smooth.
STEP TWO: Slowly mix in dry ingredients, being careful not to over mix. I usually stop when I still have some flour remnants around the bowl. Stir the chocolate chips into the dough until combined.
STEP THREE: Scoop the dough into large balls, I like to use the ¼ cup cookie or ice cream scoop. Sprinkle cookie balls with a bit of salt.
STEP FOUR: Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. You're looking for a nice golden brown outside, with a slightly glossy texture to the inside.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
If your cookies don't come out in a perfect circle, I like to take a spatula and circle the rim of the cookie to bring in any spots that have spread a little too far. Just make sure you do it right when they come out of the oven.
I have given both cups and grams as measurements. Grams will be more precise, especially when measuring flour. If you don't have a kitchen scale, no problem! Just lightly spoon flour into your measuring cup to insure its not packed in there. Light and fluffy is the key.
I like to sprinkle cookies with flaked salt before baking so that little bits of salt bake underneath the cookie as well. Then I sprinkle a bit more after baking also.
FAQ
Yes! If doubling, use one large egg instead of two yolks.
Generally if your cookies spread out too thin it is because they don't have enough flour. Try adding one extra tablespoon next time.
Yes, you can always chill your dough, it just isn't necessary for these cookies. If baking from frozen, remove dough from the freezer while oven preheats.
STORING
Small batch chocolate chip cookies will remain fresh if stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can also prep the cookie dough in advance and store it in the fridge for about a week.
OTHER SMALL BATCH RECIPES TO TRY
Small Batch Peanut Butter Cookies
Small Batch Chocolate Cupcakes
For more yummy treats follow me on instagram @thesaltedsweets. And be sure to tag me and comment below if you make them and love them as much as I do.
Make sure to leave a star review below!
Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon butter room temp
- ⅓ cup (73.33 g) brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) baking soda
- ¼ tsp (0.25 teaspoon) salt
- ½ cup + 2 tbsp (88 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (60 g) chocolate chips
- flaked sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 365 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the butter and sugars in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add egg yolk and vanilla and mix until smooth.
- Slowly mix in dry ingredients, being careful not to over mix. I usually stop when I still have some flour remnants around the bowl.
- Stir the chocolate chips into the dough until combined.
- Scoop the dough into large balls, I like to use the ¼ cup cookie or ice cream scoop. Sprinkle cookie balls with a bit of salt.
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. You're looking for a nice golden brown outside, with a slightly glossy texture to the inside. If your cookies don't come out in a perfect circle, I like to take a spatula and circle the rim of the cookie to bring in any spots that have spread a little too far.
Judy Weir
Just made these right after you posted them because I love your small batch peanut butter cookies. They were perfect, they will definitely become a staple when I need something sweet for me and my husband.
brooke
Yay! That makes me so happy! Thank you for trying them so quick too!
Michelle
I want to make a big batch of these!! Where is the big batch recipe on your website?:)
brooke
Salted Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Melanie
Amazing!!! 🍪 Baked tonight as I was craving a sweet. These did the trick. They were so easy and delicious. ♥️
Alex
Most chocolate chip cookie recipes leave me feeling halfway satisfied, but these cookies are out of this world! I'm happy to have a new go-to recipe that never disappoints!
brooke
Thank you so much!!! That is the absolute best compliment!
Nancy
This is a delicious batch! Just enough for my little family of 3 when we crave some cookies. I was wondering, what type of all-purpose flour (bleached and unbleached), and do it make any difference while using one another?
Jo
Where are the weight measurements? 😫
brooke
If you click the metric button at the top of the recipe they convert to grams.
Taylor
Make these cookies. Seriously. They are the best chocolate chip cookies my family has ever made. My daughter wanted to make cookies and I didn’t want a ton laying around (for me to keep eating!) so thjs was perfect. I highly recommend underbaking a bit. They seem under done but cool to the perfect doneness and yummy soft cookies. Thank you for recipe!!!
brooke
oh yay!! I love hearing this. Thank you so much for trying them and also coking back to leave a review!💕
Dana
I have made these on 3 different occasions. They have tasted wonderfully each time. However, the dough is usually crumbly and I don’t know what I am doing wrong. I am following the recipe completely. Any suggestions?
Brooke Homec
Are you weighing your flour? My guess would be you're adding a bit too much. Try adding 1-2 tbsp less next batch and see if that helps!
Dana
I do not weigh it. I don’t have anything to weigh it with. I will definitely try less flour. Thank you so much for helping. I love your small batch treats! Great for just a husband and wife and so yummy. ❤️
ALBA TORRES
I don’t have baking soda. Can I use baking powder only?
brooke
unfortunately these cookies need both baking powder and baking soda.
Luna
I truly love the cookies this recipe makes through and through. The aesthetic, crispy outside layer which covers the most delicious soft gooey inside, the salt perfectly cuts through the sweetness. And don’t even get me started on the irresistible flavor. Thank you for this recipe, it’s the best i’ve ever made <3
David Daugherty
I used turbinado sugar and cashews. Came out awesome. Thanks for the recipe!
brooke
Yum! That sounds like amazing additions! Thanks for trying them and leaving a review!
Mia
This recipe is so easy and delicious!! I’m a teen and I was looking for something sweet and easy for an after school treat and this hit the spot. Me and by brother loved them!! Delicious!!
brooke
That's awesome!! Thank you so much!
Leslie
I made these last night because my son wanted to take some for a baseball lunch at school. I doubled the recipe and got exactly a dozen cookies. Perfect and so yummy!
Tricolorfoodie
So fire wow! Eating one now as I type . Perfect chewy n crispy. I may have left them in a minute longer and I added healthy m&ms. Somehow I got 7 . Keeping this recipe close ! It’s easy and quick 🙂 thank you
Jaclyn
These cookies are amazing! I made these on a whim and wow these cookies do not let you down they really are something special. I had a few issues along the way but nothing unmanageable. The gram measurements for the all purpose flour and butter aren't listed. And there's no metric conversion tab unless you press print but even then the gram measurements for both don't appear. So I went with information posted online and weighed my flour at 60g for 1/2cup plus 2 tbsp. Butter can vary by brand with its weight so the gram measurements for that would be helpful as well. It says in the notes to make sure the egg yolk and butter are room temperature but the recipe itself doesn't mention the egg yolk should be room temperature so luckily I did see the notes. Another issue is what type of brown sugar to use isn't mentioned in the recipe or the blog post (dark or light) i went with dark brown sugar and didn't have any issues. The flour not being in grams really concerned me and luckily it turned out wonderful and my guess worked but I do wish that was corrected. Otherwise as other people said I also got 6 cookies not 4 which is fine by me! I let the cookies chill for 3 hours covered in the fridge then preheated the oven and baked straight from the fridge at 365°F for 12 minutes turning the tray once and they were perfect! (Id also pay attention to bake time if you dont chill the cookie dough balls as it may change based on size and not being chilled) Some other changes I made was I used vanilla bean paste instead of extract which was wonderful, and as soon as the cookies came out of the oven I topped them with crushed homemade toffee bits and let those melt a bit on top wow it was something special. I also did top with a tiny bit of flakey salt before baking. I used Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips which worked great but I think next time I'd use 30g of chocolate but that's just personal preference. I also used a hand mixer not a stand mixer. If you use a hand mixer I'd cream the butter and sugars at level 3 for 2 minutes and level 4 for 1 minute (I have 7 speeds on my hand mixer) Overall these cookies are really amazing they are the 7th cookie recipe I've tried and surprisingly compared to all the "fancier" recipes I've tried blew the others out of the water they just are perfect. They have crispy edges and a soft middle and are perfectly round and not to thick. I'd recommend making these.
Eriyana Curtis
Just made these delicious cookies. I ended up making 6, dont know how that happend. But I highly recommend these cookies for a easy quick sweet for the fam.
KB
Loved this! Added walnuts as well
.. delicious!
Brooke Homec
Thank you! Walnuts sounds wonderful for these too!
Angie
Such a good recipe! Love small batches when I’m having a cookie craving.
Mindy
I absolutely loved these! The balance of flavors was perfect. A lot of recipes I've found in the past have sufficed but lacked one thing or another. The only thing I might do differently next time is reduce the cooking time by a minute or so for a slightly softer cookie (I baked for about 10 minutes and 30 seconds) These will definitely be a staple for me 🙂
Shauna Phillips
Great taste. Cooked in a skillet and enjoyed warm with ice cream on top.
Michele
These sound so yummy!! Could I substitute Trader Joe’s Salted Caramel Chips for the chocolate chips? Thanks!
Brooke Homec
Of course! I also love mixing those chips with chocolate chips so you get both chocolate and caramel!
Missy
These are so good! This is my go to recipe for cookies now. I’ve made them 3 times in the last 5 days. I use either bobs redmill gf flour or the King Arthur cup for cup and no one would ever notice. I’ve also found that we all like to use 20g of white chocolate chips and 40 g of mini semi sweet chocolate chips. This makes 10 smaller sized cookies baked for 9-10 min. Perfect for a snow day!
Brooke Homec
Thank you! And I love hearing about the additions/tweaks you make to them!
Evie
Oh my goodness, this recipe is so stinkin’ good. And I am a tough chocolate chip cookie critic. I made a double batch and that was the perfect amount of cookies!! So easy and delicious.
Lucy Scanlon
Excellent! Thank you!
Debby
These cookies are amazing. I used mini chips and Mac nuts. The ice cream scooper is so great to make large, consistent cookies. Don’t forget the sea salt. Highly recommend.
Markeisha
Okay these cookies are my go to! I live alone so the small batch size is perfect. I make the dough, then freeze about half so not as guilty baking (and eating) 4-6 cookies on my own in a day or so. The recipe is simple to follow and easy to create. Guarantee most of ingredients are already in your cabinets.
Aubrey
Loved the! But here’s my question… Is there a bigger version? What if I wanted to make a large batch of these? I don’t really want to throw out multiple egg whites and probably could use the whole egg at some point…
Brooke Homec
Thank Aubrey, if you double this recipe you can use a whole egg instead of two yolks if preferred. I also have a very popular chocolate chunk cookie recipe that's a larger batch that I'd highly suggest trying as well! Salted Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Bailey
I make these almost every week!! The best quick recipe when you need a treat after dinner!! Or anytime!!
Michelle
I never take the time to rate recipes, but I had to with this one. I am an experienced baker and have been searching for the perfect chocolate chip cookie for decades. The closest I have come is the Jacques Torres recipe. But it requires days of chilling. But this one tastes even better and gives instant gratification. I made these last night and my husband's friend said they were better than his mom's and then said he was going to tell her that. Seriously, the flavor is amazing and the texture is perfection. Thank you!
Courtney
Easy recipe to memorize which is a plus! I’ve already made this a dozen times, it is so good!! Definitely my go to cookie recipe now! Thank you!!
Kim T
Me and my hubby's new go to cookies recipe! Perfect since we are empty nesters!
Mia w
Just made these on a whim thanks to pms. I whipped The yolk since it wasn’t room temp and the butter was softened in the microwave since it wasn’t out. - adding these tips to help out others since I bake Often. I had All the ingredients but my vegan cane dark brown sugar was what I had Out and I was Too lazy to dig in my pantry for regular brown sugar. It still worked. Cookies are cooling. I tested One. It’s delicious. Also, I got About 6 cookies - 4 normal size and 2 a tiny bit smaller. I did Not have flakey sea salt but plan to buy some soon. I’m in high altitude 5280 Denver and this was absolutely perfect even with the altitude on center rack 365 for 11 minutes. I was Too lazy to take out King Arthur all purpose flour so I did Use 00 flour since it was easy access. I appreciate you posting this recipe so much and it will be my go to recipe to gift to friends and family for a sweet treat. Thank you.
Emma
These cookies are SO good. I made them last night and i'm really impressed with this recipe. The cookies have the PERFECT chew. There's a depth of flavor that I can't quite put my finger on, but I think the amount of brown sugar has something to do with it? Also the amount of salt. I made slightly smaller cookies using a "large" OXO cookie scoop, so the recipe gave me 6 cookies instead of 4. I baked them for less time, as suggested, and they came out perfect. I have tried a lot of different small-batch choc chip cookies over the years, and these are by far the best.
Christine Gilkey
Love this recipe! I make them for every function I am invited to. I just triple the recipe if I want to bring a dozen. For me, the recipe is quicker and easier than the traditional recipe. The presentation is beautiful and professional. I love the tip about rimming the hot cookie with a spatula to make a perfect circle! Why am I just learning this? lol!
No one believes that they aren’t store bought! Thank you !
Brooke Homec
Thank you so much!! I'm so glad these have become a go to for you!!☺️