A terrific chocolate chip cookie recipe that is dangerously easy and makes soft, buttery cookies! No creaming butter, no beater required, no refrigeration, no rolling dough into balls and these are not too sweet. The hardest part is waiting for the cookies to cool. Watch the video and see my mother getting in trouble for trying to swipe one off the tray!
Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe
A long awaited reader request…. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve had people writing in asking for my chocolate chip cookie recipe!
In truth, I was sitting on it because I wanted to make sure I tested it properly for different measures in different countries. If you’ve ever tried a cookie recipe written by someone in another country and had it fail miserably, chances are that it’s because of the difference in cup, tablespoon and teaspoon measures between countries. As an example, 1 standard Australian cup of flour is 150g/5.3 oz whereas 1 standard US cup is 120g / 4.5 oz.
For most recipes, the difference between measures is not enough to affect the recipe or the difference is proportional across the whole recipe so it still works fine. However, for baking recipes, you really have to be careful. Especially cookies and cakes.
So that’s a little tip for you when using baking recipes – check the country of origin of the writer. If it’s not your country, proceed with caution! 😉
Oh – in case I forgot to make it really clear – yes I’ve tested this recipe using Australian & rest of world cups (all exc US are very similar) and US cups and weight measures.
Oh – and this is based on a Cooks’ Illustrated tried and tested recipe. That always helps!
This chocolate chip cookie recipe may be a little different to most you’ve come across. It’s unique in that there’s no creaming butter, no electric beater is required, there’s no refrigeration of the dough (unless it’s stinking hot where you are!) and there’s no rolling dough.
Dump and mix. The batter will be quite soft at first because of the melted butter, but after 5 minutes or so, it firms up into a soft dough that can be scooped onto the baking tray and it holds its form perfectly. Using an ice cream scooper with a lever (seriously handy kitchen utensil – cookies, pancakes, MEATBALLS), it’s super quick to dollop the dough into perfect round mounds that spread into beautiful round cookies.
I’ve tried to capture how soft these cookies are in the recipe video (below the recipe). I hope I’ve succeeded. I also hope I’ve succeeded in showing you how straight forward these are to make.
Dangerous. I should have called these Dangerous Choc Chip Cookies.
Happy weekend everyone! – Nagi xx
For Cookie Monsters 🙋🏻♀️
Byron Bay copycat cookies – Choc Chunk, White Choc Macadamia and Chewy Choc Fudge
PS That moment when I smack my mother’s hand in the video….. I have been wanting an excuse to do that all my life….
PPS This recipe makes big cookies about 10cm/4″ wide. I have a cookie baking session planned this weekend and plan to test out different sizes for bake times and will update the recipe! <– Said baking session took place, recipe updated for directions for small cookies!
PPPS I don’t know why it is but my recipes always seem to come out with odd numbers. This recipe makes 13 cookies. THIRTEEN. My trays fit 6 each perfectly. Which means I have to have a third tray…..for just ONE cookie. 🙄
Watch how to make it
Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe video!
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Soft Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups plain / all purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking soda (bi carb soda)
- 175g / 12 tbsp unsalted butter , cut into 2 cm/ 4/5″ cubes (1.5 US sticks / 6 oz)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar , packed (light or dark) (Note 1)
- 1/2 cup caster sugar (US: granulated sugar)
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips , separated (US: semi sweet chocolate chips or chunks)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C / 350F (standard) or 160C/320F (fan / convection). Place oven shelf in the middle of the oven.
- Line 2 trays with baking / parchment paper.
- Whisk the flour, salt and baking soda in a bowl.
- Place the butter in a large heatproof bowl. Microwave until the butter is almost fully melted (25 sec for room temp butter, 40 sec for fridge cold butter on high).
- Whisk to finish melting the butter. (Note 2)
- Add brown and white sugar, whisk energetically for 15 seconds.
- Add egg, yolk and vanilla, whisk well for 15 seconds.
- Add flour mixture and mix until flour is almost fully incorporated.
- Add 1 cup chocolate chips, stir to disperse and flour is fully incorporated. Batter will be quite loose.
- Stand for 5 minutes for batter to firm up a bit so it is scoop-able into mounds. (Note 3)
- LARGE COOKIES: Scoop up a level ice cream scoop / 3 tbsp / 1/4 cup (Note 4) and place on baking trays 5cm / 2″ apart – 13 balls. Top with remaining choc chips (these remain on surface once baked = prettier).
- SMALL COOKIES (26 – 30): Scoop up 1.5 tbsp (heaped tbsp measure) OR 1/2 an ice cream scoop (this works well). Place on baking trays 4cm / 1.75″ apart, top with choc chops.
- Bake 1 tray at a time. LARGE COOKIES: Bake for 8 minutes, then rotate the tray and bake for 3 minutes (11 minutes in total). SMALL COOKIES: Bake 6 minutes, turn then bake 3 minutes (9 min total). The cookies should be just golden on the edges and pale golden on top. They will be slightly puffed up.
- Cool on the tray – they finish cooking. They will lose the puffiness while resting. Dig in and get your cookie fix!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
At the coffee shop responding to messages and recipe questions on my site…..and Dozer wanting to know what I’m writing. That’s a nice way of saying he’s being annoying, shoving his face onto my computer!!
O M G. These are by far the best cookies I’ve ever had. Slightly crisp edges, super soft center. I was hunting for the perfect soft chocolate chip cookie recipe and they were all fails and I thought, “hmm I wonder if recipetineats has a recipe for them?” Whenever I have a dinner idea I turn to your recipes because they are always the best and they are always repeated in my kitchen. Thank you Nagi!
That’s awesome Stephanie, thanks so much ❤️
Hi Nagi, these look amazing. But we all love CRISP & CRUNCHY cookies! How much longer would I cook them for, and would the temp. stay the same?
Many thanks 🥰
Hi Violette, it’s the ingredients in the cookies that yield crunchy or soft cookies (not just the cook time) – these ones are soft 🙂
Hi Nagi can I sub baking powder for baking soda in this recipe?
Hi Nagi & Dozer 🤗 Love your recipes Nagi! Made these cookies and I’ve tried many recipes and these are hands down THE BEST! I also want to do a vegan version…do you think I could sub the egg with some flaxseed meal and use vegan butter instead eg nuttelex, and still end up with an amazing tasting cookie? Thanks for your great recipes! Evie
Hi Rj, not in this recipe sorry as they are two different things – N x
Tried this recipe yesterday…love it..love it..love it!!! 😍👌
Wahooooo! That’s awesome Christin!
Yummy! Made the smaller version for a Bible study and the moms and kids all loved them
Perfect Amy!
I need to try this. I like your website btw!
Is it 1 3/4 cups or is it 265g plain flour (all purpose flour)? I weighed it and 265g is over two cups of flour.
Hi Shelly, 1 cup = 150g so the recipe is for 1 3/4 = 265g. If you’re ever confused, go be the weight as you can’t go wrong then! – N x
Easy and delicious! Love all your recipes.
Highly recommended.
Thanks so much Samantha!
If I’d like to use a cookie cutter for decorative shapes, how do I manage the batter?
Hi Jess, this batter is unsuitable for that sorry!
Love these! Have made these on multiple occasions and they have been perfect every time, not to mention how easy they are to make 😉 Hugely appreciated!
And they are SOOOOO addictive 😂
These work with UK measurement tools. I am a really crap baker compared to cooking so I am pretty proud for getting these pretty much right. If they’re a bit drier and crumblier than I wanted, would the solution next time be to use more liquid?
Hi Salome, they shouldn’t be dry or crumbly at all – try baking using the weight amounts 🙂
These are soooo good! So easy too. I used my tiny ice cream scoop (probably about a tablespoon size) to put them on my baking sheets and ended up with 51 cookies!
Perfect Marissa!!
Awesome recipe! Delicious, and great for hitting that late night cookie craving in an apartment complex when using a handheld mixer will wake up half my neighbors. Will definitely be using this recipe again!
I’m so happy you loved them Andrew!
Amazing! I don’t have a hand held mixer and wanted a quick cookie 🍪 recipe – you nailed this. I followed your recipe exactly and it turned out just the way you described it. This is my GO TO recipe! Thanks 🙂 my husband ate 3 in one go!!!
Wahoo! I’m so happy you loved them Agill! (you’ll have to make a double batch next time 😉 )
Baked 3 dozen today and the kids loved it 🙂
Gonna make more for them to bring in school for snacks now that the school start in couple weeks.
Thank you Nagi. All you recipes that i make always turned out delicious and perfect.
…your cinnamon bun recipe, double cheese and bacon buns, no knitted buns, chicken thai in coconut milk..i can say that i am so lucky to have found your website 🙂
You are the best. Thank you for sharing your recipes to us ❤️
Thank you so much Yolly, I truly enjoy hearing what people think of my recipes ❤️
I’m a novice but just wondering if I used salted butter and just skip the salt is it going to make a vast difference? I only have salted butter at home. 😒
I found this recipe after finding put my son has a nut allergy and finding out he can’t really have any cookies from the shops, he was feeling pretty down so I decided to make him these, which he loves!!!
My husband said they are the best cookie ever, better than any store or bakery one he has ever had.
I have had to make two batches on two days they love them that much.
That’s great Tanya!!! – N x
Hello again Nagi! Miss 4 sous chef and I made these scrumptious treasures yesterday as a school holidays activity. We baked the smaller size cookies. We did have to cook our a fair while longer than the recipe stated, but they turned out wonderfully. The remaining cookies are looking enticing in our big jar on the kitchen counter top!
Hi Miranda, I’m so glad you loved them! (Can I just ask what type of oven you are using to clarify the cook time?) – N x
Sure Nagi, it is a fan forced oven. It was a very cold day in Melbourne and we didn’t need to wait for the batter to firm. So I wonder if that might have made a difference to the baking time.
Amazing! Made this with my 4 & 2 year olds & such a fun recipe for them. Soo good. However even the small ones are very big, be warned! One of my favourite chocolate chip cookies recipes ever
No one ever complains of a cookie being “too big” 😉 I’m so glad you love them Rachel
OMG My kids. Yes – my kids made these today and we were blown away. Yum. Just yum!
Lol you’ve never met my 4 year old 😉
Fantastic Nagi! I used white chocolate and halved macademia nuts and they were lovely and soft.
I didn’t know that soft cookies would ‘spread’ and as I didn’t have an ice cream scoop I eyeballed it. Ended but with 8 moohhhassive cookies. They were great and simple and astonishingly quick to put together.
THANK YOU!
I’m so glad you loved them anyway despite their size
They were ‘give-away-good’
I realise now that with a baseline soft cookie my ‘bits’ could be bigger- less danger of crumblage. Just a tip for future cookie crumblers 😀👍
I would use 100g white choco and.50g halved macadamia.
Great recipe 😀