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Who can resist classic Chocolate Chip Cookies? This small batch Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe nails it, giving you six perfect cookies that are crispy around the edges and soft in the middle. Whether you’re baking for one, entertaining a few friends, or just need a quick fix for a sweet craving, this is your go-to small batch cookie recipe.
If you’re looking for more small batch cookie recipes, try these: oatmeal cookies, butter cookies, thumbprint cookies, and soft ginger cookies. They’re perfect for small batch cookie lovers!
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
- Ingredients
- Recipe Variations
- How To Make A Small Batch Of Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Expert Tips
- Enjoying Your Cookies
- Storing Your Cookies
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Explore More Small Batch Cookie Recipes
- Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
- Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
- Perfectly Portioned: This small batch chocolate chip cookie recipe is designed to yield just six cookies, making it ideal for those times when you’re craving something sweet but don’t want the excess of a full batch.
- Easy to Make: You only need one bowl and the recipe is simple, requiring only basic ingredients commonly found in most pantries. Bonus: no need to chill the cookie dough!
- Consistent Results: This easy recipe has been carefully developed and tested to ensure that the cookies turn out perfectly every time. With the right balance of ingredients and a reliable baking method, these small batch chocolate chip cookies consistently deliver the ideal combination of a crispy exterior and a chewy, gooey center, making them a dependable choice when you want a delicious homemade treat.
- Recipe Doubles Well: Want more cookies? Simply double the ingredient amounts.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small batch chocolate chip cookie recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Butter: I suggest using salted butter for a subtle contrast to the cookies’ sweetness, which enhances their flavor. Ensure the butter is soft yet cool for effortless mixing with sugar.
- Why Salted Butter Works Well In Small Batch Baking?: In small batch and single serving baking, where butter quantities are minimal, the choice between salted and unsalted butter isn’t as crucial. Salted butter is my go-to in this small batch chocolate chip cookie recipe because it adds a subtle flavor balance to the sweetness. Your personal taste and dietary needs, like a low-sodium diet, can guide your choice, with unsalted butter being a great alternative.
- Sugar: Mix brown sugar and white sugar for the perfect dough base. If you’re out of brown sugar, use our quick brown sugar recipe to make a small batch.
- Egg yolk: For this recipe, you just need one large egg yolk, but save the egg white. You can use it in other egg white recipes like Pavlova, a small Texas Sheet Cake, or Two Chocolate Cupcakes!
- Vanilla extract: Stick with pure vanilla extract to infuse your cookies with authentic vanilla flavor.
- Flour: All-purpose flour works best. For a gluten-free alternative, we’ve successfully tested the recipe using King Arthur Gluten Free Measure For Measure Flour.
- Baking soda: A small amount gives your cookies the lift they need, making them soft yet sturdy.
- Cornstarch: This ingredient softens the flour’s proteins, contributing to a chewier cookie. It’s our secret weapon, also used in our shortbread pie crusts.
- Chocolate chips: While semi-sweet chocolate chips are our go-to, dark chocolate chips or even chopped chocolate chunks can also work beautifully. Use extra chocolate chips in Chocolate Chip Banana Bread, Chocolate Lava Cake, or a Brookie.
Recipe Variations
Sometimes it’s fun to shake things up a bit. Below are some inspired twists to put your personal stamp on this timeless recipe.
- Nut-Filled Cookies: Instead of using chocolate chips, fold in 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans into the cookie dough for a crunchy texture.
- Switch Up The Chips: Instead of semi-sweet chocolate, try using white chocolate chips or dark chocolate chunks for a different flavor profile.
- Dried Fruit Addition: Swap the chocolate chips for a 1/2 cup of dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots to give your cookies a tangy kick.
- M&M Cookies: Swap out chocolate chips for colorful M&Ms to create a small batch of M&M cookies.
- Spiced Chocolate Chip Cookies: For a seasonal twist, add a 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon or pumpkin spice to the cookie dough. This works particularly well if you’re using white chocolate chips.
How To Make A Small Batch Of Chocolate Chip Cookies
These step-by-step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make these cookies. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Start with the Dough: Heat your oven to 350°F (177°C). In a medium bowl, cream softened butter with sugar and brown sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed for about 1 minute. Remember, proper creaming is key. Soft butter, not melted, is essential to introduce air into the batter, making your cookies light and fluffy. Creaming too long gives a cake-like texture, while less creaming leads to flatter cookies.
- Incorporate Egg Yolk and Vanilla: Add the egg yolk and vanilla to the mixture and beat until well combined.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture on low speed until a dough forms.
- Add Chocolate Chips: Gently fold the chocolate chips into the dough.
- Prepare for Baking: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Use a 2-tablespoon scoop to portion the dough, placing scoops 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Roll each scoop into a ball.
- Baking Time: Bake for 8-10 minutes. The edges should be lightly browned, with the centers looking slightly underbaked.
- Cooling Process: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Expert Tips
- Preparation is Key: Read through the entire recipe first, including the Ingredient Notes, and take a look at the process photos. This will help you understand each step, ensuring your cookies come out just right. All the details you need are in this recipe post.
- Measuring Flour Accurately: Spoon flour into your measuring cup until slightly heaped, then level it off with a straight edge. Scooping directly with the cup can compact the flour, leading to using too much.
- Softening the Butter: Let your butter soften on the counter for about 30 minutes before using it. This ensures it’s at the right consistency for mixing.
- Preparing the Baking Sheet: Use a silicone mat or parchment paper to line your baking sheet. Avoid greasing it, as this can cause the cookies to spread too much.
- Consistent Cookie Size: Use a cookie scoop that holds about 2 to 2.5 tablespoons of dough for uniformly sized cookies, yielding 6-7 per batch.
- Making Cookies Look Great: For cookies that are as attractive as they are tasty, press a few extra chocolate chips on top of each dough ball just before baking. It’s a simple touch that adds extra chocolatey goodness and makes them look great, perfect for sharing.
Enjoying Your Cookies
Indulging in a freshly-baked chocolate chip cookie is a treat in itself, but here are some ways to make the experience even more delightful.
- With Milk: The classic combo never disappoints. Pour yourself a glass of cold milk, almond milk, or oat milk to enjoy alongside your cookies.
- Ice Cream Sandwich: Place a scoop of your favorite ice cream like mint chocolate chip ice cream between two chocolate chip cookies and gently press together for a delightful treat.
- Cookie Sundaes: Crumble a cookie over a bowl of vanilla ice cream, then top it off with hot fudge and whipped cream for a dessert that feels extra special.
- Gourmet Coffee/Chocolate Pairing: Sip on a cup of freshly-brewed coffee or hot chocolate as you savor your cookie for a perfect cozy moment.
Storing Your Cookies
For optimal freshness, store your small batch of chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container. They’ll stay delicious at room temperature for up to 4-5 days. If you prefer, you can also keep them in the fridge, where they will last for about a week.
Frequently Asked Questions
Definitely! Doubling the ingredients is all you need to make a larger batch. Just follow the same baking instructions.
To achieve that coveted gooey and chewy texture, avoid over-baking the cookies. Take them out of the oven when the edges start to turn golden but the centers still appear slightly undercooked.
Several factors can lead to flat cookies. If you grease your cookie sheet instead of lining it, the oil can cause the cookies to spread. Also, incorrect ingredient ratios, especially too much sugar or too little flour, can affect the cookie’s structure. Always measure your ingredients carefully, especially in small batch recipes where small variations can have a big impact. And don’t forget to check your baking soda’s expiration date; expired baking soda can also cause cookies to flatten. Lastly, insufficient creaming of butter and sugar can reduce the air in the dough, leading to flatter cookies.
Overly puffy cookies are usually the result of using too much flour, which prevents them from spreading properly. Make sure to measure your flour the right way by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off, as detailed in the Expert Tips section.
Explore More Small Batch Cookie Recipes
Interested in growing your collection of small batch cookie recipes? Check out this short list of our other cookie recipes, ranging from timeless classics to innovative variations. They’re ideal for indulging your cookie cravings without overfilling your cookie jar.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
For more information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.
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If you’ve tried these easy small batch chocolate chip cookies or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
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Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
Watch How To Make This
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter –softened
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon cornstarch
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
- In a medium bowl, cream softened butter with sugar and brown sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed for about 1 minute. Note: Proper creaming is key. Soft butter, not melted, is essential to introduce air into the batter, making your cookies light and fluffy. Creaming too long gives a cake-like texture, while less creaming leads to flatter cookies.
- Add the egg yolk and vanilla to the mixture and beat until well combined.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture on low speed until a dough forms.
- Gently fold the chocolate chips into the dough.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Use a 2-tablespoon scoop to portion the dough, placing scoops 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Roll each scoop into a ball.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes. The edges should be lightly browned, with the centers looking slightly underbaked.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Preparation is Key: Read through the entire recipe first, including the Ingredient Notes, and take a look at the process photos. This will help you understand each step, ensuring your cookies come out just right. All the details you need are in this recipe post.
- Measuring Flour Accurately: Spoon flour into your measuring cup until slightly heaped, then level it off with a straight edge. Scooping directly with the cup can compact the flour, leading to using too much.
- Softening the Butter: Let your butter soften on the counter for about 30 minutes before using it. This ensures it’s at the right consistency for mixing.
- Preparing the Baking Sheet: Use a silicone mat or parchment paper to line your baking sheet. Avoid greasing it, as this can cause the cookies to spread too much.
- Consistent Cookie Size: Use a cookie scoop that holds about 2 to 2.5 tablespoons of dough for uniformly sized cookies, yielding 6-7 per batch.
- Making Cookies Look Great: For cookies that are as attractive as they are tasty, press a few extra chocolate chips on top of each dough ball just before baking. It’s a simple touch that adds extra chocolatey goodness and makes them look great, perfect for sharing.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Salted or unsalted butter? And if I only have salted, do I omit the 1/8 tsp of salt?
Thanks!
I use salted butter (please see the section, “Why I Use Salted Butter” in the recipe post) and also use 1/8 tsp of salt.
Great recipe but I baked it in the 5″ baking dish as you did for the Oatmeal chocolate chip skillet cookie. OMG – it was fantastic!!!! Thanks so much for posting this recipe.
Can these be made with white chocolate chips
Yes.
So I screwed up this recipe fairly large time but it turned out fantastic. I didn’t read the amount of cornstarch correctly and used 1/4 of a cup instead. However this made the cookies soft and chewy with a glorious mouth feel. I love chewy cookies. I also didn’t have chocolate chips on hand and instead used some mini marshmallows forming them into a loose ball with the marshmallows inside. Very good! So good I made the recipe again and realized my mistake the first time.lol. but it’s good and the dough turned out perfect for exactly 6 cookies.
So perfect 👌
If I double this recipe, would I still add another egg yolk? Or, would one whole egg suffice?
We have tested this recipe using 1 whole egg for a double batch and 2 egg yolks for a double batch. If you use the entire egg, the cookies are much flatter. When you use 2 egg yolks, the cookies rise better and have more of a cookie texture. I don’t recommend using the entire egg when doubling this recipe, the cookies really need the extra protein that the extra egg yolk provides.
I’m glad I finally read through the comments. This whole egg vs 2 egg yolks on a double batch was exactly my question. I made my 2nd batch double with the whole egg and flat is exactly what I got. So I guess 2 egg yolks it is. 😏 I better start scrambling some egg whites!
I have made these cookies multiple times. They are always good! The recipe is really easy to increase if you want to share. However, I find if you add the chocolate chips BEFORE you add the flour mixture it blends much more easily then trying to fold in the chips at the end.
This recipe is definitely a keeper!
Hardly ever have corn starch on hand. Is it absolutely necessary? Ty.
Cornstarch is the ingredient that makes the chocolate chip cookies soft and makes them rise. If you leave the cornstarch out, the cookies will be much flatter.
Why does an ad pop up when I click on the ‘go to the recipe’ link? I have to back out of the ad and click on the link again to get to the recipe. I love your recipes–they’re always excellent and I save every one of them. I’m just curious about the ad coming before the recipe.
Thank you. I will reach out to our ad company. Was this on mobile or on desktop?
If I could give 10 stars, I would do so. This is a STELLAR recipe and a STELLAR website. ALL Ms. Zisk’s recipes are excellent! A+ for this recipe!
Than you so much!
You are quite welcome! Your website is PERFECT!