Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies that are soft, chewy and filled with chocolate chips. This easy recipe makes just 6 large cookies, perfect for those late-night cookie cravings. There’s no chilling the dough so they’re ready in just 30 minutes.
Hello cookies 👋🏻 I see you there with your golden edges and soft, chewy middle.
I’ve now made it even easier to get your hands on the perfect cookie, with my irresistible Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe.
These golden cookies are filled to the brim with chocolate chips, and boast those chewy edges we all know and love, not to mention a seriously soft centre. But this simple small batch recipe makes just six perfect chocolate chip cookies.
The best part? There’s no chilling the dough, so they’re ready to eat in just 30 minutes.
Why you will love these cookies
- You only need a handful of everyday ingredients
- They take just 30 minutes to make
- You’ll end up with only 6 cookies
- They taste AMAZING!
Why small batch?
Truth be told, I consider myself something of a cookie snob. I know a good cookie when I see it. And between my BIG Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies and, more recently, my flavour-packed Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, I didn’t know there was room for another chocolate chip cookie in my life.
But I’m the same as you. These small batch recipes are my life at the moment. Since publishing my Small Batch Chocolate Muffins and my Small Batch Brownies, I’ve heard from so many of you that these recipes are just what you need right now.
Some of you come from smaller families or are living alone, some of you are the only one with a sweet tooth in your family, and some of you (like me) are in lockdown with limited access to ingredients.
So I get it. Sometimes you want a really good chocolate chip cookie or two, but you don’t want 20 sitting on the kitchen bench. Enter these = six perfect homemade cookies.
P.S. If this is not you, and you’re in the more is more category, go straight for my Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies. Or if you want to make three cookies, try my Single Serve Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe or my Single Serve Chocolate Cookies.
Recipe testing
You’d think it’d be easy to take a full batch cookie recipe and simply scale it down, but if we learnt anything from our Small Batch Brownies, it’s that things are never as easy as they seem. It took a few attempts to get this recipe down pat, but trust me the results are worth it.
What I wanted: I was looking for a classic style CCC. Not too thick, not too thin, somewhere in the middle. I wanted that buttery, caramel-y flavour, with plenty of chocolate. But I also wanted quick and easy. No weird ingredients, no complicated method and no chilling the dough. Too much to ask? Never.
I started with my favourite White Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. It’s made with room temperature butter, doesn’t need chilling and it produces a perfect cookie with chewy edges. So I scaled it down and gave it a go.
Test 1 was a mega fail. Even though I scaled down a tried and true recipe, it didn’t work. The cookies barely spread, hinting that the butter to flour ratio was off. And the taste was dry and floury – yuck.
For test 2, I slightly reduced the flour but the cookies were still too thick and powdery. So for test 3, I added more butter and also tried using only caster sugar (which typically helps cookies spread). While the size and shape was much better, the cookies lacked flavour and were very pale in colour.
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Finally, magical test 4. We amped up the butter, while also reducing the flour, added both brown sugar AND caster sugar and a full teaspoon of vanilla extract. The result? Perfect spreading, a rich buttery taste, and just the right amount of chocolate chips. BOOM.
What you will need
- Butter: Plenty of butter gives these cookies flavour and texture. It also helps the cookies spread naturally in the oven. You will need room temperature butter to start.
- Brown sugar: Brown sugar offers a beautiful depth of flavour, thanks to its molasses content, and that enviable golden colour.
- Caster sugar: We also add a tiny bit of caster sugar for extra sweetness and to help develop those crispy edges.
- Vanilla extract: A whole teaspoon of vanilla extract ensures these cookies will never be bland.
- Plain flour: Just the right amount of flour gives these cookies the perfect consistency and chew, while also letting them spread JUST the right amount.
- Baking soda: A tiny amount ensures these cookies aren’t as flat as a pancake.
- Salt: Salt = flavour enhancer.
- Chocolate chips: Oodles of milk chocolate chips, after all, these are CCCs!
Tips for making six perfect cookies
- Start with room temperature butter. It’ll make it easy to combine with the sugars, and help create just the right amount of cookie spreading.
- I recommend using a hand mixer for the recipe as there’s not a huge quantity of dough for a stand mixer.
- Weigh your butter and flour using a baking scale. It’s very important to have the perfect ratio of butter to flour to create the perfect cookie. Too much flour will mean your cookies won’t spread and may be dry.
- Don’t over-mix your cookie dough or your cookies will be tough. Mix until ingredients are just combined and then use a spatula, or even your hands to pull the dough together.
- Bake cookies just until golden, remembering that cookies firm up slightly as they cool. And add a few extra chocolate chips on top while they’re still warm!
Frequently asked questions
Honestly I haven’t tried, but as I mentioned above, the recipe was specifically crafted to only make a small amount of cookies. Try my White Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe if you want a full batch (and swap the white chocolate chips for regular ones).
You don’t need to chill the dough for this recipe. However, if you want to chill the dough to make them at a later time, I recommend bringing the cookie dough back to room temperature before baking. Otherwise, the cookies won’t spread much in the oven.
Yes!
More small batch bakes to love
- Small Batch Brownies
- One Chocolate Cookie
- Small Batch Chocolate Muffins
- Nutella Mug Cake
- Small Batch Cheesecake
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Hungry for more? Join me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter for more amazing recipe ideas
Let’s Bake
Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
Soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies made from scratch.
Ingredients
- 75 grams (1/3 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature, roughly chopped
- 45 grams (1/4 cup) brown sugar
- 15 grams (1 tablespoon) caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg yolk
- 95 grams (2/3 cup) plain flour or all purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 80 grams (1/2 cup) chocolate chips, plus extra for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced. Line a baking tray with baking or parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, add butter and sugars and beat using a hand-held electric mixer for a minute or two until smooth and creamy.
- Add egg yolk and vanilla and beat until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add flour, baking soda, salt and chocolate chips and beat briefly until a soft cookie dough forms. If the dough seems dry and crumbly, remove the mixer and use a spatula or your hands to bring the dough together.
- Divide cookie dough into six equal portions, roughly 1.5-2 tablespoons of dough each, and roll into balls using the palms of your hands.
- Place cookie dough balls on baking tray, leaving room for the cookies to naturally flatten out. Place in oven for 11-12 minutes or until golden brown on the edges.
- Press a few extra chocolate chips on top while the cookies are still warm. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Butter: Make sure your butter is at room temperature or slightly softened to begin. You should be able to easily make an indent when you press the butter with your thumb.
Measuring: For accuracy, I highly recommend using a baking scale to measure your ingredients, especially your butter and flour.
Cookies: You can make 8 smaller cookies if you prefer. Check the cookies after 10 minutes of baking time.
Nutrition Information
Serving Size: 1 cookie Calories: 280 Sugar: 19.5 g Sodium: 251.5 mg Fat: 15.8 g Carbohydrates: 32.9 g Protein: 3.4 g Cholesterol: 57.6 mg
Hi, I’m Jess, the creator of Sweetest Menu and the author of Something Sweet. A self-taught baker and published recipe writer who can’t stop making easy and delicious baking recipes.
Alice says
Made them for my brother to cheer him up and it worked. Perfect cookies for when you don’t want 36 at once and easy to make!
Jessica Holmes says
Oh that’s so nice to hear Alice! I hope they cheered him up!
Kayleen says
Absolutely lovely. Perfect recipe and so nice having a few biscuits, enough for our small family for milk and biscuits after dinner. Highly recommend!
Jessica Holmes says
How wonderful! So glad you and the family enjoyed them Kayleen!
CeeKay says
We love the small batch cookie recipes. Just the proper number of cookies. For the chocolate chip cookie we prefer very dark chocolate chips. Absolutely stellar cookie. I have been baking cookies, pies, and other goodies from many recipes for over 70 years…these are the best ever chocolate chip cookies. Thank you!
Jessica Holmes says
How kind! Thank you so much for the encouraging words CeeKay!
Marisa says
I have made these many times. The family loves them. Since I am making mess, now I double or triple the recipe and freeze dough balls. Then I bake them from frozen whenever we want some fresh cookies. I add 2 minutes onto the cooking time.
Jessica Holmes says
Oh love hearing that Marisa! Great tips!
Jade says
Love your recipes! Always a hit with my husband and daughter!
How long can i store this raw cookie dough in the freezer?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Jade, generally cookie dough can last in the freezer for up to 3 months.
vivianna guevara says
Buenas, me encantan todas tus recetas y lo o bien que explicas, una cosita hice la receta pero la masa me quedó blandita par poder darle forma me tocó meterla en el refrigerador que pudo ser? Gracias
Jessica Holmes says
Hi, because this recipe uses melted butter, the dough will be quite soft. If you melted your butter too much or are working in a warmer climate, it might have gotten too soft. You should be able to shape it, but yes, otherwise a few minutes in the fridge will help.
Nurul says
Hi Jessica! Can I use the chocolate chip recipe to make butterscotch cookies? Just substitute the chips?
Lots of love from Singapore! Xx
Jessica Holmes says
Totally! Enjoy!
Marisa says
Another amazing recipe ! I made them slightly smaller and got 10 cookies. Cooked them for 12 mins. They were crispy on the edges and soft and chewy in the middle. I pre-made the dough and stored it in the fridge until I was ready to bake them. I baked them from cold and it worked fine.
Jessica Holmes says
Love hearing that Marisa! So glad you enjoyed them.
Jennie says
Could I use Granulated Sugar instead of Caster sugar?
Jessica Holmes says
Yes!
Carrisse says
I made these last night for my boyfriend.. we loved this recipe. Thank you.
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed them!
Hema says
Heyove the recipe but i wanted to know the aletrnative for eggs. And how much wat the alternative product i need to put in.
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Hema, I haven’t tested this recipe without eggs.
Josh says
Loved these!
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed them!
Amanda Franklin says
Simply superb 🤗🥳 exact kind of cookies I was looking for, crisp on the outside n edges, soft chewy on the inside n pops of gooey chocolate yummm🤤😋 the quantity of 6 cookies is just perfect!!
Jessica Holmes says
Love hearing that Amanda! Thank you for the lovely feedback.
Eller says
Hi!! If I want to make 3 big cookies, how much time should I bake them? Thanks x
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Eller, you’ll have to experiment and see. Look for visual cues like when the cookies go golden brown on the edges and just start firming up in the centre.
Ashley says
Great recipe to make just a few cookies! Will definitely make these again… thanks!
Jessica Holmes says
Yay! So glad you enjoyed them!