Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
These small-batch chocolate chip cookies are the BEST simple everyday cookies. 8 small cookies or 4 large cookies come together in less than 5 minutes, bake for 10 minutes, and they use minimal ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry!
What makes these small batch chocolate chip cookies so great?!
Ok, before we get started… I just want to say that I developed this recipe with specific intentions. I am not claiming that these are THE BEST COOKIES out there. There are better cookies out there, for instance, my Bakery-style ones. But if you’re looking for a super easy/minimal ingredient, 15 minutes cookie recipe, this is it!
So if you’ve been following along on instagram stories, you’ll know that I had some specific goals for these cookies myself. Then I did a few polls and you guys had some requests for our ultimate easy chocolate chip cookies, as well so check out the goals below!
I used this recipe to adapt into several other versions like my family’s FAVORITE oreo cookies, s’mores cookies and caramel stuffed cookies.
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Goals:
- Quick & Easy: by that I mean, NO MIXERS and NO CHILL TIME! Because I don’t know about you but when I want a cookie, I don’t want it tomorrow, I want it now lol.
- Small-Batch: I guess small-batch can mean different things to different people but I think 8 small cookies is a small enough batch to me…
- No awkward amounts of ingredients: aka, you guys were very anti “one egg yolk” or “⅔ cup flour + 1 Tbsp” LOL, which I love because I am too.
- Chocolate Chips AND/OR Baking Chocolate: sometimes a great cookie recipe is only great if you make it exactly as listed but the point of these cookies is to be accommodating, easy and convenient.
How to make small batch chocolate chip cookies
To stay on the quick and easy brand, I made sure we were using melted butter for the dough because no one wants to wait for the butter to be at the perfect room temperature. These cookies are literally so simple. The melted butter gets whisked with the light brown sugar, then whisk in the egg and vanilla and then fold in the flour and baking powder, followed by the chocolate. Scoop and bake. DONE.
Ingredients:
- Flour: I just used all-purpose flour for this recipe however, I HIGHLY recommend using a digital scale, as over-measuring the flour is the most common baking mistake and may result in dry cookies.
- Sugar: I’m going to spare you my whole rant on sugar lol… I used JUST light brown sugar for these cookies and I don’t recommend substituting it.
- Butter: I LOVE using salted butter in cookies! I started doing this this year and it just seems more flavorful and it’s one less step since you don’t have to add extra salt. If you use unsalted butter, just add ¼ tsp salt to the batter with the flour too.
- Egg: I used one FULL large egg in this small-batch recipe
- Vanilla: Don’t underestimate the power of vanilla extract in a cookie recipe. I stopped putting vanilla in EVERYTHING that I make but for cookies it’s essential.
- Baking Powder: just baking powder, no baking soda.
- Chocolate: pretty essential in chocolate chip cookies if you ask me, LOLzzz. More details below!
- Sea Salt Flakes: I would say this is optional but I’m not sure we can be friends if you don’t choose this option lol
What kind of chocolate can I use for these cookies?
Ok, so first things first. In my polls, most people said they prefer real baking chocolate over chocolate chips. If you don’t know the difference, basically chocolate chips have stabilizers in them that help them keep their shape. When you use chopped up baking chocolate, you get gorgeous little melty puddles of chocolate, whereas the chocolate chip will stay as a chunky chocolate chip. The great part about this small-batch cookie recipe is that you can use either type of chocolate!
Second, do we use milk, semi-sweet or dark chocolate?! This is honestly your preference. I prefer either dark chocolate or a mix of dark chocolate and milk chocolate in my cookies. If I’m being totally honest with you, this cookie dough is a little bit sweeter than some other ones and lowering the sugar drastically changes the texture so I personally don’t recommend milk chocolate alone… but again, that’s preference.
How to bake a small batch of chocolate chip cookies
I always bake in a convection oven but when I took some polls on instagram, most of you said you either don’t have one or you don’t know how to use your convection oven. So since I developed ALL my recipes in a 350F convection oven, I decided to experiment with a conventional.
If you don’t know the difference, a convection oven has a fan that circulates the heat more evenly. This usually results in a quicker bake, so always do less time if you’re unsure and it also gives a more even browning. If you’re not used to it, the change can be frustrating.
I also do four cookies on two cookie sheets because they do spread but depending on the size of your pan, you can probably fit up to 6 cookies on a pan.
Baking with a conventional oven (no fan)
- Bake 2 oz cookies at 325F (163C) for 12 minutes
- Bake 4 oz cookies at 325F (163C) for 16 minutes
Baking with a convection oven (fan)
- Bake 2 oz cookies at 350F (177C) for 10 minutes
- Bake 4 oz cookies at 350F (177C) for 14 minutes
Frequently Asked Questions
The cookie dough is pretty soft so you’ll want to scoop it out, roll it and then press it down just a little so it looks more like a disc than a ball. Then refrigerate it on a plate or tray until the cookie dough is more firm. Once they’re firm, place them in a ziplock bag and freeze. To bake, remove from the freezer as the oven is preheating and just add an additional 2-3 minutes to the bake time.
This recipe definitely works with vegan butter but unfortunately did not work without the egg. I haven’t tried making these with a flax egg so there’s a chance that may work.
You can! I double this recipe all the time and it makes 16 normal size cookies (2 oz) or 8 large (4 oz) cookies. See the baking details above.
Sure can! Now I use this base for so many other cookies (recipes coming soon for some of them). Some fun add-ins that I recommend:
– Sub half of the chocolate chips for walnuts or hazelnuts.
– Sub half of the chocolate chips with pecans or macadamia nuts and the other half of chocolate chips with white chocolate chips.
– Replace the chocolate chips with chopped peanut butter cups
– Replace ½ of the chocolate chips with 4 roughly chopped Oreo
– Replace all the chocolate chips with white chocolate chips and add 2 Tbsp of sprinkles
If you have any other add-ins you’ve tried, let me know in the comment section.
How to store baked chocolate chip cookies
This small-batch of chocolate chip cookies is best stored in your belly… lol. Ok, jokes aside, just place them in a ziplock bag and keep them at room temperature 3-4 days. They obviously will dry out a little more day by day but I just pop in the microwave for like 5-10 seconds before eating.
Thanks so much for reading today’s post , if you have any questions just comment down below, i’m happy to answer! If you make this small batch chocolate chip cookie recipe, I would love to see them! Make sure to tag me @baranbakery on instagram and as always, have a blessed day and happy baking!
Love, B
Love these cookies! I used dark brown sugar and an extra-large egg since that’s what was on hand, and followed all measurements and instructions as written. They turned out beautifully and oh so scrumptious!
The cookies tasted very good, but I was not a fan of how cakey they came out. I definitely enjoyed the small batch idea and I would probably make it again because they were convienient. I just wished the texture was closer to a cookie not a pancake.
These cookies are delicious and the perfect amount. Mine did puff up quite a bit. Have others gotten results like the photos?
Make sure to tap the tray on the counter when you take it out the oven, you can do this halfway through baking too if you want them to be less puffy!
This is a good and simple chocolate chip cookie recipe! I think it might be one of my favorites now. The cookies came out thick which I love, I don’t like flat cookies. They weren’t overly sweet which I also love. They had the perfect amount of sweetness. I didn’t have regular chocolate chips or chopped chocolate so I used mini chips. Still turned out great. I will definitely use this recipe again!
Incredible cookie! We live near Denver and it’s been so hard to find a good cookie recipe that won’t go flat! I doubled the recipe which made 16 larger cookies!
I followed this recipe verbatim and while they aren’t the prettiest cookies they taste amazing and everyone in my house was happy with them. I actually only used 3oz of chocolate because it’s all I had on hand but it was dark chocolate sea salt and it is perfect with the sweet base. I agree with the now sentiment and believe the cookies would be prettier if I had chilled the batter, even just a few minutes. Definitely printing out this recipe.
I would like to know if I can replace the regular butter for ghee? Thanks
Hi, I haven’t tried it but I don’t see why not
Literally the best cookies ever! Loved them, they were so delicious! And they were so easy to make. Will definitely be making these again! Highly recommend!