Small batch chocolate chip cookies for your next cookie craving! Make just a half batch of chocolate chip cookies the next time you need a warm, gooey chocolate chip cookie!
This is the BEST Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
I'm sharing this recipe today with so much love. I've been scaling down recipes since 2009, but it wasn't until 2010 that I started this blog. One of the first things I wanted to share here in this space is a small-batch chocolate chip cookies recipe.
If I remember correctly, small-batch chocolate chip cookies were one of the first 20 recipes I shared. My actual first recipe was chocolate cream pie for two, however.
We all need chocolate chip cookies every now and then, but we almost never need four dozen of them. I still believe in the dessert for two doctrines after all of these years. A little bit of the real dessert is better than a lot of the fake stuff. Small batch desserts fit into our lives so easily!
Some of you said: why don't you just freeze the leftover dough?
While I realize I can store leftover cookie dough balls in the freezer, I cannot be trusted around frozen cookie dough. I'm one of those people that thinks frozen dough is even better than the baked cookie! Plus, if I froze every leftover batch of cookie dough, I would soon need to buy a deep freezer for additional freezer space!
It seems I cannot be trusted around a batch of cookies that make more than one dozen cookies. I'm hoping you're the same way as me! I'm guessing since you landed on this site, you might be. If that's the case, welcome!
What you'll need for a Small Batch of Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Butter. You can use unsalted butter or salted butter, it truly doesn’t matter because chocolate chip cookies taste best with a big pinch of salt. If you’re using salted butter, reduce the amount of salt you add to the batter by half.
- Brown Sugar. When it comes to brown sugar, dark or light work equally well here. However, I always reach for dark brown sugar, because the extra molasses makes for extra chewy, soft cookies.
- Granulated Sugar.
- Egg Yolk. We just need the egg yolk, not the egg white. Reserve the egg whites for another use.
- Vanilla Extract.
- Flour. Plain, all-purpose flour that you fluff, scoop to measure and level off with a knife.
- Baking Soda.
- Baking Powder.
- Salt.
- Chocolate Chips. I like to use dark chocolate chips or semisweet chips. Milk chocolate chips can be a bit too sweet.
What makes cookies better: butter or shortening?
You guys loved my original recipe for small-batch chocolate chip cookies. I'm so glad that you guys think it's so amazing to have a small recipe for cookies that you could bake whenever a cookie craving hits. And, you love that the recipe only makes 10-12 cookies, not the typical 4 dozen cookies of standard recipes.
I love that neither of us trusts ourselves around leftover cookies. We're the same, you and I.
However, my original recipe for a small batch of chocolate chip cookies contained shortening. I grew up in the South, and shortening is a common ingredient to me when used in moderation. But, I've learned that most of you guys avoid shortening at all costs.
After many emails poured in asking if the recipe could be made with all butter, I finally decided to try it myself! I'm so glad I took your advice.
As it turns out, chocolate chip cookies made without shortening are amazing, and it's possible to still have the chewy, melty, gooey cookies of our dreams. Butter is where it's at, friends!
You're going to love these cookies because they contain all butter and dark brown sugar. If you have my first cookbook, Dessert for Two, you can use this new formula to adapt the recipe.
If you want to keep making the original recipe with shortening, that's perfectly fine, too friends! I'm just here to make sure you get enough cookies in your life. The original ratio is 4 tablespoons of butter to 2 tablespoons of shortening.
It would be super fun to make both recipes side by side and host a taste-test party!
Shortening makes cookies fluffy while still giving them a crisp edge. It's magical stuff, but I understand if you don't want to bake with it.
How to make Chocolate Chip Cookies From Scratch
- Preheat the oven to 375. Line a light-colored baking sheet with a silicone mat.
- In a medium bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 20 seconds.
- Add the sugars, and beat for about 30 seconds. The mixture will turn a pale color and be fluffy.
- Next, add the egg yolk and vanilla and beat until just combined.
- Whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder in a separate bowl.
- Sprinkle the flour on top of the butter mixture, and beat just until combined.
- Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Scoop the dough into 12 dough balls, and space them evenly on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, removing the cookies from the oven when the edges just start to turn golden brown.
- Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 1 minute before moving them to a wire rack to cool.
Chocolate Chip Cookies Small Batch Recipe baking tips
-Use softened butter. That means butter that sits out at room temperature for about 20 minutes. You can press a finger into the butter to make an indent, but your finger will not go all the way through easily. Softened butter is not room temperature butter.
-Use dark brown sugar. The only difference between light brown sugar and dark brown sugar is the molasses content. And when it comes to cookies, the more molasses, the better. Molasses makes cookies a lovely shade of golden brown, and it's key for chewy cookies.
-This recipe uses just an egg yolk (because it's small-batch). I have a collection of recipes that use leftover egg whites if you're interested.
-Use ⅓ cup of chocolate chips for the dough, but feel free to push a few more chocolate chips on the top right when they come out of the oven. That's a pro tip ;)
I want to mention that if you have egg allergies, try this recipe for a small batch of chocolate chip cookies without eggs. I hope you make it at least a few times a month just like I do!
Another fun variation is to add orange zest to your cookies. I also want to mention that you can use any type of chocolate chips and add nuts if you prefer your cookies that way. I have a small batch cranberry white chocolate chip cookie recipe that is a variation of this recipe.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Small Batch storage and make ahead instructions
These cookies keep already baked on the counter for up to 3 days. They keep for up to 5 days in the fridge. You can scoop and freeze the dough and store in the freezer for up to 3 months, if you store in a freezer-safe container. Bake the cookies straight from frozen, but add a few extra minutes to help them cook all the way through.
Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies FAQS
To bake chewy chocolate chip cookies, first, you want to start by not overbaking the cookies. Do not let them cool completely on the cookie sheet after baking, because the residual heat will continue to cook them. Using dark brown sugar helps increase chewiness in a cookie. So, scan your cookie recipe and make sure it has a higher portion of brown sugar to white sugar and you’ll most likely end up with a perfectly chewy cookie.
In general, follow a trusted recipe. Read the instructions all the way through, use high quality ingredients, and practice baking! Ensure your butter is softened but not melty, your dry ingredients are properly measured, and that your leaveners (baking soda and baking powder) are fresh and not expired.
If your cookies cool and become crisp it’s because they were over-baked. Do not let them cool on the cookie sheet completely. Follow the instructions--let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 1 minute after they come out of the oven and then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.
So, some cookie recipes call for both baking soda and baking powder, and some call for one or the other. This small batch chocolate chip cookie recipe calls for both. Baking soda is acidic, which reacts with the ingredients the dough to create air bubbles, which spreads the dough, sometimes causes cracks (in the case of our sugar cookies) and makes it lift, ever so slightly. Baking powder, on the other hand, creates a high rise and plenty of lift in a cookie. This is why we use it in our Strawberry Shortcake Cookies--we want tall, fluffy cookies in the case of shortcake cookies. For chocolate chip cookies, we want both spread and lift, so we use both.
More Favorites from Dessert for Two
Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (Small Batch)
Chocolate chip cookies recipe from scratch that only makes a small batch.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk (egg white reserved for another use)
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅓ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375. Line a light-colored baking sheet with a silicone mat.
- In a medium bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 20 seconds.
- Add the sugars, and beat for about 30 seconds. The mixture will turn a pale color and be fluffy.
- Next, add the egg yolk and vanilla and beat until just combined.
- Whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder in a separate bowl.
- Sprinkle the flour on top of the butter mixture, and beat just until combined.
- Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Scoop the dough into 12 dough balls, and space them evenly on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, removing the cookies from the oven when the edges just start to turn golden brown.
- Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 1 minute before moving them to a wire rack to cool.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 117Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 67mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 0gSugar: 9gProtein: 1g
Maddy says
Definitely one of the best chocolate chip cookie recipes I’ve found online. Even if you’re not looking for a small batch recipe, double or triple this one to get the softest, chewiest, most delicious chocolate chip cookies ever !
A says
made excellent edibles with this thank you!
Kendra says
Made this exactly as written tonight aside from using dark brown sugar because I only had light brown in my pantry, and from a baking standpoint they turned out great! I guess for my own taste preference they were way too “sugary.” When eating them, I felt I was eating a sugar cookie and not so much chewy choc chip cookie?? Is there a way I can cut the granulated sugar a bit without drastically changing the bake? Or should I add a tad more salt to balance it out? Or could it have been how I creamed the butter and sugars together? Any help is appreciated-I would love to make again!
Sophie says
Have you ever tried replacing the brown/white sugar with coconut sugar? Thanks! I just don't want to waste coconut sugar if it doesn't work here.
Zoe says
I love this recipe so much!! It never fails, perfect for our two-person household. I've done variations with browned butter, nuts, and with cooling the dough before vs not. Literally all turned out delicious. 10/10
It usually does make 9 for me instead of 12 but I like a medium-large sized cc cookie
Katherine says
Found this recipe while pregnant and craving sweets. I made the cookies larger than the recipe suggests and had to bake them longer but they came out delicious. We dipped them in some warm milk and they were the perfect Saturday night indulgence. Fluffy with a nice bit of crisp on the outside. Definitely saving to make again.
Samina says
Seriously one of the most delicious, just right recipe!!!! Thank you. My 2yo and 4 yo simply love this easy yummy recipe. I super love the edges crunch.
Ayeshia says
I decided to start baking again, as most store bought baked goods taste more and more artificial.
Also, I can’t always make it first thing in the morning to wait in line at the local bakery.
I am very pleased with how the cookies turned out. A little sweeter than I like so next time I’ll cut back on the white sugar and add salted pecans.
Thanks so much for sharing this wonderful recipe!
Christina Lane says
Awesome! Just know that when you reduce sugar in a recipe, you're reducing liquid and you might end up with a dry, crumbly cookie.
Cait says
So good! Just made these with my daughter and they came out great. Love being able to make a small batch, especially when littles want to help.
Anna says
Excellent recipe. I initially did not catch that this made 12 cookies instead of just enough cookies for two people ("dessert for two" was my thought process). I got very excited thinking that my "serving" was 6 cookies! That seems like an appropriate serving size of cookies to me any day!