These Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies are the perfect way to satisfy your cookie craving without making a whole batch. This perfectly-portioned recipe yields just 12 deliciously soft, chewy, buttery, chocolate chip-packed cookies.
Sometimes you just don’t need 24-48 cookies hanging around your kitchen for days (and days).
These Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies are simply a smaller batch of your favorite classic dessert! They’re easy to make and so incredibly delicious!
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- One-bowl recipe – No mixing wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls. Just one bowl needed to whip up these delicious cookies!
- Pantry staples – This classic recipe is made with ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.
- No chilling time – The dough doesn’t need to chill in the fridge before baking, so these cookies are ready in no more than 20 minutes.
- Perfect amount – This smaller batch is perfect when you’re serving just a couple of people and you don’t have room for storing a bunch of extra cookies!
Recipe Notes
This Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe is as simple as promised! Just 20 minutes for everyone’s favorite sweet treat.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use when making this recipe to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Butter – I recommend using unsalted butter so you can control the saltiness of the cookies. If all you have is salted butter, you may want to add a little bit less than the listed amount of salt.
- Sugar – You’ll use a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar. The granulated sugar gives the cookies those crispy edges while the brown sugar makes them deliciously chewy in the center.
- Egg
- Vanilla Extract
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Soda – Be sure your baking soda is fresh. Expired baking soda won’t give the cookies the lift they need for the perfect thickness.
- Salt
- Chocolate Chips – I like semi-sweet, but dark chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips will work too. Chocolate chunks can also work if that’s your preference.
Easy Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies Step by Step
In a medium mixing bowl, cream together butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy. Add in the eggs and vanilla, then mix.
To the dough, add flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until a dough forms, being careful not to over-mix.
Stir in the chocolate chips.
Scoop rounded tablespoons of the dough onto a baking sheet, then bake at 350ºF until the edges are golden brown and the center is barely set.
Recipe Tips
- Use softened butter – Softened butter contributes to the chewiness of the cookies. Just 30 minutes on the counter will do.
- Spoon and level the flour – To measure out your flour, spoon it into your measuring cup, then level it off gently with your finger. This prevents it from getting super packed into the measuring cup, which can result in too much flour and dry cookies.
- Don’t over-bake – Take the cookies out of the oven when the edges are golden and crisped slightly and the center is just barely set. The cookies will set up completely on the baking sheet and as they cool and the texture will be perfectly chewy. Over-baking yields crunchy cookies.
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Make the dough in advance – Mix up your cookie dough and store it for up to 3 days before baking. Store it as one big ball of dough OR portion it out in advance to get even further ahead.
- Bake and freeze the cookies – These cookies will last for up to a month in the freezer.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- White Chocolate Macadamia Nut – Swap the regular chocolate chips out for white chocolate chips and toss in a handful of chopped macadamia nuts for a classic combo.
- M&M – Are you a candy lover? Use M&Ms in place of the chocolate chips for a sweet twist with a little bit of a crunch.
- Peanut Butter Chip– Use peanut butter chips in place of the chocolate chips OR use a combination of the two.
How to Freeze Cookies
These small batch cookies can be frozen before or after baking. If freezing the cookie dough you are able to just pop out a few or as many as you need to bake to have hot, fresh cookies on demand.
If you prefer, you can bake all of the cookies and freeze after baking. Freezing the baked cookies will preserve them and once, thawed they come out just as soft, chewy, fresh, and perfect as they are when freshly baked.
Both are great options for keeping cookies fresh and delicious!
To freeze cookie dough:
- To freeze cookie dough, portion the dough into balls, then place them on a cookie sheet.
- Transfer the baking sheet to the freezer and flash-freeze the cookie dough balls until hardened. Once the dough is frozen, place the dough balls into a freezer-safe container or ziplock bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- When you’re ready to bake your cookie dough, let the dough thaw at room temperature, then bake the cookies as directed.
To freeze baked cookies:
- Let the baked cookies cool completely, then transfer the baking sheet to the freezer to flash freeze for 1-2 hours.
- Once the cookies are frozen solid, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or ziplock bag and store in the freezer for up to 1 month.
- When you’re ready to serve, let the full batch of cookies thaw at room temperature or, if you just need one, pop a single cookie in the microwave to warm it up straight out of the freezer.
How to store cookies
If you have extras after making these Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies, then they can be saved to munch on at a later time.
To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:
- on the counter for 2-3 days
- in the refrigerator for up to a week
- in the freezer up to a month.
More EASY Cookie Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy cookie recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
- Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
- Wyoming Cowboy Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup chocolate chips, plus more for tops (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven the 350˚F.
- In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, by hand or with an electric mixer. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix.
- Then add the flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix until it forms a dough. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.
- Scoop rounded tablespoonfuls on to a baking sheet arranged about 2 inches apart. Add additional chocolate chips to the tops of the cookies if desired.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are browned and the centers are just set. Let cool on pan for 2 minutes, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack.
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