Go no further! While many have called these the best chocolate chip cookies, I assure you they are actually the worst, and this recipe might actually ruin your life.
Consider yourself warned.
The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies are the Worst
I can only assume that something must have gone horribly wrong to bring you here today.
Amidst a cherry-picked Pinterest Sea of “perfect chocolate chip cookies”, a Google Forest of the “best chocolate chip cookies”, and dog-eared cookbooks of “award winning” and your family favorites, you have somehow found yourself here, face-to-cookie with the actual worst chocolate chip cookie recipe.
Oh, I know what you’re thinking: It’s just a cookie, right?
I mean, sure, they look innocent enough. Golden with melty chocolate chips, crinkled edges and chewy, melt-in-your-mouth interiors… but one bite and you’re positively ruined for life.
These cookies will consume your life, shrink your jeans, and steal your boyfriend (I wouldn’t put it past them, anyway).
They even contain a secret ingredient.
A Secret Ingredient You’ll Wish You Never Discovered
How obnoxiously cliche, and, even more obnoxiously, intriguing.
I won’t drag it out. The secret ingredient is maple syrup. And sure, pure maple syrup (priced per ounce nearly the same as gold) would work just wonderfully here. But, if you have a sticky bottle of Aunt Jemima in your cabinet (as I happened to when I set out on the unholy quest for a secret ingredient for the worst-but-should-be best chocolate chip cookies), that will work just fine, too.
What kind of self-respecting cookie doesn’t demand purity and quality?
Only the worst kind.
Ingredients (& Secret Ingredients)
I credit (or, rather, blame) this “secret ingredient” for being the greatest offender in this positively worst chocolate chip cookie recipe. It gives the cookies a subtle, caramelized flavor as well as long-lasting chewiness and softness (these cookies stay soft for days, and the cornstarch helps with that as well), and the flavor is other-worldly.
And, while anyone who takes a bite will be able to detect the extra richness of flavor, not a single taste-tester was able to identify exactly what the secret ingredient actually is. Just that they were enjoying “really, really good cookies”.
OK, so what’s so bad about really good chocolate chip cookies?
How about the fact that they will consume you as you consume them? I’m not kidding about them wrecking your relationships.
Mom’s favorite chocolate chip cookie? Ditch it. You will snub your nose at every “favorite” cookie (chocolate chip or not) of the past and struggle to hold back scornful laughs at anyone who comments on their own personal best chocolate chip cookies. Nobody likes a cookie snob, and yet here you are.
Here comes that girl again, the one who’s too good for Chips Ahoy.
A Cookie Recipe for Ruining Your Life
Be prepared for weight gain. It creeps up slowly, the cookies gently embracing you at first, then clinging to your thighs, your stomach, tighter and tighter until yoga pants are your only way out of the house. If you’re worried about your significant other noticing, don’t bother. They don’t notice anything anymore, only whether or not there are more chocolate chip cookies readily available for consumption.
Perhaps worst of all is that this recipe can be made so easily. There’s no stand mixer or even an electric hand-held one required. They can be stirred by hand, dirtying only two bowls.
They do need to chill for at least 30 minutes, which would only serve as a deterrent if 25 of those minutes weren’t spent sneaking copious chunks of cookie dough from the refrigerator.
If you’ve made it this far, I fear it may already be too late for you.
It’s too late for me, sadly, and I’ve made these cookies nearly a dozen times in the past two weeks. I’m swapping gym time for cookie time to keep my refrigerator well-stocked with dough, and the photo shoot for this post took three times as long as it should have because I kept eating the subjects.
If you can, stick to the “best” chocolate chip cookies. Stick to Grandma’s chocolate chip cookie recipe and the old family favorites. Those cookies are safe, your friends, made to be consumed by you.
These cookies will consume you, instead.
Good luck out there. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did you run into cookies that spread all over the baking sheet in the oven? Here are your most likely culprits:
The butter was too hot when you added your sugar, causing the sugar to melt and creating a greasy cookie dough that never stood a chance.
You didn’t add enough flour. If the flour was under-measured, your cookies could spread when baking.
Your baking powder/baking soda was bad. These need to be stored properly and often will expire after 6 months, if yours is old, that could be the problem.
The dough didn’t chill long enough. If your dough is still very sticky after 30 minutes, let it chill longer.
You put your cookie dough on a hot cookie sheet. It actually starts to melt before it can even begin baking.
If your cookies are spreading too much, you can try stirring in a bit more flour or just chilling them (covered) for longer.
It could be that your flour was over-measured. Never scoop your flour directly into your measuring cup, it packs the flour into the cup and you end up with way more than the recipe actually calls for. Instead, use a scale (this is the scale that I use) or use a spoon to pour the flour into your measuring cup and then level off the top with a straightedge (like the back of a knife).
Honey or light or dark corn syrup would work instead of the syrup, just note that the flavor will be slightly different.
Easily one of the most-asked questions that I get, I suspect those who ask this question were merely so distracted by the siren call of these cookies that they were unable to read the blog post. Just know that they would be the best chocolate chip cookies… if they didn’t turn you into a cookie obsessed monster at first bite.
If you’re looking for something a little tamer but still delicious, check out my best chocolate chip cookie recipe, instead.
Let’s bake together! Subscribe to my email list to be notified of all my newest recipes and find my video tutorials on YouTube.
The WORST Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter melted and then cooled until no longer warm to the touch (see note)
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature preferred
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60 ml) maple syrup²
- 3 ⅓ cups (415 g) all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (340 g) chocolate chips I used half regular semisweet chips and half mini semisweet chips
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together melted butter and sugars.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, 1 ½ cups (300 g) light brown sugar, ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- Add eggs, one at a time, stirring until combined.2 large eggs
- Stir in vanilla extract and maple syrup.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ cup (60 ml) maple syrup²
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.3 ⅓ cups (415 g) all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt
- Gradually add flour mixture to wet ingredients, stirring until completely combined.
- Stir in chocolate chips.2 cups (340 g) chocolate chips
- Cover bowl with clear wrap and allow to chill for at least 30 minutes (chilling!? I told you, this recipe is the worst) and up to 3 days (the cookies look and taste even better after a longer chill. Note the dough will be harder to scoop after a longer chill time, just let it sit at room temperature a bit until it's scoopable)
- While the dough is chilling, preheat oven to 350F (175C) and prepare cookie sheets by lining with parchment paper (if you don’t have parchment paper, you can bake directly on an ungreased cookie sheet).
- Scoop about 2 Tablespoons of cookie dough and roll into balls, making them slightly taller than they are wide. Place them at least 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake about 13 minutes (cookies will appear to be a bit underdone, but edges should be just beginning to turn golden brown).
- Allow cookies to cool completely on cookie sheet. If desired, gently press a few chocolate chips on top of the warm cookies.
- Keep unbaked cookie dough in fridge while waiting to put the next batch in the oven, and do not place cookie dough on a hot cookie sheet.
Notes
¹Butter
You do not want your butter to be too hot or it may melt the sugar and you’ll have a very runny dough. Best practice would be to cut the butter into about Tablespoon-sized pieces, microwave in 10-second increments (stirring after each) until it is just completely melted, and then allow it to sit for 5 minutes. If your butter is too hot it could make your cookie dough or resulting cookies greasy.²Maple Syrup
I don’t recommend leaving out the maple syrup, it is critical to the flavor and is what makes these truly the “worst” chocolate chip cookies. In a pinch, honey or even corn syrup or golden syrup will work as a substitute to give you the same texture, but the flavor will not be the same. Pure maple syrup and imitation “pancake syrup” both work just fine here, the former lends itself to slightly flatter cookies and the latter to slightly thicker ones.Storing
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Cookie dough may be chilled, scooped, individually wrapped in plastic wrap and then frozen in an airtight container for up to 6 months.Gluten Free
A number of readers have commented that this recipe works well when substituting the flour 1:1 with Cup4Cup Gluten Free Flour, but I have not tested this myself.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Related Cookie Recipes That are Also Pretty Terrible But Not As Bad:
I originally published my chocolate chip cookie recipe on 3/21/16. I have since updated it to include new photos and a video, but the recipe has remained unchanged.
Charlene Sachlikidis
I finally tried this recipe – the flavor is really good! One problem – mine are very cakey and puffy… I followed the recipe exactly except I left the batter in the freezer overnight to bake later. Never had a problem doing this with any other recipe before. Maybe I cooked them too long? Any suggestions?
Thank you!
Sam
Hi Charlene! They make have needed an extra minute or two in the oven since you baked them from frozen. 🙂
Stephanie
Hello, this cookie is so amazing, thank you! I had one issue though. They were puffy and not as thin as yours, which we prefer a cookie not so puffy. I put the exact ingredients as noted in your recipe. I left in fridge overnight and let them come to room temp prior to baking. Any suggestions?
Sam
Hi Stephanie! I actually have a section just below the recipe that talks about cookies that don’t quite spread enough. There are a couple of things there that may help you troubleshoot a little bit. The chilling helps develop the flavor but typically if you bake them from room temperature they will end up spreading too much, so I am wondering if there was too much flour in the cookies. I’m glad you enjoyed them though. 🙂
Stephanie
You think the too much flour made them too puffy?
Sam
If there is too much flour they won’t spread properly.
Kristal Tighe
Just made these cookies, OMG! They are the best ever and they are perfectly shaped when they came out of the oven. Thank you so much for sharing!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Kristal! 🙂
Netta
I was unsure about the maple syrup but oh my goodness these were the best! My family isn’t crazy about chocolate chips so I only put in 3/4 a cup and didn’t add then to the baked cookies. I did everything else exactly as stated and I was fighting for the last one!!!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed them so much! 🙂
Brittany
I’ve tried a couple of difference popular recipes and love this one! I’ve made it multiple times now but today I need to make if for kids with a dairy allergy. Do you have any recommendations for a butter substitute? I was thinking coconut oil? Or shortening? Thanks Sam!
Sam
Hi Brittany! Earth balance butter may work here. 🙂
Agatha Fabricante
Quick question: do I live it to cool on the baking sheet only or together with the baking pan? Love all your recipes!!! Especially the carrot cake one 🙂
Sam
I am so glad you have enjoyed everything so much, Agatha! I leave my cookies on the pan that I place in the oven. Just pull the pan or tray of cookies out of the oven and place that on some oven mitts to finish baking. 🙂
Laurie
Wow! These are seriously good cookies!! Mine came out kind of flat but they tasted so good!! You can’t taste the maple syrup but it adds so much flavor! My mom said they were as good as hers which is a huge compliment since she is the queen of the chocolate chip cookie. Thanks for a great recipe!!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Laurie! The cookies will typically come out flat if the sugars are added to the melted butter when the butter is still too warm. That will melt your cookies and cause them to spread too much. 🙂
Katie
I’ve made these several times and love them! Question-do you see any issue with making the dough ahead of time and refrigerating for up to 24hrs? Thank you!
Sam
Hi Katie! I am so glad you enjoyed the cookies so much! Refrigerating the dough for 24 hours will be fine. You may need to let it sit out for a minute or two before you are able to scoop it. I do this all the time. 🙂
Danielle
I stumbled across this recipe a few years ago and it quickly became my go-to. Baking has always eased my stress and these cookies helped me get through undergrad (bringing the results to class definitely helped as well!). Friends and coworkers could hardly believe that these weren’t from an upscale bakery and I still get constant requests for them. They have definitely ruin other cookies for myself and everyone that has tried these, nothing else can stand up! I’ve found that switching to dark brown sugar and upping the corn starch to 1tbsp makes them even better, and using real Canadian maple syrup makes all the difference!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoy them so much, Danielle! Baking has always been my way to destress as well! 🙂
Rachel
I am so glad I stumbled on your recipe. The directions are clear and easy to follow. Not sure if it is the secret ingredient but whatever it is, these cookies are delicious. Thank you!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Rachel! 🙂
Tala Shukri
Hi, this looks heavenly. Can I make this recipe into a chocolate chip cookie cake? Would I still need to refrigerate the dough ?
Sam
Hi Tala! This isn’t the best cookie dough to turn into a cookie cake. It won’t bake properly if you try to do it all at once. I do have a cookie cake recipe you can use and add chocolate chips to. 🙂
Alison
best chocolate chip cookies ever indeed!! super hard to get this texture- this is the only time I’ve succeeded, thanks to you. thank you so much! delicious!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Alison! 🙂
Elle
This recipe is legit! The people in the comments have not lied, these are seriously The Best chocolate chip cookies I have ever made. This is now my new chocolate chip cookie recipe. I even made a ton of mistakes- butter could have been colder, probably didn’t chill long enough, spaced out and put the first sheet in before my oven had fully preheated, and left the dough out while the pans were baking. Still the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever made- and I have made a lot of them. I don’t understand what sorcery this is, but I love it.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Elle! 🙂
Kelly
We’re out of chocolate chips, so I had to chop up mini Hershey’s bars to make a half-batch, but ohmygosh was it worth it! I’ve never had chocolate chip cookies bake up so perfectly before! Thank you for this recipe!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Kelly! Chocolate bars definitely work well in a pinch. 🙂
Joanna
Made these Cookies today and they are one of the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve eaten! I didn’t have any cornstarch on hand so I substituted the cornstarch for cake flour. And it work out well, cookies are slightly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I would definitely classify these cookies as bakery style. This is a keeper recipe & I will pass it along to my family & friends looking for a delicious chocolate chip cookie😋
Sam
Thank you so much, Joanna! I am so glad you enjoyed them so much. 🙂
Sharon
Hey Sam! Is it true that substituting cake flour instead of corn flour, if we dont have any, will work? Do we use the same measurement? Can we use all purpose flour also as a substitute?
Also, can we use any kind of syrup if we dont have maple? Like, even corn syrup? 😁
Love the way u write your recipes! So intriguing and makes u wanna try them asap! Thankyou for sharing!
Sam
Hi Sharon! I’m not sure about the cake flour substitution. You can use all purpose flour instead of the cornstarch but the cookies won’t be quite as soft and chewy. For the syrup, regular pancake syrup will work here, but I would advise against using the corn syrup. Enjoy! 🙂