Go no further! This chocolate chip cookie recipe will ruin your life.
Consider yourself warned.
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 cookie recipe”, and dog-eared cookbooks of “award winning” and family favorite chocolate chip cookie recipes, you have somehow found yourself here, face-to-cookie with the actual worst chocolate chip cookie.
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 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 best-turned-worst chocolate chip cookie recipe), that will work just fine, too.
What kind of self-respecting cookie doesn’t demand purity and quality?
Only the worst kind.
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 to die for.
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 was. 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 recipe? 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 any other “delicious” cookie. 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 chocolate chip cookie 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 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 ever” 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.
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.
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
The WORST Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted and then cooled for at least 5 minutes and until no longer warm to the touch (see note) (226g)
- 1 ½ cups light brown sugar packed (300g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 2 large eggs room temperature preferred
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup maple syrup² (60ml)
- 3 ¼ cups all purpose flour (415g)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups chocolate chips I used half regular semisweet chips and half mini semisweet chips
Recommended Equipment
- 1 ½ Tablespoon cookie scoop
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together melted butter and sugars.
- Add eggs, one at a time, stirring until combined.
- Stir in vanilla extract and maple syrup.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually add flour mixture to wet ingredients, stirring until completely combined.
- Stir in 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.)
- 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
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 the worst 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.
Vaughn
These are great, my family absolutely love them, they never last very long, I was wondering if/how it would be possible modify this recipe to make ginger cookies
Sam
So glad everyone enjoyed, Vaughn! I haven’t experimented with ginger flavor but please let me know if you do, that sounds delicious!
SARAH SONNIER
I haven’t tried this yet but I will this week. I’m going to try combining another famous Chocolate Chip cookie’s secret ingredient: brown butter. They call for it to caramelize the butter and emulsify with the egg (if I remember correctly) but I’ll just let it cool really well and use it as you have normally melted butter (I may even refrigerate it since it doesn’t firm up again anyhow, but we’ll see.)
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Sarah! Sounds, great–please let us know how they turn out. Also, keep in mind we have a brown butter chocolate chip cookie recipe too! 🙂
SARAH SONNIER
They cooked up fine, just like the ones you’ve pictured, but they didn’t taste as rich as I expected they would! 🙁 I’ll have to try your original recipe before making a final call. The one from the test kitchen calls for the hot butter and sugar to caramelize together, which may be key to getting that rich flavor.
Ashley
Hi Sam, I was curious if you’re able to freeze the dough, and then bake off some of the cookies when you’re wanting some? If you can, how long can they be frozen for until the dough is no longer good? Thank you in advance!
Sam
Hi Ashley! Absolutely! I have frozen up to 3 months. The cookies take a few minutes longer to bake when being baked from frozen.
Jessica
I thought you were joking around about how good these cookies are… but no, you’re totally not. This recipe is a masterpiece. I no longer have the need for other, lesser, cookie recipes.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so glad you loved them, Jessica! Thanks for commenting ❤️
Molly
Hi Sam,
I’m 11 and I’m wondering what other cookies are easy to make and another question whats your favorite cookie recipe? 😊
Stay safe!!
Sam
Hi Molly! These chocolate chip cookies are actually my all-time favorite, but some other easy favorites of mine include my No-Bake Cookies, Peanut Butter Cookies, and Snickerdoodles! Thank you so much for trying my recipes! <3
Katherine
I’ve made these several times, I have even been requested to bake more. 🥰❤️💕
Danielle
Best Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe hands down!! I have been making this one for months now and every time they turn out even more delicious than the last, if that’s possible. My mom wants me to add walnuts to a batch for her, do I need to adjust anything when adding them?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so glad you love these Danielle! You should be fine to add the nuts–please let us know how she likes them! 🙂
Petrina
Ok. So really, the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever made and eaten. The maple syrup added a depth and created a chewy inside with that crunchy edge. I am 69 and have made a cookie or two. Thanks for this!!
Sam
So happy to hear this! thank you for trying my recipe and for letting me know how it turned out for you, Petrina, I really appreciate it! 🙂
Sara
This is my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. Word of advice, use real maple syrup and not artificial “pancake syrup” or whatever. Tried that once and ended up with the silliest most spread out cookies I have ever seen.
Anna
What kind of maple syrup do you use? Do you have to use pure maple syrup or is imitation fine?
Sam
Either is fine! I talk about it a bit in the post but either works. Enjoy!
Zee
Hi, I made these cookies last night and followed the directions to the T. Any feedback on why any chocolate chip cookies I make ALWAYS turn out biscuit-y thick? They are biscuit textured no matter the thickness. They don’t look anything like yours, ugh!
Zee
Wait! I did use less of the sugars. Is that why?
Sam
How much did you reduce the sugar? Yes that could be why. Sugar is considered a “wet” ingredient since it melts while baking and contributes to the spread of the cookies. Reducing the sugar could make them thicker. Another problem could be if the flour was accidentally over-measured.
Zee
OMG, thank you Sam! I am ALWAYS being willy nilly reducing the sugar in my dessert recipes. I am going to stop this! I think I reduced it by half on both sugars. Baking desserts is truly a science!
Susan
Hi Sam! These are crazy good! Accidentally dropped a crumb while eating (without chocolate chip in it) and my pug went crazy over it and circled round and round to get another bite. Now when I cook these he knows and starts up the happy dance! Thanks so much.
Sam
😂 I’m so glad even the pup enjoys them! 🙂
Jay
Hey! I have a recipe that I love that includes molasses. Do you think molasses and maple syrup does the same thing cookies? Do you think I can add both? Thanks!
Sam
Hi Jay! You want to be careful with increasing the liquid. I would think you could substitute one for the other, or some sort of combination of the two but I wouldn’t increase the amount. I haven’t tried the molasses substitute though so I’m not 100% sure on the flavor/outcome.
Molly
Oh my god!! I’ve saved this recipe for a few months now, and finally made them today!! I accidentally put 2 tbs of cornstarch instead of 2 tsp and thought I ruined the recipe, afraid it was going to be a cakey batter instead of chewy, but it was perfect! Crispy on the uexterior, but chewy interior! This is my new favorite CCC recipe!! Thank you so much for shading!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Molly! 🙂
Susan
Hi. This recipe is amazing and the cookies are ridiculously good. I bake these cookies for my friend to make ice cream cookie sandwiches for her ice cream truck. They are perfect but I have a question. I’m going on vacation and she needs them for events while I’m gone. Would you recommend I freeze them individually and have her bake them herself, or could I bake and freeze them? If I freeze them baked, what is your recommendation for defrosting?
Sam
Hi Susan! I’ve never frozen them after baking myself, but I think it would be fine to do that. Personally when I’m making in advance I chill the dough as instructed in the recipe then scoop and freeze. The cookies can be baked directly from frozen but may need an extra minute or so added to the bake time and they don’t always spread quite as much. Alternatively you could thaw the (covered/wrapped) cookie dough overnight in the fridge and then bake as the recipe instructs. I hope that helps!
Kimbra
I bake and freeze them all the time. I’ll take one out for a treat. They taste and look great. I divide them up and store them in quart sized freezer bags. I had a large family reunion and I baked them and froze them, thawed in the fridge and put them on a platter and everyone loved them.
Patti Merryman
I have been making these for almost 3 years now. First time was for my sons swim team…. Gone instantly. I now send them off to him at college and his roommates have to beg him to share. Making some right now to send off for treats for the first week of junior year. The thing is … even if it’s a “bad” batch they are still amazing!
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoys them so much, Patti! 🙂
Candice
These are AMAZING! I have found my forever chocolate chip cookie recipe. Even my friend (whose chocolate chip cookies are BOMB) was super impressed when I gave her some of these as a thank-you gift. The only thing wrong with them is how addictive they are.
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Candice! 🙂