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    You are here: Home / Desserts / Cookies / The WORST Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

    The WORST Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

    March 28, 2020 Updated January 9, 2023 BySam 4,683 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
    Stack of worst chocolate chip cookies

    Go no further! This chocolate chip cookie recipe will ruin your life.

    Consider yourself warned.

    Stack of cookies made from this chocolate chip cookie recipe with melty chocolate chips and a bite missing from the top cookie

    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

    chocolate chip cookie broken in half to show the inside, perched on a shotglass filled with the secret ingredient (maple syrup)

    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.

    Ingredients
    Ingredients needed for the worst chocolate chip cookie recipe

    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?

    Overhead of the worst chocolate chip cookie on parchment paper on a wood surface, broken in half

    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

    a glass bowl of chocolate chip cookie dough
    The worst chocolate chip cookie dough

    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.

    Two chewy chocolate chip cookies on a dark backdrop

    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.

    Chocolate chip cookie with bite missing

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Why did my cookies spread too much?

    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.

    Why didn’t my chocolate chip cookies spread in the oven?

    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).

    Can I substitute something else for the maple syrup?

    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

    Stack of cookies made from this chocolate chip cookie recipe with melty chocolate chips and a bite missing from the top cookie

    The WORST Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

    My apologies, it seems you've somehow stumbled upon the absolute worst chocolate chip cookie recipe. Turn back now or you'll end up like all the commenters on this post.
    4.88 from 2010 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Cookies, Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 13 minutes minutes
    Chilling Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 58 minutes minutes
    Servings: 32 large cookies
    Calories: 223kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    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

    • Mixing bowls
    • Cookie sheet
    • 1 ½ Tablespoon cookie scoop
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    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

    Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 119mg | Potassium: 12mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 500IU | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1.3mg

    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.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

    Related Cookie Recipes That are Also Pretty Terrible But Not As Bad:

    • Peanut butter cookies with a criss cross fork design on top.
      The BEST Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe (Seriously!)
    • Oatmeal cookies stacked on marble surface
      Big Soft Oatmeal Cookies
    • chocolate chip cookie bar studded with chocolate chips
      Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
    • plate of iced and decorated sugar cookies neatly arranged according to type, including christmas trees, gold stars, candy canes, and snowflakes
      Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe (With Icing!)

    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.

    « Crazy Cake
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Karla

      November 19, 2021 at 5:28 pm

      5 stars
      Hey Sam, these cookies continue to be the bomb! I’m going to gift dough in glass jars this year for Christmas and wondered how long I can freeze the dough.
      A month isn’t too long, is it? I’d like to get started this weekend!

      Reply
      • Sam

        November 20, 2021 at 3:55 pm

        Hi Karla! The dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. I hope that helps! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Mike Bray

      November 18, 2021 at 12:36 am

      5 stars
      I’ve made these cookies a couple of times now and they don’t last very long around the house. The maple makes you go hum if you’re not the one that baked them and know it’s in there. I also pull just a little batter out before I add the chocolate chips so our dog Lana can also have some as a special treat. She gives them 4 Paws up!!

      Reply
      • Sam

        November 19, 2021 at 1:15 pm

        I’m so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Mike! 🙂

        Reply
    3. Anna

      November 15, 2021 at 2:50 pm

      This recipe has been my go-to for chocolate chip cookies for months now! Everyone in my family loves them. I’m wondering if I could use brown butter in this recipe? Would I need to make any adjustments to the other ingredients?

      Reply
      • Sam

        November 16, 2021 at 10:13 am

        I’m so glad to hear everyone has enjoyed, Anna! I have made with brown butter before (as have other commenters) and have not altered any of the other ingredients. Enjoy!

        Reply
      • Kaitlin

        November 29, 2021 at 9:14 am

        Hello! These look wonderful and I am going to make them for a family event. Is it possible to freeze the actual cookies or should I make them the day before? Thank you!

        Reply
        • Sam

          November 29, 2021 at 1:50 pm

          Hi Kaitlin! These cookies are good for several days after being baked. If you want to make them far in advance I recommend freezing the dough. They can bake from frozen, but will probably need an extra minute or 2 in the oven. You could freeze the baked cookies, but if you ask me there’s nothing like a freshly baked cookie. 🙂

    4. Um Nur

      November 10, 2021 at 7:34 pm

      Looks like a great recipe and I love your writing!
      I want to increase the maple syrup and decrease or eliminate the other sugars.
      I’ll also try making it gluten free. Any advice? (I have a bad reaction to wheat and cane sugars. I try to use maple syrup as much as possible.)

      Reply
      • Sam

        November 10, 2021 at 9:53 pm

        Thank you so much! To be honest, it would be difficult for me to advise on how to totally eliminate the sugars. I know some people have successfully reduced the sugar but I’m not sure to what extent (hoping someone who has tried it can chime in, though!). I know others have successfully made this with 1:1 gluten free flour, though I have not personally tried this myself.

        Reply
    5. Heather

      November 07, 2021 at 12:19 pm

      Can these be frozen in balls and baked later?

      Reply
      • Sam

        November 07, 2021 at 9:18 pm

        Sure thing! They may just need an extra minute in the oven when you bake them. 🙂

        Reply
    6. Nblair

      October 21, 2021 at 7:55 pm

      5 stars
      The best cookie ever!

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        October 22, 2021 at 10:31 am

        Thanks so much–we love hearing that! Enjoy ❤️

        Reply
      • Friesndakittens

        October 24, 2021 at 10:34 am

        5 stars
        Made these cookies several times (it’s my go to make them at least once a week )so excited to try more of your recipes❤️ Keep up the good work

        Reply
        • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

          October 25, 2021 at 2:06 pm

          Wow, we love hearing that! Thanks so much for your review 😊 Enjoy the cookies!

    7. Genie

      October 19, 2021 at 9:17 am

      5 stars
      Absolutely fantastic cookies! Like out of the bakery! I followed the recipe exactly and wouldn’t change a thing. You definitely have to cover the dough when you chill it – my last set I didn’t cover and the dough got really hard and the cookies got kind of flat in the oven. The rest of them though were irresistible 🙂

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        October 19, 2021 at 10:46 am

        We’re so happy you love this recipe, Genie! Enjoy the cookies while they last 😊

        Reply
        • Coley

          November 09, 2021 at 11:37 am

          Hi! I’ve made these multiple times as they are my favorite cookie ever but I always make them the same day. I was wondering if it was okay to leave the ready made dough in the fridge for two days before baking? Thanks! Coley

        • Sam

          November 09, 2021 at 12:20 pm

          Hi Coley! The dough will be fine in the refrigerator for 2 days. Just make sure it’s wrapped tightly so it doesn’t dry out. 🙂

      • Harley Hill Mom

        November 20, 2021 at 10:34 am

        5 stars
        These is our only go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe. I regularly recommend it!

        Reply
    8. Caroline Napton

      October 18, 2021 at 1:00 pm

      Hi, these look delicious! Am hoping to make a hamper of homemade goodies for Christmas. Assuming you can resist eating them yourself, how long would these keep for please? Thank you, Caroline x

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        October 19, 2021 at 9:26 am

        Hi Caroline! If you can resist them, they’ll last a week at room temperature in an airtight container. Good luck! 😉

        Reply
        • Caroline Napton

          October 19, 2021 at 9:37 am

          Thank you Emily, that’s great to know. xx

    9. Karen

      October 16, 2021 at 8:45 pm

      If I use a 1/4 cup scoop, how long do you think they would need to bake? Thinking of making large cookies for a bake sale. Have made this recipe so many times for family and friends and they are always a huge hit!

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        October 18, 2021 at 10:03 am

        Hi Karen! They probably won’t take too much longer. We’d start with the 13 minutes and go from there. Let us know how they turn out!

        Reply
    10. FeeFee

      October 15, 2021 at 10:31 pm

      5 stars
      I love the consistency of the cookies. So chewy in the center and a bit crisp around the edges! They taste awesome too! I used dark corn syrup in place of the maple. WONDERFUL RESULTS! Thank you for this recipe!

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        October 16, 2021 at 10:03 am

        We’re so happy you loved them, FeeFee! Thanks for letting us know how they turned out for you 😊

        Reply
    11. Sara

      October 14, 2021 at 4:20 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve tried many many different chocolate chip cookie recipes and my husband still says these are by far the best! I get requests to make these all the time and when I do make them they don’t last long in the house. Thank you for a wonderful recipe!!

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        October 14, 2021 at 5:32 pm

        Thanks so much for your five-star review, Sara! They really do have a knack for disappearing 😆

        Reply
      • Victoria

        October 24, 2021 at 12:48 pm

        I love this recipe! I am currently making a double batch for work, friends and neighbors! Can they hold in the fridge or will it change the consistency?

        Reply
        • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

          October 25, 2021 at 4:29 pm

          Hi Victoria! They should be fine. Enjoy 😊

    12. Joanne

      October 10, 2021 at 4:51 pm

      4 stars
      The cookies were really good, but it was a bit too sweet. Even my kids, who love sweets, thought it was a bit too sweet. How much sugar can I cut out without altering the integrity of the cookie and making it too doughy? I read that another reviewer cut out too much sugar and her cookie was doughy. Would greatly love your advice on this.
      Overall, the recipe was awesome.
      Thank you.

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        October 12, 2021 at 3:50 pm

        Hi Joanne! We’re happy to hear you liked the cookies. To make them less sweet, you could try reducing the sugar by 1/3-1/2 cup to start. Hopefully that helps! Enjoy 😊

        Reply
    13. Roo

      October 04, 2021 at 12:04 pm

      5 stars
      I love this recipe. I have tried dozens of chocolate chip recipes and this is the

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        October 04, 2021 at 5:51 pm

        We’re so happy you love it, Roo! 😊

        Reply
    14. Julie

      October 01, 2021 at 3:37 pm

      You weren’t kidding. The absolute worst cookie ever! I am ruined for life.

      Reply
    15. Kristen

      September 27, 2021 at 7:36 pm

      5 stars
      Great cookies! I replaced with 1-1 gluten free flour and they turned out amazing! Since the recipe requires you to melt the butter and chill them, it lends particularly well to being made gluten free (gluten free flour needs extra time to chill so it can absorb moisture).

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        September 28, 2021 at 9:57 am

        Thank you for letting us know how that substitution worked for you, Kristen! We’re so happy you liked them 🙂

        Reply
        • Jeremy Johnson

          September 30, 2021 at 12:03 am

          This isn’t really a rating, just a factoid. The inexpensive maple syrup is actually a thinned sugar syrup flavored with an herb called fenugreek. So, someone could slightly thin Karl syrup and add some maple extract if necessary. I got into baking as a kid with a mother who worked nights. I have become the unofficial master of substitutions. I once made a cake with whole wheat flour with a frosting with whole wheat flour. It was not great, but there was none left by morning. Sometimes, you use what you have got. Just don’t run out of chocolate. Bald cookies are ok, but don’t hit that chocolate itch.

        • Courtny L Lowery

          October 01, 2021 at 1:13 pm

          5 stars
          Can this dough be frozen and thawed?

        • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

          October 01, 2021 at 2:07 pm

          Absolutely! We have frozen up to 3 months. The cookies do take a few minutes longer to bake when being baked from frozen. We hope you love them, Courtny! 😊

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    The author (Sam) in blue shirt holding donut Hi, I'm Sam! I'm dedicated to bringing you sweet, simple, and from-scratch dessert recipes. My life may or may not be controlled by my sweet tooth. Send help (or chocolate). Read more about me.

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