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 30ย 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.
Letโs bake together!ย Iโll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe andย videoย below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me onย Instagram, and you can also find me onย YouTubeย andย Facebook
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 ยฝ cups (300 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
- ยฝ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature preferred
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ยผ cup (60 ml) maple syrupยฒ
- 3 ยผ 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
- 1 ยฝ Tablespoon cookie scoop
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together melted butter and sugars.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, 1 ยฝ cups (300 g) light brown sugar, ยฝ 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, ยผ cup (60 ml) maple syrupยฒ
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.3 ยผ 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.)
- 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
ยนButter
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.ยฒMaple 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 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.
Sarah M Mullican
Hi Sam,
I discovered your site a few years ago, and now my family checks here before trying anything new (from desserts to your more savory creations). I like trying something new every few weeks, and I’m also in love with the WORST chocolate chip cookies. Anytime I bake for a social outing, I make these and people cannot get enough of them (and I always end up sharing this link with at least one person)!
One quick question, though. I follow your recipe exactly (which are always perfectly instructive), and almost every time I make these, they end up incredibly flat after they’ve cooled. I like my cookies soft, so I usually slightly underbake them. There is absolutely nothing wrong with them being flat (and it’s actually my preference), but they look a little different from yours. I know you are a baking wizard, so I thought you might know the answer. I probably won’t change anything because they are my favorite chocolate chip cookies ever. Hehehe. I’m merely curious. (Sorry for writing a book!)
Sam
Hi Sarah! I am so glad you enjoy the cookies so much! These are a flatter cookie, but they shouldn’t come out completely flat. If they are you may need to let your butter cool a little bit more before adding the sugars or you may need just a little bit more flour. They are a soft cookie when fully cooked, but I’m one that always sneaks a taste of the dough so I would never judge for a little under-baking. ๐
Sarah Mullican
Yup. I always do a taste test of the dough before I bake them. Gotta make sure I put everything in like Iโm supposed to. ๐๐ I might try the butter thing. I let it cool for five minutes or longer, but Iโll try that first.
Christine
This recipe works amazingly for me! May reduce the sugar a bit; texture is perfect: chewy! I didnโt chill the dough in the bowl, I dipped all the cookies out with a cookie scoop, put them on cookie sheets, and THEN chilled for 15 min. Put them in the hot oven, cold cookie sheet and all, and they did great. The dough scoops so easily when itโs soft!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you liked the cookies, Christine! Thanks for trying our recipe ๐
Ashley Byrd
They did!! They ruined my l-iiiiiii-f-e. :โ) I hate these cookies sooo much. Thankyou for the recipe! Iโm a hero (or a villain) to everyone!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
๐คฃ๐คฃ they are the WORST!
Rana
Why mine are not flat like the recipe’s pic?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Rana! It sounds like you may have accidentally over-measured your flour. ๐ Check out our post on how to measure flour properly–that should help!
Cyndy
I have made this delicious recipe a few times. Maybe 3 with no problems. I made 2 batches today and when I baked, paper thin. The only thing I did different was weigh instead of using the measurements like Iโd done before.
I decided to measure onto the scale. The flour is quite a bit different. I read what you say about measuring flour. But they need the extra. This batch is fluffy!
Anyway I got it figured out and Iโll just measure because we love this cookie!
B
Back to the family recipe for me. I had high hopes for this recipe given all of the high reviews and wanting to try something new, however I was left disappointed. I love chocolate and sweets, but these were way too sweet. More salt is needed to balance the recipe or less sugar/chocolate. I did like the inventive spin of using maple syrup.
Sam
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy them. ๐
Mary
Who would have thought that maple syrup would make such a wonderful difference!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
It’s the best secret ingredient! We’re so happy you enjoyed the cookies, Mary. Thanks for your review โฅ
Dee
Iโm sorry, I really wanted to like this recipe. I made the recipe as written; twice.
The first time I thought maybe I did not let the butter cool long enough so the second time I let the butter cool for almost 40 minutes. I weighed the ingredients both times and having just purchased my baking soda and baking powder and using them in a different recipe a couple days prior, I know they were fresh. I also have an oven thermometer, so the temp was accurate. I used room temperature large eggs. Lastly, after reading many comments, I chilled the dough for over 12 hours.
I am an experienced baker, I just donโt think the recipe works as written. Maybe the moisture to flour ratio is off?
I am perplexed how this recipe works for so many but sprinkled in between those comments are ones like mine.
Since this recipe is so persnickety, I am returning to my โgo toโ chocolate chip recipe. Thank you
Sam
Honestly Dee I am perplexed as well. It sounds like you did everything right so I’m stumped as well. I just made them the other day without issue. ๐
Monica Grimes
These cookies are easy to measure, mix, and clean up. Only 2 bowls, measuring cup and spoon, and patience to wait 30 minutes in the fridge is required. Chewy, soft, and a pop of maple surprises the taste buds!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks so much for your review, Monica! Enjoy the cookies โฅ
Shruti
Your blog is my go to for baked treats and these cookies did not disappoint although they were a bit too sweet for my taste. Gonna try half a cup less of sugar next time. Hope it wonโt mess with the texture!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks so much for trying our recipes, Shruti! We’re happy to hear that you still enjoyed the cookies. Reducing the sugar by that amount should be fine ๐
Cindy Cavanagh
30 min in the fridge is not long enough. The first 2 pans came out well but that was because I was scraping around the edge of the bowl.The second set spread out way too much. Maybe 4 hours or overnight.
Sam
Hi Cindy! I’m sorry this happened! To prevent spreading of your cookies in the future make sure your butter isn’t really warm when adding the sugars. You may also have needed just a touch more flour if they were spreading too much. I hope you still enjoyed them, and of course it’s important to put the dough back in the refrigerator as the cookies bake in the oven. ๐
Maggie
Wow! These truly are the most decadent chocolate chip cookies I have EVER made! I loved baking these! They were fun and easy and most importantly looked and tasted delicious! Bringing several dozen to my granddaughterโs graduation tomorrow! Thank you for your detailed instructions which brought me success! I used a delicious genuine Wisconsin-made maple syrup! Yum!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you enjoyed the cookies and the baking process, Maggie! Thank you so much for trying our recipe and coming back to leave a review โฅ
Maggie
They were an absolute hit at the graduation ceremony! I received numerous comments about how delicious they were. Thanks again!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Wonderful! Thanks again for trying our recipe, Maggie. We’re so happy they were a hit โฅ
Margareth Gutierrez
Hi!!!! This recipe seems amazing! But I can’t find maple syrup in my city. Can I replace it with molasses? Thank you
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Margareth! Others have substituted honey or light corn syrup (1 for 1) for the maple syrup listed in this recipe. Hope that helps! ๐
Audreya
I followed your recipe exactly I was pretty skeptical because it was an unusual recipe. But to my surprise these are the absolute best chocolate chip cookies I have ever eaten in my life and this is now my recipe to use to make chocolate chip cookies forever thank you!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy they were a pleasant surprise, Audreya! Thanks for trusting our recipe and coming back to leave a review ๐
Wendy
Hi Sam, can you help please? I weigh ingredients carefully, and have followed countless videos and podcasts, but my choc chip cookies always come out greasy. I should say that I’m a very mature person and I’ve never come across anything that has defeated me , but chocolate chip Cookies seem to be my nemesis!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Wendy! We’re so sorry you’re experiencing greasy cookies. ๐ This is usually from under-measured flour or butter that is too warm. Since you weigh your ingredients, it sounds like the butter may be the issue. Are you letting your butter cool before adding it? Are you chilling the dough for the full 30 minutes? Sometimes if the dough is particularly sticky, you may need to chill for a little longer than that. We hope this helps ๐
Wendy
OK, you solved it! Made another batch this evening and let the butter cool, the cookies were amazing, recipe now printed and stuck to the inside of the kitchen cabinet door! So many thanks xx
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Wonderful!! Enjoy your cookies, Wendy ๐
Allison
Jaw dropping cookies. Once again, another keeper. These cookies are perfection.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Allison! We’re so glad you liked them ๐