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.
Sara
these look amazing! quick question, why do we have to melt the butter? can we just use butter stick at room temp and not melt? thank you 🙂
Sam
Hi Sara! It makes a chewier better tasting cookie when you melt the butter here. 🙂
Jen
Unlike its name, these truly are the best!!!
Kay
I’ve never felt the need to comment on a recipe before today.
This is the recipe I’ve needed my whole (baking) life!! I had a ridiculous craving for chocolate chip cookies, and the recipes I’ve used in the past have just been OK. This recipe produces absurdly good chocolate chip cookies!!! I only make half a batch when trying a new recipe and did that with this one…I have regrets!! I ate one almost immediately after taking them out of the oven as the smell was too good, wowsers!!! In the span of 10 minutes I’ve devoured 6 cookies, why do they taste so good?? *insert crying emoji
I did customize a bit by doing half semi and half milk chips. I hate these cookies, no I love them, I’m so confused!! Amazing…thank you!
*heads to kitchen to prepare a salad for dinner
Sam
🤣 Thank you so much, Kay! I’m so glad you enjoyed them. 🙂
Trina
Are you able to add pecans?
Sam
Sure thing! 🙂
Trina
How much should I add?
Sam
Up to a cup will work. 🙂
Kitty
Hi Emily, can I freeze the dough for future use?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Kitty! Absolutely–enjoy ❤
Bully4Me
Haven’t tried these yet, however have tried a few other of your recipes and they’re terrific! The Sugar Drop Cookies Ever!! Absolutely the best format for recipes online. Always read from top to bottom, quite like the tips and explanations of certain ingredients and why they work best. This isn’t simply copy and make a recipe this actually teaches! Commend you for that.
My question, would you only recommend semi sweet chips for this? Usually prefer Milk Chocolate Chips but know sometimes they don’t work well as a substitute.
Thank-you for the work put into this site. Cheers
David
Sam
Thank you so much, David! I’m so glad you enjoyed the sugar cookies so much! For the chocolate chips, if you prefer milk chocolate, you can certainly use milk chocolate here. 🙂
Bonnie
I have made these several times for my family and loved them. Yesterday I took them to a large gathering. I have never received more compliments on cookies I have made. I’m the main dessert maker of our group and I was assigned cookies to bring. The hostess had to take some and hide them for her to eat later. They were gone in a flash with the last one divided into 4. I knew they were good but it was reaffirmed by my friends. So, today I deleted every other chocolate chip recipe in my Pinterest cookie folder. This will be the only chocolate chip cookie I will make in the future.
I made the recipe exactly as printed. Weighed my ingredients. Chilled for over an hour and the first batch spread more than I wanted so I formed the balls and put them in the freezer for about 15 minutes. The rest were perfect.
Make these cookies! They are the BEST!
Bruce
My scale needs a new battery, so I had to use cups to measure, and I clearly didn’t get enough flour (although I usually get too much when I use cups), because mine spread more than yours did, after chilling overnight. They are wonderfully chewy, and the maple syrup adds a bit of unidentifiable flavor. Great cookies, of course.
Sam
O no! I guess you’ll just have to keep some spare batteries on hand now. 😉 I’m glad you still enjoyed them. 🙂
Debbie
I have never commented on a recipe EVER, but I’ve baked these so many times and will never stop making them, that now I can’t help myself but to say thank you. I used to jump from recipe to recipe, depending on my mood, and also partly in search for the greatest cookie ever. I’d switch up the ingredients to my liking etc. Well, I’m in my 40’s, and after finding THIS cookie recipe, my search has finally ended. I made these for my whole neighborhood and everyone was asking me “How do you get them crispy but chewy? What’s this recipe!? Make me more please!” I have baked this for so many people and am frequently told that this is the best cookie they’ve ever had. I am a big fan of using this cookie dough as a base for any cookie add in i.e. different flavors of chips etc. (Tonight I did semi sweet chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and dried cherries.) I always add the smallest possible pinch of kosher salt at the end – maybe 2-3 flakes total per cookie, and as suggested, push fresh chips into the top immediately after baking while they’re still warm. I roll the dough into balls, some large size and some mini for the kids, throw them onto a plate to freeze for a bit, then throw them into a freezer bag. If I need to bake from frozen, they only take about 2 min longer. ABSOLUTE best cookie I’ve ever had. THANK YOU!!
Sam
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment, Debbie! I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much! 🙂
Audrey
Can you chill the dough overnight
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
That will work just fine. Just make sure to cover the dough so it doesn’t dry out overnight. 🙂
Brandy
Hi I was wondering if you could replace flour for almond flour and what the raito is. This is my Favorite cookie. Thank you for having the same taste buds lol
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Brandy! We’re honestly not sure how that would turn out. If you do try it, please let us know how it goes!
Bridget
Love this recipe, but I’m short on time. Have you ever made this in a 9×13 pan?
Sam
Honestly, I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure how it would go.
Larry
Made this once before and it was great! I’m doing it again but I don’t have corn starch, could I replace it with flour or maybe get rid of it?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Larry! You can leave it out, but you will want to add a little bit of extra flour to make up for it. The cornstarch really helps make these cookies soft and chewy. 🙂
Theresa
These are the most popular cookies that I’ve ever made. I never have maple syrup, but I do have golden syrup, so I used that. I also tried bourbon barrel smoked brown sugar and it changed the whole game.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Those sound amazing, Theresa! Enjoy!
Jaclyn
This has been my tried and true chocolate chip cookie recipe for years! Every time I make them, people talk about how they are so much better than your average chocolate chip cookie! Sometimes I do half dark chocolate chips/ half white chocolate chips and they’re amazing. Highly requested by all my friends and family.
Michael Stewart
Tried the recipe out and thought it was a little too sweet. I tried it again but i cut the flour to 300g, the butter to 200g, white sugar to 50g and brown sugar to 50 g, used anise extract instead of vanilla extract and added 6g of salt and 6 g of baking powder and cut all the other ingredients out and they came out perfect. I baked one batch for about 10 minutes and they came out extract chewy. The next time i bakes them for about 15 minutes and they came out crunchy. I also took a few and dipped them in Chocolate and filled it with caramel and my gf loved them.
Christy
ok these cookies are ADDICTING !! i made some for mothers day they were so good and were gone too quick so i came home from work today and made another half a batch thanks for the “worst” cookies of them all lol
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so glad you enjoyed them so much, Christy! 🤩