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.
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.
Nikki Blake
They were very good, although not necessarily the best I’ve ever had. I followed the recipe precisely except for one step – my 83 year old hands can’t scoop refrigerated dough, so, since the dough was so easy to work with, I made the balls first and refrigerated a jelly roll pan full of ready to bake entities. Worked great. The recipe is a keeper.
Cassandra Wolf
Hey there Sam! Happy New Year! My questions is can you detect any maple flavoring, from using the syrup? Thanks! 🙂
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Cassandra! No, most people cannot detect it in the final product. Happy New Year!
Angélique
Hi Sam!
I found your website about an hour ago and have been browsing it since then, already bookmarking about 30 savory recipes that I can’t wait to try!!!
And then, somehow, while reading through a savory recipe, I read the words “chocolate chip cookies”, which is pretty sneaky, I’m sorry to tell you, Sam! 😀
Just finished reading through the recipe and would like to taste them RIGHT NOW.
Unfortunately, I don’t have any maple syrup. Also, it is 6.46 p.m., January 1st, and I’m way more ready for bed than for baking.
Anyway, my question is: what chocolate chips brand do you use? I am from France and I’m pretty picky with chocolate, and I haven’t found a local brand that can fully satisfy my taste buds. I have a feeling that you might be good advice.
Thank you for all your recipes!
Sam
I’m sorry I missed this Angelique! I am so glad you are enjoying the site so much! I like Ghirardelli the most. 🙂
Angélique
Thanks a lot Sam! I have tried the recipe with French chocolate, the cookies were great. I’ll try with Ghirardelli when I run out of my stash 😉
Michele Chytracek
These are absolutely horrible. So glad I tried them. My new favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. I did use a blender to butter combine the sugar and the butter. Added toffee bits and a mixture of large and small chocolate chips.
Christina
These are the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had. So glad we found this recipe definitely will be making these more often.
Jason Ginnetti
new go to recipe. thank you!
Jorge
This is the BEST recipe I’ve used. I accidentally used all dark brown sugar once and OMG what a difference it made for me!!! Forever hooked! And yes it is soo worth letting us sit overnight. 😋
Christian
Hey, how long does the cookie dough last in the fridge once made?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Christian! The dough will keep covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Jody
Hello. I’m intrigued by this recipe, but I’m wondering: why melted butter? This is the first time I’ve seen this in a cookie recipe.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Jody! We use melted butter in these cookies for a buttery flavor and chewy texture. It also avoids the need for a mixer. Hope you love them! 🙂
Victoria
Made these twice. The second time I added chopped pecans. Great recipe!
Angela
These are my family’s favorite cookie.
Best worst chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever tasted. 🥰
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy they are a hit, Angela! 🥰
Deanna
I ran out of maple syrup, can I add maple extra to corn syrup? Is it a 1:1 sub for corn syrup?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Deanna! Others have substituted honey or light corn syrup (1 for 1) for the maple syrup listed in this recipe. Hope that helps! 🙂
Ghostygoo
Great and versatile recipe! I like to add about a tablespoon of whiskey to it for a little extra kick, and you can easily make PB and Chocolate chip cookies by halving the chocolate chips and adding PB chips
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Yum! We’re so glad this one is a hit for you 🥰
j
Hi! ive made thi recipe before, and i loveee them! do you think i could make these into mini cookies? would you suggest changing the cook time or anything if so?
Sam
I think they would be fine as mini cookies. They will definitely need to bake for less time, but I’m not sure how long they would need. Just keep an eye on them as they bake. 🙂
KC
What is the texture of these cookies? Are they chewy? Crispy? Cake like?
Sam
Chewy 🙂
Ben
I love this recipe & have made it for the past several years. I believe in the past you’ve had a temperature/time adjustment for cooking the leftover frozen dough. Do you have the recommended time for cooking from frozen? Because we always have leftover dough & like to freeze it for the next few weeks.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Ben! You can bake the cookies from frozen, but they will take just a minute or two longer in the oven. The temperature will be the same. We have whole post on how to freeze cookie dough that should be helpful 😊