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.
Annete
What size scooper did you happen to use?
Sam
I have a 1 1/2 Tablespoon-sized scoop and I use about two scoops from that to make my cookie dough balls
Robyn
Amazing recipe, we tried it for a breast cancer bake sale. I’m sure they will be a hit! Never heard of using maple syrup but they are awesome! Definitely smush the chocolate chips in after they bake!!
Sam
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed, Robyn!!! 🙂
Melina doan
can you use agave syrup?
Sam
I haven’t tried it with agave and am not familiar with baking with that syrup, so I unfortunately couldn’t say.
Marty Embry
Hey there… I had to send you a message to say that these cookies are amazing! They took 12 to 13 minutes to bake, moist, HUGE and delish! I only made 6 for the first batch and I wolfed down four!!! In one sitting! However, since I don’t need to diet, I’m going to eat the last two as well. Thank you for sharing this recipe! Continued success to you!!
Sam
I am so happy to hear this!! Thank you for letting me know how you liked them! 🙂
Kelli
I just finished baking a batch. They are so yummy and easy to make. Thanks for a delicious recipe!
Nicole
Really want to make these, but I don’t have parchment paper. Can I just use butter on the pan so they don’t stick?
Sam
Just use an ungreased cookie sheet, you may need to reduce the cook time by a minute or two but that should be fine!
Erlene
Just wanted to lyk that my family loves your recipe. We reduce the sugar chocolate chips and it’s still plenty sweet to satisfy everyone. My oldest son has told me that I’m not allowed to make any other recipe….lol.
Sam
I’m so happy to hear that everyone enjoys it so much!!! Thank you for coming back and letting me know, Erlene!! 🙂
Earl Yue
I made this for my teacher’s birthday and my classmates said that they tasted REALLY good and it was my first time making them so I was really flattered. Thank you so much for the recipe! I have been making them a few times over the summer and now I’m making them again. I love how you added maple syrup! The only thing I didn’t like(in my personal opinion)was that it was a little too sweet for me. I kind of just don’t have as much of a sweet tooth. And then my dad criticized this recipe because he thought that there was too much butter XD I think that the ratios are perfect, though and there was just enough butter in there. Overally, I REALLY LOVE THIS RECIPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks once again SugarSpunRun!
Sam
Yay!! I’m glad that these were a hit! Thanks for coming back and letting me know how they turned out for you!!! 🙂
Jennifer
Can you taste the maple syrup in the cookie?
Sue Lane Conrad
Have only found your blog recently and look forward to your posts. I’ve been looking in vain for a great Chocolate Cookie recipe for years. This could be IT! Am right now guarding our kitchen so my football-watching, better half can’t sneak in there again and eat any more of the dough while it’s chilling! Yum! Can’t blame him. The addition of (I used the real thing) Maple Syrup gives the dough an incredibly rich flavor. Have never made my cookie dough portions egg-shape and taller than wide. If that doesn’t work, my love and I will just eat the dough and be happy, happy campers! Thank you!
Lesley Yau
I usually never leave comments but I’ve made these cookies two times, each with moderations to the recipe, and they turned out awesome every time. The first time, I didn’t have maple syrup, so I just subbed the same amount needed for more white sugar. I also didn’t have corn starch, but they still turned out awesome. I just made these a second time but instead of using a full cup of butter (I was running low), I substituted half of it for butter-flavoured coconut oil, and WOW. THEY WERE AMAZING! The coconut oil added a barely there tropical sweetness and made the texture of these lighter and so much fluffier. Next time, I’m going to use a full cup of coconut oil. These are the best damn chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever made. Or rather, the worst because I want to eat them all in one sitting. My boyfriend and I are utterly addicted!
Lesley Yau
P.S. I rolled them into almost a conical shape, which made them spread perfectly. They were almost twice as tall as they were wide.
Lola
Hi Sam thanks for this great recipe the maple syrup gives the cookie a unique flavor… and they are really soft and delicate… love them.
Lola,
Ecuador, South America
Lola
Hi Sam great recipe the maple syrup gave them a really unique flavor so far the best chocolate chips cookie I have tried from Pinterest… thanks 😊
Lola,
Ecuador, South America
Judy
My family tended to like their cookies a little more on the crispy side so that they didn’t fall apart when dunking them in milk, but we have a good friend in the hospital that was having a CCC craving and needed a softer cookie. So off I went on a quest to find a soft, delicious Chocolate Chip cookie for her. I am a huge maple syrup fan and your recipe intrigued me so I decided it would be my first test. I made them exactly according to the directions with only two exceptions. 1) I measure out my cookie dough to keep the size consistent. I measured them at 60g each and baked for 11 minutes at 375°. 2) Rather than round I shaped the dough into more of a can shape (height was about twice the width) they don’t seem to spread as much that way. They came out of the oven looking like they were from a bakery 😀 I asked my kids to taste test them and the whole batch disappeared before I could get the next tray in. I didn’t let them near the kitchen again until I had a tin of cookies set aside for my friend. They had crisp edges and a wonderfully soft and chewy center without being underdone or in the least bit cakey (I’m not really a fan of cakey cookies) and they still have enough structure to make them great for dunking in milk.. I set a few aside to test if they would really stay soft and chewy the next day and they absolutely were. I have been using the same recipe for the last ten or so years as it was the family favorite but all the kids and my friend agree that this is now their favorite ❤️ They have already requested more!
Bill
I am a older guy and new to baking so I thought I would start with the best “worst chocolate chip cookie” recipe on the Internet. I mean, what guy does not love a good chocolate chip cookie, right? Well, as my first attempt at both baking and this recipe, the end result was close but I have more work to do. My recipe was a bit too thin so I had a harder time getting them into a ball. I believe my mistake was either over-stirring the initial mixture in my Kitchenaid or mixing the entire batch on a too high of asetting. I started with all the best ingredients so I was actually expecting little medallions of gold but had to settle for something less. My mixture was not runny at all and I used the proper amount of flour, my only trouble was getting them into a ball. I chilled them for an hour and that seemed to help but I still think I needed a thicker mixture. The only’mistakes’ I could find in my prep was using salted butter, so I did not add any additional salt, not using parchment paper, and over-stirring or mixing to vigorously. My Kitchenaid has 575 watts of power, so I think I used 574 of ’em. Well, again as a guy who loves chocolate chip cookies and who needs more practice, it is time to make more cookies.
Thank you for your wonderful narrative and the tasty recipe, I will be trying it again.
Jay Bag
Ohh my word. These are the best cookies I’ve ever had! Worst? Psssht! Yeah right! Thanks for sharing