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.
Mary
Can I use this recipe and leave out the maple syrup? Tried to find a traditional recipe for CC cookies and couldn’t find it.
Linda
I made these today and they tasted great. However , they did come out awfully flat. Followed recipe to a tee.🤔
Sam
Possibly not enough flour? If you are using measuring cups it’s easy to over/under-measure the flour, and I would add a bit more next time.
Lexi Lux
I make these cookies all the time and when they have come out flat for me, it’s due to inadequate flour measurements.
Nancy
Try purchasing new baking powder and soda, especially if you have not purchased it within a year or less!
PAULA LANDECHE
These cookies are amazing !!!!! I love the narrative! That’s what caught my eye. 😊
Katherine
I am so disappointed and based on the wonderful reviews, it must be me!
The cookies taste good, but are greasy on the bottom and really, really flat. I used Bob’s Redmill pastry flour (which I was told is perfect for cookies), but otherwise followed the directions exactly. Could the problems be due to the flour, both the oily base and the flatness? I don’t want to give up on this recipe!
Sam
Hi Katherine! I am so sorry to hear that you were disappointed, but my suspicion is that it is because of the flour. I would try making it with all purpose flour and see how it works for you that way, and I hope you love them! If they still don’t turn out for you that way please write again and we can try to troubleshoot together.
Katherine
Thank you for the input, Sam. I made the recipe again. This time I creamed room temperature butter and used all-purpose flour. The cookies are less oily, but still really, oddly flat. I’m going to try your recipe with pudding instead, as it also sounds good.
sarah
Katherine, it helps if you make the cookies TALLER ovals instead of round. ny first batch was flatter and that made all the difference
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Thanks Sam for making this so tasty!
I loved it!
I’ll be making it again soon.
Robyn
Are u able to use margarine sticks with this recipe?
Sam
Hi Robyn, I’m sorry but I haven’t tried with margarine. I don’t think it would be a problem, but I can’t say for sure.
Rosemary Targett
Is it maple syrup or aunt Jemima syrup In the cookies I sure want to make those
Sam
Either is fine!
Dayna
I have been searching for years for the perfect chocolate chip cookie…I’m happy to say my search has ended with your recipe! My whole family raved about them even my picky eater 6 year old daughter gave them a 10 out of 10! Thank you, this will definitely be my ‘go to’ recipe from now on!!!
Natali
For the love of god & all things holy these cookies are the WROST! I’ve always been cookie challenged but no more! I now make the most fabulous cookies…now I am challenged to not keep these cookies in the house.
R
I think you should be famous for this recipe. It is unbelievable. Chocolate chip cookies are my favorite treat, and I’ve made dozens of different recipes. They were all flat, or hard, or bland, or sometimes they would turn out ok, but never just right. This recipe is always absolutely perfect, like they could be sold in a bakery. They look amazing and have flawless taste and texture. I follow the directions exactly and I use real maple syrup and they are just heavenly. This should be the top result when you google chocolate chip cookie recipe.
Sam
This comment absolutely just made my day. I am so thrilled that you enjoyed them so much, thank you for your kind comment! 🙂
Kelli
Ok. Those are just absolutely horrible! Paaaa! I don’t even think I want to bake them! NO JOKE! The dough itself is amazing. I just ate 10 cookies I know. So the quote “these will consume your soul” is not a lie.
Great recipe. I love the addition of your secret ingredient! I never would have even thought to put it in cookies. Thank you so much for sharing!!!
Kelli
So. I am amazed to find this wonderful recipe! I want to add my own little tweak. I mixed the sugars, 1/2 cup softened not melted butter, 1/2 cup crisco stick and beat for 3 minutes. No more and no less. Then followed the recipe.
David
So I’ve always found baking to be a daunting task. No matter what recipes I followed, the results were disastrous. I yearned to find a good choc chip cookie recipe and stumbled across yours today. The word “worst” in the title drew my interest so I went to the store to gather the ingredients.
I want to commend you for this amazing recipe. The cookies have perfect texture, shape and taste. Most of all, I never thought it would be a success due to my non-baking skills. Now I have a bowl of dough I plan on sharing with my friends and family. I’ve added your recipe to my cookbook. Thank you and great recipe! You’ve given me hope again.
Jordan H.
You have a great writing voice! Haven’t tried the cookies yet, but your description was an easy sell. Can’t wait.
Sharon louise
Yes the perfect chocolate chip recipe!! A little sweet for my taste, I’m not into sweets, only every now and few!! I’m not a fan if sweets.. but my hubby loves them, he has the sweet tooth of us!! I will try making them again (sneaking) with less sugar at least once… but they are so delish!!!! Thank you for your recipe…
Matt
Wow these are hands down the best cookies I’ve ever had. My partner said these are better than store bought.
I’m curious do you have a WORST sugar cookie recipe?
donna
I made your chocolate chip cookies yesterday and I have never had such a wonderful home made cookie ever. So glad I found you, Looking forward to trying more of your recipes and telling everyone about your web site.