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.
Ashley
Iโm not sure how I feel about you, Sam. I donโt typically eat cookies (except for Paneraโs chocolate chip) and these have surpassed any cookie I have ever had (including Paneraโs chocolate chip). I made a half batch last night and there is one lonely cookie calling from the airtight container. So I am thankful that you came into my Pinterest life and provided an amazing cookie recipe, however my summer bod goal is not looking as obtainable.
Anyhow, thanks… I think.
-Ashley
Sam
This comment just made my day ๐๐
I’m so glad that you enjoyed the recipe, Ashley! And sorry about the summer bod goal, but I did warn you ๐
Jayce
What would be the best way to bake these guys without parchment paper? Foil? Right on the pan? Greased/un? Can’t wait! Thank you : )
Sam
You can bake them right on the pan, just a regular (ungreased) cookie sheet. Enjoy! ๐
Jayce
Awesome thanks!
Prab
THESE ARE AHHHHH-MAZINGGG!!! I have nothing else to say.
Eve
So glad I found this recipe. I’m not a baker at all but on a whim I decided to make these and they were delicious!! Thanks for posting.
charlie
is there a suitable substitute for cornstarch that can be used? these look just awful. can’t wait to try!
Sam
You could use flour in place of the cornstarch but it’s not exactly the same, the cornstarch helps make them nice and soft so I really recommend it.
Kennedy
You are right these cookies were terrible they lasted about 15 mins at my wife’s work before they were disposed of by her coworkers. And by disposed of I mean devoured. Thanks for the terrible recipe. In case anyone can’t read between the lines they were amazing and the recipe was perfect.
Matthew Frolick
I don’t get it. We’re they good? Asking for a friend.
Erica
I dont have any baking soda, will that altar the cookie quality?
Sam
Unfortunately it would, I don’t recommend making them without baking soda, sorry!
Halimah
Hello, this recipe looks amazing – canโt wait to try it today! Can the recipe be halved? Also how long can they be stored for?
Sam
Yes it can be halved! And you can store them in an airtight container for up to two weeks. I hope you love them!! ๐
Leonard
Alright! I’m a fan!! This is a great cookie. The maple component is very subtle but makes the cookie majestic. Really wonderful. Thank you so much for the recipe Sam.
Tyler
Sam,
Have you ever made these cookies with Stevia, rather than sugar? If so, what is the conversion from sugar to Stevia?
Thanks!
Sam
I’m sorry but I haven’t! Unfortunately I’m not familiar enough with Stevia to make any suggestions on how to substitute.
Nahdiyah
Can’t wait to try these. The maple syrup idea is genius. I think I may add butterscotch & crushed pecans.
Jeanene
Just made these and they are fantastic…and perfect! THANKS!
Beckz
So I stumbled across this recipe and thought meh! Can’t be that good……OMG mind blown!!! I made larger cookies and before the next batch was finished I had 6 cookies down the hatch! They are THAT good!! I actually told my family they turned out bad so I could keep them all to myself..the boy has caught on lol
Barb
Somehow I have only eaten one. I did Chow down on the dough though! I’m a pretty seasoned Baker. Many years under my belt, some (very) minor awards and I married a super-taster. So I’m very used to dealing with fickle palettes, picky eaters and preconceived notions about how food should taste. I definitely think this recipe is one of, if not, the best out there! In a sea of chocolate chip recipes, this one stands out because of your secret ingredient and the attention to detail in the steps. Follow it and you get a stellar cookie!
Funny, I couldn’t taste the notes of the maple syrup and I used real Maple Syrup, but I also use high end bourbon vanilla, so perhaps I cancelled one out over the other. My super-taster husband didn’t notice the maple syrup either. LOL maybe he’s slipping in his old age. I have a backup tester though, my sister in law is also a super-taster and I just know these will knock her taatebuds right out of the park!
This recipe is the internet’s best kept worst cookie recipe secret ever!
Thank you for sharing such a delicious recipe!
Valerie Masin
What am I doing wrong? These seem to need more sugar or salt as they taste bland to me. I’ve made them twice. The 2nd time I followed the timing more closely and I love how goey they are. But I don’t get much taste from them. Any thoughts or ideas? Thanks so much.