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.
Tracy
Is there a reason to use melted butter instead of softened butter? Does it change the consistency? Curious mind here. ๐
Sam
Hi Tracy! It makes the cookies chewier and, in my opinion, imparts a better flavor ๐
Kym
I really want to make these but, I dont have maple syrup, any alternatives?
Sam
Some people have used honey but it does change the taste, I really think maple syrup or pancake syrup is best, sorry Kym! ๐
Tanna
THESE ARE AMAZING.
All of my Coworkers loved them! I only had them in the oven for 10 min and cooled them on the pan for about 4 min then took them off and put them on a cooling rac. Next time i’m going to put the dough in the fridge for an hour to see how the flavors do!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!! ๐
Mandie
These are THE BE… WORST cookies I’ve ever had. My family LOVED them. I didn’t have light brown sugar, so I used dark brown, but it didn’t seem to make a difference. I cannot imagine them being any better than this. I always alter my cookies using King Arthur High Altitude suggestions, and they were wonderful! I wish I could post a picture. Not only did they look great, they tasted as good as they looked. These are my go-to chocolate cookies from here on out. Thank you! (Although my waist line does not.)
Sam
Woohoo! I’m so happy you enjoyed them so much, Mandie! Thank you for coming back and commenting to let me know how you liked them!! ๐
Damian W.
As a truly non-baker, I made these today and they are AWESOME!!!! I certify them S.Y.M.* good!
*Slap Yo Mama
Sam
Woohoo! Happy to hear you enjoyed them so much!! ๐
Maria
These are truly mouth watering soul altering gifts of the gods recipe. I was tempted not to share with my kids, but they came home early! Will be making more to sharw with my loves ones!
Sam
I’m glad you enjoyed them so much!! ๐
Jennifer
I have made them. Successfully. I had to adjust for my altitude, but I apparently adjusted properly because….HOLY COW THEYโRE AMAZING!!
And youโre right…theyโre relationship Enders. I felt every old/bad relationship I bothered to remember just slip away into mist!!๐๐
Thank you for sharing this yummy goodness recipe with us mere mortals!! *bows*
Next is the peanut butter cookies. Since my pups are pretty angry they didnโt get to try these.
Thank you!๐๐
Jennifer
Iโm about to make these. Iโm am NOT a baker by any means (I can cook though ๐ฌ)
Pray for me. I live at altitude, so I have to adjust this recipe just a bit. Less of some, more of others. This will be my first โfrom scratch while adjusting for altitude on my ownโ recipe. Please send help
Sam
I hope they turned out perfectly for you, Jennifer!!
Wayra
Should the brown sugar be lightly packed or tightly?
Sam
tightly packed ๐
Tiffani
I made theses and wow they are just delicious!! The bottom of my cookies are crunchy though. Iโve neber had that happen to me. any thoughts?
Sam
Glad you enjoyed them! did you cook on parchment paper or did you cook straight on the cookie sheet?
Carrie
I made these cookies exactly as the recipe says. BUT they turned out hard as stones and I had to toss them. I baked them on parchment. I even baked the 2nd batch only 10 minutes. Also, the dough did not stick together well. It seemed dry yet I used exact measurements of ingredients. For me they really were the worst chocolate chip cookies ever. I would love to know what happened.
Sam
Weird!! I’ve never had that happen but I’m guessing since the dough didn’t stick there was too much flour? Did you use grams?
Adreana
Any substitution for the butter? Can I use salted butter or margarine?
Sam
You can use salted and just reduce the salt in the recipe to 1/2 teaspoon ๐
Kimberly
This is a great recipe. On the last batch I added a heavy splash of whiskey. It added a nice flavor. Also, placed half of the baked cookies in the freezer for a rainy day and they were just as good as the freshly baked ones.
Kinjal
Is there a replacement for cornstarch? Or if I leave it out completely?
Sam
You can leave it out but the cookies won’t be quite as soft/chewy.
Sheryar
Apologies in advance for my language but these turned out to be f*cking amazing!! Thank you Sam!
Renee
This is the ***PERFECT*** chocolate chip cookie recipe! Chocolate chip cookies are my favorite treat. I’ve spent years trying out recipes, and they ranged from horrible disasters, to just ok. I never got consistent results even repeating the same recipe. They would be flat, burnt on the bottom, crunchy, dry, bland, etc. I was in a rut of using the recipe on the bag, which is ok, when I decided to try this recipe, not hoping for much. They came out absolutely perfect. I was worried it was a fluke. But I’ve been using this recipe for months now, and they turn out perfect every time. Family members agree these are the best. I follow the recipe exactly, even being patient with the chilling, and I use real maple syrup. This should be the number one search result for chocolate chip cookies for real.