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.
Nancy Mudd
My suggestion would be to NOT try this recipe unless you are prepared to be swept away. Seriously, they’re the Choc Chip Cookie Bomb! While, you had me a maple syrup, and I DO love real maple syrup (always have some in our fridge and pantry), I would not have been able to identify the secret. It is enough to know that it makes this recipe very special. I may have a difficult time sharing these! I’m looking for a hiding place, right now.
Rhonda
Can you put a nobake chocolate in stead of chocolate chips.
Sam
What is nobake chocolate? I’m not familiar with it.
Starla
So these didn’t work out for me! I’m a pretty good cook and have never had any trouble with other cookie recipes! My dough was crumbly and kind of dry. Went ahead and cooked them but it took 23 minutes and they didn’t flatten out hardly at all! Taste okay but I’ve had better. Not sure what went wrong….
Sam
So weird! Could the flour have been over-measured?
CJ
To be honest my dough is kind of dry too. Definitely didn’t overmeasure the flour seeing as I saw this comment and it concerned me.
Amber
Use a food scale to weigh your flour and sugar, it makes a huge difference. Since I started using one all breads, cakes and cookies have come out perfectly.
Meghan
I first tried these around Christmas but never wrote a review. These are hands down the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had. Well, gluten-containing cookies, cause there are some amazing ones made with alternative flours. But for your standard chocolate chip cookie these are the only ones you need. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Sam
I am so happy to hear you enjoyed the cookies, Meghan! Thank you for coming back and commenting!! 🙂
Rose
Can I use milk chocolate chips in my recipe?
Sam
Yup! It will make the cookies sweeter but if milk chocolate is your preference that’s totally fine 🙂
Renee
OMG Is all I can say!! When I saw the worst cookies ever, I figured that they had to be good! Definitely a family favourite!! How can you possibly go wrong with maple syrup in cookies!? You can’t. They’re always soft and chewy.
Sam
So happy to hear you enjoyed them, Renee! 🙂
Carm Talag
The best cookie ever! Thank you for sharing. Perfect!
Sam
So happy to hear you enjoyed them!!
Diane
For the past two years, I’ve had to go gluten free (not by choice) and have had to accept giving up some of the greatest things in life like real cinnamon rolls, real pizza, and real chocolate chip cookies. I’ve been on the hunt for a chocolate chip cookie recipe that I could swap out wheat flour for gluten free flour and have it even somewhat resemble a normal cookie, and this…. THIS RECIPE HAS CHANGED MY LIFE. All heart eyes for this recipe! Not only is it good gluten free, it’s GREAT. This is a REAL COOKIE. I’ve made this recipe several times and my favorite thing is sharing them with others and seeing their reactions. First it’s “Yummmmmmm!” Then followed by a “no way!” When I tell them it’s gluten free. This recipe has been a game changer, and I am so incredibly thankful for it! Thank you Sam!!
Sam
I am so happy to hear that these were such a hit for you, Diane!!!! Thank you so much for letting me know how they turned out for you! <3
Melody
Oh. My. Goodness. My first batch just came out of the oven! I am in love! And I can say this is the best dough ever! Can I just leave some in the fridge to eat? I am a cookie monster for sure! There are always cookies at my house and even my grand babies call me Cookie! So when I say these are good trust me because I know what I am talking about! I may have to make a second batch because I am not sure I can share these!
Sam
I am so happy to hear these were such a hit, Melody!!!! 🙂
JRVerm
I tried browning the butter but too much liquid cooked off and it made the cookies dry and crumbly. Any suggestions?
~Naomi~
These cookies…are the BEST! I’ve made sooo many chocolate chip recipes in my life, but none of them even come ‘close’ to this one. Definitely a keeper! Though this recipe is amazing like it is (maybe ‘too’ amazing haha), I like to add a twist of my own occasionally. I use 1 cup mini semi sweet chips, 1/2 cup of peanut butter chips, and 1/2 cup butterscotch chips. It adds an extra nutty flavor to it! I also add about 1 tsp of cinnamon to the dry ingredients. Love, love, LOVE this recipe Sam. Thank you for sharing this piece of gold with us! Keep baking girl! <3
Sam
Your comment just made my day! So happy to hear these were such a hit and I LOVE the different chips and the cinnamon you added (never would’ve thought to add cinnamon to these but it sounds so good!). Thank you so much for commenting to let me know how you liked them!!!! 🙂
Armond
I added cinnamon when I made these for Christmas last year. It adds a nice undertone of spice to all that sweet goodness and the crunch of pecans I added as well. Great recipe
Sam
Sounds delicious!! Thank you for commenting, Armond!
Rochelle
Oh wow, I wish I had read the browned butter and sea salt suggestions before I made a batch today! Yum! I guess I will just have to make another batch!😂
Today, I pressed some chocolate chips AND PEANUT BUTTER CHIPS onto the warm cookies. Those PB chips added a bit of salty with the sweet and were DELICIOUS! Just thought I’d share. 😊
Shala
Yep these are my new go-to cookies. So good. I didn’t chill the dough because I was too excited and didn’t finish reading the recipe, but I didn’t have any issues with the dough spreading too much. I browned the butter…. highly recommend. I also added a pinch of ground sea salt to the top before baking them. Do that, it’s amazing.
Sam
Browned butter is the BESTTTT I LOVE baking with it and since you cooked out some of the liquid that way it probably helped keep them from spreading. Yum! 🙂
jean
hello mr. sam, i want to make a big batch of these cookies. would it taste the same if i doubled the recipe?
Hinds
Can i use oil instead of butter?
Sam
I’m afraid it wouldn’t work, they would spread too much