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.
Ashley
My cookies came out super thin and flat. Do you have any thoughts on why this happened?? The flavor was amazing tho!
Sam
Hi, Ashley! There are actually several things that can cause this, if you refer to the summary below the recipe you will see several reasons why this happens. A few things that could have happened are: the butter was too hot when you added the sugars to it, there wasn’t enough flour, the baking powder/soda is bad, the cookies can’t be added to a hot tray, and finally the oven temperature could be off. I hope that helps. 🙂
Desiree Matthes
So I have to say this rexipe is DELISH! I had 3 within minutes of exiting the oven! The recipe I have been searching for! I am not a fan of thick cake like chocolate chip cookies.
Right out of the oven they had crunchy edges & chewy center. Only issue I had, was when having one the next morning, they were sort of chewier…… Not sure why tho. But overall this recipe is amazing & will be saving this for the future!!!! Tha k you for sharing this recipe! Happy Holidays!
Sam
Hi, Desiree! Is it possible they were stored before they were completely cool? That may add some moisture to the cookies and make them chewier. I am glad you enjoyed them, and I am impressed you were able to refrain from eating them all the same day. 😂
Lesa
Im planning on making these next week. Cant wait to try them! What is the lifetime in the fridge? Also, what about freezing the cookie dough?
Sam
Hi, Lesa! The cookies will last about a week in an air tight container at room temperature. You can freeze the dough. If you do freeze them, I would roll it out into balls and wrap each one individually in cling wrap and then store them in a freezer bag.
Joe
I had my doubts but I absolutely loved these. I was worried there was too much flour but I was happily wrong as they came out with just the right amount of fluff vs chewy in the middle with a nice crisp edge. I have no doubt that the original recipe works great but a made a couple minor changes just for my liking. I upped the salt by a 1/2 tsp. and upped the vanilla to a whole tbsp. Lastly, I added a tsp. of creme of tartar to improve the look by getting those nice cracks in the top of the cookie. Great job Sam! Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Sam
Thank you so much, Joe! I am so glad you enjoyed the cookies. 🙂
Matt
I’m almost ashamed with how much cookie dough I just consumed. Maple Syrup WTF? (It’s good in biscuits too)
Sam
Don’t be ashamed, it happens to the best of us. 🤣 I am so glad you enjoyed the cookies! (and the dough)
Rita
I made these but browned the butter and used dark brown sugar. More depth of flavor. Overall the cookie was good, better than most.
Kaylee
Can is make the dough an leave it in the fridge over night?
Sam
Hi, Kaylee. Yes you can leave it in the refrigerator overnight, but make sure you keep it covered. It will be very firm when you go to scoop it, so let it sit out at room temperature for a few minutes to make scooping easier. 🙂
Sheryar
These turned out to be F****** AMAZING!!!! Thank you so much!
Sam
I am so glad you liked them! 🙂
Kaylee;)
Hey Sam! I was just wondering…
So, I love the recipe it looks amazing and I’m think about making them, I was wondering if I could make them a day before and what I need to do if I decide to do that. Thanks!
Sam
Hi Kaylee. You can certainly make them the day before. You actually have a couple of options. You can just bake them, let them cool and store in an air tight container at room temperature. If you are like me and love warm cookies, you can make the dough the day before and store it in the refrigerator overnight. Make sure the dough is covered. When you go to scoop the dough it will be a little firm from being in the refrigerator so long so just let it sit at room temperature to soften up a bit. Hope that helps. 🙂
Meghan
YUM! These were delicious, well are, as mine just cooled off and I’ve eaten two already! They are cooked perfect! Followed the recipe exact except I cut it in half, used dark brown sugar, and used sugar free maple syrup. Delicious… I also left it in fridge a little longer because I wasn’t ready to cook them right away. I let them sit for about 10 minutes and put them in the oven.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them, Meghan! I’m impressed you only ate 2 while they were cooling! 😂
Bri
They are good just wasn’t sweet enough. Should I put more white sugar next time? What can I do to make it sweet?
Amanda
First let me say, I made these for thanksgiving and my family went NUTS for them. My sister in law literally hid some in the coffee table while everyone was making their Togo boxes cuz she knew there would be none left when she finished the dishes! 🙂
Second, I want to add these to my treat boxes I make for friends and co-workers every Christmas but I am going to make them about half the size. Do I need to adjust the temp or time since they will be much smaller?
Thanks again for sharing the all time best chocolate chip cookie recipe!! (Side note, I love it also because it’s a perfect recipe to make ahead of time and refrigerate!)
Sam
😂Hid them in the coffee table! That is a new one. If you are going to make them smaller, keep the temperature the same, but bake them for less time.
Moga
I should have listened, but nope! Not me. These cookies have ruined my life (in the nicest possible way). Party coming up? “You can bring the cookies”. Sharing day at work? “You can bring the cookies”. Ladies lunch? “No need for dessert. You can bring the cookies”…..I hear “”you can bring the cookies” in my sleep. Ask hubby what he wants for dinner? He says “do we have any more cookies? ” On a positive note- it has made my holiday shopping so much easier- all everyone wants is “those cookies”!
Sam
😂 Cookies for dinner! That’s what I like to hear! I am so glad everyone enjoys them so much. 🙂
Steph J.
I loved your title for this recipe and your funny intro! I’m intrigued and excited to corrupt my non-suspecting family with this infamous cookie. I’m on Pinterest tonight searching for Cheesecake recipes and your title grabbed my attention. I’ll update you when I bake these! 😂😂😂
Sam
I hope you love them! 🙂
Shalyn
I’ve made these several times now and they are my go to chocolate chip recipe. Seriously the WORST. I can’t stop eating them.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoy them, Shalyn! Try not to eat too many. 😉