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.
Ali
Searching for the best chocolate chip cookies and found these. My batter is currently chilling in the fridge. I can’t wait to try them!
Sam
I know you are going to “hate” them! 😂 Enjoy!
Jane
These are excellent and the batter is amazing! Lol. Will definitely use this as my go to recipe from now on!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them, Jane! 🙂
Tabea
The cookies turned out amazing! Crunchy at the edge and chewy at the center. Amazing. Quite sweet, almost too sweet, but only almost 😉
I left them in the oven 4 minutes longer than the recipe said, otherwise they would have been undercooked. They spread and are now relatively thin, but I like them this way. It should also be said that they are kinda greasy (not surprising considering the amount of butter ^^), I don’t mind, but for people who are sensitive might have a problem with this.
All in all, it was certainly worth the effort (I despise baking, but I wanted cookies).
Also, THANK YOU for translating the American measurements into the metric system. I usually have to do this myself, it was so nice of you to do it for me and for my fellow Europeans. Thanks for that and for the recipe 🙂
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them, Tabea! 🙂
Kristin
Yup…all others are ruined. My initial reaction was “f*** you, lady!” And I think that’s the highest compliment one can earn from me. These are perfection on a level I didn’t know existed.
Sam
😂 Well thank you, Kristin. I am glad you enjoyed them. 🙂
Allison
Hi, Sam! These cookies are so delicious! I did have a small issue that I was hoping you might have some insight on: when I gradually combined my dry and wet ingredients (I did so in 5 parts), the dough was EXTREMELY tough to mix. In your video, the dough looks much smoother prior to chilling. Any idea what could have caused this? Thanks!
Sam
Hi, Allison. My best guess here is that there was a little too much flour in the batter. Did they still turn out ok?
Tabea
I had they same problem. My guess was that the butter in the dough was hardening, so I put it in the microwave (very careful of course, I didn’t want my eggs to cook), turned out I was right. The dough got super smooth and soft again. I suggest you try it next time 🙂
Tracy
How do I make the worst chocolate chocolate chip cookie?
Sophia
I can’t even explain how good these are. I make these all the time and my family is just in with them😂😂! I totally recommend making these, you won’t regret it.
Sam
So happy to hear you love them, Sophia!! 🙂
Kelly
I have been plagued by flat, greasy looking cookies over the past five or six attempts. I tried different recipes and techniques to no avail. I came across this recipe and decided to give it a try. It was downright easy and resulted in the prettiest picture perfect most delicious homemade cookies ever. Everyone devoured them. Now I’m back to see what other magic you have on your blog. Thanks so much!!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them, Kelly! They are my most favorite cookie ever! 🙂
Lauren
These are sooo good! The best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had! My husband has even made them several times for work potlucks and days before this last potluck he found a note on his desk that said “Are you bring the worst chocolate chip cookies….please?” Needless to say we tell people where to find the recipe! Making them right now with my girls to surprise him for his birthday 🙂
Sam
Thank you so much, Lauren! I am so glad you enjoy them! 🙂
Tobey Gary
Who in there right mind would ever considered clicking on the worst Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe?
Well I did because no one eats the worst cookies u ever made! Hehehe….. Good 👍 more for me! Thank you for this amazing recipe and for sharing with us ! The Worst chocolate chip cookies I ever made! 😁 Unfortunately my family didn’t buy it! They were gone tooooo fast!
Sam
😂 I am so glad you enjoyed them, Tobey! Maybe next time just tell them you are making something they would never like and then sneak them into your room where nobody can find them. 😂
Francine
Just made these and they are the absolute best easiest chocolate chip cookies. Thank you. This will be my new go to recipe. Love adding a few extra chips to the top of baked cookie. 😊
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them, Francine. You can never have enough chocolate chips if you ask me. 😉
Staci
Sam, these cookies are amazing! I have used several different recipes and this one is definitely the best. I have watched some of your other videos and can’t wait to try those out. I am soooooo glad I ran across Sugarspun.
Sam
Thank you so much, Staci! I am so glad you enjoyed them and I hope you love everything you try. 🙂
Kaitlynne Tatum
I never leave reviews, even when recipes are amazing, because it takes too much time and I’m lazy, but I HAD to leave a review for these cookies. I have tried making this three times, now. The first two times were great, but this last time, something clicked, and they became the WORST (BEST) COOKIES EVER! I can’t keep my hands out of the dough, I can’t stop myself from eating the cookies…I’m going to have to go on a diet here soon if I’m not careful. Girl you have CRUSHED this recipe. My boyfriend is extremely picky on his chocolate chip cookies (too many years of buying them pre-made) and he loves these cookies.
I set out the butter and eggs in the morning and then used them later that night. I also HIGHLY RECOMMEND using a scale to measure ingredients for any of you who aren’t getting the same, delicious, results.
Sam
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, Kaitlynne. I really appreciate it. I am so glad you enjoyed the cookies. 🙂
Sadie
I made these exactly the way the recipe states, except I used Bob’s red mill 1:1 gluten free flour because my son has Celiac. They were amazing!!!!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them, Sadie! 🙂
isabel
I followed your directions step by step (butter was melted & eggs were at room temp) and my dough came out super crumbly and dry! I went ahead and packed them into a ball and put them in the oven and they came out hard without changing their shape…any idea of what I did wrong here??
Sam
Hi, Isabel. There may have been too much flour in the dough, that would be my best guess. I hope they turn out for you next time. 🙂