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.
Faye
I was warned, These are exactly the cookies I was hoping to make! Absolutely perfect. Will make frequently! Thank you for a great recipe and detailed tips.
Sam
Glad to hear you liked them! Thank you for commenting, Faye!
Vimshana Rajbansi
Hi there, what can I use instead of cornstarch. I can’t find it in a hurry here
Sam
When you are in a pinch, you can use flour for corn starch. It’s not quite the same, but it’s the closest thing.
Alex
I made these and I can’t stop eating them… I don’t feel good, my stomach is about to explode. I seriously want to stop but I can’t stop putting these cookies in my mouth! Already planning on buying more ingredients and bigger pants haha
Sam
😂😂😂 I know that feeling! I am so glad you are enjoying them. 🙂
Cameron
I used Mrs. Butterworths pancake syrup when I made them and I was so disappointed by the result. I have an oven thermometer and I used weighted measurements but the cookies did not spread out and had a distinct aspertame aftertaste. They taste like grocery store bakery cookies and I’m super bummed. I might try again in the future and omit the maple syrup or make sure I get a quality Vermont or Canada maple syrup.
Sam
So using pancake syrup isn’t a problem but if you had an aspertame aftertaste I’m guessing that you used a “lite” or “diet” syrup. I don’t recommend using diet or lite and that would definitely be the problem. I’d definitely try it again with a non-diet version.
Darlene
I count on your site for recipes as you have the best way of listing the ingredients. Your recipes are failure proof and taste the best without getting fancy expensive ingredients. Thank you so much.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoy everything Darlene! 🙂
Erin
I’m so sad these cookies did not work for me at all!! I followed the recipe exactly using my food scale and they came out very flat and greasy! I’m wondering if you have any knowledge on if my altitude may be affecting my cookies? I live at 5,800 feet and I have to believe this is the only thing changing my cookies as clearly other people have had great success with your recipe! I’m so sad.. looks like I just have to eat all the dough instead of baking the cookies, haha!
Sam
I’m so disappointed to hear they didn’t turn out for you, Erin! I am wondering if the altitude may be the problem. I’m not familiar with high altitude baking but am hoping that someone who is can maybe chime in and help you out.
Brittini
WOWZA! Over the past few months my husband and I have tried various chocolate chip cookie recipes and this one by far is the best!!! In our search, we have had countless errors, spread too thin, too cakey, too flat, you name it! This recipe provides the details needed to bake the perfect cookie and for anyone out there skeptical about the maple syrup, I couldn’t taste it one bit (used pure maple). Thanks so much for this detailed and AMAZING chocolate chip cookie recipe. By far my favorite!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them Brittini! 🙂
Julie
The video says that there is a link for a scale, but I can’t find it. Could you please add the link?
Sam
Whoops, sorry Julie, here is my affiliate link for the scale: https://amzn.to/2TUGDd5. I had the link on my YouTube channel but never added it here, sorry!
Tim
I made these cookies and they were absolutely incredible! Best cookie I have ever had! I will never try another recipe ever again!!
Sam
Yay! So glad to hear this! Thank you for commenting, Tim!
Grace
Hi! Will cutting the recipe in half work? Also, about how big will the cookie be (in inches)? Thank you! I look forward to baking them soon.
Sam
Hi Grace! You can cut the recipe in half. They should be about 2-3 inches in diameter when finished, but there are so many variables that determine their size. Enjoy! 🙂
Tricia
I have searched and tried so many cookie recipes that claim to be the best. Thank you for actually succeeding. I am in shock! The name of the recipe grabbed me and truly they are the worst because I already want to make another batch 😆
Sam
Haha! So glad you enjoyed, Tricia! Thank you for commenting 🙂
Cindy Kluempke
These cookies are incredible! I followed the recipe exactly, using the weight measurements where given, and they turned out perfectly! Your recipe is so detailed and easy to follow. This recipe will be my new go-to for amazingly beautiful and irresistible chocolate chip cookies. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Sam
Thank you so much, Cindy! I am so glad you enjoyed the cookies. 🙂
Kami
I have tried a lot of chocolate cookie recipes (since they are my FAVORITE dessert) and your recipe is the best one I’ve tried! Oh man. A bit of a crunch, soft in the middle… and then they stay soft! I’ve never written a review before, but I HAD to write one for your cookies. Thank you for posting these! Amazing!!!
Sam
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, Kami! I am so glad you enjoyed the cookies! 🙂
Kaletha
These are the best cookies ever. I made some and used three kinds of chocolate. They were a huge hit! Everyone loved them some much, that everyone keeps asking me to make more. Thank you
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed them Kaletha! 🙂
Krati Nayyar
I tried my hand on cookies for the second time and I am glad I used your recipe. The cookies turned out great, a little crunchy on the corners and soft and chewy in the center. My roommate and friends loved this recipe. I am definitely going to make this again!!!
I also have a really quick question though, when making the cookie balls, I made the balls taller on one side and placed the smaller side on the pan as shown in the video. However, I wasn’t able to get the intuition of this. How does making one side taller than the other help in the cookie compared to a normal sphere?
Sam
Hi Krati! Great question! The more oblong shape help keeps them from spreading too much and works a little better than just the round ball. I’m so glad you enjoyed them! 🙂