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.
Randy Goodell
Just a question … Or maybe a challenge. Now that I have mastered a few of your amazing recipes, my wife and I are consequently forced to pursue a life in ketosis. Not such a bad thing actually. But maybe there are a few of us out here that would surely appreciate some better Keto friendly recipes. Most of them could use some of your pizzaz .
Sam
Hi Randy! I’m glad you have enjoyed all of the recipes. Unfortunately, I am not very familiar with the keto diet so I don’t have any recipes for it. 🙁
Rhonda
I’ve had these a couple of times when my daughter made them. They are absolutely delicious! I want to make them but smaller? Need smaller size and bigger quantity for a cookie table at a friend’s wedding. Should I shorten the baking time? Thanks!
Sam
Hi Rhonda! You will definitely want to shorten the bake time for a smaller cookie. Just keep an eye on them while baking. 🙂
Sarah
I make them smaller – about a Tablespoon sized – and bake them 12 minutes. I’ve not noticed any problems with taste or texture. I also live in Florida, so altitude and climate may or may not be a factor.
Sara
Hey, there! I haven’t given these cookies a go yet, but I’m excited to try. 🙂 I was just wondering though, my husband loves chocolate chip-less cookies.. would removing the chocolate-chips make them bake any different or would it be fine?
Sam
Hi Sara! Removing the chocolate chips will not make the cookies bake any differently. 🙂
Jeannee
What’s the difference with using light brown sugar and dark brown sugar?
Sam
Hi Jeannee! Dark brown sugar has a little more molasses in it. 🙂
Brynne
Do you use real maple syrup or is syrup with maple flavoring okay?
Sam
Either will work great 🙂
Sandy
Would it be okay to use salted butter and omit the teaspoon of salt?
Sam
Hi Sandy! I would still use 1/2 teaspoon of salt if you use salted butter. 🙂
Tiffany
I have a story about these cookies. I was going make them for my swim friends since it was the last day of practice, but there was a really bad storm that took our power out so our oven couldn’t turn on!! The power didn’t come back until about 8 hours later so I just kept the bowl of dough I previously made in the fridge (which still stayed cold) and decided to bake the cookies for my family the next day. They ended up loving these and the cookies disappeared after 4 days!! Thanks for the awesome recipe <3
Sam
I’m so glad to hear they were such a hit! Thank you for sharing your story and letting me know how you enjoyed the cookies, Tiffany, I appreciate it! 🙂
Hannah Coccia
Hi! Do you think I could sub coconut oil for the butter? These cookies are our absolute favorite, everyone raves about them, but we have a dairy free guest coming over so we’re trying to avoid the butter if we can! Thanks!
Sam
Hi Hannah! I haven’t tried it, but I think it would work. I would love to know how they turn out if you try them. 🙂
Hannah
I tried it and people loved them! The texture of the dough was definitely different, it made me nervous- it was very crumbly. I did just about a cup of melted coconut oil, I would maybe do a tad more next time just to see if it evened out the texture a little more. Took more work to shape them but they turned out well!
Sam
So glad to hear they were a success!! 🙂
Mary Ann Chase
I felt the cookie batter was dry. I will not be taking these to the party. So disappointed
Sam
Hi Mary Ann, sorry to hear the cookies weren’t a success for you. See my notes about measuring flour below the recipe, that might be helpful if you want to try it again.
Clare
I made this on a whim and it was the best decision I ever made! I substituted granulated sugar for coconut sugar and it was so flavorful. According to my collegue “it’s like subway cookies but better” Thank you so much for a lovely recipe!
Sam
Thank you so much, Clare! I’m glad everyone enjoyed them! 🙂
Stacia
How long can these cookies be stored in an airtight container? Do I need to cool the cookies before storing them?
Sam
Hi Stacia! Yes, cool them before storing. They’ll keep for about a week in an airtight container. Enjoy!
Jesse
My family absolutely fell in love with this recipe when I made it. They all sat around trying to figure out what the secret ingredient was that made them soo yummy.They really love oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Have you ever added rolled oats to this recipe ?
Sam
Hi Jesse! I have not added rolled oats with this recipe. You can try out my oatmeal chocolate chip cookies which are similar. 🙂
Corinne
I was just wondering if you had to use maple syrup or if they would turn out ok by using any kind of syrup
Sam
Honestly the only syrup I’ve tried is maple so it’s hard to say. So long as the consistency is similar I think you would be alright, though of course the flavor won’t be the same. 🙂
Bree
Seriously BEST cookies of your LIFE.
Sam
Thank you so much, Bree! I’m glad you enjoyed them. 🙂
Morgana
Hi, I’m Morgana and I’m 13 years old (14 in like 2 hours) so I made your cookies and I was really excited. I mean like who wouldn’t be? They’re chocolate chip cookies!!!😌😌
Took me an hour to whip everything up and I let it cool for an hour in the fridge. I followed the recipe so so SO very carefully. The dough was amazing, kept going back to the fridge for more lol.
Now the thing is, my parents don’t really care about my obsession with baking. So I don’t have many of the ingredients or utensils available.
And I got real excited when I saw how easy this recipe was. I had everything, except one ingredient… Maple syrup. I had golden syrup and my mum told me that “they were the same thing “.
So my dumbass brain went ahead to substitute the Maple Syrup with Golden syrup….. Did not go well. The batter looked fine until I put it in the oven…the dough spread out really thin, burnt around the edges and was raw in the middle. I know it’s not anyone’s fault except mine,but just a warning DO NOT SUBSTITUTE GOLDEN SYRUP FOR MAPLE SYRUP
My B-Day ruined, thanks to my own stupidity *sighs*
Love everything on your blog though! And boy do you know how to make me laugh. Love you!
Sam
O no! I’m so sorry, Morgana! Hopefully you’ll get to make them again with the maple syrup. 🙂
Margaret
Is there any way I could make these less sweeter? 🙂
Sam
Hi Margaret, you could try reducing the sugar some and that would help. I might start by cutting the sugar 1/3-1/2 cup to start.
Margaret
Do I cut out the brown sugar or the white sugar or both?
Sam
Either