Go no further, these chocolate chip cookies will ruin your life.
You have been warned.
I can only assume 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 “best ever chocolate chip cookies”, and dog-eared cookbooks of “award-winning” and family favorite recipes, you have somehow found yourself here, face-to-cookie with the “worst” chocolate chip cookies.
I know what you’re probably thinking: It’s just a cookie, right? I mean, they look innocent enough, golden with melty chocolate chips, crinkled edges and melt-in-your-mouth interiors… but one bite and you’re 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.
How obnoxiously cliché, and, even more obnoxiously, intriguing.
I won’t drag it out, the secret ingredient is maple syrup. Sure, pure maple syrup (priced per ounce nearly the same as gold) would be just wonderful. But, if you have a sticky bottle of Aunt Jemima in your cabinet (as I did), that will work just fine, too.
What kind of self-respecting cookie doesn’t demand purity and quality? Only the worst kind.
I credit this “secret ingredient” for being the greatest offender in this recipe. It gives the cookies a subtle, caramelized flavor, as well as long-lasting chewiness and softness (these cookies stay soft for days, the cornstarch also helps with that significantly), and the flavor is to die for.
And while anyone who takes a bite will be able to detect the extra richness of flavor, no one who I shared these cookies with was able to identify any sort of secret ingredient. Just “really, really, good cookies”.
OK, so what’s so bad about really really good cookies?
A Recipe For Ruining Your Life
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 of the past and struggle to hold back scornful laughs at anyone who comments on a “delicious cookie”. Nobody likes a cookie snob, but you will become one.
Here comes that girl again, the one who’s too good for Chips Ahoy.
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 cookies readily available for consumption.
Perhaps worst of all is that these chocolate chip cookies can be made so easily. There’s no KitchenAid or any sort of electric hand mixer required to make these cookies. They can be stirred by hand, dirtying only two bowls.
They do need to chill for 30 minutes, which would only serve as a deterrent if 25 of those minutes weren’t spent sneaking copious chunks of dough from the refrigerator.
If you’ve made it this far, I fear it might already be too late for you.
It’s too late for me, unfortunately, 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 fridge 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 ever” cookies, stick to Grandma’s chocolate chip cookies and the family favorites. Those cookies are safe, they are your friends, made to be consumed by you.
These cookies will consume you, instead.
Good luck.
More Cookie Recipes You May Enjoy!
The WORST EVER Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted and then cooled for at least 5 minutes¹ (226g)
- 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar packed (300g)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 2 large eggs room temperature preferred
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup maple syrup² (60ml)
- 3 1/4 cups all purpose flour (415g)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups 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.
- Add eggs, one at a time, stirring until combined.
- Stir in vanilla extract and maple syrup.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually add flour mixture to wet ingredients, stirring until completely combined.
- Stir in 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.)
- 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 2-2 1/2 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 hot 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
Why Did My Cookies Spread Too Much?
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.
- Your oven temperature is incorrect. Make sure the oven is fully preheated and at the correct temperature before baking your cookies. Many ovens do not report their temperatures correctly and run hotter or colder than they indicate. I purchased two inexpensive oven thermometers that I keep in my oven to make sure the temperature is right.
Why Did My Cookies Not Spread In the Oven?
Did your cookies not spread at all? Did they stay in balls even after baking? This might be the reason:- Flour was over-measured. It's so easy to over-measure flour, especially when using cups rather than weight measurements. 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).
- Your oven temperature could be incorrect. See above note, just as it can cause your cookies to spread too much, it can cause them to not spread enough!
Nutrition
Treat yourself to a FREE E-BOOK!
I originally published this recipe 3/21/16. I am re-sharing it today with a new photo and a new video and some additional notes that I’m hoping will be helpful. While I’d like to update all of my photos, they’ve become so well-known that I have chosen not to replace all of them at this time.
Melissa says
Definitely the best looking chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever made. The part I like best is no softened butter or electric mixer needed. Quick and easy and oh so delicious. Just made my second batch (this week!)
Sugar Spun Run says
Hooray! I am so happy that you enjoyed the chocolate chip cookies, Melissa! Thank you for your feedback. 🙂
Katherine says
I made these once before and they were great. I want to make them again for a work event in a few days and I don’t have enough all purpose flour. I have a little all purpose and a whole thing of bread flour. Can I use a combination using the bread flour? I just really don’t want to buy another thing of flour when I have all the rest of the ingredients at the house. Help!! Thank you so much!
Sugar Spun Run says
Hello, Katherine! I am so glad that you enjoyed the chocolate chip cookies. Unfortunately, I do not recommend using bread flour for this recipe. Bread flour will make the cookies more bread-like and not as chewy. 🙁
David says
I’m terribly sorry but….I’m underwhelmed! They don’t live up to the hype. I followed the recipe exactly, they turned out like they are supposed to, the texture is on point but the taste?? Eh. I won’t be making these again.
Sam says
So disappointed to hear that they weren’t a hit for you, David! They should’ve had a rich, caramel-ly, buttery, vanilla taste, it’s what really sets them apart from every other chocolate chip cookie and I’m sorry to hear that wasn’t your experience!
Nika says
These are the best chocolate chip cookies ever!!! Very, very addictive!! I have shared this recipe with several friends after baking them and sharing they cookies; they just had to have the recipe. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. Sometimes I add pecans and walnuts (husband and daughter loves nuts in their cookies) and they are even better!! I love them either way; I just split the batch and make some with nuts and some without since I have one daughter who has a nut allergy.
Sugar Spun Run says
Nika, thank you so much for sharing the recipe with your friends! I am so happy you enjoy the chocolate chips cookies. 🙂
Trish Slaughter says
Well, dang! And I was doing so well with my diet! I’m Canadian, so pure maple syrup is easy to come by. Aunt Jemima might be just as good, but with cookies this fantastic, I’m not taking the risk!
Sugar Spun Run says
Hi, Trish! These cookies are hard to resist in my home too, they are the “WORST”! I hope you enjoy! 🙂
Christian's Mom says
Amazing recipe and tips. Can’t wait to try! You’re a super positive person (I read the comments) & I commend you immensely. Take care
Sugar Spun Run says
I really appreciate your kind words, Christina! I am so glad that you enjoyed the Chocolate Chip Cookies! 🙂
Brittany says
I’ve made these many times over the past couple years and my whole family loves them! They truly are the “worst” because u just can’t stop eating them, end up gaining 5 lbs and going off your diet lol. Right now we decided we wanted to make them spontaneously but I only have salted butter in the fridge. Could I use salted and just lower the added salt in the recipe? If so how much should I reduce the added salt by?
Sugar Spun Run says
Thank you, Brittany! If you wanted to use salted butter, I would cut the additional salt down to 1/2 teaspoon. Enjoy! 🙂
Mary Grace says
👋 hi,
Can I chill the cookie dough overnight before I bake them?
Sam says
Absolutely! I hope you love them. 🙂
Lisa says
Wow. These must have to chill for a week before they don’t spread. I’m gonna add some more flour and see if this helps. What a waste of ingredients.
Sam says
Hi Lisa! They only need 30 minutes to chill (though chilling for longer would not hurt!). Most likely either the butter was too hot when the sugar was added or the flour (or even another ingredient) was mis-measured. Please see the notes below the recipe, they should be helpful!
April says
Amazing! I have been searching for a recipe that would deliver picture perfect cookies. This it! I tried it the first time and it seemed to take over 2 hours for the dough to chill til it wasn’t tacky and I got impatient and cooked them anyways. Big mistake. Came out greasy and undercooked. But then I tried again and learned from the mistakes. Really let the butter cool – it looked closer to what it looks like in the video. Let the dough chill in the fridge for an hour. Formed them into tall dough balls. Covered and let chill about another hour until the balls were not tacky. Did not have maple syrup on hand so I used maple pancake syrup and you cannot taste it. They do taste like a perfectly normal chocolate chip cookie – but after years of flattened, cooling hard cookies I am sold on the directions she gave that gave me a cookie as pretty to eat as it is good to eat – chewy, soft and chocolatey!! Thank you Sugar Spun Run!
Sam says
Thank you so much, April! I am so glad you enjoyed the cookies so much. 🙂
Amy says
I love these cookies. My favorite by far!
Is it possible to add other stuff to the recipe? Like a garbage can cookie, yes i just made that up. Would like to add oatmeal, coconut, nuts and maybe even peanut butter.
Sam says
Hi Amy! I haven’t tried all of these additions. If you add the nuts I think that would be fine. If you add oats without changing anything, that could work, but I think the cookies would be a little more on the dry side. Adding peanut butter changes a lot of things so I’m not sure how that would turn out. 🙂
Mabelle says
Once baked, how do I store them and for how long? Can I put them in the fridge? or just store them in an airtight container?
Sam says
Hi Mabelle! You can just store them in an air tight container at room temperature for about a week. 🙂
Richard Atkins says
lol a week hehe. I can’t keep em around for a few days before they are gone
Kari says
These were good, but my entire family (husband and 4 kids) agreed that they aren’t the best.
David says
I agree (see my comment above). I made a double recipe for an event, and was so sorry I spent all the money on something that was not a hit (There were several in the trash with a single bite taken out of them, and more than half the cookies were still on the buffet at the end of the party). #epicfail
Sam says
Hmm, I’m starting to wonder if maybe there could’ve been an ingredient issue (could the butter have been bad? could the baking soda have been mis-measured accidentally? Or the syrup or vanilla?) that made these cookies not taste like they should’ve? I totally understand people have differences in taste, but these cookies fly off dessert tables for me (and for most other commenters as you can see from the reviews), so it’s alarming to me that so many would find themselves in the trash can. Is it possible at all that an ingredient was left out or not doubled that should’ve been? Of course that might not be the case, but if that many people in addition to yourself found the flavor to be bad enough to throw away, I’m wondering if maybe a single-batch re-try is in order and am happy to help troubleshoot if you think that might help!
David says
Hi Sam
Thanks for clearing up the misunderstanding between us btw…
I am a pretty experienced baker, and especially when trying a new recipe, I take no chances. Everything was brand new and top notch, including expensive, 100% PURE maple syrup from Trader Joe’s…which might be part of the issue? Pure maple is not as sweet as ordinary table syrup, and that was my biggest criticism of the cookie; they were NOT sweet. They tasted like…chocolate chip bread! They were also a little TOO gummy/chewy for my taste. I like a hint of crisp in my cookies.
Sugar Spun Run says
Hello, David! I haven’t had an issue with using 100% pure maple syrup, so I don’t believe that was the issue. I am sorry that they weren’t a hit! 🙁
D says
Please feel free to edit my comment for brevity! As I get older I have less patience for people who lack common sense. Some of these questions and comments are just bizarre. So Sam, kudos to you for being generous and kind… I’m the woman in the background rolling her eyes. Also, to the commentor who had people throwing these cookies away, it’s not the cookie. These are very similar ingredients and in nearly the same increments as found in most cookie recipes. It’s not like the recipe calls for a cup of vinegar or a handful of peppercorns. There is nothing “weird” involved so they could not have been trash can fodder. I imagine when you doubled the batch something got under added. We’ve all fallen victim to that, regardless of if we want to admit it or not. As for the slightly less conventional addition of maple syrup, it’s a quarter cup. Not really enough to be offensive even if you don’t like maple, in which case.. why make these cookies?
As for the cookie? Very good. Mine were a bit too soft to roll into balls after chilling 30 minutes but I easily adapted and simply used spoons to dole out the dough. Imagine that. I could have chilled it longer but wanted my cookies sooner! They did not spread too thin and were not greasy, just a softer dough to work with. The edges were crisp and the centers were soft and creamy… not pasty and greasy like an underdone cookie. My 75 pound pit bull sat faithfully near the oven and alerted me when the timer beeped. She very much enjoyed the chocolate chip free edges she could have and danced around each time a new batch came out and she was able to taste test some morsels. She’s a picky eater who only eats homemade food! Genuinely, her approval is high praise!
Side note: I used a 100% Vermont coal fired maple syrup, bought from a wild looking mountain man named Bob, at a farmers market this summer. He’s a one man operation and I paid 24 bucks for a half pint. It is unlike any maple syrup I’ve ever had and I’ve had fresh while in Vermont. I have used it sparingly on an English muffin or a bit tipped into a cup of tea but it’s too thin and expensive for pancakes. It does have a wonderful flavor and for me, really shined in these cookies. It imparted an excellent rich caramel flavor. I wonder if the bulk of people who didn’t notice the maple were using pan cake syrup. The ones sold in the grocery stores are mostly just corn syrup and high fructose at that. That would just add more sweet, not flavor.
Thank you Sam for a great new recipe to add to my collection!
Sam says
I can’t thank you enough for this glowing review, it completely made my day, D! I’m so happy that both you and your pup were fans and I so enjoyed reading your comment (there’s no way I could bring myself to edit it!). I’m also now very intrigued by this syrup that you procured from “Bob”, if I ever make a trip up to Vermont I will certainly be looking for him! Thank you again for your sweet comment! <3
Jacki says
OH MY GOD these are hands down the best cookies I’ve ever baked in my life!! I just ate one fresh from the oven and can die happy. Hope they’re just as amazing at room temp. The cookies are also SO photogenic! They are perfect. Thank you for this recipe!!
Sam says
Thank you so much, Jacki! I am so glad you enjoyed the chocolate chip cookies. 🙂
Dana says
Hi, is there any reason that you choose to melt the butter rather than just cream room temp butter? I was tempted to not melt it but decided to follow the recipe exactly. I’m letting the dough rest so I haven’t baked it yet. The raw cookie dough tastes very good though. I know… raw cookie dough…. I live on the edge some days😃.
Sam says
Hi Dana! Melting the butter makes for chewier cookies with a better, more buttery flavor. 🙂
Emily Rodriguez says
How long would it be okay to freeze the dough for? I got the date wrong for an event and made the batter way too early. Would it be alright to freeze the dough for 3-4 days?
Sam says
Hi Emily! the dough will freeze for several months, but it will also keep in the refrigerator (in an airtight container) for up to a week. The dough will get really hard in the fridge for that long so it will need to sit at room temperature for a bit before you can scoop it.