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.
Carolina Torres
Hi Sam,
I haven’t tried this recipe yet but I can tell you that you have 5 stars on presentation. You were thorough in you explanations and provided specific ingredients which I find lacks in many recipes such as salted or unsalted butter.
Question: can I add nuts to this recipe without ruining it?
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Carolina! I really appreciate it. I am glad you find the recipe easy to follow, I try to make it simple. For this recipe, you can absolutely add nuts. I hope that you enjoy it. Let me know how they turn out. 🙂
Olive knapp
hi! i am alivia knapp, and i just love these cookies. i think they are better that the ones i make. hope you have a great day!😊😀😁
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much. I am happy that you enjoyed the chocolate chip cookies. 🙂
Danielle
Hi Sam, just a quick question. I made these back in July and they were amazing. However, I made them again last night and they came out thin and flat. I have my suspicions that the flour amount was off, so I’m wondering if you could tell me how you measure your flour. Do you spoon into the measuring cup and level? Just scoop and level? The flavor was still amazing though and the flatness didn’t stop my boyfriend and I from eating the entire first batch. 🙈 Thank you! ❤️
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Danielle! Sounds like the flour. Yes, you want to spoon flour in the measuring cup and then level. I am sorry that they turned out flat but happy they were enjoyed by your boyfriend. 🙂
Ted J
Toll House Cookies, hands-down, the worst tasting, worst smelling, most unsightly cookies on earth. If I never had a cookie, I would not eat these. Even Nestlé’s knows they stink. They know their morsels stink too, but they’re not willing to go that far- yet. You could have posted a recipe that called for sawdust, spackle, braunschweiger, and butyric acid and it would have been an improvement. Thank you for your fight and 200 star Rx.
Sam
😂 Thank you for making my day Ted! This comment was great.☺️
Christy
My husband loves them!!!!!
Sam
I am so glad he enjoys the cookies so much! 🙂
ava
possibly the best choc chip cookies i have ever made/eaten. definitely a family favorite!!
Sam
So happy to hear this! Thank you for commenting, Ava! 🙂
Karen
This recipe turned out great! I’ve been looking for a recipe closer to the way I prefer and this was spot on. Thanks for sharing 😊
Sugar Spun Run
I am so happy that you enjoyed the chocolate chip cookie recipe, Karen! Thank you for your feedback! 🙂
Skyler
These cookies were amazing!! Everyone loved them! I wanted to know though if you could freeze the batter and save it for a later time?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Sklyer! I am so glad that you enjoyed the chocolate chip cookie! Yes, you can freeze the dough. I recommend rolling out your cookie dough into individual cookies and then placing them in an airtight container before freezing. Enjoy! 🙂
GINGER
My dough is very stiff is that how it’s supposed to be?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Ginger! Since the cookie dough is chilled for 30 minutes before baking, the dough may be slightly stiff. Since every refrigerator temperature varies, I would let it sit out for a few minutes. The cookie dough will become softer with the warmth from your hands. The video on the recipe, at the bottom of the page, shows a good example of what my dough usually looks like. I hope that you enjoy the chocolate chip cookies. Let me know how they turn out! 🙂
Jaymie
Made these tonight for the umpteenth time! My husband and I are addicted. Love all of your recipes, Sam!
Sugar Spun Run
Jaymie, thank you so much! I am so glad that you and your husband enjoy the Chocolate Chip Cookies. 🙂
Vanessa
I have seen so many conflicting weight conversions for all-purpose flour and I feel like it is the main reason my cookies never come out right, is 415g what you personally used (not an auto-generated conversion)? Excited to try these!
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Vanessa! The weights are what I personally use, I don’t auto-generate my conversions. Let me know how they turn out. Enjoy! 🙂
Jaimie
How does this recipe do when it’s doubled?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Jamie! The recipe should be fine when doubled. I hope that you enjoy the Chocolate Chip Cookies! 🙂
Keli
I have everything but the cornstarch, should I still make them?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Keli! You can, however, the cookies just won’t be as soft and chewy without the cornstarch. Plus, you will need to add a tad more flour to the recipe. Let me know how they turn out. 🙂
Venn
This is my new go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe with just two minor tweaks: vanilla bean paste and browned butter. I only keep the paste and imitation extract in the house, and these cookies are too good to use imitation extract in. The browned butter was a mistake the second time I made the cookies–someone came to my door as I was melting the butter over the stovetop and it ended up brown–but it worked out fantastically well and now I do it on purpose. I’ve made it as written before and they still turned out to be some of the best chocolate chip cookies. For those with overspreading cookies: Don’t skimp on the chilling and make sure your butter is cool to the touch before starting and you’re almost guaranteed great cookies.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the chocolate chip cookies! 🙂
Molly
Hi, I would love to try this recipe, but I don’t have any real butter, only butter spread, is this an acceptable substitute, and if so, would I have to do anything differently? Thanks so much!
Sam
I’m sorry, Molly, but unfortunately I only recommend making this with butter.
Ameera
Hi, i want to make this but, I don’t have maple syrup, what can i use as a substitute?
Sam
Hi Ameera! You can use generic pancake syrup if you have that. 🙂
Ameera
Hehe, 😅 don’t own pancake syrup
Sam
Some people have made it with honey and have enjoyed them that way! The taste won’t be quite the same though, of course.