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
These cookies are AMAZING!
Sugar Spun Run says
I am so happy that you loved the Chocolate Chip Cookies, Melissa! Thank you for your comment. I hope that you try more of my recipes. 🙂
Adam Vondenbenken says
Burned through every baking ingredient in the house making a second batch. I can’t stop eating the darn cookies. They will be the death of me. It just makes the perfect soft batch cookies. My stomach hurting from eating too many. Butter and sugar process is very important so get it right. Syrup / aunt jimima extra butter flavored is what you want. I tried corn syrup and is not as good as the stupid syrup. It just gives it a richer flavor and the cookies DO NOT taste like syrup.
I hope you all get a sick as I did.
Thank you sooo much for this recipe as I will recover soon and start experimenting with other things syrup related.
Sugar Spun Run says
These Chocolate Chip Cookies really are the “WORST” I can never stop eating them either, Adam! I am so glad that you enjoyed them and hope that you recover soon. Enjoy and thanks for your comment. 🙂
KATHY says
Any suggestions/adjustments for using King Arthur’s one 4 one gluten-free flour? I HAVE to try these ASAP!!
Sugar Spun Run says
Hello, Kathy! I am not an expert when it comes to baking gluten-free so I can’t give any personal recommendations. I know others have substituted using King Arther’s Flour before so maybe they can chime in here. Sorry that I can’t be more helpful. I hope that you enjoy the chocolate cookies. If you do try it, please let me know how they turn out. 🙂
Christa says
I usually substitute glutenized flour with Costco‘s Perfect GF Flour blend. It works just fine 1:1.
can’t wait to try this recipe tomorrow!
Sugar Spun Run says
Thanks, Christa! Let me know how it turns out. 🙂
Patricia says
These are the best cookies I’ve ever made or had. I will be making them offend . Thank you so much you are very talented on your baking.
Sugar Spun Run says
Thank you so much, Patricia! I am so glad that you enjoyed the Chocolate Chip Cookies. Thank you for your kind words. 🙂
Nancy Lea says
Can I add chopped walnuts to this recipe? We are California walnut farmers — and I try to put walnuts in everything! We were out on the ranch with our dogs this afternoon – picking them up, cracking and eating them–
Sugar Spun Run says
Hello, Nancy! You can most definitely add walnuts to your batch of chocolate chip cookies. I hope that you enjoy them. 🙂
Susan says
This is my go-to chocolate chip recipe! So thanks for that.
Quick question: At what temp and how long should I bake them from frozen?
Sugar Spun Run says
Hello, Susan! Thank you so much. I am glad that you enjoyed the chocolate chip cookies! They usually only need an extra minute or two when baked from frozen (same temperature for the oven). Enjoy! 🙂
Ebonie says
Brilliant cookie 🍪 recipe
Sugar Spun Run says
Thank you so much, Ebonie! I am so glad that you enjoyed the chocolate chip cookies. 🙂
Louise says
These are amazing!!!!
Sugar Spun Run says
Thank you so much, Louise. I am glad that you enjoyed the chocolate chip cookies. 🙂
Marilyn Bridon says
Delicious cookies! Impossible to wait until they were completely cooled for the first sampling! This is one cookie recipe that will be well used if not memorized!! Thank you so much for posting!!
The other side of that coin though- I have a feeling these cookies will ruin my life. Soon I won’t fit into my clothes… The PTA at my kids’s school will only hound me to make these for bake sales… I will go to the poor house sending tins of these to my college bound friends and family…
Sam says
I warned you, they are the WORST 🤣
Thank you so much for letting me know how you enjoyed them, Marilyn, I really appreciate it! Have a great weekend 🙂
Emily says
These chocolate chip cookies are SO delicious and hard to eat just one. I also made ice cream sandwiches with them and equally delicious! Thanks for the best chocolate chip cookie recipe!
Sugar Spun Run says
Thank you so much, Emily! I am glad that you enjoyed the chocolate chip cookies. I love the idea of turning them into an ice cream sandwich too! 🙂
April says
Hello!
What brand of syrup did you use?
Thanks 😊
Sam says
I’ll either use real pure maple syrup or Aunt Jemima brand 🙂
Rick says
These cookies are ridiculous. I skip the corn starch and they are still absurdly good. They should be outlawed. They likely already have been in distant provinces and galaxies. Bake, eat, feel the burn of addiction
Sugar Spun Run says
Thank you so much, Rick! I’m glad that you find the chocolate chip cookies out of this world. They really are the “WORST” right? So glad you enjoyed them. Thanks for the comment. 🙂
Nancy says
Can these be made on 10 × 15 jelly roll pan, as cookie bars?
Victoria says
Super good
Sugar Spun Run says
Thank you so much, Victoria! I am so glad that you enjoyed the chocolate chip cookies. 🙂
Deanne says
The worst 😭most delicious addictive choc chip cookies ever 🙏quality chocolate is a must for me I might add , callabaut buttons sooo good , thanks for the recipe , love These 😜😋😋😋😋
Sugar Spun Run says
Thank you, Deanne! They really are the WORST Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever! I am so glad that you enjoyed them. 😜
David says
Hi,
Ive tried many recipes for cookies and this is by far the best. I followed your video to a tee. The only thing I do differently is I use a silicone baking mat instead of parchment. Loved the tip about making sure all the ingredients are room temperature, they incorporate much more smoothly now.
Thanks for sharing,
David
Sugar Spun Run says
Thank you so much, David! I’m glad that you enjoyed the chocolate chip cookies. Thanks for commenting. 🙂