Go no further! This chocolate chip cookie recipe will ruin your life.
Consider yourself warned.
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 cookie recipe”, and dog-eared cookbooks of “award winning” and family favorite chocolate chip cookie recipes, you have somehow found yourself here, face-to-cookie with the actual worst chocolate chip cookie.
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 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 best-turned-worst chocolate chip cookie recipe), that will work just fine, too.
What kind of self-respecting cookie doesn’t demand purity and quality?
Only the worst kind.
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 to die for.
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 was. 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 recipe? 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 any other “delicious” cookie. 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 chocolate chip cookie 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 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 ever” 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 30ย 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.
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.
Letโs bake together!ย Iโll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe andย videoย below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me onย Instagram, and you can also find me onย YouTubeย andย Facebook
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 ยฝ cups (300 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
- ยฝ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature preferred
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ยผ cup (60 ml) maple syrupยฒ
- 3 ยผ 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
- 1 ยฝ Tablespoon cookie scoop
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together melted butter and sugars.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, 1 ยฝ cups (300 g) light brown sugar, ยฝ 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, ยผ cup (60 ml) maple syrupยฒ
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.3 ยผ 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.)
- 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
ยนButter
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.ยฒMaple 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 the worst 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.
Heidi Eiman
Haha!! I havenโt made the cookies, but reading the entirety of this post, in all its cleverness, was a treat in itself. From someone who reads cookbooks like novels, thank you! I love many of your recipes (have to convert them GF for my family, but they are still awesome!)
Sugar Spun Run
Your comment made my day, Heidi! Thank you so much. I am so glad that you have enjoyed my posts and recipes. ๐
Judy
By far, the best chocolate chip cookies Iโve ever eaten. I will never use any other recipe. Thanks!!
Sugar Spun Run
What an amazing compliment! Thank you so much for the sweet comment, Judy. I am so glad that you enjoyed the cookies. ๐
Tallulah
These are amazing. My husband grew up with the cookie lady. Seriously, thatโs how everyone knows my mother in law! So chocolate chip cookies were always on hand in his house. I grew up with store bought, different lives. Anyhoo, I love baking and have been on this holy grail-like quest to finally match โmomโs cookiesโ but even though I follow her recipe to the letter, they are never the same. Alas, I made these the other night and hubs said they were amazing. Had he tried them fresh from the oven they might have have momโs beat (ahem, challenge accepted). My eight year old also they were my best cookies to date, so thanks for wins on multiple fronts! Looking forward to making these again, really soon!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so happy to hear that you blew your husband away with these chocolate chip cookies, Tallulah! Having a “cookie lady” to be up against has its challenges so I am glad they were such a hit. Thanks for commenting. ๐
Lorraine
Alas I didnโt listen to the warning and proceeded to try your recipe and oh lawdy they were delicious, has in gourmet perfectly round not flat lightly crisp and chewy inside. Followed recipe exactly just added nuts, the different size chips were a great idea perfectly distributed thru out each cookie. I sound like Iโm going overboard but most chocolate chip recipes are just meh nothing special. These really taste bakery quality they are worth the extra effort. My search for the perfect chocolate chip recipe is over.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so happy to hear how much you enjoyed the cookies, Lorraine. Thank you for trying my recipe. I am glad that they were a hit! ๐
Barb
These are delicious but what am I doing wrong? I made them and they were great until they cooled. Then they got rock hard. Help!
Sam
Hi Barb! It sounds like the flour might have been accidentally over-measured or they may have been baked for too long.
L W
Love your post. Can’t wait to try them. Just like the racoon commercial on TV, “You got to try this, it’s terrible” LOL
Sugar Spun Run
I hope that you love them, LW! Keep me posted on how they turn out. Happy Baking! ๐
L W
OMG, they are the worst ever!!!. I threw away all my other cookie recipes. Took one to work to give to a friend to try. I thought we were going to have to turn the fire hose on him! LOL
Now to find the worst cupcake recipe!
Sugar Spun Run
I love it! I am so glad that they were such a hit, LW! I have a lot of cupcake recipes to choose from but here are a few of my favorites that I think you will enjoy: Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting , Easy Chocolate Cupcakes, Easy Vanilla Cupcakes, and Confetti Cupcakes. Happy Baking! I can’t wait to hear what you try next! ๐
Kat
These are the worst, because I want to make them all the time! And now everyone else also wants me to constantly make them. Horrible! These are the gooiest, most delectable cookies I have ever eaten, and I wonโt be the same. If you have grandmaโs recipe just SCRAP IT, ITโS GARBAGE compared to these. Teach your grandma, she will probably like these better too. I do appreciate how itโs so easy to fine amidst all the โperfect, bests and famousโ. A+ theyโre the worst!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so sorry that your family and friends hated this recipe, Kat. I am happy to hear that they are requested often. lol Thanks for commenting! ๐
Nat
Hi! Iโm trying this right now and followed up the recipe to a T, however my dough is quite gooey/runny. Is that normal? In your video it seems thicker, I donโt think I can roll this dough into balls, what can I do? i donโt want to just add flour and ruin it. thanks!
Becky
Made these this morning to deliver to my daughters at college. I used half chocolate chips and half espresso chips (college kids need their caffeine ;-). These were the best (I mean worst) cookies ever!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that everyone hated (loved) the chocolate chip cookies, Becky! Thanks for commenting. ๐
Cheri
I LOVE chocolate chip cookies and I love to bake. I have tried many recipes and this is my new favorite! I did use a mixture of milk chocolate and mini semi sweet, because thatโs what I prefer. I love the soft, yet crisp texture of these. Brilliant!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so happy to hear how much you enjoyed this recipe, Cheri. Thanks for commenting. ๐
Betty
I presented one of these cookies to my boyfriend with a glass of milk this evening and I’m pretty sure he’s going to propose now. HAH. Thanks for the recipe, amazing cookies.
Sugar Spun Run
HAHA. Your comment made my day, Betty! I am so happy to hear that he loved the chocolate chip cookies. I can’t wait to see what recipe you try next! ๐
Beverly Steindler
Hi Sam I just made these and they are absolutely delicious. I have made them several times and they always get gobbled up and the request for more never gets old.
Best chocolate chip cookie recipe there is!!!
My husband says what makes them the worst is because the dough has to chill…LOL
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that your family enjoys the chocolate chip cookies, Beverly. The “chilling time” is the killer for us too. lol. Thanks for commenting, I appreciate your feedback. ๐
Kay
These are BY FAR my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. Thank you!!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Kay! I am so glad that you enjoyed them. ๐
Terri
Love the look and taste of these cookies
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Terri! I am so glad that you enjoyed the chocolate chip cookies. ๐
Jordan
Absolutely delicious!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the chocolate chip cookies, Jordan! Thanks for trying my recipe and for commenting. ๐
ayesha
this recipe is amazing! i’ve never made chocolate chip cookies from scratch and i’m so glad this is the recipe i came across. and your video is so helpful. we had a family bake-off to make the perfect chocolate chip cookie and i used your recipe and was crowned cookie queen.
Sugar Spun Run
Congrats on your big win, Cookie Queen! I am glad that you and your family loved the chocolate chip cookies. Now that you have mastered this recipe, I can’t wait to see what you try next. Thanks for commenting, Ayesha! ๐