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.
Cathy
I love a good chewey cookies with slightly crisp edges, if you do to, this is a great recipe!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Cathy! I am so glad that you enjoyed the cookies. ๐
S
Can the dough be frozen for later use?
Sugar Spun Run
Yes, it can! I recommend rolling them into cookie dough balls before freezing. ๐
Joy
Hi Sam! I don’t have cornstarch available. Is there a substitute? Thanks!
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Joy! You can omit the cornstarch and the cookies will still turn out well, they just won’t be as soft and chewy. No worries, they will still be delicious. Enjoy! ๐
Joy
Hi Sam! The cookies turned out amazing! especially with vanilla ice cream! Yum! My husband said, it’s by far the best cookies I baked! Thank you so much!
Sugar Spun Run
Yum! Icecream and chocolate chip cookies really do make the perfect pair, Joy! I am so glad that you enjoyed the recipe. ๐
anna
Hi can I use dark maple syrup or the regular light/amber kind.
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Anna! Either will work just fine. The darker, the richer the maple flavor. ๐
Ash
These are BY FAR the best cookies ever! I am a fan of soft cookies (Mrs. Fields) and this recipe came so close to those childhood memories. My husband probably loves this recipe more than he loves me๐ thanks for sharing!!!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you and your husband LOVE these cookies, Ashley. Thank you so for trying my recipe and for commenting. ๐
Diane
Love this recipe so much!
All my friends have converted! I have a question though – Can you make these in a sheet pan like a brownie/ Blondie?
Sugar Spun Run
I am so happy that you have enjoyed this recipe and love that you have gotten your friends to convert too, Diane! I haven’t tried this exact recipe in cookie bar form however, I think that should be fine. I do also have a cookie bar recipe you can try that is similar. Thanks so much for commenting. I appreciate your support and feedback greatly. ๐
Nate
My daughter loves this recipe. She loves to tell people the secret ingredient and HAS TO BE the one who adds it to the mixing bowl. We have made these cookies 3 separate times. Once for all the kids and teachers at my daughterโs preschool, a quadruple batch for Christmas, and once for the heck of it. They have been a hit every time. They come out so deliciously chewy and chocolatey. This is now my โGo Toโ chocolate chip cookie recipe. Thanks for sharing!!!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that this recipe has become a staple in your home and you have enjoyed it, Nate! Thank you so much for the feedback, I appreciate it. ๐
Kayla
Thank you so much for the recipe! My family of 6 is stuck at home and an entire roll of store bought cookie dough went missing! ( but apparently nobody ate it;) ) We were looking forward to cookies so i looked online and found your recipe! These cookies were a million times better, im going to use your recipe every time now! Followed your directions completely and they turned out absolutely perfect! Thank you so much!!
Sugar Spun Run
I guess the missing cookie dough that went missing was a blessing in disguise. lol. I am happy that you came across my recipe and your family enjoyed the cookies, Kayla. Thank you so much for commenting. I hope that you will give more of my recipes a try. ๐
sydney
my dad has been asking me to make these cookies again for days ahahaha thank you for the awesome recipe !!
Sugar Spun Run
That is awesome, Sydney! I am so glad that they were a hit! Thanks for trying my recipe. ๐
Kim
Iโm allergic to maple syrup. Is there a substitution I can use? Thanks!
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Kim! The cookies will have a slightly different flavor but honey will work as a substitute. You can also leave it out entirely. I hope you enjoy! ๐
Valerie
Made them today. DELICIOUS!!!! Came out a little flat (not totally) so I am going to invest in a scale to weigh the flour next time but had no effect on the taste. Best chocolate chip cookies I have ever made.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed them, Valerie! I have a guide on how to measure flour that you can also use as a reference for next time. Thanks for commenting. ๐
Stephanie Sprake
Is there a way to fix my batter if first batch is not spreading enough? They kinda have texture of a muffin.
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Stephanie! The batter should not be dry or crumbly like a muffin. From the sounds of it, too much flour may have been added. At this point, unfortunately, there is no way to fix the batter. Since over measuring flour is a common mistake in baking, I have created a guide that can be used as a reference for next time. Again, I am so sorry that you experienced an issue. Regardless, I hope that your cookies still tasted delicious. ๐
Rachel Lilliman-Rapley
I have baked these cookies today. I think I made the cookies too big, because they weren’t really flat, they were huge and a bit bulky. That doesn’t matter though, because they were delicious!! I think this recipe has ruined it for me for any other chocolate chip cookie recipe. Thanks Sam, lol ๐ I love it!!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you LOVED them, Rachel! Thank you for commenting and for trying the recipe. I am happy to hear that they ruined all the others out there. ๐
Raashi
Hi is there a substitute for eggs
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Raashi! I am sorry there is not. If you are looking for egg free recipes, I would reccomend my recipe for No-Bake Cookies or my recipe for Chocolate Chip Snowball Cookies. ๐
Sarah
I love these! The absolute best recipe ever! I would totally recommend these to EVERYONE!! Just one suggestion, don’t name them, The Worst Chocolate chip cookies. ๐ thanks so much for this recipe!!
Sugar Spun Run
Thanks so much for trying my recipe and for commenting, Sarah. I am glad that you enjoyed them. ๐
Terri
Can I sub almond flour? I donโt have enough flour and can not find any these days!
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Terri! Almond flour will alter the texture some, but given the situation, worth a shot. Keep me posted on how they turn out. ๐