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.
Karine Blanchette
Awesome
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed them, Karine! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Katrina
Hi, Can I use white whole wheat flour in place of white? We have no all-purpose flour left and there’s none left at our grocery store, and I don’t want to run out anywhere. Thanks!!
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Katrina! You can, however, the cookies may be on the dryer side. Let me know how they turn out. 🙂
Katrina
So I made the dough two nights ago to have it ready for my husband’s chocolate chip cookie with coffee ice cream sandwiches to celebrate his birthday yesterday. Because I was using the white whole wheat flour and you mentioned that they might be on the dryer side, I looked up what to do to add moisture. I added about a Tbsp. more of butter and also an extra egg yolk. These cookies were just like I would want to buy them at a bakery or coffee shop. Dense and chewy. A little too sweet for us though, so I think I would take away some of the sugar amount next time, but definitely were not dry even with using all white whole wheat flour. Thanks so much!! 🙂
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that with some adjustments the wheat flour worked well and you enjoyed the cookies, Katrina! Thank you for trying my recipe! I hope that your husband had a nice birthday! 🙂
Katrina
P.S. I forgot to mention that I had the dough in the fridge overnight, too.
Patti Malone
I am terrible at making chocolate chip cookies. Thanks to this recipe and your video, these cookies turned out GREAT. I’ll never go back. They are wonderful. Each batch came out exactly the same. Before I would have one batch that would be too brown, others too mushy. Thank you!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the cookies and that they turned out perfectly, Patti. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Sandy Long
Somebody stop me. I am making my 3rd batch since Saturday, it’s only Wednesday.
I was never known for my cookies but the phone is ringing off the hook from children and grandchildren begging for more. These are so good. The more you make them, the better they are.
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Sandy! I am so glad that you love them and from the sounds of it, so have your loved ones that you have shared them with. Thanks so much for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
Naomi
I’m going to try these today because well …. My only question is is if it’s okay not to use cornstarch? I have all the other ingredients but can’t find cornstarch for some reason in my area.
Sam
Hi Naomi! Yes, just substitute the cornstarch with more flour. Enjoy!
Ashley
I was kind of disappointed by these cookies. I like my cookies very soft and these cookies were flat and crispy. I liked the adding of maple syrup but I think my cookies were flat because of the melting the butter. I waited about 7 minutes for the butter to cool like the recipe said…but I don’t know it just didn’t really work out for me. Would this recipe work with just regular room temperature butter?
Sugar Spun Run
I am so sorry that your cookies did not turn out perfectly, Ashley. Your butter may have needed to cool longer. You can use room temperature butter next time, however, the melted butter really combines all the ingredients well. If your cookies were flat it could be that not enough flour was added as well. Mismeasuring your flour is a common mistake in baking so I have created a guide on how to measure flour properly that can be used as a reference for next time. You also want to be sure to chill your dough so that your cookies spread slower when baked. Again, I am sorry that they were not perfect. I hope that you have better luck next time. 🙁
Jesse
Alright…THESE REALLY ARE THE WORST BEST CC COOKIES….EVER….PERIODT! I have just pulled the last batch outta the oven, and already ate half of the first tray…warm and ooey gooey goodness! I followed the recipe to a ‘T’ and you are soooo right….you can’t taste any of the maple syrup. They are just the perfect match of a soft moist center and a ever so slight crisp on the edges. I am truly RUINED for all other cookies!!! I can’t wait to go to go back to the store and get caramel, PB, and/or toffee morsels to use in these cookies…these are DEF in my rotation now. Thanks again for all of your helpful hints & tips! They make a WORLD of difference in my baking. You are the BEST!!! (Side Note: Too bad I won’t have enough to share w/ my neighbor/taste tester…dang WORST cookies…too good to share!) UGH! : )
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you loved them, Jesse! These really are too good to share… lol. Hey… you had great intent. That counts! Thank you for trying my recipe and for commenting. Enjoy! 🙂
Tiffany Chaplin Tichy
Oh my god, yes! You already know these are amazing! I made these today for the first time and I THOUGHT I made great chocolate chip cookies for years but our 11 yr old let me know these are it! I just found your website a week ago googling for chili recipes. I made your chili (even hunted down fire roasted tomatoes in this lockdown lol) and my family RAVED about it and ate it for a few days! I then made your crazy chocolate cake with the cream cheese frosting which was a huge hit, that FROSTING is LIFE!.
Today I intended to make your Best Vanilla Cake with chocolate cream cheese frosting and noticed I only had half the amount of cream cheese needed so will make that tomorrow. In the meantime, today I made the Worst (best) chocolate chip cookies and everyone loves them. I want to make your banana cake, carrot cake (my husbands fave) and just work my way through your recipe box, thanks!
Sugar Spun Run
Your comment made my day, Tiffany! Thank you so much for trying my recipes. I am so happy that you have enjoyed the ones you’ve tried so far and can’t wait to see what you try next. Thank you for commenting and for being a fan already. I am so happy that you found my site. 🙂
Kelsey
She’s not lying, these cookies are dangerous! I had success halving the recipe. I didn’t have baking powder or vanilla extract on hand and they still turned out amazing. I baked a small batch and had to put the dough in the freezer to prevent myself from further damage.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you loved them, Kelsey! Thank you for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
Katie cashman
This is the best cookies I have ever made as they taste beautiful look beautiful this is now my go to recipe
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you now have a new go-to recipe and you enjoyed the cookies, Katie! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
jess
gonna try these today. Can I freeze the dough to save and bake as I want them? can’t wait to make them! I watched your m&m cookie recipe and wow they were so good! I loved how chewy they are.
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Jess! This cookie dough can be stored in the freezer and can be taken out as needed. I hope that you enjoy it just as much as the other recipe. Keep me posted on how they turn out. 🙂
Jess
They are amazing I made them for my family and they are amazed at how good they taste. I baked them for a little less time because personally I like them really soft and wow I could eat 10 in one sitting! So good! I put chocolate chunks and chips! Super yummy I look forward to trying more cookie recipes from you soon!!! <3
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed them so much! I also love really really soft cookies, and I would never judge you if you ate 10 at once! 🤣
LUIZA BRIARD
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. These are the chewiest, most delicious cookies I’ve ever had! You just made our lockdown a whole lot better.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that these cookies could bring you joy during these difficult times, Luiza, and you enjoyed them. Thanks for trying my recipe. 🙂
Raigan
You were right these are the WORST chocolate chip cookies! My family loved these and could not keep their hand off. I accidentally used mini semi-sweet chocolate chips and they turned out just fine! So excited to try another recipe of yours!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that they were a hit, Raigan! Thanks for trying my recipe. I can’t wait to hear what recipe you try next! 🙂
Laura Cristea
I definitely need more stars here. Soooo freaking addictive, my existential question was ‘to eat or not to eat’. However, since we are all under ‘house arrest’, I was getting some exercise going to the kitchen and back for cookies, like one every 1-2 hours. My husband kept watching me patiently and then at one moment he got up, walked to the cookies and got the whole plate and retreated in the office to work, and oh yeah he closed the door although he forgot to put a ‘do not disturb’ sign 🙂
The cookies are so awesome and chewy that today I had to make them again and this time we went crazy with the chocolate chips, 1 cup milk chocolate and 1 cup white chocolate. We bought them this weekend. What do you know, some people buy toilet paper, we buy chocolate chips. I wanted to actually add some M&Ms, but I thought I can leave those for the next time. Needless to say that we also bought some caramel chocolate chips as well and we look forward to experimenting with them.
Dear Sam, we are addicted to these cookies and secretly we enjoy our house arrest so much because we can eat as many cookies as we want and there is no one around to give us a raised eyebrow because we stuff our mouths with crunchy chewy goodness.
As for the gym, all the pounds lost before the self-isolation are now FOUND and they brought other pounds with them LOL.
Thank you so so much. This cookie is the best I ever ate and I cannot believe I can make it myself.
Thank you for all the trial and error efforts you put in your recipes (we enjoyed the bread, biscuits as well).
Sugar Spun Run
Your comment made my day, Laura! I am so glad that your family has enjoyed the recipe and that you are thrilled that you were able to accomplish the perfect cookie all on your own in your own home! I hope that you enjoy this recipe for years to come. I look forward to hearing what other recipes you try next! Enjoy! 🙂
Liz
Absolutely delicious!
After eating these cookies, I now know what my last meal will be.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you loved the cookies, Liz! Thanks for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
Cat Ferrero
These cookies taste WONDERFUL! Great flavor and they look like perfection. Next time I make them I will cut down on the amount of sugar as they are too sweet for me even though the taste was delicious. I will also cut down on the amount of chocolate chips (say what??). Most recipes have too much sugar for me but for those that like nice, sweet cookies loaded with great flavor & chocolate-chips, this will be heaven!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, Cat! Thank you so much for commenting. 🙂