Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies are our family’s favorite treat when we want something sweet and chocolatey. This version makes 6 perfectly sized cookies that are loaded with rich chocolate chips in a toffee-flavored cookie that is crisp around the edges and soft in the center. They only take 20 minutes from start to finish!
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A while back a reader emailed me asking for some small batch baking recipes. It got me inspired because while I often share recipes for regular-size batches of cookies on here, we are a family of four and I frequently will only want to make a few cookies rather than 2 dozen.
While you can always cut a recipe in half or by fourths, sometimes there are slight adjustments that need to be made. Like what do you do when a recipe calls for 1 egg and you are trying to divide it by half! So I’m sharing small-batch versions of some of our favorite treats like these amazing chocolate chip cookies.
Chocolate chips should practically be their own food group. Some of our other favorite chocolate chip recipes are Chocolate Chip Muffins, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake, and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake.
If you love small batch recipes, be sure to also check out our Small Batch Brownies, Small Batch Sticky Buns, Small Batch Muddy Buddies, and Small Batch Triple Chocolate Cookies. And stay tuned for more small batch recipes coming your way!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Big, but not too big. You’ll get 6 generously sized, irresistibly thick chocolate chip cookies. Just right.
- Pantry ingredients. You probably have everything you need on hand to make a batch of these chocolate chip cookies right this instant.
- Fresh cookies are always superior. Sure, you can freeze balls of cookie dough and bake whenever you want, but honestly this small batch approach is my preferred method and I think they bake up better anyway.
Ingredient Notes
This is a quick overview of some of the important ingredients you’ll need for this small batch chocolate chip cookies recipe. Specific measurements and full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
- All-purpose flour: Be sure to measure correctly. If you have a kitchen scale, I recommend using it for the most consistent results.
- Sugars: A combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar provides just the right amount of sweetness and depth of flavor.
- Butter: For that buttery, toffee taste that chocolate chip cookies are known for. We always bake with salted butter.
- Egg yolk: Rather than beating a whole egg and adding half of it, I find it much easier to just use the yolk, which adds richness and chewiness.
- Vanilla: It’s not a lot but rounds out and highlights the other flavors in the cookies.
- Salt: You need a little salt or the cookies will taste bland or overly sweet.
- Baking powder & baking soda: These provide just the right amount of lift and spread to the cookies for an excellent texture.
- Chocolate chips: We love semisweet chocolate chips, but you can use milk chocolate, if you prefer. You might want to press a few additional chips into the tops of each cookie while they are still hot, just to make them look pretty.
You will also need a mixer (I use a stand mixer but a hand mixer also works) and a baking sheet.
How to Make Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
This is a quick overview with step-by-step images to help you visualize the process. Scroll down to the recipe card for printable, detailed instructions.
- Cream the butter and sugars. You don’t even have to use room temperature butter for this recipe! Just cut the cold butter into cubes and start beating it in a mixer with the brown sugar and granulated sugar. After 2-3 minutes it will be creamy and just the right consistency for a batch of cookies.
- Add vanilla and egg yolk. Scrape down the bowl, then mix in the egg yolk and vanilla. You will notice that the mixture starts looking significantly creamier and smoother at this point.
- Mix in dry ingredients. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, then mix just until everything is combined. Don’t overmix the cookie dough at this point.
- Stir in mix-ins. Add the chocolate chips and mix until evenly dispersed throughout the cookie dough, then divide into 6 evenly sized balls. You could also just use a cookie scoop. Space them a few inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper so they have room to spread while they bake.
- Bake. The cookies bake in a 375 degrees F oven for 8-10 minutes until just starting to brown on top and around the edges. We like to underbake slightly so the cookies stay chewy, gooey, and soft.
Recipe FAQ’s
The trick to picture perfect, round cookies is to roll them into balls before baking, then use two spoons to nudge the cookies into shape immediately after removing them from the oven while they are still hot.
Storage Instructions
If you don’t eat all six cookies right away, the rest will keep in an airtight container for 3-5 days on the counter and still taste fresh, especially if you warm them in the microwave for 10 seconds before enjoying.
The cookies also freeze well, both before and after baking. To bake from frozen, simply add an additional minute or two to the bake time. If already baked, simply thaw at room temperature or warm in the microwave.
Variations
Truly the variations are endless when it comes to this recipe, which we use as a base for all kinds of mix-ins. I recommend keeping the total amount of mix-ins between ½ to 1 cup. Here are some of our favorites:
- Walnut Chocolate Chip: Probably the second most popular choice in our household after the classic CCC.
- Chocolate Toffee Pretzel: Some broken up pretzels and chopped Heath bars or toffee bits are an amazing combination with chocolate chips.
- Caramel Pretzel: Pretty much the same as above except with gooey caramel. I like the larger soft Kraft caramels over the caramel bits, but either works.
- M&M: A childhood favorite that never goes out of style!
- Stuffed Cookies: It’s all the rage to squish cookie dough around Oreos or a dollop of Nutella or cookie butter these days. Try it!
- White Chocolate Macadamia Nut: Another classic cookie flavor using white chocolate chips and buttery macadamia nuts.
- Chocolate Chunk: Skip the chocolate chips and chop up a bar of your favorite chocolate instead for bigger puddles of chocolate in the cookies.
- Andes Mint: We keep a bag of Andes Mint Creme de Menthe bits in the pantry at all times to make delicious mint desserts, but chopped up Andes mints will work just as well.
- Almond Joy: Use milk chocolate chips with sweetened shredded coconut and chopped almonds.
More Cookie Recipes
- Copycat Crumbl Cinnamon Swirl Cookies
- Cheesecake-Stuffed Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies
- Biscoff Cookie Butter White Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Dark Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup salted butter cut into cubes
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour scooped and leveled (91g)
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cream butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl using a stand mixer or hand mixer for 2-3 minutes until creamy and light. Add egg yolk and vanilla extract, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl and mixing well.¼ cup salted butter, ¼ cup brown sugar, 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 large egg yolk, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Stir in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt just until combined. Add chocolate chips and mix just until dispersed throughout the cookie dough.½ cup + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- Divide the dough into 6 even balls, then space them a few inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes until just beginning to turn golden brown around the edges. Do not overbake. Cool for 10 minutes on the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Storage: If you don’t eat all six cookies right away, the rest will keep in an airtight container for 3-5 days on the counter and still taste fresh, especially if you warm them in the microwave for 10 seconds before enjoying.
- Freezing: The cookies also freeze well, both before and after baking. To bake from frozen, simply add an additional minute or two to the bake time. If already baked, simply thaw at room temperature or warm in the microwave.
- Walnut Chocolate Chip: Probably the second most popular choice in our household after the classic CCC.
- Chocolate Toffee Pretzel: Some broken up pretzels and chopped Heath bars or toffee bits are an amazing combination with chocolate chips.
- Caramel Pretzel: Pretty much the same as above except with gooey caramel. I like the larger soft Kraft caramels over the caramel bits, but either works.
- M&M: A childhood favorite that never goes out of style!
- Stuffed Cookies: It’s all the rage to squish cookie dough around Oreos or a dollop of Nutella or cookie butter these days. Try it!
- White Chocolate Macadamia Nut: Another classic cookie flavor using white chocolate chips and buttery macadamia nuts.
- Chocolate Chunk: Skip the chocolate chips and chop up a bar of your favorite chocolate instead for bigger puddles of chocolate in the cookies.
- Andes Mint: We keep a bag of Andes Mint Creme de Menthe bits in the pantry at all times to make delicious mint desserts, but chopped up Andes mints will work just as well.
- Almond Joy: Use milk chocolate chips with sweetened shredded coconut and chopped almonds.
- Weights: My dough weighed 397g which is 66g per cookie for 6 cookies or about 100g per cookie for 4 cookies.
Hi just wondering if you have any gram measures for this cookie pls thank you
Delicious! Soft on the inside. Great recipe!
Amy, Amy Amy…All I can say is WOW!! Which cookie do I try first?
This is the hardest decision I think I have ever had to make! You are truly a Cookie Goddess.
I am off to the mixing bowl, pantry and oven.
Cookee