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.
Barbara
love this recipe but husband loves walnuts. can you add walnuts?
Sam
Sure thing! 🙂
Hailey
Hi!
I live in a really humid place, should I add more flour to compensate?
Sam
Hi Hailey! I would personally just chill the dough a bit longer.
Janice Meyer
Clever, and well written, this recipe is as entertaining as it is delicious! The title got me as I am sure it gets a lot of people, but the cookies are, well, dangerous!
The directions are complete, most recipes are not as thoroughly written as these. It’s because of that, I was able to make these cookies come out perfectly delicious. Attention to detail made these cookies come out of the oven at just the right time. I haven’t always been so lucky with other cookie recipes.
Thanks for the recipe. But you should include a waiver of liability when we start gaining weight.
Darla
These cookies were absolutely delicious!! My husband and son said this is the only recipe I can use! Question…I want to make the dough and take it on vacation to bake there. How long will the dough last in the refrigerator or should I freeze it?
Sam
Hi Darla! The dough will last about 5 days in the refrigerator, any longer than that and I’d recommend freezing it. You can freeze individual dough balls and bake them from frozen they may just need an extra minute. I like to scoop the dough, wrap them individually with plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag. 🙂
Nicolette
I have tried 3 of your recipes and they are ALL wins!! And these cookies are no exception. SERIOUSLY delicious!!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you are enjoying everything so much, Nicolette! ❤️
Hailey
These turned out perfect!!
They tasted great and had a chewy texture, even the picky eater loved them!
The only changes I made were replacing maple syrup with (forest) honey and chilling the dough for 2 hours. I left it longer in the refrigerator because I live in a really humid place and it 100 per cent fixed the weird texture the dough had (you were right Sam, thank you!!).
Diane
I only have 1 stick of unsalted butter. Can I also use 1 salted?
Sam
That will be fine. You will just want to reduce your salt by 1/4 teaspoon. 🙂
James
Great recipe! I’ve made these five times now, and love them.
Landon K
The first time I made these cookies they were truly phenomenal, but the last few times for whatever reason the middle is an uncooked gooey mess, even if I cook them for 2-4 minutes longer than the recipe calls for. What am I doing wrong?
Sam
Could the butter be a bit warm when the sugars are added? That’s the first thing that comes to mind. If the dough seems thin, add a bit more flour (a tablespoon at a time) until the dough feels the proper consistency. I hope that helps!
Liz
Unfortunately this truly was the worst chocolate chip recipe for me. I followed the recipe exactly as written. Major issue- extreme spread. I had to pull the pan out about 8 minutes in and take a spatula and go around the edges of all the cookies and bring the cookie back to center. Then, I had to go back and do it again every couple of minutes until the cookie was finished. It has good flavor- but way to much work.
Sam
Hi Liz! I’m so sorry this happened! This is definitely not how it should be done. A couple of things to look out for that can cause this issue are adding your sugars to your melted butter while your butter is too warm. You may have needed a little more flour, or potentially may have just needed a longer chill time. I’m so sorry you had these issues. I hope you’ll give them another shot! 🙂
Tisha
Uhhh YUM! I made this recipe into sourdough vookies by adding some starter and resting overnight before chilling in the morning. Best cookies ever!
Lisa L
Made these cookies for the first time, and oh my but they are extraordinarily delicious! They taste amazing and stay nice and soft while being chewy, even after several days. This is my new favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe! Followed the recipe to a T with the exception of replacing butter with butter-flavored shortening (181g shortening + 2 Tablespoons of milk).
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you enjoyed them, Lisa! 🥰
Celeste
Ohhhh My!!! Made these tonight and they are too dangerous to have around toooo good! So I will be sharing the LOVE tomorrow with family and friends. Thank You! YUM ❤️
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
So glad you love them too, Celeste! Thanks for the review 😊
sara A
cant wait to try these! just curious why is the butter have to be melted verse room temp butter? does that make a softer cookie?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Sara! We use melted butter in these cookies for a buttery flavor and chewy texture. Hope you love them! 🙂
Jeannie Hardwick
Can milk chocolate morsels be used instead?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Sure! Enjoy, Jeannie 😊
Bobbi
I am famous for my cookies.
I tell everyone after an over 20 year search, I found THE BEST chocolate chip cookie recipe . It is the WORST chocolate chip cookie recipe !!
Hands down the best ever ….
James Spencer
YES they were/are a huge favorite. My 3 year old grandson loves to help grandpa making them. Have not lasted long enough to find a bad one. Thanks for sharing.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
So glad they are a hit for you, James! Thanks for using our recipe to make some sweet memories with your grandson 🥰
Brittany
This is now my go-to cookie recipe! Thank you for sharing this recipe! I’ve made it SOOOOO many times and everyone loves them!! This is truly the Worst recipe ever!!! It is wayyyyy to addicting!
Elizabeth C.
5 stars for the WORST cookie recipe my clients and I have EVER tasted! It has absolutely ruined everything! Chips Ahoy, forget about it! Toll House, who?? Milano, huh?? I will shamelessly admit that I have been working through these cookies single handedly every night. My ritual? Get a deep cereal bowl, add 3 cookies around the edges (very important!), put bowl with cookies in microwave for a little less than 1 minute – until you can hear the sizzle of the cookie, but the bowl is just barely too hot to hold, then add 3 ice cream scoops of Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla. Per-fec-tion! Shameless.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
🤣 Sounds like they’ve corrupted you too, Elizabeth! And we love your ritual–we might need to try that 😄
Amy
Best chocolate chip cookie recipe I’ve found!! Made them for the 2nd time today and will be many more to come. My new default recipe for homemade cookies. They’re so good it’s actually ridiculous.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We are SO happy you found our recipe, Amy! Thanks for the review ❤️
Silva
Can the recipe be doubled? This has been the best cc cookie recipe I’ve found. However I can barely get 3 dozens.
Sam
Absolutely! 🙂