Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies – An Easy, No Chill Recipe
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This small batch chocolate chip cookie recipe makes 6-8 soft and chewy cookies. They’re made with melted butter, no mixer, and there’s no chilling required – so you can go from cookie craving to a plate of warm cookies in no time.
**This post was updated August 29, 2025 with new photos and baking tips. The recipe remains the same**
The Perfect Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
This easy recipe for chocolate chip cookies makes just 6-8 chewy cookies. It’s the perfect recipe for when you’re craving cookies but only have a few mouths to feed and are short on time. The cookies turn out chewy and soft in the middle with slightly crispy edges and are filled with tons of chocolate chips. The cookies remind me of my favorite everyday chocolate chip cookie recipe, only scaled down.
This recipe is also way faster than making traditional chocolate chip cookies for a few key reasons:
- You don’t need to wait for the butter to soften because we’re using melted butter instead.
- Everything is mixed by hand – so you don’t need to take out your electric mixer (or clean it for that matter either).
- There’s no need to chill the dough before baking.
- Because it only makes 6-8 cookies, you don’t need to spend time forming it into balls and baking 1 cookie sheet at a time.
These are the most delicious cookies I have tried. They are soft, chewy and easy to make. Best of all the are just the right amount.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (or salted works too)
- 6 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- a pinch of salt (omit if using salted butter)
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips.
Can I make these cookies without brown sugar? Feel free to use white sugar instead if that’s all you have on hand. I personally prefer light brown sugar because it adds a delicious caramel flavor and creates a softer, chewier texture. If you only have dark brown sugar, I’d use 1/4 cup brown sugar and 2 tablespoons white sugar.
Method – With Photos
- Start by preheat the oven to 350F (180C) and lining your cookie sheet. This prevents the bottoms over browning.
- In a small bowl whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar. Keep whisking until you no longer see the melted butter sitting on top of the sugar.
- Whisk in the egg yolk and vanilla. Remember to only add in the yolk and not the entire egg.
- Then stir in the flour, baking soda and salt
- Mix in the chocolate chips. I always reserve 1 tablespoon for dotting on the tops of each cookie.
- Form the dough into 6-8 balls. Place 2-3 inches apart on the lined cookie sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350F degrees, or until the tops look just set. For crispier edges, you can bake the cookies on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
Then when the cookies come out of the oven, I like to add just a couple extra chocolate chips on top of each cookie for that perfect “bite-me” look. And because more chocolate chips is always better.
A Note from Fiona
Why you’ll love these chocolate chip cookies!
I love making this small batch chocolate chip cookie recipe for a quick treat for my husband and I – it’s my favorite dessert for watching a movie on a cold night. It’s the perfect recipe for 2 or 3 people, or even 4 people if you make the dough into 8 balls. I don’t recommend making it for 5 people though, as you may have an argument over who gets a second cookie!
More Small Batch Recipes to Love:
- Small Batch Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Small Batch Brownies – these are made in a loaf pan
- Small Batch Vanilla Cupcakes – this recipe makes just 6 cupcakes
Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- Cookie Sheet
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (56 grams), melted
- 6 tablespoons brown sugar (75 grams)
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour (84 grams), spooned & leveled
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- pinch salt
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips (about 45 grams)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (1890C) degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar until you no longer see butter sitting on top of the sugar.
- Whisk in the egg yolk and vanilla extract.
- Stir in the flour, baking soda and salt until there are no lumps.
- Mix in the chocolate chips.
- Form the dough into 6-8 balls and place 2-3 inches (about 5-7 cm) apart on the lined cookie sheets.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the tops are just set. Optionally, place a few extra chocolate chips on top of each cookie.
Notes
- Light Brown Sugar: If you only have dark brown sugar, I recommend using 1/4 cup dark brown sugar plus 2 tablespoons white sugar.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Nutrition: Details provided are an estimate only based on 1 cookie, assuming the recipe yields 6 uniform cookies
These are the most delicious cookies I have tried. They are soft, chewy and easy to make. Best of all the are just the right amount
I LOVED these cookies and they were so easy to make
Delicious! I recommend browning the butter as it adds a very nice taste, but it is not necessary. I will DEFINITELY make again! 😋
I think brown butter makes everything better 😉