When you're having a late night Cookie Monster moment, this recipe makes just one chocolate chip cookie. And you don't even need an egg! Grab some basic ingredients, chill the dough while the oven heats up, and you have a chewy, gooey cookie in less than 30 minutes. Honestly, it doesn't get any better.
As someone who always wants a sweet treat, knowing how to make a single cookie is deeply clutch. I also somehow married someone who's "not really a dessert person" (???) so I've made this recipe for myself dozens of times. I should honestly tattoo the measurements on my arm.
The biggest problem I have with most single serve CCCs is that they 1. use an egg and 2. usually make two cookies. It's fine, there's nothing wrong with two of any dessert, but I really just wanted a single big ass cookie here.
So, using a few tricks I learned in pastry school, I've come up with this offering: one gooey and chewy cookie, no egg, and barely any chill time. Save that egg for small batch chocolate chip cookies or these fluffy chocolate chip banana muffins. We're keeping it easy tonight, ok?
Heavy cream is key
Eggs are super important in cookies, because the whites add moisture and the yolks add fat for that classic chewy texture. But, I didn't want to deal with a whole egg in this recipe. So instead we'll use a secret ingredient - heavy cream! - which gives us the liquid and fat we need. You won't even notice a difference, promise!
I haven't tried this recipe with whole milk or alt milk, so not sure how that would work out. If you give it a try, let me know how it is!
Bake the cookie
It's kind of hard to tell when the cookie is done, because at first glance, it'll look set all over. So after 13-14 minutes, look in-between the cracks. The edges should be fully set, but the centers will be a little gooey!
Chill the dough
To make sure the cookie is chewy, you don't want to add a ton of flour. It's totally fine, you'll just want to chill the dough for a bit to help the butter set up. I usually freeze the dough while the oven is preheating for about 15 minutes, works every time!
Freeze for later
If you want to freeze the cookie dough for another time, make sure to wrap it well in parchment paper, and pop it in a freezer bag. You can bake the cookie straight from the freezer, just add another 1-2 minutes to the bake time if needed.
When it comes to small batch baking, I always recommend using a scale to measure the ingredients. Just a small amount of flour can make or break an entire recipe. But if you don't have a scale, use the fluff, spoon, & level method to measure flour, cocoa, & other dry ingredients. Here is a whole guide on how I measure ingredients for small batch baking!
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Easy Single Chocolate Chip Cookie
Ingredients
- 10 grams unsalted butter, melted & slightly cooled (¾ Tablespoon)
- 14 grams dark brown sugar (1 Tablespoon, packed)
- 7 grams granulated sugar (½ Tablespoon)
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 8 milliliters heavy whipping cream (½ Tablespoon)
- 22 grams all purpose flour (3 Tablespoons)
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of Kosher salt
- 26 grams semi-sweet chocolate chips (2 Tablespoons)
- Flaky salt, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Combine the melted butter, dark brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a small mixing bowl. Whisk the mixture until it's well-combined, about 1 minute. It will be sandy. Add the vanilla extract and heavy whipping cream. Whisk until the mixture is lightened and fluffy, 1 more minute.
- Fold in the all purpose flour, baking soda, and salt until the dough is about 75% combined. Then, add the chocolate chips and fold just until there are no more streaks of flour. Don't over-mix the dough!
- Line a small sheet pan with parchment paper. Then, roll the cookie dough into a big ball. Press the cookie dough ball into a thick disc and place it on the parchment-lined sheet pan. Pop the cookie dough in the freezer while you preheat the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Once the oven is ready and the dough has chilled for 10-15 minutes, transfer the sheet pan to the oven. Bake the cookie for 13-14 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center is a tad gooey.
- Let the cookie cool on the sheet pan for about 5 minutes. Then, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. Sprinkle it with flaky salt, if desired, and enjoy!
Did you make this recipe? I'd love to hear what you think!