This recipe is your secret weapon for incredible soft, chewy cookies, ready in under 30 minutes with minimal cleanup!
Recipe Highlights
- **Seriously Fast:** From bowl to mouth in under 30 minutes.
- **One-Bowl Wonder:** Minimal cleanup is a beautiful thing.
- **No Chill Needed:** The dough is perfectly scoopable and bakeable immediately.
- **Infinitely Customizable:** The base recipe is a blank canvas for your favorite mix-ins.
Ingredients
The Wet Ingredients:
- ½ cup (1 stick / 113g) **unsalted butter**, melted and slightly cooled
- ½ cup (100g) **granulated sugar**
- ⅓ cup (70g) packed **light brown sugar**
- 1 large **egg**, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon **vanilla extract**
The Dry Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups (188g) **all-purpose flour** (spooned & leveled)
- ½ teaspoon **baking soda**
- ½ teaspoon **salt**
The Star of the Show (Choose One or Mix!):
- 1 cup **semi-sweet chocolate chips**
- **(Or)** 1 cup **M&M’s**
- **(Or)** ½ cup chocolate chips + ½ cup chopped **walnuts** or **pecans**
- **(Or)** 1 cup **white chocolate chips** and **dried cranberries**
The Simple, One-Bowl Step-by-Step Method
- **Step 1: Prep for Speed**Preheat your oven to **350°F (175°C)**. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- **Step 2: The One-Bowl Magic**In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, melt the **butter** in the microwave in 30-second bursts until just liquid. Let it cool for 2 minutes.
To the same bowl, add the **granulated sugar** and **brown sugar**. Whisk vigorously for about 30 seconds until the mixture is smooth and well-combined.
To the same bowl, add the **egg** and **vanilla extract**. Whisk again until the batter is smooth and lightens in color slightly.
- **Step 3: Bring It All Together**To the same bowl, sprinkle the **flour**, **baking soda**, and **salt** directly over the wet ingredients.
Use a spatula or wooden spoon to gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined and **no streaks of flour remain**. Do not overmix!
Fold in your chosen **mix-ins** until evenly distributed.
- **Step 4: Scoop and Bake**Drop rounded tablespoons of dough (or use a small cookie scoop) onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each.
Bake for **9-11 minutes**, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers still look soft and slightly underdone.
*The Secret to Chewiness: Slightly under-bake them! They will continue to cook on the hot baking sheet.*
- **Step 5: The Crucial Rest**Remove the pans from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for **5 full minutes**. This allows them to set up perfectly.
After 5 minutes, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely… or, even better, enjoy them warm!
5 Pro Tips for the Best Quick Cookies
- **Measure Flour Correctly:** Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off to prevent dry, cakey cookies.
- **The Melted Butter Trick:** Melting the butter gives these cookies a chewier texture and eliminates the need for a mixer or waiting for butter to soften.
- **Don’t Over-Bake:** They will look underdone when you take them out. Trust the process! They set up as they cool on the pan.
- **Add a Flaky Salt Finish:** For a gourmet touch, sprinkle the tops with a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt right when they come
out of the oven.
- **Make Them Your Own:** Stir in a tablespoon of instant espresso powder with the flour for a mocha twist, or use peanut butter chips instead of chocolate.
Delicious Flavor Variations
- **Funfetti Cookies:** Use 1 cup of white chocolate chips and ½ cup of rainbow sprinkles.
- **Kitchen Sink Cookies:** Add ½ cup chocolate chips, ¼ cup rolled oats, and ¼ cup chopped pretzels.
- **Double Chocolate:** Replace ¼ cup of the flour with ¼ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder.
- **Oatmeal Raisin:** Replace ¾ cup of the flour with ¾ cup of quick oats and add ¾ cup of raisins.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Q: Why do my cookies spread too much?
- A: This usually happens if the baking sheet is too warm when you put the dough on it, or if your oven temperature is running low. Make sure your pans are cool to the touch for each batch.
- Q: Can I freeze the cookie dough?
- A: Absolutely! Scoop the dough into balls and freeze them on a baking sheet. Once solid, transfer to a freezer bag. You can bake them straight from the freezer, adding 1-2 minutes to the baking time.
- Q: My cookies are cakey. What went wrong?
- A: This is almost always due to using too much flour. Next time, try fluffing your flour before spooning it into the measuring cup. Also, ensure your baking soda is fresh.
- Q: Can I make these without an egg?
- A: For a vegan version, you can try using a “flax egg” (1 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tbsp water, let sit for 5 mins). The texture will be slightly different but still delicious.
Since this recipe is infinitely customizable, would you like me to find some unique mix-in combinations for your next batch?