Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies

You’re thinking: the original was perfect! Why do we need another small batch chocolate chip cookie recipe? 

Well it turns out, when about a thousand or so people make your recipe (I can’t say I know the exact number but I’m betting on over 1k considering the number of reviews, the many tags I get on IG and a poll I did on my IG stories over a year ago which showed about 900 yeses…) issues are bound to come up. Here’s some of the questions/complaints that were brought to my attention: 

• I don’t have a mixer and can’t beat the butter & sugar.  
• There’s  too much chocolate in the cookie! 
• My cookies didn’t spread. 
• I only have (or insisted on using) chocolate chips and, my cookies didn’t spread!
• The cookies weren’t sweet enough! 
• Those cookies were too sweet! 
• I don’t have european butter (and didn’t see your note about how to use american-style!) 

Overview 

SO!! I spent the tail end of last year and the begging of this one working on this: a small batch chocolate chip cookie recipe that could solve any problems that came from the originals. The issue that weighed on me more than others; was that, while I had built them to be the most accessible chocolate chip cookies ever, if you didn’t have a mixer, you either couldn’t make them or were getting a sub-par cookie. 

We can’t have that. 

Also, many readers continue to make the cookies with chocolate chips… Even after my deep dive into why chips are not good for those cookies. So, as much as I scowled on the other side of the screen, I finally admitted defeat: some people like their chips and that’s a fact.

So now, we’re going to make a cookie that will work for everyone. You can use chips or chocolate, you only need as whisk (god you could probably do this with a fork if you have a strong wrist). But there’s one caveat: they need to chill a bit. 

And if we have issues with this one, well I guess some 2-3 years from now we’ll have another revisit lol

Recipe Origins

Let’s talk briefly about how I came to this particular formula. You’ll notice that for the most part, it’s nearly identical to the original one yolk chocolate chip cookie recipe. 

But we need to change the butter incorporation step which involves beating sugar (and air) into it for something else: we’re going to melt it. 

I also increased the amount of butter, as I knew from this experiment’s results (scroll to the bottom), it would help the cookies spread even if you were using chocolate chips. And if you were using american rather than european butter, it wouldn’t matter. The result is that the cookies are softer overall and spread more equally. 

Other than that everything is pretty much the same. 

Compared my one yolk chocolate chunk cookies, these have crispier edges and softer middles, and are a bit more fudgy where the originals are chewy throughout. 

Recipe Ingredients 

Butter: american or european style butter. 

Brown sugar: while most chocolate chip cookie recipes have a mix of granulated sugar and brown, I use just brown sugar. This is to hone in on the ‘chewy’ cookie texture. 

Egg yolk: from a large egg. Egg must be large or the cookie will not. have enough fat/water and will be dry. 

Baking soda: this causes the cookies to spread. 

Vanilla: pure vanilla extract. 

Salt: fine sea salt. If using table salt, use just a pinch. 

Flour: all purpose flour, of a medium protein content. A lower protein content will work too, you’ll have slightly more spread. 

Chocolate: chopped chocolate (any kind, make sure it’s something you like) or chocolate chips (any kind!). 

How to make a small batch of chocolate chip cookies 

Melt the butter: 

Add the salt, sugar and vanilla and whisk. 

Heat the sugar & butter mixture: then whisk until thick and shiny. This is a new step I’ve added – I find it gives better texture and flavor to the cookie! 

Add in the yolk and whisk well: 

Stir in the flour and baking soda: 

Cover and chill: the dough is warm and cannot yet be baked (see why below). It would also melt the chocolate chips if we add them now so we’ll cool it first. 

After 2 hours in the fridge, fold in the chocolate: 

Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a small baking sheet with parchment paper: 

Divide the dough into 6 small balls or 4 large portions: 

Bake until the edges are golden and the middles are matte (not wet looking): 

Why do we need to chill cookie dough? 

I had built the original to be the recipe for when you are like: omg, I need a chocolate chip cookie right this second. But then, people loved them so much and they were doubling, tripling and even quadrupling  (sometimes x8!) the recipe and chilling the dough to bake later. 

The problem with chilling a dough that doesn’t have that step accounted for is that the flour can over-hydrate and you’ll get a cookie that is drier than intended. 

And in this case, because we are using melted butter we actually need to chill the dough or the cookies will over-spread. Plus, we all know by now that a cookie dough chilled is a cookie that tastes much better. 

Note: I’ve decided (for the sake of my sanity, really) I will not give this recipe in cups. There are too many issues that can come up from over and under-measuring, and with such a low yield, I don’t want to give room to make mistakes. Use a scale: you’ll have less dishes and you’ll be baking accurately every time. It’s the $12 investment your life needs.

Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies - Revisited

Small batch chocolate chip cookies made in one bowl and with just a whisk.

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 10 minutes mins

Chill Time: 2 hours hrs

Yields: 4

4.95 from 17 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

• 50 g butter unsalted, cold is fine
• 65 g brown sugar light or dark: NOT organic
• 1 egg yolk from a large egg
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp fine sea salt
• 75 g all purpose flour
• 60-80 g semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips depending on taste preferences or chopped chocolate (use greater amount if you like a cookie packed with chocolate)

Method

• In a heatproof bowl, set the butter and melt it (in the microwave is fine but don’t overdo it until the butter starts sputtering all over the microwave, you’ll lose precious grams of butter!).
• Whisk in the sugar, very well until the mix is cohesive and shiny. Then the salt, and vanilla. Return to the microwave for 30 seconds. Whisk very well, you'll see it turn thick and shiny.
• Whisk in the egg yolk, very well.
• Fold in the flour and baking soda. Don't add the chocolate yet; the heat of the dough will melt it.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in the fridge for 30 minutes, until the dough is firm. You can also chill it overnight. When ready to bake, add in the chocolate chips to the cool dough.
• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a small, greased baking sheet with parchment paper. (Do not bake directly onto the pan).
• Divide cookies into 4 or 6 portions. Bake until the edges are golden and the middles are lightly puffed; 10-12 minutes, depending on cookie size.

Notes

You can also make four larger cookies - in this case add 1/8 tsp baking powder to help the middles bake; the cookies will need to bake a few more minutes and the edges will be a bit darker (but it's a lovely caramel taste!)

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