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A small batch recipe for homemade bakery-style Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. This recipe makes 6 cookies with crisp edges and soft and chewy centers. An extra splash of vanilla enhances the flavor of these delicious cookies.
The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie
What defines the perfect chocolate chip cookie? Is it the amount of chocolate chips? The vanilla and sugar flavor? A soft and chewy cookie, or a thin and crispy one? In my little opinion, the term perfect is truly subjective and it all depends on the person enjoying the cookie.
Which is why I have a hard time using the term ‘perfect’ or ‘the best’ to describe or title any of my recipes. As much as I may think the recipe is perfect, someone may not.
However, I do believe you will find these cookies to be especially delicious – especially if you are a fan of the bakery style chocolate chip cookie.
Small Batch Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
If any of you are fans of the Food Network, you will have heard of Alton Brown’s Good Eats show. I love this show because it breaks down the art of cooking and baking into science. Alton is a wizard when it comes to understanding the science behind food and ingredients. And, based on his knowledge, I personally refer to him for expert advice when researching my own recipes.
It is in one of the episodes of Good Eats that Alton bakes 3 types of cookies: soft and chewy, thin and crispy, and puffy. This recipe focuses on a soft and chewy cookie (obvi!). The differences in the 3 types of chocolate chip cookies:
- Soft and Chewy – This recipe! We use bread flour because it has more gluten. And more gluten will yield a chewier cookie.
- Thin and Crispy – To make a crispier cookie, you can change the ratio brown and granulated sugar. Brown sugar has more moisture, so if you reverse the two, your cookies will likely turn out a little more crisp.
- Puffy – Kind of like a cakey cookie – like the Soft Apple Cookies on the blog. These recipes may swap in shortening instead of butter and cake flour.
The Ingredients in a Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie
This will may seem like a bit of a baking science lesson for the ingredients needed to make this Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies.
- Bread Flour – This higher gluten in bread flour helps make the cookies chewy.
- Brown Sugar – There is a higher ratio of brown sugar to granulated sugar because the molasses in the sugar makes the cookie chewy.
- Granulated Sugar
- Unsalted Butter – I always use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level of my bakes.
- Egg Yolk – We are only using the egg yolk because egg white has drying properties and will make the cookies more crunchy.
- Vanilla Extract
- Baking Soda – We only need a little bit of baking soda because we aren’t making a cake and don’t need the cookies to rise super high. And the baking soda offers texture and color to the cookies.
- Salt
- Chocolate Chips – Any chocolate chips you prefer will work.
How Many Chocolate Chips to Use in a Chocolate Chip Cookie
This my friends, is entirely up to you. I prefer chocolate chip cookies that have a higher ratio of cookie to chips. But by all means, you can add more chocolate chips!
Tips For Making Small Batch Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Use bread flour – If you want a chewy cookie. Although, all-purpose flour will work, just know the cookie may not be as chewy.
- Bring the butter to room temp – Room temperature butter will mix with the sugar better (and faster). But, be sure that the butter is still firm, and not of the verge of melting!
- Light brown sugar – We rely on the moisture in brown sugar for the chewy cookie, but we don’t need to go as far dark brown sugar. And in these Chocolate Chip Cookies, dark brown sugar may be an overpowering flavor.
- One egg yolk only – The egg yolk adds needed fat to the cookie.
- Chill the dough! – Chilling the dough will help make sure the cookies don’t spread into little puddles of butter.
- Use a cookie scoop – To get equal size cookies, a cookie scoop is your best friend! I use a medium size scoop for (almost) all my cookie recipes.
- Watch bake time – If you want a chewy cookie, follow the bake time noted. If you want to try to get a crispier cookie, you can leave the cookies in the over for about another minute. Just watch the edges to make sure the cookies aren’t burning.
- Use any chocolate chips you prefer – I like Ghirardelli’s chocolate chips because they just taste like better chocolate.
Common Questions For Making Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
I have not tested it, so I can’t say for certain how the cookies would turn out. However, I think it may work ok. If you try doubling the recipe, let me know!
You can. Just note that the cookies may not be as chewy using AP flour.
I’m going to say yes. If you want to make sure your cookies don’t spread into puddles of butter, I strongly recommend chilling the cookie dough batter.
You can and I would recommend keeping a close eye on them so they don’t burn. Though, I would not expect them to turn out like a crispy cookie. The edges will likely be crisp, but the center may still be soft and chewy.
I actually have a Gluten Free Small Batch Chocolate Chip cookie recipe on the blog!
I honestly can’t say for certain as I don’t bake with alternative sugars. If you try it, let me know! Otherwise, there are probably a lot of delicious recipes out on the web that may better suit your dietary preferences.
If you have leftovers, the cookies will keep well covered at room temperature for a few days. Beyond that, they may start to get stale.
Other Cookie Recipes
I am delighted that I have another cookie recipe to add to my recipe index! Cookies are the one baked good that I struggle with most often, therefore I tend to avoid making them. That said, trust me when I post a new recipe because it means it has gone through rigorous testing and scrutiny before being showcased on the blog!
- Oatmeal Nutella Cream Sandwich Cookies
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Healthier Thin Mint Cookies
- Small Batch Snickerdoodles
- Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
Small Batch Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup, + 1 tablespoon bread flour
- scant 1/4 teaspoon baking soda (just barely 1/4 teaspoon)
- pinch salt
- 3 and 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Chocolate Chips)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F degrees and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the room temperature butter and both sugars. Using a spoon, mix together until light and fluffy. You can also use a hand-held mixer, though it may be easier to just mix with a spoon.
- Add in the egg yolk and vanilla extract – one at a time – and mix until combined. Move the mix to one side of the bowl with the spoon.
- In the same bowl, add the flour, baking soda, and salt to the other side of the bowl. Stir the dry mix together first, then start to incorporate with the wet ingredients. Mix the cookie dough until thoroughly combined. Add in the chocolate chips and stir until just mixed in.
- Transfer the bowl to the refrigerator to chill for at least 15 minutes.
- Using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop 2 tablespoons of dough and form into ball and place on the prepared baking sheet. You will have enough dough to make 6 cookies. Place the cookies 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 8 to 11 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are golden brown. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
about the author ...
I'm Erin and I'm all about desserts - and a little bit of butter!
I've tested, written, and photographed hundreds of recipes on my website. Here you'll find the tastiest small batch gluten free and traditional desserts - all homemade, all simple, and all for you!
These are truly delicious! A crowd of 3 gobbled them up in less than 5 minutes.
Thank you Karleigh – so glad you enjoyed them! Sounds exactly like what happens in our house when I make them 🙂