I love small batch recipes and this small batch chocolate chip cookie recipe is no exception! Made with brown butter, the perfect amount of vanilla and lots of chocolate, this recipe is sure to satisfy any sweet tooth. These are the perfect chocolate chip cookies to make for a small gathering or a quick after school snack. It's the perfect recipe when you are craving a warm chocolate chip cookie but don't want to make a full batch.
For best results, you'll want to be sure to chill the cookie dough for at least 30 minutes before baking. Giving the dough a bit of chill time guarantees chewy cookies with buttery, crisp edges. If you are looking for a larger batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies, check out our One Bowl Chocolate Chip Cookies and for a fun twist, try making our Lemon Chocolate Chip Cookies.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- the perfect small batch of chocolate chip cookies - mix up this simple recipe in one bowl and bake seven perfect cookies
- there is truly nothing better than baking up a quick batch of warm cookies
- you can make this recipe in no time at all with ingredients that you already have in the house
🍫 Ingredients
- brown butter - the brown butter adds a richness and nuttiness to the finished cookies
- egg yolk - because this recipe is small and uses only ½ cup of flour, you will use only the egg yolk
- brown sugar - adds flavors and helps to create that chewy cookie texture
- vanilla extract - adds sweetness and flavor to the cookie dough
🍋 Variations
milk chocolate chip cookies - swap the dark chocolate out for milk chocolate chip cookies
add nuts - mix in ¼ cup of toasted pecans or macadamia nuts
🧈 Substitutions
gluten free chocolate chip cookies - swap the all purpose flour out for ½ cup of your favorite gluten free baking mix. I've had good luck with using both King Arthur Measure for Measure and Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour. Both of theses mixes have been formulated for baking and you don't need any additional xanthum gum or guar gum to achieve great results.
🥣 Instructions
Be sure to see the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and detailed recipe instructions.
Combine the cooled brown butter with the sugar and mix until well combined.
Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract to the cookie dough. Mix until well combined.
Mix in the dry ingredients.
Fold the chocolate chips into the cookie dough. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Scoop cookie dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake cookies at 375° for 8-9 minutes.
Enjoy warm cookies with a glass of milk or a cup of tea.
Hint: Use a cookie scoop to make your cookies. My cookie scoop is probably my most used kitchen tool. It's perfect for scooping cookie dough but also great for making meatballs, filling muffin tins and making pancakes and waffles. If you don't have a cookie scoop, you should definitely treat yourself to one.
How to Make Brown Butter
- Place butter in a small sauce pan and cook over medium heat until the butter becomes bubbly, fragrant and nutty smelling – swirl and stir as needed.
- Watch closely for small brown bits to begin forming on the bottom of the pan – this will happen around 5 minutes.
- As soon as you begin to see brown bits in the butter, remove the butter from the heat.
- Transfer butter to your mixing bowl and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before proceeding with your recipe.
- If you leave the butter in the pan it will continue to brown and could even become burnt.
📦 Storage:
Store baked cookies in an airtight container for 1-2 days. You can also scoop and freeze the cookie dough. Store the frozen cookie dough in a ziplock bag or freezer safe container and bake fresh cookies for your next cookie craving.
⭐️ Recipe FAQs
Bake chocolate chip cookies at 375° for cookie that have crisp, buttery edges and chewy centers.
Traditionally sized cookies take 8-10 minutes to bake at 375°. For chewy cookies, you want your baked cookies to have nice golden edges and for the middle to still look a little doughy and undercooked. The cookies will continue baking on the cookie sheet for a few minutes after you remove them from the oven.
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The Best Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter browned and cooled
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (65 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
For the Brown Butter
- Place butter in a small sauce pan and cook over medium heat until the butter becomes bubbly, fragrant and nutty smelling - swirl and stir as needed. Watch closely for small brown bits to begin forming on the bottom of the pan - this will happen around 5 minutes.
- As soon as you begin to see brown bits in the butter, remove the butter from the heat. Transfer butter to your mixing bowl and allow to cool for a few minutes before proceeding with the recipe
For the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
- In the small mixing bowl, combine the brown butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Mix until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg yolk and vanilla to the butter and sugar mixture.
- Add the flour, baking soda and salt to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Be careful not to over mix.
- Mix in the chocolate chips. Cover dough and chill in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375° Use your cookie dough scoop or two small spoons and scoop 1.5 tablespoons of dough.
- Arrange cookie dough balls on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake cookies at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are just golden brown. The middle will look slightly undercooked. Allow cookies to cool for 15-20 minutes on the sheet pan before moving to a cooling rack.
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