Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies in Less than 30 Minutes

Palm oil is common in store-bought cookies. My son has reactions to palm oil. Because of this, I make all of our desserts from scratch. Making small batch chocolate chip cookies is sometimes all I need when I’m craving something sweet and fast. This recipe makes 6 – 7 cookies– perfect cookies for two when you want a little something. No chilling time is required for the dough. 

Sometimes you may be craving the warm and comforting taste of homemade chocolate chip cookies, but don’t want to be tempted by a regular-sized batch. This recipe for small batch cookies is the perfect solution for satisfying your sweet tooth without the guilt. 

You can easily double this recipe and make 12 cookies, which is still a small batch. I feel like for the “work” it takes to pull out the ingredients and bake them, I sometimes make 12, even if I freeze half for another time. But six is perfect when I’m low on ingredients (such as butter, flour, or eggs) or when I want to have portion control. 

Keep reading to learn how to make a small batch of deliciously chewy chocolate chip cookies. To ensure the cookies turn out moist, choose the largest egg you have. You’ll only be using the yolk.  

Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies

To ensure they are palm oil free, be sure to use pure vanilla extract. Imitation extract often contains palm oil. Also be sure to use real chocolate chips. Read the ingredients. They are easy to find at your local grocery store (Safeway, Albertsons, Jewel, Kroger, Fry’s, etc.) as well as Target and Walmart, etc. There are three brands of chocolate chips I use:

• Enjoy Life 100% Real Chocolate Mini Chips Semi-Sweet – When I want a less sweet cookie; sometimes I combine these with Hershey’s or Ghirardelli chocolate chips.
• Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Chips
• Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Chips

Learn how to make the best small batch chocolate chip cookies — chocolately and chewy

This recipe calls for ⅓ cup of chocolate but if you really like chocolate, you can increase it to ½ cup of chocolate chips. I prefer to mix semi-sweet chocolate with regular milk chocolate chips when making these small batch cookies so they will be sweet but not overly sweet. 

What You Need to Make Small-Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies

With just 10 minutes of prep time and 10 minutes to bake, you can be enjoying small batch chocolate chip cookies in less than a half hour. Plan to make this recipe by hand instead of using an electric mixer. You don’t want to overmix the dough.

It takes 9 ingredients to make this small-batch chocolate chip cookies recipe

Ingredients

• ¼ cup unsalted butter – melted and slightly cooled
• ⅔ cup all purpose flour or one-to-one gluten free flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ⅛ teaspoon salt (omit if you use salted butter)
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (white sugar)
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 egg yolk from large egg
• ⅓ – ½ cup chocolate chips or mix of semi-sweet and milk chocolate

I tried making these small batch chocolate chip cookies on a non-stick baking pan without lining it (because I forgot to!) and they turned out well

Equipment You Need

• Small bowl or saucepan to melt butter
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper or silicone baking mat to line pan
• Medium bowl for dry ingredients
• Mixing bowl or large bowl for wet ingredients
• Measuring cups and measuring spoons
• Spoon for mixing
• Cookie dough scoop (optional)

How to Make Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies

1. Melt butter in microwave or in small saucepan on stovetop; set aside to cool.
2. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
3. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
4. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.
5. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the cooled butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Add the egg yolk and pure vanilla extract. Whisk well so the ingredients are combined.
6. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Combine until mixed (by hand) but don’t over mix. Gently add in the chocolate chips.
7. Optional: If you have 15 minutes to wait, you can cover the dough in the bowl and chill it in the freezer. This step isn’t necessary for small batch cookies but will help fats solidify.
8. Spoon out an overflowing teaspoon of dough or use a dough scooper. Roll into a ball with your hands, and space out on the prepared baking sheet.
9. Bake for 9 – 12 minutes. Check them around 9 minutes to check for doneness; the edges should be golden brown.
10. Take out of the oven, and leave on cookie sheet on the stovetop. They will finish baking.
11. After about five minutes, place each cookie on a cooling rack.

Chocolate chip cookies cooling on rack

Tips for Making

Be sure to let the butter cool a bit before adding it to the recipe so it doesn’t start cooking the egg. If you melt the butter first, it will have enough time to cool.

Another tip is to combine the ingredients but don’t over mix them. Overmixing can lead to a tough rather than chewy cookie texture. Mixing by hand (instead of an electric mixer) will help ensure you aren’t overmixing. 

Also, be sure to let the cookies continue baking on the baking sheet once you remove them from the oven. After about 5 minutes, you can transfer them to a cooling rack or let them cool completely on the baking sheet.

Variations

In addition to making this recipe for small batch chocolate chip cookies, it’s easy to add in walnuts or raisins. Add in ¼ cup of either to vary the taste. If you are adding walnuts or raisins, reduce the amount of chocolate chips to ¼ cup. 

Storing

Store any leftover cookies (will there be leftovers with a small batch? likely no!) in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days. You can freeze them for up to 3 months.

FAQs

Why would someone make a small batch of cookies instead of a full batch?

One of the reasons you might want to make a small batch of cookies is because a small batch is a way to enjoy the taste of freshly baked cookies without the temptation of eating too many. A regular batch usually makes between 20 – 36 cookies whereas a small batch usually makes 6 – 12. Small batch cookies feed 1 – 2 people. I like to think of it as “cookies for two.”

It’s also a easier if you are new to baking or don’t have enough flour, butter, or eggs for a full batch. Small batch cookies require only one egg. It’s also faster to make a smaller batch.

What do I need to know about making small batch chocolate chip cookies?

Be sure to use a preheated oven; melt the butter in advance and let it cool for a bit on the counter before adding it to the recipe; prepare the dry ingredients separately from the wet ingredients; and use a large egg yolk which will enhance the cookies’ texture. 

How do I make chocolate chip cookies less sweet?

To make chocolate chip cookies less sweet, use semi-sweet chocolate chips instead of milk chocolate chips. You can also experiment with a mix of both.

Can you make small batch cookie dough in advance?

Yes, you can make small batch cookie dough in advance. Make the dough, cover and refrigerate it, and then bake them within 3 days.

What is the secret to soft, chewy cookies?

Using egg yolks instead of egg whites will result in chewier cookies. Because egg yolks have more fat, they don’t dry out when baking like egg whites do. The protein in an egg yolk will become solid (coagulate) between 149 – 158 degrees F. It’s slower to cook than the white of the egg, which becomes solid at 144 – 149 degrees F. When baking cookies, egg whites can be drying.

Also, another way to baking soft and chewy cookies is using brown sugar which adds moisture to cookies.

How do you freeze chocolate chip cookies?

To freeze cookies, use a freezer plastic bag, making sure to squeeze all the air out before sealing. Remove them from the bag and set out on a plate or cooling rack before eating. They will last in the freezer up to 3 months. You can also use an airtight, freezer-safe container.

Make a small batch of chocolate chip cookies for an impromptu treat

Chocolate Chip Cookies Small Batch

I don’t love baking but I love eating — especially anything chocolate and chewy — and these cookies hit the spot for sure!

Making cookies at home is easier the more you do it. With most cookie recipes, you need to chill the dough in advance. This simple cookie recipe doesn’t require you chill the dough which means you can make the small batch dough, bake them, and abolish that craving in less than 30 minutes.

This recipe serves 1 – 2 people. My kids devour them– who wouldn’t?! They are delicious chocolate chip cookies, served warm or at room temperature, day or night.

Please check out desserts without palm oil to learn about ingredients to use when baking. Also learn about cookies without palm oil in store-bought cookies.

If you make this recipe for small batch chocolate chip cookies, please let me know how it went in the comments. Did you eat them yourself or share?

Love cookie dough? Here’s how to make edible cookie dough for one. Also, check out this simple recipe for peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.

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Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies

Go from craving to indulging in less than 30 minutes. These homemade small batch chocolate chip cookies are simple, sweet, chewy and delicious. Combine semi-sweet chocolate chips with real milk chocolate chips to your liking.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword recipe for small batch chocolate chip cookies, small batch chocolate chip cookies, small batch chocolate chip cookies recipe, small-batch chocolate chip cookie recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Equipment

• Small bowl or saucepan to melt butter
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper or silicone baking mat to line pan
• Medium bowl for dry ingredients
• Mixing bowl for wet ingredients
• Measuring cups and measuring spoons
• Spoon for mixing
• Cookie dough scoop (optional)

Ingredients

• ¼ cup unsalted butter - melted and slightly cooled
• ⅔ cup all purpose flour or one-to-one gluten free flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ⅛ teaspoon salt omit if you use salted butter
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar white sugar
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 egg yolk from large egg
• ⅓ - ½ cup chocolate chips or mix of semi-sweet and milk chocolate

Instructions

• Melt butter in microwave or in small saucepan on stovetop; set aside to cool.
• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream together the cooled butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Add the egg yolk and pure vanilla extract. Whisk well so the ingredients are combined.
• Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture. Combine until mixed (by hand) but don't over-mix. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
• Optional: If you have 15 minutes to wait, you can cover the dough in the bowl and chill it in the freezer. This step isn't necessary for small batch cookies but will help fats solidify.
• Use a dough scooper or spoon out an overflowing teaspoon of dough. Roll into a ball with your hands, and place the prepared baking sheet. Leave room between each for air to circulate.
• Bake for 9 - 12 minutes. Check them around 9 minutes to check for doneness; the edges should be golden brown.
• Take out of the oven, and leave on cookie sheet on the stovetop. They will finish baking.
• After about five minutes, place each cookie on a cooling rack.

Notes

• Melt the butter first so it has time to cool off before adding it to the recipe.
• Mix the ingredients until they are combined but don't over-mix. Use a spoon to mix by hand; don't use an electric mixer. 
• To make them less sweet, use a mix of semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips.
• Optional: Cover and freeze the dough for 15 minutes or set it in the fridge for 30 minutes to help cookies hold their shape. This is not necessary if you don't have time.