Thin and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
These small batch thin and chewy chocolate chip cookies are crisp on the edges, chewy in the center, and buttery with just enough chocolate throughout.
It’s time I confess that I am a very competitive person. So much so that when I hear other people raving about someone else’s cookies, I 1. Find a way to try one and 2. Find a way to make mine better.
While some may say my judgment may have been skewed by my desire to be the cookie queen again, I didn’t love the cookies everyone raved about. They were too sweet for my liking. I envisioned a cookie that is mouthwatering addictive, where people can’t keep their hands out the cookie jar (if they even make it there).
So, I tested and tested these chocolate chip cookies, and the result is a cookie that should be on the side of a chocolate chip bag if you ask me. The ample amount of brown sugar ensures these cookies are super chewy, while the hint of white sugar adds a crisp edge. The minimal baking soda ensures the cookies raise just enough to create a chewy center and the butter flavor is pronounced without making your hands greasy afterwards.
Basically, these cookies are enough to convert the thick and chewy chocolate chip cookie lover in me. There, I admitted it.
How to Make Thin and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, cream the butter until smooth.
- Add the brown and white sugars and beat until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and beat until smooth.
- Add in the flour, baking soda, and salt mixture and mix slowly until combined.
- Add the chocolate chips. Stir until combined.
- Scoop the cookie dough into ball and lay onto a prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the cookies until golden. Place the baking sheet on a cooling rack and let cool completely.
Possible Substitutions
ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR. Whole wheat flour or a 50:50 mixture of all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour works here, though the cookies are more dense and not as chewy. Check the cookies for doneness at 10 minutes instead of 11 minutes if using whole wheat flour.
CHOCOLATE CHIPS. Chopped chocolate also works, though expect the chocolate chip cookies to be slightly flatter.
Thin and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies: Frequently Asked Questions
Brown sugar makes chewier and moister cookies, while white sugar helps cookies spread and creates a crispier cookie. These chocolate chip cookies use mostly brown sugar, so the cookies are very chewy and moist.
While these cookies are flat by design, there is a healthy balance of flat and too flat. If your cookies are too flat, the butter temperature is most likely the culprit. Butter that is too warm causes the cookies to spread more. Alternatively, using the incorrect amount of flour can also cause the cookies to spread too much.
These cookies don’t require chilling! While refrigerating the cookie dough for 8-24 hours develops their flavor, the chilling isn’t necessary to obtain the right thickness and texture.
Sure can! Roll the dough into 2-tablespoon balls, place them 1/2-inch apart on a sheet pan, and put the sheet pan in the freezer until the dough balls are frozen (about 2 hours). Once the dough balls are frozen, store them in a bag in the freezer until ready to bake. Let the dough balls come to room temperature before baking.
More Small Batch Cookies to Try
- The Best Monster Cookies
- Salted Chocolate Brown Butter Pecan Cookies
- Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies with Coconut
Small-Batch Thin and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
These small batch thin and chewy chocolate chip cookies are crisp on the edges, chewy in the center, and buttery with just enough chocolate throughout.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Total Time: 31 minutes
- Yield: 13 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon (142g) all-purpose flour*
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 7 tablespoons (98g) unsalted butter, at room temperature*
- 3/4 cup (150g) brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon (12g) white granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1.5 – 2 ounces (54g) semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips, depending on your taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Adjust an oven rack to the middle of the oven. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line one large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together.
- Beat the wet ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the brown and white sugars and cream on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the egg and beat on medium speed until fully incorporated, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Make the dough. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix at low speed until combined. Using a spatula, mix in the chocolate chips.
- Bake. Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon (45g) balls and arrange them 2-inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 11 minutes, until the edges are golden in color and the middle looks soft and gooey.
- Serve. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet. Store the cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
FLOUR. If you opt to measure by volume instead of weight, whisk the flour first to aerate it, then spoon into a measuring cup, and then level it off with the back of a knife.
BUTTER. I used room temperature butter that is 65 degrees Fahrenheit. If you don’t have a thermometer, test the butter by placing your finger on the butter and pressing down slightly. Room temperature butter will be cool to the touch and leave a slight indentation. If this sounds too fussy, cold butter will work fine if using a stand mixer (this will not work if using a hand mixer).