The Baker Chick

Baking up a delicious life.

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies (For Two)

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Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies (For Two)

The number one question that I get asked when people meet me, knowing I have a baking blog, is- “How are you not fat?”

Seriously- I get asked that weekly if not more often. I know it makes little sense- I’m baking, posting (and eating,) lots of treats per week and while I’ve definitely put on 5 lbs. since The Baker Chick was born, it hasn’t gotten out of hand.

I exercise occasionally, (much to the dismay of my husband who is a personal trainer,) but what I really practice every single day is the art of moderation. For me if I eat a healthy diet I can still manage desserts several times a week as long as I don’t go overboard.

I like a small slice of cake, or one brownie or cookie and then I typically give the rest away. It’s a system that works for me and I plan on sticking to it- as I never see giving up sweets in my future!

 

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies (For Two)I wanted to post my version of a “healthy” recipe, but I didn’t want to sacrifice taste or texture or anything like that.

I also don’t like using artificial, “low fat” ingredients instead of the regular ones. So I decided to preach what I practice- small portions and delicious treats in moderation.

This recipe makes the smallest batch of chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever made (between 2-6 cookies depending on how big you like them.)

It took a couple tries to get the texture just right, but my Mom and I agreed that these were pretty perfect.

I love a crackly cookie and these look so beautiful coming out of the oven. The edges get perfectly crisp but the inside is still chewy and soft. I like making 3 cookies, (one for me- two for him,) but you can make two jumbo cookies- or even 6 smaller ones.

Print
Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies (For Two)
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Yield: 2-6 cookies
 
Ingredients
  • ½ cup flour
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons melted butter
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • ½ tsp vanilla
  • ⅓ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 325F.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk the butter and sugar together. Add the vanilla and yolk and whisk until smooth and creamy.
  3. Sprinkle the flour, baking soda and salt over the wet ingredients, and stir until just mixed. Fold in the chocolate chips.
  4. Scoop the dough into 2-6 portions depending on how many cookies you want. They will spread a lot- so leave at least 3-4 inches between each scoop of dough.
  5. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Do NOT overbake. They may look doughy on the inside- but they will continue to bake while they cool.
  6. Cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack.

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Comments

  1. Good for you for having moderation! That’s something I struggle with but am working on. I see cookie, i eat cookie. lol ;)When we first moved to Africa, baking was my therapy… aaaaand so was eating it. Needless to say, I gained 15 pounds! I’ve lost 7 though so far :)

    Reply

    • I’m so happy I ran across this recipe today. I’m always on the search for smaller portion recipes (for two!). I followed this recipe exactly and was very impressed with how well the dough came out. The cookies look perfect, and I’m sure they will be delicious a well (they are currently cooling). Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe.

      Reply

  3. Love this! I have no self-control so I’d be much better off making smaller batches!

    So sad I’m not going to Orlando this weekend, I’ll have to live vicariously through everyone’s Instagrams!

    Reply

  5. Moderation is a struggle, but I try to live by it. I exercise a lot and I don’t want to completely lose my workout in one sitting generally! These cookies look fantastic, and I love that they’re big enough to share.

    Reply

  6. Great recipe, is there a way to add a bit of walnut oil for a nutty taste because I love nuts in my cookies and hubby does not?

    Reply

  7. All I have to say is it’s a good thing I don’t live that close to you because I would be over all the time and about 20 lbs heavier. :)

    And now I really want a cookie.

    Reply

  8. Oh these cookies look absolutely perfect! I know for a fact no one ever eats all the stuff I make, so I try to scale down recipes as much as I can. Usually it’s the egg that gets me because once you start dividing things by 3 it gets kind of hard, haha.

    Can’t wait to try these out :)

    Reply

  10. LOL I get asked that all the time too! My skinny arms and legs are an illusion though, people miss the bellybutton-thigh region that’s proof of my lack of self control when it comes to baked goods. I could eat this whole batch in less than 10 minutes…definitely need to work on that!

    Reply

  11. I like this version of a recipe much more than one that has low fat ingredients! And it’s perfect because then the recipe moderates me instead of me trying not to eat the whole batch! :)

    Reply

  13. I get asked that question a lot also, although my solution is to exercise like a crazy person. :P I love that this batch of cookies only makes a few! Perfect for portion control.

    Reply

  15. Oh.my.god! Thank you so much for this recipe. I’m so often struggeling with halving or even quartering recipes.

    Reply

  16. So fun baking these with you!!! Thanks for setting such a good example of moderation. I will try to learn from you!

    Reply

  20. These are such perfect looking cookies!! Love the downsized recipe, automatic portion control. And these cookies look dangerous so happy this recipe makes only a small portion. Yum!

    Reply

  21. Haha, I guess a better question is how are the people around you not fat? Great idea, will definitely make this soon!

    Reply

  22. Hi, I’m french, and i don’t know what means 3T melted butter. Well melted butter is butter? and what is the quantity of 3T.

    Reply

  23. Oh. My. God. These are the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever made, or eaten, ever. Bar none. I doubled the recipe and came out with eight cookies, each about 3″ in diameter. I also didn’t use salt, as my butter was already salted.

    Seriously. These are so wonderful. I don’t think I’ll ever use another cookie recipe again – I’ll just triple or quadruple this one.

    Reply

    • Thank you so much! :)

      If you want to make larger batches- look into my recipe titled “Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies” it’s a little different because it uses an egg AND and yolk- but is a full 24 cookie batch! :)

      Reply

  24. I made these last night for me and a couple girlfriends and we loved them. I used half semisweet milk chocolate chips and half white chocolate ones. They were so easy to make and you can easily double the recipe if you want more. I got 7 medium sized cookies with this recipe. I should’ve listened to you and take the cookies out after only 15 minutes while they still looked undone, but instead I turned off the oven and left them for another 5 minutes. They were still pretty good but they could’ve been more chewy and delicious. Definitely took note for the next time I make them.

    Reply

  25. I found this recipe a little over a month ago and since making these cookies three times, it has become my absolute favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. I love how easy it is and how manageable cleanup is (that was the main reason I was looking for a scaled down recipe in the first place!). The first time I made them, I accidentally added an extra 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla. I wouldn’t how much of a difference it makes because I have made them that way on purpose ever since–they were just SO good that first time!

    I tried them once with butterscotch chips, but I think I must not be a butterscotch chip fan! I’m most likely going to make another batch tonight for a good friend because it’s his birthday! I’m thinking I will add Reese’s Pieces this time. And maybe some chocolate chips. Hehe.

    The first time I tried the recipe, I just baked two GIANT cookies. The other two times, I baked six, which I think is a perfect amount! Gah…they’re so good. THANK YOU! :)

    Reply

  27. I did this but somehow they didnt turn out like cookies at all, it had the floury inside of a biscuit or something like that. Is it because i put a small amount of dough? This is my second time trying and i dont know what im doin wrong.. I was so happy cuz i thought i had it right this time when i was mixing up the ingredients but the outcome was thr same… :,( i didnt have baking soda, but used the arm n hammers one, dont worry its a new box. N i used the smaller oven to bake my cookies, not the large one under the stove. It’d be nice if i get a reply thanks~

    Reply

    • Hey Leena,
      I’m not quite sure what happened here. I’ve made these several times and they always turn out perfectly. If you didn’t have baking soda- that could be the problem….you really have to follow the recipe exactly as written. Did you use the whole egg or just the yolk? That could contribute to a cakey texture too.

      Reply

      • I think it might have been the baking soda. Yeah i used just used the yolk part and i followed your instructions. I’ll try this again sometime, and i’ll let you know if anything changed. Thank you for replying! :)

        Reply

  28. Audra, you are my favorite person tonight! First the KitchenAid Mixer giveaway and now this cookie recipe! My sister and I are munching on the finished cookies right now – super yum :) Perfect for the two of us in college with limited space, money, time, and calories to spare.

    To anyone else making the recipe, believe her when she says not to cook more than 15 minutes! I cooked mine for 15 minutes, thought they looked super wet, but trusted the recipe and took them out. 10 minutes later they were the exact chewy consistency that I love while not being wet or mushy. I’ll just think of it as a cookie trust fall :-)

    Reply

  29. I do not drop a leave a response,but I browsed some responses on this page Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies (For Two).
    I do have a few questions forr you if it’s okay.
    Could it be just me or does it give the impression like soe of these responses appear like they are written by brain dead individuals?
    :-P And, if you are writing on additional sites, I’d like to follow you.
    Could you list of the complete urls of your social sites
    like your Facebook page, twitter feed, or linkedin profile?

    Reply

  30. OMG these are the best cookies ever. They were so easy to make and I only got one small bowl and a spoon dirty. I made six cookies. One for each guest and an extra for me to taste ahead of time because i was very skeptacle. I have zero self control when it comes to homemade cookies so they better get here fast before i eat five more. So thankful not to have two dozen cookies staring me in the face. Thanks for this great recipe. Can’t wait to try some of your other recipes.

    Reply

  31. I am currently thanking God for Pinterest…I just discovered your blog when this recipe popped up in my search for small batch chocolate chip cookies…and I think I have found a new favorite go-to food blog!

    I was a little worried when I mixed it all together and it seemed a little “gooey” but I had read the comments and was encouraged to see this as a “cookie trust fall”. Plus, since it was a small batch I figured if it didn’t work I wouldn’t be losing out on too much…

    But they are AMAZING!! Perfect crispy outside, perfect gooey {but still cooked} inside. I made six and they still seemed generous…I can’t imagine making only two, pure decadence!

    So thank you for saving me from my cookie craving and thank you for perfecting this sweet little recipe. I can’t wait to try some of your other recipes :)

    Reply

  32. Great recipe! Tried it tonight and the cookies were delicious! I made them in the toaster oven. My husband and I thank you

    Reply

  33. Could I include the egg whites too? Or what would happen if I do? Thanks! The cookies came out fantastic though!

    Reply

  34. I can see by the rest of the comments that everyone seems to feel the same way as I do…Oh My Gosh! These are JUST what I was looking for! Tried them tonight and I am IN LOVE with this recipe! Thanks a BUNCH! : )

    Reply

  35. Made these cookies tonight. This recipe is seriously top notch. I randomly found your website while craving cookies, but I only wanted to make a small batch. Moderation is really best when trying to live a healthy lifestyle. Just a quick background on me…if I make a batch of cookies, they will be gone quickly in my household. Did I mention it is just a family of 2? Me and my husband. Anyway. When I make a big batch I usually just bake about 6-8 cookies and freeze the rest of the dough. My self control, however , is non existent. So just knowing there is extra dough in the freezer never ends well. :/ So my search for small batch cookies has finally ended. I have attempted 5 (yep 5) different small batch recipes and they never turn out great. These cookies though. So spot on. So I am here to write a (probably grammatically incorrect) novella saying THANKS! I loved these so much that I will be looking through the rest of your website. I look forward to making some more deliciousness!

    Reply

  36. These were wonderful. And great for portion control. Except, now I know I can make just a few chocolate chip cookies from scratch any time I want… That could be dangerous. I especially love that you use melted butter – just a minute in the microwave, instead of having to be patient while the butter softens. I used my favorite cookie scoop, and got seven cookies from the batch. Baked for 14 minutes – most people would have called them a tad underdone, but my husband thought they were perfect. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  37. Tried these for the first time tonight, all I can say is OMG!!!! I used a small cookie scoop and it made 11 cookies. The perfect amount to share with my husband. This recipe is a keeper! Thank you for coming up with this

    Reply

  38. Dear Audra, these cookies are amazing! I’ve made them twice now and they are so incredibly yummy!

    I’d love to see oatmeal raisin for two, and peanut butter cookies for two, too! Will keep an eye on your blog in hopes the mini-recipes continue :-)

    Reply

  39. I followed the recipe to a T and while they were still so good they turned out more like a muffin than a cookie. They didn’t flatten for some reason. I will definitely be making this recipe again though and maybe next time I will figure out if I did something wrong! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

    • Well i figured out what went wrong and I feel silly for even saying it but I put in the egg white instead of the yolk! Making these again tonight ( no judging, i’m pregnant!!) and I can’t wait to see how they turn out :) Maybe that’s what the other commenter did wrong…who knows!

      Reply

      • I used just the yolk. I don’t know where I went wrong haha but they still taste amazing so it doesn’t matter to me!!! Maybe one day I will get it right :)

        Reply

  40. For the melted butter, do you measure the tablespoons before or after you melt the butter? For example, do I take 3T of butter and then melt it, or do I melt butter and then measure the 3T?

    Reply

  41. You are absolutely correct, Audra. These chocolate chips are perfect! As of this writing, I’ve made these 3 times and the outcome is always yummy! Thank you for this recioe! :)

    Reply

  42. I just baked these…perfect portion for two prefect taste too! The best chocolate chip cookies I’ve made thus far and I’ve tried many recipes. This is brilliant idea for a smaller portion if you just want a quick easy delicious snack! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

    • I think I know where I made my mistake. Reading the recipe it says 3 tbs melted butter. I do believe the butter is to be measured BEFORE melting, not three tbs of melted butter. As in 3 tbs butter, melted

      Reply

  44. Hi! Needed a cookie so bad today ! Made your small batch recipe and it was absolutely delicious. I made 4 decent sized cookies and after putting them on the baking sheet I shoved an additional 2 pieces of bittersweet chocolate chips in each cookie! Thanks so much! I will be making this again and again!

    Reply

  45. Hey just a heads up if you eat the whole recipe (like I did the first time :( ) it is 908 calories…I guess when she says for two she means for two lol.

    Reply

  46. After having a craving for chocolate chip cookies and not wanting to make a whole batch or drag out the electric mixer, I went on a search to find the perfect small batch chocolate chip cookie recipe. I read soooo many of them but kept coming back to this one, it looked really promising, really quick and really easy. So I chose this one, and in no time, my craving was fulfilled! I under-baked them more than I should have and they fell apart when I tried to eat them after they had cooled slightly from the oven, but they were soooo good! And the couple leftover cookies stayed really soft the next day. Super happy with this recipe and will be making it again! Thank you! :)

    Reply

  47. Hello! I love your website and make a few of your recipes OFTEN! I am just making this perfect portion cookie for the second time for my daughter and I. This time I switched out the 1/4c sugar for mashed banana and the butter with apple sauce (this change was out of necessity, ie, shortage of butter!).

    They are baking now and smell delicious!!
    Thanks for all your hard work and lovely recipes! You are definitely my “go-to” baking site :)

    Reply

  48. This recipe is wonderful! By the far the best of the small batch cookie recipes I’ve tried. I usually sub in 2 tbsp white sugar and add a couple extra tbsp flour, and chill the dough for a bit before baking. I love using different mix ins too like oreos, twix, and peanut butter candies. Thanks so much!

    Reply

  49. Hello I came across your site and I have to say these are the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever made! They usually came out too dry or doughy but these were perfect! Thank you.

    Reply

  50. I just want to say that I’ve made this recipe many times. It’s a staple at this point with my boyfriend and I. I’ve made a few variations, changing up to the chips/extract but it always turns out great. The recipe is quick, delicious, and PERFECT for two. Thank you so much for sharing it.

    Reply

  51. I really love this recipe. I’m a sophomore in college and finding the time to bake something great that doesn’t offer more than 3 servings has been difficult. I’ve baked this twice and it came out amazing; crunchy on the perimeter and chewy in the center. Thank you so much for posting this.

    Reply

  52. I absolutely love these cookies! I cooked them for 14 mins and they are the best warm straight out of the oven. My recipe made 5 cookies

    Reply

  53. So I found giro blog via looking at Sakura Bloom images on Instagram. So we both love baby wearing and cookies! Just made these and they are, by far, the BEST cookies I have ever made. I was able to make 6 cookies and it was perfect for me, my toddler, and my neighbor. Thanks again!

    Reply

  55. Thanks for sharing this recipe. I really love your small batch and feel great with the amount of sugar in the recipe but I do have some problem about the look and outcome of the cookies.
    My cookies don’t have crack surface like yours. They are seem smooth at the surface. I searched for solution and still don’t know the exactly reasons. Something about melted butter? butter temperature? or oven temperature?
    Do you have any ideas? or comments?
    Thank you so much

    Reply

  57. Holy cow, I am eating one of these as we speak, what an innovation. They are so chewy, crackly on top, and have a great texture. And the small batch is adorable! Thank you for bringing these into my life!

    Reply

  59. These are FABULOUS! Now that our youngest has grown & gone, it is just my husband & I at home. I have cooked & baked for 5 for YEARS & was in need of a scaled down cookie recipe. I’ve tried a couple others & came across this one. The oven was ready to go as I just pulled dinner out. With such a small amount of ingredients, I knew I could put it all together in no time.
    The cookies came out fluffy yet moist. LEAVE them ON the tray as mentioned, for 5 minutes to continue to bake. I imagine if I left them in the oven for a longer period of time, they would have surely burned. Leaving cookies on a hot tray outside the oven allows them to continue to cook at a more gentle pace. The time was perfect. The ingredients are perfect! Best small-batch cookies I’ve tried thus far & we thank you, sincerely!
    Note to those making these cookies for the 1st time: The dough may seem to be more than the chocolate chips can hold. Roll a dough ball in your hands & press it together. The dough may seem a bit dry. Do NOT add anything to it! Trust the recipe & make it as stated :)

    Reply

  60. I made these with low expectations. I just wanted a recipe that would make a small batch. But these are the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever made!! Just the right amount of crunchiness and chewiness. Absolutely perfect! And so easy.

    Reply

  61. I have made these cookies three different times and the results are the same. The “dough” is super liquidy and I end up with pancake cookies. I have followed the recipe to a T and can’t figure out what I am doing wrong. Every time the dough is just one notch above straight liquid. Any suggestions?!

    Reply

    • I’m so sorry- that is really weird! I’ve made these so many times. The only thing I can think of is that your egg is bigger than normal and creating extra liquid?

      Reply

  62. This recipe has become my “go-to” cookie recipe. I love that it is super easy to make, little mess, no mixer needed. I make it for everything. I have tripled it, and even sextupled it. I add Maldon Sea Salt on top and people ask me for the recipe every time.

    Chocolate Chip cookies are my husband’s favorite and for 9 years I have failed miserably every time I tried. Thank you for this saving recipe!

    Reply

  63. This recipe is Very good, easy and fast!! I tried it for my guest. They loved it very much. Cake was very awesome and very delicious. Thanks for sharing good cake recipe.

    Reply

  64. I had a sweet tooth tonight after dinner, and limited ingredients to work with. I found this recipe and thought I’d give it a shot. The dough came out too dry and crumbly, so I added about a fourth of the egg white to add more moisture, and then a little more flour to balance it out. I baked them for 18 minutes. They turned out pretty well, and I enjoyed my warm cookie with a cold mug of milk. Thanks!

    Reply

    • I’ve been baking for many years and thought I had my perfect chocolate chip recipe until I stumbled upon these delicious chocolate chip cookies. So easy to make with such little ingredients and will satisfy a sweet tooth , guaranteed! This is definitely my go to recipe from now on. :) thankyou so much for sharing this recipe.
      Michelle

      Reply

  66. Do you pack the brown sugar? I’ve noticed that recipes don’t always include this because it’s assumed. Just wondering.… thanks!

    Reply

  67. I’ve been baking for many years and thought I had my perfect chocolate chip recipe until I stumbled upon these delicious chocolate chip cookies. So easy to make with such little ingredients and will satisfy a sweet tooth , guaranteed! This is definitely my go to recipe from now on. :) thankyou so much for sharing this recipe.
    Michelle

    Reply

  68. I made these cookies and i absolutely loved them!! And I was wondering if you have a similar recipe that’ll make a larger quantity

    Reply

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  71. I don’t know who you are but I’ve made several of your recipes now and they are all fabulous!!! Love the blueberry crisp for two, molasses cookies (my hubbys new fav) and this one too! My kids and I made the small portion, ate 4 of the 6 and had to make a second batch for daddy! Ha! How do you not weigh 300lbs?! Thanks for sharing! Please share other recipes like your dinner ideas!

    Reply

    • Aw thanks Andrea! I appreciate you stopping by! And I definitely have gained weight since starting the blog, but now I really only bake once a week and try to focus on cooking healthier dinners too! (I just don’t post those recipes as much)

      Reply

  72. Hi! Thank you for this recipe! My first attempt to make cookies came out just how i would have wanted it to be, more crispy than chewy.

    Reply

  73. Hey Audra!
    Baked these last night. Managed 8 cookies from the batch and ate 5 altogether.
    Absolute delight to come across your blog.
    There were decadent and i couldn’t stop myself from gorging on these. The only reason i made 8 cookies was to control my portion size and well, that didn’t happen.
    I noticed my cookies didn’t spread as you said. They had risen more and were fudgy from inside, which i liked for sure.
    Can you say what could have happened? I followed the entire recipe word by word. Thanks and love!

    Reply

  74. I used swerve and it was on the dry side. Needed an extra tbs or so of butter and it was still kind of crumbly so i added about a tablespoon of peanut butter. 1/3 c of chocolate chips was too many. 1/4 would be better.

    If i were to make again i would do 1/2c flour, 3-4 tbs of butter, and 1/4c chocolate chips. I will still use swerve brown sugar and probably still add the peanut butter because why not? This recipe made 6 cookies. Still in the oven

    Reply

  75. Audra, this recipe has become my go-to: it’s simple, it dirties minimal dishes, and turns out amazingly! A bonus: when guests would come over, we’d have dinner and be chatting in the kitchen, and I’d whip up six cookies while talking. Non-bakers are really impressed that you can make a really good recipe so quickly, and I’ve pointed non-bakers and bakers to your website for it.

    Hopefully when the pandemic settles down and we’re able to socialize again, I’m able to continue to share these with friends. For now, I’m happy making them for me. :)

    Reply

  76. It’s cool that this is a small portion, but the cookies were disgusting so I would not recommend.

    Reply

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