Craving warm cookies but don’t want to make a large batch? This easy recipe for Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies makes a half batch chocolate chip cookies, perfect to serve as dessert for two.


Pile of chocolate chip cookies

What’s your favorite cookie?

I’m usually not a boring traditionalist, but mine is chocolate chip cookie.

It’s such a basic answer, but it’s the truth. Nothing beats a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie warm from the oven with melted chocolate that gets all over you as you shove them in your face.

In fact, I love them so much I usually avoid making them because I can eat a whole dozen in one night.

As much as I hate the term portion control, I most definitely need it when chocolate chip cookies are involved (especially when serving with my chocolate chip cheese ball).

That is what inspired today’s Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. I’m getting older but my metabolism isn’t getting any faster.

My recipe makes 8 cookies. A little more than a half dozen but less than a full batch. Still just enough to be considered chocolate chip cookies for two.

However if that’s still too many for you, check out my Single Serve Chocolate Chip Cookie and Microwave Chocolate Chip Cookie.

I’ve made Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars, Chocolate Chip Cut Out Cookies, Chocolate Chip Snowball Cookies, and even Cadbury Egg Cookies but not an actual small batch of chocolate chip cookies.

Truth is I avoided making cookies for the longest time because they would always spread too much on me.

However, over the years I’ve learned what makes cookies spread and how to prevent that so I stop ruining batches of cookies.

There is some chill time involved when making the dough, but that also means you can prepare the dough ahead of time, keep them in the freezer, then bake when the urge for warm, melted half batch chocolate chip cookies strikes.


Pile of chocolate chip cookies

Ingredients For Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies

The ingredients for your chocolate chip cookies (small batch) are:

  • All-purpose flour: Flour balances out the liquid in the recipe, making the dough scoopable without being too sticky. Always measure by spooning the flour into your cup, not scooping and packing it in. Learn more about how to measure flour.
  • Baking soda and baking powder: Using both leavening agents means the cookies will have crisp edges with a soft middle.
  • Salt: It brings out the flavor of the dough, especially since you’re using unsalted butter.
  • Unsalted butter: Using unsalted allows you to control the amount of salt in such a small batch of cookies. It also helps the dough spread while baking.
  • Brown sugar: Chocolate chip cookie dough gets its signature flavor from using brown sugar. It also reacts with the baking soda due to its acidity from the molasses.
  • Granulated Sugar: Adding white sugar contributes to the cookie’s chewy texture.
  • Egg yolk: Using a whole egg for small batch cookies adds too much moisture and causes the cookies to be more cakey than chewy. Using an egg yolk not only cuts down on that, it helps bind the dough together.
  • Vanilla: Much like salt, vanilla brings out the other flavors in dessert.
  • Chocolate chips: Use semisweet chocolate chips for best results. Milk chocolate may be too sweet.


Close up of chocolate chip cookies stacked in a pile

How To Make Small Batch Of Chocolate Chip Cookies

Making chocolate chip cookies is easy as the recipe follows your typical cookie formula.

First, beat together the butter and both sugars until smooth and creamy. In other words, it shouldn’t be lumpy with chunks of butter.

Creaming the butter helps develop structure. The water from the butter starts to dissolve the sugar while air is trapped as tiny bubbles in the fat. These air bubbles later help the cookies bake and rise properly.

Because we’re making small batch chocolate chip cookies, this process should only take about 1-2 minutes.

Next, add the egg yolk and vanilla. Save your egg white to make Flourless Chocolate Cookies.

Finally, gradually add your dry ingredients. I like to gently mix everything together in a bowl first to ensure everything is distributed evenly. Once a dough forms, don’t forget the chocolate chips!

Scoop your dough then refrigerate at least 1 hour.

This will help prevent your cookies from spreading too much in the oven. Not only does chilling develop more flavor, it slows down the melted butter. Cold butter doesn’t spread as quickly as warm butter.

Once chilled, bake your cookies at 350F for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool then store in an airtight container to keep your chocolate chip cookies soft.

Got an air fryer? Check out the directions from Air Fryer Chocolate Chip Cookies from Texanerin Baking.


Stack of chocolate chip cookies

Scooping Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

I like to use a #40 cookie scoop (affiliate link) to ensure I distribute the dough evenly and the cookies come out roughly the same size.

A scoop certainly isn’t necessary, but it does make baking easier.

Don’t have a scoop? Measure out 1.5 inch balls, which is equivalent to #40 scoop.

Do you grease your baking sheet for chocolate chip cookies?

As tempting as it may be to grease your baking sheet to keep your chocolate chip cookies from sticking, it actually hurts your dough.

The grease causes them to spread more as well as possibly burn them on the bottom.

If you’re really worried about your cookies sticking, use a piece of parchment paper for easy removal.

Why do my chocolate chip cookies come out flat?

First things first – make sure you’re using an oven thermometer to ensure your oven temperature is accurate. Heat sets the cookies.

Too low and the butter will melt before the dough sets. Too high and the cookies may burn before they’re done.

When I first started testing my chocolate chip cookies (small batch), my cookies turned out flat. Oven temperature was correct, so I adjusted my ingredients. Next batch still spread more than I liked.

This told me my dough was too warm. That means the butter melts and spreads out before the dough sets into a cookie.

The solution? Chilling the dough for an hour. You can even refrigerate cookie dough overnight if you’re not ready to bake.

Can you freeze chocolate chip cookies?

If you don’t want to eat your small batch chocolate chip cookies at once, you can certainly freeze them. There are two ways to freeze your cookies:

  1. Freeze the cookie dough in a single layer for an hour, transfer to a freezer-safe plastic bag, then bake as your craving strikes.
  2. Freeze the baked cookies in a single layer for an hour then transfer to a freezer bag. Thaw until room temperature then enjoy.

Can you double this recipe for a full batch?

Yes! Double all of the ingredients but instead of using 2 egg yolks, use 1 whole egg.

What to do with a leftover egg white?

Because my small batch chocolate chip cookie recipe uses an egg yolk, that means you’ll have one leftover egg white.

I wrote a separate post that tells you what to do with egg whites, which includes my Small Batch Angel Food Cupcakes and Strawberry Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting.

More Small Batch Cookie Recipes

Enjoying these chocolate chip cookies for two? You’ll going to love these other small batch cookie recipes!

Pile of chocolate chip cookies

Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: 8 cookies
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Chill Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Craving warm cookies but don’t want to make a large batch? This easy recipe for Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies makes a half batch chocolate chip cookies, perfect to serve as dessert for two.

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons or 2 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 egg yolk, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
  2. In another large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, and sugar until light and creamy, about 1-2 minutes.
  3. Beat in the egg yolk until smooth then beat in vanilla.
  4. Gradually beat in the flour mixture until a dough forms then add the chocolate chips.
  5. Using a #40 cookie scoop or by hand, portion the dough into 1 1/2 tablespoon balls. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  6. Preheat oven to 350F. Place the scooped dough on an ungreased baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
  7. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely.

Notes

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Originally posted October 21, 2019