OMG I must have made (and tasted) a dozen recipes before I discovered THE SECRET to The PERFECT Cookie for One — take advantage of all my ‘research’ and enjoy!
Of all the (many) things I find it hard to resist, a fresh baked homemade chocolate chip cookie is right up there with the big boys. So, sadly, I hardly ever make them. And that’s why I’m so excited to share this recipe for the perfect cookie for one with you…it makes a big beautiful delicious, warm gooey chocolate chip cookie. Just one. So basically — you’re protected from your bad self — how fabulous is that?
You might not realize it, but creating the perfect formula for a single cookie is not easy. You want it to be super delish, quick, and without unnecessary waste (no 1/4 of an egg, thank you.) You should be able to whip it up with a mug and a fork, with ingredients you always have on hand. Sounds simple. Not so much. There are kinks that need to be worked out, and fussy details to get right. But now that I’ve got it — I’m going to share it with you. And if you’re one of those people that needs to be restrained in a straitjacket around a batch of cookies, you’ll appreciate this. You won’t be tempted to sneak another, and another, because, guess what?… you can’t! (Bwahahahahah) It makes a lot of sense. And did I mention this makes one HEFTY cookie? So you won’t go away hungry.
Secret # 1 — Accuracy! This is not the kind of recipe you can fool around with, trust me. All baking depends on accuracy, but with something this small, that’s triple true. Every little discrepancy will be magnified in your final cookie, so take care! Use those handy little markers on the butter wrapper, and if your wrapper has gone wonky, line it back up. Use real honest to goodness measuring spoons, not stuff from the cutlery drawer. Fluff your flour first and level it off when you measure. Your oven needs to be at the correct temperature, I keep an oven thermometer in mine and always check before I put anything inside. Don’t panic, this isn’t hard at all, but it is specific.
Secret # 2 — Make sure you mix your dough well. Everything should be well combined, no dry flour left, so keep at it with the fork, until the butter and flour are one. After mixing, use your hands to compact the dough and roll it into a perfect ball. If you don’t combine the dough well enough your cookie won’t hold together well as it bakes.
Secret # 3 — Use a regular cookie sheet, not a super-duper insulated one; the cookies seem to cook better that way, (non-stick is ok.) Press down just slightly with your fingers on the ball of dough before you put it in the oven.
Secret # 4 — The oats. They add texture, flavor, and structure to the cookie.
Secret # 5 — I like to pop in a few extra chocolate chips once I have formed the ball of dough and set it on the pan. Add them on top, pushing into the dough well, so that when it comes out of the oven you’ll have a few tempting morsels staring up at you.
Truly perfect. And I don’t know about you, but when I see the ingredients laid out for the one cookie they look innocent enough — maybe we’ve hit on solution to the age old dilemma and maybe we can paraphrase Michael Pollen’s wise words…”Eat dessert. Not too much.”
The Secret To The Perfect Cookie For One!
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter room temp is best but not essential
- 1 Tbsp firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
- 2 Tbsp flour fluff, scoop, and level
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- pinch salt
- 1 tsp rolled oats old fashioned or quick cooking
- 1 Tbsp chocolate chips plus a few extra for the top
Instructions
- Set oven to 350F
- Put the butter, sugar, and vanilla in a small bowl, or mug. Use a fork to blend them together really well.
- Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and oats and continue to mix until everything is well blended and there is no dry flour left.
- Stir in the chocolate chips and bring the dough together with your hands and roll into a smooth round ball.
- Set on a cookie sheet, you can line with a piece of parchment if you want, but it's not necessary. Flatten just slightly with your fingers, and pop in a couple of extra chips on tip. Push them in well but keep that nice round shape.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes
- If you like your cookie soft and gooey, eat it warm from the oven. If you like your cookie with a little bit of crunch, let it cool completely.
Notes
Don’t lose it — pin it!
89 Comments
Jamie
September 1, 2020 at 6:47 amSue suggests that room temperature butter isn’t essential, but I disagree. Make sure your butter is soft or else you’ll be on step 1 for a while. I don’t know what went wrong, but my cookie didn’t flatten on its own. I have a feeling I didn’t measure the butter well because the cookie dough barely held together. When it was still mostly round after 15 minutes in the oven, I flattened it using a knife. It was thicker than a normal cookie, but it was still delicious! I’ll definitely be making this again.
Bree
June 29, 2020 at 1:47 pmIf you want it a little more soft and or light, add two tsp. of milk.
J.L.
April 14, 2020 at 7:54 amThis cookie recipe is absolutely getting me through COVID-19 quarantine. I can’t be trusted baking a whole batch of cookies… so this cookie recipe satisfies my sweet tooth without tempting me with the whole dozen. Thank you!
APH
July 3, 2020 at 2:51 amHi JL.Me too. I can easily eat a whole batch, but less is best for me. I divide this dough into two and just flatten it down a bit so that it looks like I’m getting two cookies.
Great recipe. ๐
Laura Harrison
October 6, 2019 at 6:07 amThis is heretical, I know, but I have also made this without the chocolate chips and it is still a very satisfying post meal treat.
Sue
October 6, 2019 at 7:40 amDefinitely going rogue, but to each his own ๐
Laura Harrison
September 29, 2019 at 2:13 amTo Claire Van Allen. You speak of doubling and tripling this recipe. I have successfully halved it as well, so I can have it more often without packing in a load of calories. It still makes a very decent sized cookie which provides a satisfying end to a meal. Also noticed that the results varied when I used a different kind of butter. Organic Valley Salted butter produced a consistently great cookie. I tried another organic butter and the cookie just did not hold together well.
Claire Van Allen
September 28, 2019 at 12:54 pmI have tried many chocolate chip cookies to find the perfect one and WHAM this is it. In my opinion, this is the BEST chocolate chip cookie ever. Remember Mrs Fields? Better. I have made a few times now, I have also double it, tripled it. AMAZING No substitution, no changing ingredients. Thank you
Laura
September 15, 2019 at 8:14 amApologies, Sue and readers, for the length of my earlier post. But, in my defense, I must say that (sadly for me) it has been a while since the solution to a desire so utterly satisfied (and even exceeded) my expectation, which was very exciting. Also, there was coffee, which tends to make me go on a bit.
But, take note, dieters. True satisfaction is of great value. Even just the memory of that cookie is oddly satiating in itself.
Sue
September 15, 2019 at 10:01 amSo happy this made such a difference in your life Laura <3
Laura
September 14, 2019 at 1:22 pmI really don’t eat sweets. However, I am sometimes afflicted with a craving for a choc. chip cookie. Also, I do not bake.
The co-op where I shop bakes their own vegan (sans egg) cookies, and I will get one of those now and again. The ingredients are pretty healthy, but there is some stuff that isn’t great like canola oil, and some vegan buttery spread. It’s also a little greasy.
I have been thinking, I should just make my own, but I only want one and I lack self-control. And then I found your lovely recipe. I made some substitutions:
sprouted whole wheat flour
organic butter
organic choc chips
organic dark brown sugar (evap cane sugar)
organic rolled oats
organic alcohol free vanilla
To the person below who said that the calories she saved on the single serve cookie were lost in finishing the chips in the bag, my solution was to just buy a very small amount of chips from the bulk bin at my co-op.
The substitutions make for a somewhat healthier cookie…but it is still a cookie. You could, as you indicated below, substitute something gluten free for the flour, and something for the butter, if you wanted it to be vegan. I’m vegetarian, so I am good with the butter, but avoid eggs.
On my way home from the store, I remembered that I have no cookie sheet or metal pans. I baked it in a little low sided corning ware casserole dish.
While baking, i remembered that i have no spatulas, or lifters, or a cooling rack for that matter. I just placed the little casserole on an inverted apple corer (I do have more esoteric cookware items, apparently) on the kitchen sill, with the window open and went for a walk.
Upon my return, I fell upon it. No trouble sliding it out of the pan. It was perfection! Perfectly baked (15 min), crispy, but not hard, or gooey. There were moans of pleasure. It was so damn satisfying. This was cookie nirvana! Not at all greasy. Hopefully i will be good for another week. ๐ Not keeping chocolate chips in the house should be the key to my success. Many thanks to you for doing the hard work of experimentation, so that I could make a perfect cookie the very first time I tried it. I have stood on your shoulders and nailed it!
Sue
September 14, 2019 at 2:24 pmWhat a fun comment, Laura ๐ And I love all your healthy tweaks and tips…my hubby and I are both on a weight loss journey right now, so it’s super helpful.
Mona
August 20, 2019 at 8:25 amhi, i really liked the cookie! Which recipe looks the most like this, but then for a whole batch?
Sue
August 20, 2019 at 8:39 amHey Mona, I would try my Soft Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
Roberta Taron
January 1, 2019 at 10:57 pmI beat an egg and measured about a tsp and added it after the sugar. Really Improved it. I divided the rest and froze them.
Sue
January 2, 2019 at 8:37 amThanks Roberta ๐
Roberta Taron
January 4, 2019 at 8:51 pmOh no thank you! Thks is a perfect recipe. Glad I found it! ๐
Colleen
December 16, 2018 at 2:43 pmI followed the recipe exactly and it turned out amazing! I’ll definitely be making this again and again!
Sue
December 16, 2018 at 3:48 pmYay ๐
Taylor
April 16, 2018 at 4:11 pmSo delicious! Mine turned out looking nothing like yours but they were still so yummy. I need this recipe for a full batch!
Stephanie
October 7, 2017 at 8:54 pmUpdate: this is amazing and you are my hero.
Sue
October 7, 2017 at 9:27 pm๐
Jessica
January 18, 2018 at 12:33 pmThis cookie is SO GOOD. I baked it in a toaster oven and just put one Lindt chocolate ball in the center of the dough instead of chocolate chips and it turned out wonderfully; thanks so much for this recipe!
Sue
January 18, 2018 at 1:23 pmWow, a cookie oven make it even more convenient, and who could argue with a Lindt truffle??
fozia
March 16, 2018 at 2:14 amdear jessica in toaster oven how u preheat oven?by on upper n lower both rods or just lower rod? n whn u put dough in oven u on only lower rods or uper also?
i tried this but center was uncooked and if i put for more one min it turn black
Stephanie
October 7, 2017 at 8:37 pmI also require a straight jacket to not eat all the cookies. Thanks for this recipe!
Janet
October 3, 2017 at 4:07 pmOh, I intend to try this recipe, it sounds delish and Iโll be eating only one cookie. . . . and then . . . . A whole bag of chocolate chips, minus one tablespoon.
Sue
October 3, 2017 at 6:08 pmlol!!
John
September 29, 2017 at 4:24 pmI made one of these for my roommate when he was feeling down and he said it was the best cookie he’s ever had!
Sue
September 29, 2017 at 5:37 pmAwww, I love that, thanks John!!
Shawna
February 4, 2017 at 8:57 pmI found your recipe last night when my toddler was insistent on a cookie and I just wasn’t feeling up to making a full batch. This is a really tasty cookie! I just finished eating my own right now and I forsee more of these in my future. ๐ I’m a cookie addict so this one cookie at a time thing is great. Thank you for sharing!
Sue
February 4, 2017 at 8:59 pmThanks for taking the trouble to come back and let us know, Shawna ~ I remember the hungry toddler years well!
Richelle
January 27, 2017 at 7:19 pmNevermind, I just saw it! Could it maybe be edited? Delicious cookie!
Richelle
January 27, 2017 at 7:17 pmHow muchbrown sugar should be used? 1 tablespoon or 1 teaspoon? The recipe just says 1. Thanks!
L.J.
January 9, 2017 at 2:20 amWow this was good. Then I made two more…
Sue
January 9, 2017 at 8:44 amlol ๐
Katie @ Recipe for Perfection
January 7, 2017 at 2:59 pmA desperate need for a cookie paired with the fact that I only had a tablespoon of chocolate chips led me to your recipe, which worked fabulously! Thank you!
Sue
January 7, 2017 at 4:13 pmLol ~ glad you found me!
janice watson
September 14, 2016 at 12:22 amthankyou so much for the recipe
Jeff @ Make It Like a Man!
May 7, 2016 at 5:24 pmI’m not sure what to think of this, since I consider a single serving of cookies to be two. Or six. Or a dozen. Although it really is interesting to see a recipe for one cookie. I was hoping the recipe said, “Take a recipe that yeilds two dozen cookies and form it into one, huge cookie…” OK, enough kidding around. I do want to mention, though, that chocolate chip cookie dough, unbaked, lasts for several days in the fridge – and in fact is better for being there. What I do, is make a full batch, but only bake a few at a time. With dough in the fridge, you’re never more than about 15 minutes from a freshly baked cookie.
Kirsten
February 3, 2019 at 1:46 pmThis recipe is clearly for those of us whoโd eat all the cookie dough right out of the fridge. So, your plan is nice, but defeats the purpose.
Claire
May 3, 2016 at 1:12 pmI tried this chocolate chip cookie for one and it is one of the best chocolate chip cookie I have eaten. Thank you for sharing. Now I want more.
Sue
May 3, 2016 at 2:52 pmThanks Claire!
Jody
May 2, 2016 at 5:13 pmThank you so much for this recipe! I absolutely love chocolate chip cookies but haven’t made them in years because I didn’t want to have so many available! Mine is in the oven right now…can’t wait to try it!
Sue
May 2, 2016 at 6:19 pmThat’s exactly my situation Jody, i haven’t made them really since my kids were young, I’m so happy to have discovered this!
Betty
April 30, 2016 at 9:09 pmI have absolutely no willpower, so this is perfect! ๐
Robyn @ Simply Fresh Dinners
April 30, 2016 at 4:28 amWow, this i just what I needed, Sue. I’m definitely someone who will take more than one cookie if it’s around so this will work perfectly. It looks SO delicious!
Laura | Tutti Dolci
April 28, 2016 at 3:42 pmThis is absolutely brilliant, and absolutely dangerous too… now it will be that much harder to resist whipping up cookies just because! ๐
cheri
April 28, 2016 at 1:16 pmHi Sue, well this is just plain genius. I can hardly control myself around chocolate chip cookies and it looks like you found a way around it. Very, very nice.
Sue
April 28, 2016 at 1:47 pmLet me know if you give it a try Cheri~
Lucy @ Globe Scoffers recipes
April 28, 2016 at 11:55 amThese look delicious! Thanks for sharing.
[email protected]'s Recipes
April 28, 2016 at 8:21 amThe cookie looks GREAT! But you turned on the oven just to bake one cookie or do you own a mini oven?
Sue
April 28, 2016 at 12:43 pmI don’t have a toaster oven, but it would be ideal. I turned on my oven, Angie.
sippitysup
April 28, 2016 at 8:04 amI’m having trouble with the concept of going to the fuss and muss (and time) of making just one cookie. But I admire your strict dedication to perfecting the concept. GREG
Sue
April 28, 2016 at 12:44 pmThat might be because you’re a GUY Greg…guys don’t tend to have the same problems with chocolate that women do, I don’t think. But really it’s not much fuss at all, just mash it all together with a fork and bake ๐
Jody
May 2, 2016 at 5:17 pmSue is right, Greg, no fuss at all. I just made one and it was fast and easy! You should try it!
Sara
April 28, 2016 at 7:46 amI never make cookies for the same reason as you – I can’t resist! This is the perfect solution, I might even try it tonight after the kids go to bed ๐
Sue
April 28, 2016 at 12:45 pmGood idea!!
Susan
April 28, 2016 at 5:30 amI made it last night. Oh my gosh, it was divine!!
Sue
April 28, 2016 at 7:16 amYay!
[email protected] is How I Cook
April 27, 2016 at 9:12 pmYou do know that the minute my husband goes out of town that I will be trying this? This will totally kill my diet-ouch! Who am I kidding?
Sue
April 28, 2016 at 7:17 amIt’s pretty much the perfect ‘husband-out-of-town recipe Abbe, let me know how it goes ๐
Sue
April 28, 2016 at 7:17 amAnd it won’t kill your diet, just look at those ingredients — practically nothing!
Jennifer Farley
April 27, 2016 at 6:10 pmI’ve got an insane sugar tooth, and I’ve been making myself something just like this for ages. Half the time I don’t even bother baking it ๐
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
April 27, 2016 at 5:23 pmThis is brilliant! I’m passing this on to my daughter, too. This was made for her ๐
Coffee and Crumpets
April 27, 2016 at 3:34 pmMy daughter is going to love this! She is a cookie monster, but I dont know if one will be enough!
Every week I make 6 dozen cookies for work. They’re never enough because people can’t stop at one. So, when I want a cookie at home, I just don’t want to make them! But I do ,Ike these idea of just one, I can do one ๐
Sue
April 27, 2016 at 4:07 pmOh wow, you must be the most popular girl at work!!
Pamela
April 27, 2016 at 3:28 pmIt would be great to have the ingredients listed in grams, too!! Most scales are very accurate for the first 10-100 gโฆ
๐
A one cookie recipe is a great idea! I want to try this!
We need a one cookie peanut butter cookie recipe!!
Hint, hint!
Sue
April 27, 2016 at 4:06 pmI’ll try to do it again with weight measurements Pamela — it’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it ๐ And I’m on that peanut butter cookie recipe!
Bobbi from Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
April 27, 2016 at 3:07 pmOhhEmmmGeeee you are a genius!! My butt and thighs thank you LOL
Sue
April 27, 2016 at 4:07 pmYour butt and thighs are welcome ๐
Bregor
April 27, 2016 at 2:07 pmI love the idea of making 1 very good chocolate chip cookie to satisfy my cookie craving, but am curious about the texture without a bit of egg? I probably should just make it, but I am thinking a crumbly?
Sue
April 27, 2016 at 4:08 pmIt’s not crumbly, but I would say that when it cools it’s more of a crunchy cookie than a soft one. That’s why i said if you like your cookies soft eat it warm.
Renate Kasper
April 27, 2016 at 1:15 pmREALLY??? JUST ONE COOKIE? Are you all NUTS???!!! Sorry to sound like I’m screaming, but that’s what’s going on inside my head right now! I can appreciate the unusual concept, but I just don’t think I would be happy with myself if I pulled only ONE COOKIE out of the oven (not to mention the hatred coming from everyone else in the house!). Do you happen to have the math handy for a whole BATCH of these ‘perfect’ cookies? Maybe you shared a link and I missed it. I’d have to make at least FOUR of these cookies! LOL!
Sue
April 27, 2016 at 1:32 pmhaha, well, Renate, the whole point is that it’s just one! it’s for people who don’t want to over do it. I have lots of regular recipes for chocolate chip cookies on the blog, here’s one of my favorites: https://theviewfromgreatisland.com/soft-batch-chocolate-chip-cookies/
Amy @ Accidental Happy Baker
April 27, 2016 at 12:32 pmCool! This would be great for my Grandma who loves to bake, but doesn’t really have the energy to do huge batches anymore.
Chris Scheuer
April 27, 2016 at 11:22 amDangerous, extremely dangerous! But what a wonderful little gift you have given us Sue – because sometimes you just need a good cookie! And this one looks really GOOD!
Beth @ Binky's Culinary Carnival
April 27, 2016 at 8:59 amLove this! No need for willpower! (Which I have none of when it comes to homemade chocolate chips!
Sue
April 27, 2016 at 9:02 amI’m not so good at the willpower thing…
Oriana @Mommyhood's Diary
April 27, 2016 at 8:53 amOh my…sounds like a great idea! Sometime you only need ONE cookie. Love it!!
Sue
April 27, 2016 at 8:58 amI think most of the time we only ‘NEED’ one cookie ๐
John/Kitchen Riffs
April 27, 2016 at 8:32 amHeck, it’s easy to make a cookie for one. Mix up a batch of chocolate chip cookie dough. Sample the dough to make sure it’s edible. Be diligent! When finished, bake the cookie. ๐ Anyway, this looks terrific — thanks.
Sue
April 27, 2016 at 8:57 amThat’s another way to do it, for sure!
GLZ
April 27, 2016 at 8:06 amSo if I eat 16 of these at once, is it 16 cookies for one? ๐ Love this cookie recipe, and indeed, it looks perfect and simple to make! Thanks for sharing!! – Levan
Sue
April 27, 2016 at 8:14 amHah — maybe I should have provided the multiplied recipe!
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert
April 27, 2016 at 6:52 amNow you’ve done it. You should hear the conversation going on in my head. I must give this a try for the sheer culinary experience, or eating a warm chocolate chip cookie for breakfast should be okay right? I wonder what it would be like with nut butter? How about adding nuts? I am inspired!
Sue
April 27, 2016 at 7:23 amI know, my mind is going to all those place with you…It would absolutely work with the nut butter, like my flourless cookies, but i decided to start with the original first…believe me, there’s a series coming on ๐
monique
April 27, 2016 at 5:46 amWill have to give it a try..I make them in bulk of course for all the boys:) And try every new recipe that catches my fancy..will try yours too:)
Sue
April 27, 2016 at 6:40 amNothing wrong with cookies ‘in bulk’ of course ๐