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!
The cookie looks GREAT! But you turned on the oven just to bake one cookie or do you own a mini oven?
I don’t have a toaster oven, but it would be ideal. I turned on my oven, Angie.
I’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
That 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 😉
Sue is right, Greg, no fuss at all. I just made one and it was fast and easy! You should try it!
I 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 🙂
Good idea!!
I made it last night. Oh my gosh, it was divine!!
Yay!
You 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?
It’s pretty much the perfect ‘husband-out-of-town recipe Abbe, let me know how it goes 🙂
And it won’t kill your diet, just look at those ingredients — practically nothing!
I’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 🙂
This is brilliant! I’m passing this on to my daughter, too. This was made for her 🙂
My 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 🙂
Oh wow, you must be the most popular girl at work!!
It would be great to have the ingredients listed in grams, too!! Most scales are very accurate for the first 10-100 g…
😉
A one cookie recipe is a great idea! I want to try this!
We need a one cookie peanut butter cookie recipe!!
Hint, hint!
I’ll try to do it again with weight measurements Pamela — it’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it 😉 And I’m on that peanut butter cookie recipe!
OhhEmmmGeeee you are a genius!! My butt and thighs thank you LOL
Your butt and thighs are welcome 🙂