Mini chocolate chip cookies are just as delicious as regular chocolate chip cookies, made with mini chips and smaller cookie dough balls to form tiny cookies as tasty mini desserts.
⭐ Like chewy cookies? Try our peanut butter cookies, oatmeal cookies or oreo cream cheese cookies next time.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter - At room temperature. Salted or unsalted butter. If you use salted butter, I recommend omitting the salt from the ingredients list.
- Sugar - We need both here for the best result: White sugar and brown sugar. Light brown sugar or dark brown sugar (this is what I used) can be used.
- Vanilla extract - Almond extract can be used instead. Use pure vanilla extract and not the artificial kind (flavor is different plus full of bad for you fillers).
- Egg - At room temperature
- Flour - All-purpose flour or a gluten-free blend with xanthan gum. For this recipe I used GF Flour Blend Schar.
- Baking soda - Check the expiry date of this ingredient so the cookies rise.
- Salt - Kosher salt or regular salt.
- Mini chocolate chips - I used semi-sweet mini chips. You could use vegan chocolate chips, white chocolate chunks, or even add extra chocolate chips for added decadence. Dark chocolate is another delicious alternative.
📋 You can find the full ingredient list in the Recipe Card below the article.
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How To Make Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies
In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter and sugars. My cookies look darker as I used dark brown sugar here. Use just regular brown sugar if you don't like your cookies too sweet.
Beat on low with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment until smooth and creamy.
Gradually add egg and vanilla. Mix on low until combined. Set aside.
In a separate large bowl, combine dry ingredients. Whisk to combine and in batches add to wet ingredients. Beat on low until just combined.
📋 JULIA'S TIP The combination of white sugar and brown sugar creates a crispy outer edge and a soft buttery center. Use both and not just one type as this will affect the taste and texture of these cookies.
Stir in chocolate chips. Freeze the cookie dough for 30 minutes or fridge for longer until the dough resembles ‘’playdough’’.
The dough will be sticky in the beginning so we need to chill it first otherwise it is hard to form cookie dough balls and the cookies will spread too much.
Once chilled, form balls and freeze between batches.
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Form about 2 teaspoon sized cookie dough balls and transfer to baking sheet lined with baking mat or parchment paper (or silicone liner), or silicone mats. Don’t press down the unbaked cookie dough.
Add the cookie sheet to the preheated oven and bake for 8 minutes (the time may vary due to different ovens).
Once the cookies are baked, press more chocolate chips on the top (personal preference and only for visual).
The cookies will have a soft center inside with a slightly crisp exterior. Once they cool down they will set well and the texture inside remains soft, and buttery.
Let the cookies stand in the pan for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips
- It’s best to chill the cookie dough in the freezer for 30 minutes or in the fridge for 1 hour before baking which will help the cookies keep their shape, reduce the sticky texture of the raw cookie dough, and prevent the cookies from spreading too much.
- Allow the butter and egg to reach room temperature for easy mixing.
- Use a small cookie scoop or measuring spoon to create uniform-sized cookies.
- Don’t flatten these tiny chocolate chip cookies as you ordinarily would with classic oatmeal cookies. These cookies will spread enough without needing to flatten them yourself before baking.
- Only bake these delicious mini cookies until they are slightly golden brown and crispy on the edges but still soft in the center.
- Allow the warm chocolate chip cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This will help prevent the freshly baked cookies from falling apart.
- Consider other add ins, such as chopped nuts and chopped candies.
- Don't grease the cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray as the cookies will absorb that and could spread.
- You don’t have to use a stand mixer here as these cookies can be made with an electric hand mixer as well.
- Chocolate Chips variations - experiment with different chocolate chips: peanut butter, bittersweet, butterscotch, mint chocolate, white chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white and dark swirled chips.
- White and brown sugars - both sugars are needed here, if possible do not substitute one for another. This magic combination makes perfectly chewy and soft cookies, EVERY TIME.
- Measure out your ingredients the right way - use a food scale to measure the ingredients for baking and also to weigh your cookie dough to ensure uniform-sized cookies. If you don’t have the scale, at least measure your flour with the spoon and level method.
📋 JULIA'S TIP Why use unsalted butter? The salt content in various butter brands varies. Depending on the brand, different amount of salt is added according to their recipes. I like to use unsalted butter in baking, so I can control the salt content myself.
Secret To Chewy Cookies
A chewy cookie needs a good amount of moisture in the batter, which can be achieved through the use of egg yolk, butter, oil, milk, and golden brown sugar.
Typically, for these types of cookies, it is always better to undertake them than overbake and make them dry. Cookies will set after 10-15 minutes after cooling.
Freezing And Storing Instructions
- To Store. These cookies remain buttery and soft for several days. Cool the chocolate chip cookies before storing them completely. Store at room temperature 2-4 days or in the fridge for longer.
- To Freeze. Let the cookies cool and store them in the freezer for 2-3 months. To freeze the unbaked cookie dough, roll it into balls and flash freeze on a baking sheet until the cookies become firm. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for 2-3 months.
What Causes Cookies To Spread
These mini chocolate chip bites are soft and buttery with a light crisp exterior. If you're using gluten-free flour, the cookie dough will be more tender but after freezing well it helps the cookies to bake beautifully without spreading too much.
There can be a few reasons why your cookies spread too much or too little. Let's look at a few:
- Incorrect oven temperature or old oven. I'd say, this is the number one reason why many good recipes don't come out as they should! Too low or high temperatures affect the cookie dough. The standard cookie temperature is usually around 350 degrees Fahrenheit but each oven is different and may affect the final result.
- If there isn’t enough flour or too many liquid ingredients (such as melted butter) in the recipe, they will melt fast and become flat in the oven fairly quickly. It takes some trial and error to find the best ratio of butter and flour in the cookies recipe.
- Too much butter vs flour ratio - you have to master the balance between those two if you want to achieve perfectly chewy and soft cookies without them spreading too much.
- Not refrigerating the cookie dough - for best results, I have refrigerated almost every cookie recipe I’ve made for at least 30 minutes. It helps the cookies hold their shape. Makes the rolling easier and keeps the texture correct. It doesn’t affect the flavor if all the ingredients are measured properly.
Serving Suggestions
- These small cookie bites are excellent snacks throughout the day to enjoy with a glass of milk.
- Crumble the cookies into your favorite ice cream and enjoy them as a tasty dessert.
- Pack 'em up into pretty bags, add a ribbon, and you have a great gift for friends and family.
More Cookie Recipes
- Large Chocolate Chip Cookie
- Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Oatmeal Cookies
- Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
For all baking recipes, hop on to our Desserts collection.
Recipe Card
Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies
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INGREDIENTS
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, room temp
- 1 ½ cup flour, or use a gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup mini chocolate chips + more for decoration
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter and sugars. Beat on low with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment until smooth and creamy. Gradually add egg and vanilla. Mix on low until combined. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, combine dry ingredients. Whisk to combine and in batches add to wet ingredients. Beat on low until just combined.
- Stir in chocolate chips. Freeze the cookie dough for 30 minutes or fridge for longer until the dough resembles ‘’playdough’’. The dough will be sticky in the beginning so we need to chill it first otherwise it is hard to form cookie dough balls and the cookies will spread too much.
- Once chilled, form balls and freeze between batches.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Form about 2 teaspoon sized cookie dough balls and transfer to baking sheet lined with baking mat or parchment paper (or silicone liner), or silicone mats. Don’t press down the unbaked cookie dough.
- Add the cookie sheet to the preheated oven and bake for 8 minutes (the time may vary due to different ovens). Once the cookies are baked, press more chocolate chips on the top (personal preference and only for visual).
- The cookies will have a soft center inside with a slightly crisp exterior. Once they cool down they will set well and the texture inside remains soft, and buttery.
- Let the cookies stand in the pan for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
NOTES
- It’s best to chill the cookie dough in the freezer for 30 minutes or in the fridge for 1 hour before baking which will help the cookies keep their shape, reduce the sticky texture of the raw cookie dough, and prevent the cookies from spreading too much.
- Why are my chocolate chip cookies dry and crumbly? If your homemade chocolate chip cookies are dry, it could be a result of over-mixing the cookie dough, not measuring the cookie ingredients accurately, or overbaking these little cookies but using a baking time similar to that required for regular cookies.
ADD YOUR OWN PRIVATE NOTES
NUTRITION
Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
These mini chocolate chip bites freeze beautifully and last long! Chewy, gooey and easy to make!