Thin and Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Learn how to make perfectly thin and crispy chocolate chip cookies. The science of the chocolate chip cookie is explored to create your perfect cookie! These delicious cookies can be made in about 30 minutes with no chilling required.
OVERVIEW
- Skill Level: Beginner
- Technique: The Creaming Method for Cookies
Not everyone can agree on what makes the perfect cookie so perfect. I personally don’t think there’s one type of cookie that is above all others. Sometimes I want a thick and cakey cookie, sometimes more of a soft and chewy cookie, but today I’m craving a crunchy cookie.
This chocolate chip cookie recipe is the one for you if you’re looking for a buttery, thin, and crispy cookie. The cookie spreads just the right amount for perfect crispy edges and a slightly softer middle.
What makes a cookie crispy?
Most chocolate chip cookie recipes include the same ingredient list. So what makes a cookie crispy instead of soft and chewy? There are a few distinctions in this recipe that make it what it is: thin and crispy.
- Type of Sugar: This recipe contains both white sugar and brown sugar however, you will notice that the amount of brown sugar is much lower than white sugar. White sugar is going to create a more crispy cookie while brown sugar will make a more chewy chocolate chip cookie.
- Creaming the Butter and Sugar: The Creaming Method for Cookies is a common mixing method for drop cookies. The longer creaming time in this recipe will ensure that your cookies spread. When a cookie spreads during baking the thinner and crunchier the baked cookie will be.
- No Chilling Time: A lot of cookie recipes require you to chill the dough before baking. This is to ensure that the cookies do not spread too much in the oven. Because we want them to spread, we do not need to chill the dough.
- Baking Time: This isn’t the kind of cookie that we want to leave even slightly underbaked. A longer baking time will ensure the cookie is baked all the way through and will produce a crispy product.
How to make Thin and Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies
To make our thin and crispy cookies we will be using the creaming method for cookies. This means it is very important that your butter and eggs are at room temperature before you start. Here is how you can quickly bring your ingredients to room temperature if needed.
Make the Cookie Dough
Using the paddle attachment in a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, cream together the soft butter, brown sugar, and white sugar on medium high speed. Creaming them together for about 5 minutes will ensure your cookies spread and crisp up.
Add the egg and vanilla extract to the bowl and mix in.
Add the dry ingredients including the flour, salt, and baking soda to the bowl and mix together. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated. Do not over-mix.
Add the chocolate chips or chunks to the bowl and fold them in until evenly distributed.
Scoop and Bake
Scoop rounded mounds of dough onto baking sheets, about 2-3 tablespoons in size. Do not overcrowd the pan because these cookies will definitely spread out. I recommend 6 cookies per sheet pan.
Bake one sheet pan at a time as directed until the edges are crispy and the center is set and lightly browned. The center should not look even slightly under-baked which is what you look for in chewy cookie recipes.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the sheet pans before moving to a cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Prep & Storage
Cookie dough is perfect for chilling and freezing for when you want to plan ahead!
How to store dough in the refrigerator
While this recipe does not require any chilling time, you can store the dough in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Chill the dough in an airtight container or wrap the dough in plastic wrap. Alternately, you can pre-scoop the dough balls onto a baking sheet and then wrap the entire baking sheet in plastic wrap.
The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
When ready to bake:
- Let the cookie dough sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes to soften. Then scoop the dough balls and bake as directed.
- Pre-scooped dough balls still need to sit out before baking. If you bake them straight from the refrigerator, they will not spread and crisp up because they are too cold. Let the chilled dough balls sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking.
How to store dough in the freezer
Pour all of the cookie dough onto a large sheet of plastic wrap and flatten into a disc. Wrap tightly and then place the disc into a plastic zipper bag.
Alternately, you can pre-scoop the dough balls onto a baking sheet and freeze. Once frozen, you can move the dough balls into a zipper bag. Because they were pre-frozen they will not stick together.
The dough can be frozen up to 3 months.
When ready to bake:
- Remove the disc of cookie dough from the freezer and let thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Let the cookie dough sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes to soften. Then scoop the dough balls and bake as directed.
- Frozen pre-scooped dough balls can be thawed in the refrigerator overnight. Let them sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking.
How to store baked cookies
Baked cookies can be stored in a loosely covered container at room temperature for up to 1 week. If you store them in an airtight container, they will start to soften and become less crispy.
Baked cookies can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months.
FAQ
Can I add nuts or other mix-ins to these cookies?
Yes! Reduce the amount of chocolate chips in this recipe to 225 grams (1 ½ cups) and then add up to 1 cup of other solid mix-ins at the same time you add the chocolate chips. Recommendations include: chopped nuts, pretzels, potato chips, sprinkles, or chopped candies.
Soft mix-ins like raisins, dried cranberries, and oats are not recommended as they will change the texture of the cookie to more chewy than crispy.
Can I make mini cookies?
Yes! Because these cookies intentionally spread, they end up as fairly large cookies. You can reduce their size by scooping dough balls that are about 1 – 1 ½ tablespoons each.
More Recipes from Baker Bettie!
If you loved this recipe, you might like to try these other chocolate chip cookie recipes!
Thin and Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Learn how to make perfectly thin and crispy chocolate chip cookies. These cookies can be made in about 30 minutes with no chilling required!
Ingredients
- 226 grams (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 250 grams (1 ¼ cups) granulated sugar
- 50 grams (¼ cup) brown sugar, light or dark
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 270 grams (2 ¼ cups) all-purpose flour
- 300 grams (2 cups) chocolate chips, dark, semi-sweet, or milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Set a rack in the middle position in your oven.
- Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper or baking mats.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, or a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream the butter (226 grams/ 2 sticks) with the granulated sugar (250 grams/ 1 ¼ cups) and brown sugar (50 grams/ ¼ cup) on medium high speed. Cream for a full 5 minutes, until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl periodically throughout. This amount of creaming time will ensure your cookies will spread.
- Reduce the speed and add the egg (1 large) and vanilla extract (1 tablespoon) and mix until well combined.
- Slowly add the salt (1 teaspoon), baking soda (1 teaspoon), and flour (270 grams/ 2 ¼ cups) to the mixing bowl, scraping the sides of the bowl until thoroughly combined. Mix just until combined, do not over-mix.
- Stir in the chocolate chips (300 grams/ 2 cups).
- Scoop dough (about 2-3 tablespoons each) onto the prepared baking sheets. It is best to scoop no more than 6 cookies per sheet to allow enough room for spreading.
- Bake one cookie sheet at a time for 14-16 minutes.
- Let cool for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet then remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
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123 Comments on “Thin and Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies”
Can I make these into mini cookies?
Hi Dea! Yes you can. I would reduce the baking temperature to 325 F and check on them while baking so they don’t burn. Enjoy!
Wow. These turned out perfect! I’ve looked years for just the right texture of thin and crispy chocolate chip cookie… this is it! Will definitely become a family favorite!
Hi Paula! That is so great to hear! I’m so glad you enjoyed these!
What Dana said in her review below is spot on. She should’ve been the one to write the description for these cookies, because her review is precisely how my cookies turned out. Nothing like the description. I tried to attach a photo of these THICK chocolate chip cookies, but *surprise* the website won’t accept the picture I took on my iPhone. Note that I used all premium ingredients and followed the recipe exactly.
Hi Kim! What a bummer, I’m so sorry to hear that these didn’t work out for you the way they should! Since this is a tested recipe, made many times with success by me and quite a few other people, I would love to help you troubleshoot! Do you by chance have a kitchen scale? If so, I would highly recommend measuring your flour by weight next time as the way you describe them sounds like you possibly ended up with too much flour in your cookies. If you do not have a kitchen scale, make sure you lightly spoon the flour into the measuring cups without packing it down at all and then level it off. If you did measure your flour this way, it is possible that your oven is heating hotter than what you set it at. You might try turning it down by 25 F or if you have an oven thermometer check that it make sure that it is heating to your set temperature. If the oven is too hot, the cookies will set in a mound before they have a chance to spread out. I’ll add some more notes to the recipe for other people to check these things so they don’t run into the same issues. As far as not being able to upload a picture, this is a feature I very recently added to the site and need to keep the size limit of the images low or the webpage will take too long to load. So sorry you had issues uploading it!
Hello Bettie,
What happens to my cookie if I add powdered milk or milk
Do you roll these into balls or flatten them.
I did both…if you flatten them, they definitely come out thinner. Mine were nice and thin and round. About 4-1/2″ across. Not three tablespoons of dough, though. Probably half that.
Hi Bettie!
If I added walnuts, how would that affect the chemistry of crispness?
From,
Meaghen
Hi Meaghen, the walnuts might prevent them from spreading quite as much, but shouldn’t affect the crispiness. I would chop them pretty small!
Girl. Thank ya. These were JUST RIGHT in every way. Thank you for explaining everything in such detail. I kind of nerd out with things like that
That’s so great to hear Noelle! So glad you enjoyed them!
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Can Xylitol be used in the place of granulated sugar?
Hi Sophie! I unfortunately do not have any experience baking with xylitol. You can definitely try it, but just be away that it functions very different than sugar so it is hard to know how it will work without testing it. It absorbs more liquid than sugar so you might want to try adding a little milk and baking the cookies for a shorter period of time.
This is the best chocolate chip cookie recipe I’ve made. My husband and I have differing opinions on the ideal chocolate chip cookie, so i’ve gone through several recipes trying to find one that pleases us both. This recipe somehow hits the mark for both of us. It’s great!
That makes me so happy Monica! I’m so glad you both enjoyed it!
I’ve been baking chocolate chip cookies since I was 14 years old.
I always used the Tollhouse cookie recipe on the back of the Nestle’s semi-sweet bag. Sometimes they were exactly right, often they were barely edible.
Yesterday, I used your recipe and made the best cookie I baked in 50 years! I never knew about the white to brown sugar ratio and it’s effect on crispness. Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this cookie recipe PJ! That makes me incredibly happy!
I have been baking for 20+ years and my entire family said these are the BEST COOKIES EVER.
Baker Bettie I love everything you do, and trying all your recipes! Also enjoying the bread cooking class! Keep the content coming!
Wow! What a compliment. That makes me so happy! So glad to hear you enjoyed them so much!
These are the best cookies I’ve ever made. Came out perfect. I’ve always had issues with my cookies being cake-like, but these were amazing. Everyone who at them said they were perfect. Thank you for the recipe. This will be my go-to from now on.
Thanks Del! I’m so glad you like them!
I’m sitting here eating these cookies right now. I’ve been baking these cookies for at least 8 years now. Absolutely love them. Thanks for doing the science to make this a perfect cookie.
You’re very welcome!
O.k., I’ve literally been trying FOR YEARS to find a thin & crispy chocolate chip cookie recipe and have failed countless times!~ Well, there have been many times where I THINK I’ve found “it”, but an hour or so later I check in the cookie jar only to find another wimpy cookie 🙁 Now, when I think I’ve achieved success I don’t start bragging about it until a couple hours later. Guess what?!~ I just checked the jar and the cookie are still crispy!!!!!!! As another reviewer mentioned that she’d tried the somehow highly acclaimed recipe using corn syrup (?!) only to have them turn out strangely sticky and chewy…that was the last one I tried before this one. Thank you so much for sharing and explaining how to accomplish the crisp! Now I want to try more of your recipes!
HI!
I left a review already, but wanted to make sure you saw this, so I will leave comments here too. I just baked these tonight and they came out exactly as you said! I love this cookie science! I have been baking a long time and never could make a cookie that would turn out crisp, let alone be good the next day. I can’t believe how delicious and perfect they are, nice and thin and super crisp! Now, I can’t seem to make a crisp butter cookie either, so do you have a recipe for that? I could use this recipe without chips, sure, but wonder if you have anything else to share? I am really excited and grateful to you for putting this one out there for me to find. These are the best cookies I have ever made! You are so smart! Thanks a million!
I am wanting to make a butter cookie like this, thin and crisp. What if I used all white sugar and no brown, just add the amount of brown to the white amount? Would that work? Hope to hear from you because my husband wants more cookies NOW! Thanks!
My daughter and I just tried this recipe today! I’ve been trying to find a crispy chocolate chip cookie to bake for the hubby as he’s not a fan of fluffy or cakey ones like I am. These are definitely crispy, but for some reason mine aren’t as thin as yours, and after baking 18 minutes, the middle is still soft :/ I have saved the recipe to try again on my own, as we may have struggled with some measurements through the learning process.
They are delicious! I may add in a tad less salt next time. And I may have accidentally made them a tad bigger than called for this time (I had 16 per batch). But I would make no other changes. They were amazing and that is coming from someone who struggles with baking.
I make these all the time now and we love them. Thank you so much for the recipe! One comment, though, is that even when I make them smaller, like normal sized cookies, they still spread and get very thin and crispy. I don’t really think they need to be 3 tablespoons. That is HUGE. I think I use about 1 tablespoon per cookie. I get about 30 cookies or more that way. Gone in about three days! Making again tonight. Thank you!
These are what I’ve been looking for. Crispy cookie perfection. Just change your chip of choice. I made traditional choc chip and butterscotch chip. I’ve deleted all other chip cookie recipes and pins. I have found my chip cookie soulmate.
Yum! I love butterscotch. I’m so glad you enjoy this recipe!
Chocolate chip cookies are tough since personal tastes are so different. I like them thin and crispy so tried the recipe exactly as written. I thought it was very good, 4.5 stars. I always double the batch and freeze the dough or the cookies for later consumption because one can never have enough on hand! The second time I made the recipe, I added an egg, so had a total of 3 eggs in a double-batch and they were perfect for my taste. My neighbors raved about them and deemed them “the most perfect of chocolate chip cookies.” It all depends on taste, but this is now my go-to recipe. Thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad you like them! Agree that everyone has their own version of what makes a perfect cookie. I’m so glad you’ve found yours!
I made these cookies because I wanted to try making a cookie type I am not fond of (thin and crispy). These were not what I expected they were going to be. They were better. They were not as thin as I thought but they were going to be. They were however the thinnest chocolate chip cookie I have made!. The dough was thicker than I expected. I was gentle on the measuring of the flour to be sure not too much was added. The flavor was great. The edges were crunchy and the center was chewy and firm. Really great. Apparently I am a thin chocolate chip cookie lover after all!
That’s awesome! I’m so glad you tried it! Sometimes we don’t know what we want until we have it, right? Thanks so much for sharing.
This is the recipe I’ve been searching for. A good crisp, but not crumbly cookie. I used traditional choc chips for one batch and butterscotch for another as Christmas presents. Everybody ended up with chocolate because I inhaled all the butterscotch myself. Like others, I had to make them smaller but they still spread beautifully into a generous cookie. Thanks for publishing this and giving me my forever “go to” chip cookie.
I made these cookies this afternoon and I followed the recipe exactly. They are deliciously crunchy and thin; however, while the first batch was crunchy and tasted great, they were not exceptionally thin.
Now I know there could be several reasons for that so on the second batch….I flattened them slightly before baking and they were just perfect. I think the issue is with the flour even though I took care to measure it.
The next time I make this recipe (which will be soon) I will try reducing the flour just a small amount and I believe the problem will be solved.
At any rate Bettie……thanks for a wonderful cookie recipe….I’ll use it often.
Could I add oats to these cookies?
You can! However, keep in mind oats add chewiness to baked goods so they’ll be a tad less crispy.
This didn’t work for me either. The ONLY thing I didnt do, was use a scale. Otherwise, I followed the directions to the T and still got muffin like cookies
Hi! Your recipe has been my family’s favorite for cookies for years now – it’s so good! Today, I made them again, but got different results – almost like my dough was too dry and crumbly, and I’ve just realized why. At the beginning of the recipe where the ingredients are first listed, it calls for 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Later in the instructions for mixing in the sugar, it says 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar instead. I had started with 1 1/4 cups, but when I got to that paragraph, I panicked and added sugar to get up to 1 3/4 cups, thinking I’d messed up when measuring earlier. Just wanted to point that out for those using measuring cups instead of weighing!
Hi, I am so sorry! That was a typo. It should be 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar. I’ve updated the recipe. Thank you for letting me know!
These are perfect! My grandkids can be picky but everyone loves them. I found I needed to decrease flour by 1/4 cup to get thin and crispy cookies. Weighing the flour would help with consistency.
Thanks Sharon!
My chic chip cookies did not thin out. Did I over mix?