The Worst Chocolate Chip Cookies: Are They Good? 2023

Sugar Spun Run has created what she calls “The Worst Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies.” With tongue-in-cheek irony, she calls them the “worst” because these cookies are so utterly delicious and addictive that they will strip you of any willpower to resist and take over your life in the process.

The main difference between standard chocolate chip cookies and the “worst” chocolate chip cookie is that the classic cookie recipe doesn’t contain maple syrup — the secret ingredient that gives the “worst” cookies their unique flavor.

The “worst” chocolate chip cookies also have a unique crunchy-on-the-outside but chewy-on-the-inside texture created by adding cornstarch and baking powder to the recipe. If you don’t have cornstarch, you can use a cornstarch replacement.

To ensure your cookies get the right texture, sift the flour with a flour sifter, and use a cookie scoop to ensure the cookies are all evenly sized. You can also soften the sugar beforehand to make the dough easier to mix.

Worst Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

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Course Dessert

Equipment

• 2 Mixing bowls
• Spatula
• Cookie sheets
• Parchment paper

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup Unsalted butter, melted and then cooled
• 1 1/2 cups Tightly-packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
• 2 Large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup Maple syrup
• 3 1/4 cups All-purpose flour
• 2 tsp Cornstarch
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 1 tsp Baking soda
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 cups Chocolate chips (1 cup regular semi-sweet chips and 1 cup mini semi-sweet chips recommended)

Instructions

 

• Mix melted butter and sugars together in a large bowl
• Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition until well-combined
• Add maple syrup and vanilla extract and stir
• In the second bowl, mix together the dry ingredients: flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt
• Gradually add the bowl of dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing well with a spatula until completely combined
• Add chocolate chips and mix in. (Optional: reserve ¼ cup of the regular chocolate chips for pressing into the cookies once baked)
• Cover the dough with cling wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes
• Preheat the oven to 175°F while the dough chills
• Line cookie sheets with parchment paper
• For large cookies, scoop 2 tablespoons of cookie dough and roll into balls
• Place balls on a lined cookie sheet, 2 inches apart to allow room for spreading (Keep the unbaked dough in the fridge while the first batch is baking)
• Flatten the balls slightly with the back of a spoon
• Bake for 13 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. (If you prefer to make smaller cookies, shorten the baking time accordingly)
• Optional step: once the cookies are out of the oven, press a few chocolate chips into the top of each cookie while the cookies are still warm
• Allow cookies to cool completely on the tray

Keyword chocolate chips, cookies

The worst chocolate chip cookies differ from standard cookies because the maple syrup in the “worst” cookies gives them a special flavor. While the cookies don’t taste like maple syrup, if you leave out the maple syrup, the cookies will lack their unique caramelized taste.

Also, the cornstarch and baking powder in the worst chocolate chip cookies give these cookies extra crunch. The “worst” chocolate chip cookies have a crispy outside with a soft, chewy inside, giving them a better texture than other cookies.

Making the “worst” chocolate chip cookies is easier than following other chocolate chip cookie recipes because the “worst” cookies don’t require an electric mixer or any other special equipment. Clean-up is easier, also, since you don’t have to wash beaters.

Traditional Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Course Dessert

Equipment

• Electric mixer
• Large bowl
• Small bowl
• Cookie sheets
• Parchment paper

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup Butter, melted
• 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
• 1 cup Packed light brown sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 2 Large eggs
• 2 1/4 cups All-purpose flour
• 1 tsp Baking soda
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 cups Semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 375°F
• Line cookie sheets with parchment paper
• Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl
• Melt the butter, pour it into the large mixing bowl, and allow it to cool for 5 minutes
• Add the sugars and vanilla extract to the butter and beat until creamy
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition
• Gradually add the flour mixture and beat gently
• Stir in the chocolate chips
• Drop the dough 1 tablespoonful at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets
• Bake for 10–12 minutes, until golden brown
• Cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely

Keyword cookies

Here are a few common problems when baking chocolate chip cookies and how to solve them:

Cookies spread too much

Chocolate chip cookie dough spreads too much while baking if the melted butter is too hot when the sugar is added to the butter. Hot butter dissolves the sugar, making the dough too soft and runny. Allow the butter to cool for 5 minutes before mixing the butter and the sugar.

If the dough becomes too warm before baking the cookies, the dough spreads too much. While the first tray of cookies is in the oven, keep the bowl of unbaked cookie dough in the fridge before preparing the second tray.

Allow the cookie sheet to cool completely between batches as placing cookie dough on a warm cookie sheet will spread the dough.

Cookies don’t spread enough and are too thick

Cookie dough that doesn’t spread, resulting in cookies that are too thick and soft on the inside, is probably a result of adding too much flour to the mixture.

Too much flour makes the dough stiff and difficult to drop onto the cookie sheet, resulting in thick, soft cookies that are underdone on the inside. Measure the flour precisely before adding it to the mixture.

Cookies are dark brown on the outside but raw on the inside

When the oven is too hot, chocolate chip cookies bake too quickly, turning the outside dark brown before the cooking time is up. The cookies appear to be done, but the inside is still underdone after taking them out of the oven.

Make sure the oven reaches an even temperature. Using an oven thermometer helps to ensure that the oven doesn’t get too hot.

Cookies are burnt on the underneath but too light on top

Place the cookie tray on the center rack in the oven to ensure even heat distribution, which results in even baking. If the cookie tray isn’t positioned correctly in the oven, the cookies burn on one side before the opposite side is done.

Worst Chocolate Chip Cookies vs Traditional Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sugar Spun Run’s “worst” chocolate chip cookies differ from traditional chocolate chip cookies in a few ways, mainly in flavor. Maple syrup is the secret ingredient that gives the “worst” chocolate chip cookies their irresistible flavor with a hint of caramel. Traditional chocolate chip cookies don’t have that unique flavor.

The “worst” chocolate chip cookies also have a unique crunchy yet chewy texture. Traditional chocolate chip cookies contain flour and baking soda, but Sugar Spun Run’s cookies also contain cornstarch and baking powder, giving these cookies a unique texture with a crispy outside and chewy inside.

Slight tweaks to a chocolate chip cookie recipe can alter the results. Use dark chocolate chips instead of regular chocolate chips for less sweet chocolate chip cookies. For a delicate balance, use half-and-half dark chocolate and regular chocolate.

A trick to the perfect texture for chocolate chip cookies is to substitute two tablespoons of the flour called for in the recipe with cornstarch. Cornstarch is an anti-caking agent and adds a lovely crunch to cookies while keeping the inside chewy.

If you don’t have cornstarch but want a chewier texture, add an extra egg yolk to the ingredients to achieve a chewier cookie.

For a darker cookie with a richer flavor, leave out the granulated sugar and use extra brown sugar in its place. Increasing the brown sugar also gives more of a toffee-like taste to the cookies. If the brown sugar has gone bad, it might add more molasses flavor, so be careful to check it.

For crunchier edges, set the oven to a slightly hotter temperature. But observe the cookies and be sure to remove them in time because the higher temperature can result in burnt cookies.