This Small Batch Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe makes 15 cookies that are crispy on the outside and bottom, yet still chewy in the middle. Using the pan-banging technique gives you a flatter cookie, which creates a crispier crust and those tempting buttery ripples.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Makes only 15 Cookies: Making a small or half batch means you’re not likely to have leftover cookies that you toss out as they start to become stale after several days (and you're less likely to eat too many too!). Because it’s a small batch you’re using fewer ingredients (like 1 stick of butter instead of 2), saving you a little bit of money.
Pan Banging Technique = Crispy Ripples: The pan-banging technique, which was widely introduced by Sarah Kieffer of the Vanilla Bean Blog, is used to create crispy buttery ripples in these cookies.
For more on how to make crispy and small batch cookies, see my Guide to Crispy, Cakey, and Small Batch Cookies.
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Ingredients
Below are the ingredients needed to make Small Batch Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies.
- Softened Butter: The butter should be softened, but not melty, think at cool room temperature.
- Melted Butter: Melt the butter, but then cool it down in the fridge/freezer.
- Granulated Sugar: For sweetness, more granulated sugar than brown sugar = crispier cookies.
- Brown Sugar: For added flavor and color.
- Egg: Use one large egg.
- Vanilla Extract: Use real vanilla extract. If you bake somewhat regularly you can buy a large bottle at Costco, which may be more economical.
- Baking Soda: Check to make sure it has not expired.
- Salt: To balance and bring out flavor.
- Flour: Use all-purpose unbleached flour. You can also use Einkorn flour (an ancient flour) like in these Chewy Einkorn Chocolate Chip Cookies.
- Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips: I use Nestle, but any brand will work.
To learn more about these cookie ingredients, see my Guide to Cookie Ingredients.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Get Thin and Crispy Cookies
- Pan Banging: Pan Banging is a technique where you bang the cookie pan against the rack inside the oven while baking, in this case at two separate intervals. This flattens the cookies. They puff up again, banging flattens again and you get these glorious ripples and a thin crispy cookie. Using the pan-banging technique helps to create a thin and crispy texture.
- Less Baking Soda: Using less baking soda, only ¼ teaspoon means the cookies do not puff up as much so you get a crispier cookie.
- Granulated vs. Brown Sugar: For crispier cookies, use more granulated sugar and less brown sugar. This recipe calls for ⅔ cup granulated sugar and only ¼ cup brown sugar.
- Melted vs. Softened Butter: Melting half of the butter (¼ cup) beforehand helps the cookies to spread, which helps to get that thinner crispier cookie. However, you don’t want to mix hot melted butter into your batter and cook the eggs while mixing the dough. You also don’t want the dough to spread too much. Therefore, this recipe requires melting half the butter and cooling it down while keeping the rest of the butter softened.
How to Make Small Batch Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Below are the step-by-step instructions and accompanying photos for how to make Small Batch Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies.
*Note: The recipe card with instructions, ingredient list, and quantities is included further below these step-by-step photos.
Prepping the Melted Butter. Melt ¼ cup butter in a small bowl in the microwave. Place it in the fridge for 5 minutes to cool down, then move it to the freezer for 2 more minutes.
Preheat the Oven: Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 1. In a large mixing bowl combine the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar.
Add the egg and vanilla extract and combine.
Expert Tip: I recommend mixing the cookie dough by hand with a large spoon because there is so little batter that it isn't worth it to use a mixer. You can use a hand-held mixer if you like, but be sure to scrape down the spindles as there is so little dough to work with a lot of it may get caught up and the ingredients may not mix evenly.
Step 2. Add the melted but cooled butter to the bowl and combine. The melted butter should be cool, but not frozen.
Step 3. Add the baking soda, salt, and flour and combine.
Step 4. Add the semi-sweet chocolate chips and stir to combine.
Step 5. Drop about 2 tablespoons worth of dough per cookie onto a baking sheet, approximately 8 per baking sheet.
Step 6.
- Bake the cookies at 350°F for 8 minutes.
- 1st Pan Banging: Open the oven and using oven mitts pick up the front of the cookie sheet and bang it back down on the rack in the oven. Be mindful of the oven door and sides so as not to burn yourself. This "pan-banging technique" creates crispy ripples in the cookie. As the cookie bakes it puffs up and when you bang it down it deflates creating a ripple.
- Bake for 2 more minutes. The cookies will rise again.
- 2nd Pan Banging: Open the oven and bang the cookies down again to create another ripple. Remove the cookies from the oven and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
Expert Tip: If you want to create even more crispy ripples you can start the pan-banging technique at the 6-minute mark. Bake the cookies for 6 minutes, open the oven, and bang it down. Bake for 2 more minutes, open the oven, and bang it down. Bake for 2 final minutes, open the oven, bang it down, then remove the cookies from the oven.
Great Dipped in Milk
While soft, gooey cookies or Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies are my go-to, I love these thinner crispier cookies. There is a nice crunch when you bite into each one highlighting the crispy sugar and savory butter. They are also loaded with chocolate chips.
The best part about thin and crispy chocolate chip cookies is they are EXCELLENT when dunked in milk. I’d argue that they are way better than the soft gooey kind because these crispy chocolate chip cookies soften ever so slightly when dunked in the milk. The perfect combo. These Chocolate Dipped Chocolate Chip Cookies are also so good when dipped in milk with all that extra chocolate.
For More Cookie Ideas, You May Love These:
If you tried this Small Batch Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Small Batch Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- ¼ and ¼ cup butter, softened
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- Maldon Flaky Sea Salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Melt ¼ cup of the butter in a small bowl in the microwave. Place in the fridge for 5 minutes to cool down. Move to the freezer for 5 more minutes to cool down even further while you work on the rest of the dough.
- In a large mixing bowl add the other ¼ cup softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar and stir to combine. Add the egg and vanilla and combine. Add the melted butter from the fridge. It should be cool, but not frozen.
- Add the baking soda, salt, and flour. Stir to combine. Add in the chocolate chips.
- Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough onto a baking sheet, about 8 cookies to a baking sheet.
- Bake for 8 minutes, then open the oven, lift up the pan, and bang it back down on the rack (the pan banging technique). Bake for 2 more minutes (10 minutes total), bang the pan again, and remove from the oven. Immediately sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
Notes
- Pan Banging: Pan Banging is a technique where you bang the pan of cookies against the rack inside the oven while baking, in this case at two separate intervals. This flattens the cookies. They puff up again, banging flattens again and you get these glorious ripples and a thin crispy cookie. Using the pan-banging technique helps to create a thin and crispy texture.
- Mix by Hand: I recommend mixing the cookie dough by hand with a spoon because there is so little batter, that it is not worth it to use a mixer. You can use a hand-held mixer if you like, but be sure to scrape down the spindles as there is so little dough to work with a lot of it may get caught up and the ingredients may not mix evenly.
- More Crispy Ripples: If you want to create even more crispy ripples you can start the pan-banging technique at the 6-minute mark. Bake the cookies for 6 minutes, open the oven, and bang it down. Bake for 2 more minutes, open the oven, and bang it down. Bake for 2 final minutes, open the oven, bang it down, then remove the cookies from the oven.
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