Tiny Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies
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I am totally obsessed with these mini chocolate chip cookies! They have all the flavor of regular chocolate chip cookies but in a two-bite serving. But these are even better because they also have brown butter, extra vanilla, and a smattering of mini chocolate chips. This recipe makes 80 cookies, so it’s one of my go-to desserts for parties, potlucks, and hangs with friends.
We had cocktail club this weekend, so of course I brought a plate of cookies. I pretty much always do. This month’s theme was tiki cocktails which I guess might be weird with chocolate but it kinda worked? Either way, these cookies were gone in minutes so there were no complaints!
As I mentioned in my pecan chocolate chip cookies post, I have literally been working on my CCC recipe ever since I was a teen making her way through pastry school. But in this version, we’re making the cookies extra small because they’re honestly so much better for parties. You won’t end up with a bunch of half-eaten cookies laying around at the end of the night.
Here’s just a few more reasons you definitely should make them for your next hang!
- The cookie dough comes together in 15 minutes.
- They’re caramelized, chocolatey, and bite-sized.
- These cookies are beyond cute – I mean, seriously!
- Since this recipe makes 80 cookies, they’re the best party dessert.
If you’re a fan of mini desserts, make sure to try these mini chocolate cupcakes, chewy brownie bites, mini Oreo cheesecakes, or mini sprinkle cookies. They’re so good!
Key ingredients
Making tiny cookies is not as simple as scooping little balls of regular cookie dough. I tested this recipe at least 4 times and there’s a lot that goes into making a mini dessert work! And there are two ingredients that are key in this recipe.
- Mini chocolate chips – the mini chips are important here, because regular chips or chopped chocolate are way too big for this recipe. The cookies will basically end up as puddles as chocolate which sounds nice but isn’t haha.
- Cornstarch – I don’t usually add cornstarch to cookies but it really does make a difference in this recipe! The tiny bit of cornstarch keeps the cookies from spreading too much which makes a difference with small cookies. It also helps make the cookies softer and chewier!
For this recipe, you will also need unsalted butter, all-purpose flour, baking soda, Morton’s Kosher salt, dark brown sugar, white sugar, an egg, and vanilla extract. Light brown sugar will also work!
Add-in ideas
You can use any of your favorite CCC add-ins. You will want about 3/4 cup (130 grams) of mix-ins total including the mini chocolate chips. These are some of my favorites!
- Finely chopped pecans or walnuts
- Toffee bits
- Coconut flakes
- Mini M&Ms
Whatever add-ins you use, make sure they’re smaller than a mini chocolate chip. If the add-ins are too big, these chocolate chip cookie bites will fall apart in the oven.
Let’s bake cookies
Brown the butter
- Melt the butter in a shallow pan over medium-low heat.
- Let the butter cook, swirling the pan often, until the butter smells caramelized and has brown bits on the bottom.
- Pour the butter into a large mixing bowl and let it cool for 10-15 minutes.
If you want to skip a step, you don’t have to brown the butter. Regular melted butter will work just as well in this recipe!
Make the dough
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and Kosher salt.
- Then, add the brown sugar and white sugar to the cooled brown butter.
- Beat the butter and sugars with a hand mixer until it’s combined & sandy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture.
- Next, beat the mixture until it’s very smooth.
- Add the flour to the batter.
- Mix the flour into the butter-sugar mixture until the dough is thick. A few streaks of flour is ok!
- Add the mini chocolate chips to the dough.
- Then, using a rubber spatula, fold the chocolate chips into the dough just until they’re combined. Don’t over-mix!
Scoop, chill, & bake
- Using a small cookie scoop, scoop the dough into balls & roll until smooth.
- Place the cookie dough balls on a parchment-lined sheet pan & chill for at least 1 hour.
- Lastly, bake the cookies at 350°F (177°C) for about 6 minutes. Cool and enjoy!
Chilling the dough is key for chewy cookies that don’t spread too much! To keep these cookies from needing more flour (which makes the cookies dry), chilling the dough will help them keep their structure.
Tiny cookie tips
- For pretty cookies, press a few chocolate chips on top of each cookie dough ball before baking. Then, right after the cookies come out of the oven, use a small round cookie cutter or glass to ‘swirl’ the cookies into circles. This is totally optional though – just for aesthetics!
- The cook time can vary depending on your oven. Start checking for doneness around 5-6 minutes. If the cookies look very under-done, bake them another 30-60 seconds.
- For crispy cookies, bake them closer to 7-8 minutes. Keep a close eye so they don’t burn.
#100 scoop
To make bite size chocolate chip cookies, you’ll want to use a #100 cookie scoop! Buying a scoop is optional but if you want to make these cookies more than once a year, it’s totally worth the investment. It saves a lot of time.
If you don’t want to buy a scoop, you can use a regular teaspoon. Just try to keep the cookies the same size so they bake evenly.
Storing & freezing cookies
Place any leftovers in an airtight container and store at room temp for up to 2 days.
You can also freeze the baked cookies or the cookie dough!
- Baked cookies – place the cooled cookies in a freezer bag or container and freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost at room temperature for 1 hour before eating.
- Cookie dough – freeze the cookie dough balls on a parchment-lined sheet pan until solid, about 1-2 hours. Pop them in a freezer bag or container and freeze for up to 1 month. You can also bake them from frozen – just add 1-2 minutes to the bake time if needed.
Number of servings
This recipe will make 80 one-inch cookies. If you need more, I recommend making individual batches instead of doubling the recipe. Doubling baking recipes can cause the measurements to be ‘off’ and ruin the cookies!
I always recommend weighing the ingredients with a kitchen scale instead of using measuring cups. The cookies will come out amazing every time! If you don’t have a scale, make sure you’re measuring the flour the right way. Fluff the flour with a whisk or fork, spoon the fluffed flour into the measuring cup, and level it off without packing it in.
If you make this recipe, I would love it if you left a star rating and review! I read every single comment and love hearing what you think about my recipes. Thank you for supporting Sunday Table!
Tiny Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (114 grams)
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (150 grams)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar (110 grams)
- 1/4 cup white sugar (50 grams)
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips (130 grams)
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Parchment paper
- #100 cookie scoop (or 1 teaspoon)
Instructions
Brown the butter
- Melt the unsalted butter in a shallow, light-colored pan over medium-low heat. Cook, swirling the pan often, for 5-7 minutes. At first the butter will foam up and get bubbly, but after a few minutes, you will start to see small brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Once the butter is golden-brown and smells nutty, immediately remove the butter from the heat and pour it into a large heat-proof mixing bowl. Cool the brown butter until it's room temperature, about 10-15 minutes.
Make the cookie dough
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and Kosher salt. Set aside.
- Add the dark brown sugar and white sugar to the cooled brown butter. Using a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugars together until it's combined, about 1-2 minutes. The mixture will be a bit sandy. Mix the egg and vanilla extract into the butter-sugar mixture until it's very smooth.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture and beat just until the dough comes together. A few streaks of flour are ok. Fold the mini chocolate chips into the dough, just until combined. Don't over-mix!
- Using a #100 scoop or teaspoon, scoop the dough into balls and roll them until smooth. Place the tiny cookie dough balls on a parchment lined sheet pan and chill, covered, for 1-2 hours or overnight.
Bake the cookies
- While the cookie dough balls are chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
- Place the cookie dough balls on the prepared sheet pans 2-inches apart (15-16 cookies per pan). Bake for about 6 minutes, just until the edges of the cookies are set and the centers are still a bit underdone.
- Let the cookies cool on the sheet pan for about 5 minutes. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat the above steps with the rest of the cookie dough balls. Enjoy!
