If you love a chocolate chip cookie with a good crunch, this recipe is for you! These thin and crispy chocolate chip cookies are buttery, golden brown, and loaded with mini chocolate chips. They're small enough to pop into your mouth and have a light, crisp texture with a satisfying snap when you take a bite.
The Secret to Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies
The secret to crispy chocolate chip cookies is using granulated sugar instead of brown sugar. Brown sugar contains molasses, which attracts and holds moisture, giving cookies a softer, chewier texture. Granulated sugar doesn't hold onto moisture the same way, so these cookies bake up with a lighter, crisper texture.
Butter also helps the dough spread as it melts in the oven. Combined with the smaller size of these cookies, that means more moisture can escape during baking. The result is a thin, buttery cookie that's crisp all the way through instead of soft in the middle.
Why These Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies Work
- All white sugar: There's no brown sugar in this recipe, which helps the cookies bake up thin and crunchy.
- Mini chocolate chips: Smaller chips distribute evenly throughout the dough without weighing down the thin cookies.
- Slice-and-bake method: Rolling and slicing the dough produces evenly shaped cookies with a thin, crispy texture.
- Perfect for cookie tins: Their smaller size makes them great for snacking, gifting, and holiday cookie assortments.
Ingredients for Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies
You only need a few basic baking ingredients for these cookies, but the type of sugar and chocolate chips makes a difference in the final texture.
All-purpose flour – Gives the cookies structure without making them too heavy. I recommend weighing your flour for the most consistent results.
Baking soda – Helps the cookies spread and develop their golden-brown color.
Salt – Balances the sweetness and brings out the buttery flavor.
Unsalted butter – Use softened butter so it creams evenly with the sugar. Butter adds richness and helps the cookies spread as they bake.
Granulated sugar – Using all white sugar instead of brown sugar is one of the keys to getting a thin, crispy cookie.
Egg – Binds the ingredients together and provides structure.
Vanilla extract – Adds that classic homemade chocolate chip cookie flavor.
Mini chocolate chips – These are my favorite for this recipe because they distribute evenly throughout the thin dough. You get chocolate in every bite without large chips getting in the way.
How to Make Thin and Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies
These cookies are easy to make, and the slice-and-bake method is what gives them their thin, even shape.
Step 1: Mix the dough
Stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar until well combined. Mix in the egg and vanilla, then add the dry ingredients. Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
Step 2: Roll and chill
Shape the dough into a log approximately 1½–2 inches in diameter. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or parchment paper and refrigerate just until firm enough to slice neatly.
Step 3: Slice the cookies
Cut the chilled dough into rounds about ½ inch thick. Arrange on parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving room for spreading.
Step 4: Bake
Bake at 350°F for approximately 13–15 minutes, until golden brown. Let the cookies cool briefly on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack. They'll become crispier as they cool.
Why I Use the Slice-and-Bake Method
Instead of scooping the dough into balls, I roll it into a log and slice it into small rounds. I've found that this gives me more evenly shaped cookies that spread thin and develop a better snap.
The dough only needs to chill long enough to make slicing easier.
Tips for the Crispiest Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Use mini chocolate chips- Mini chips work much better in the thin slices.
- Slice the dough evenly- Keeping the cookies the same thickness.
- Bake until light brown- Pale centers can leave the cookies soft.
How to Freeze Slice-and-Bake Cookie Dough
Wrap the shaped cookie dough log tightly in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to three months.
When you're ready to bake, let the dough soften in the refrigerator just enough to slice without cracking. Cut into rounds and bake as directed, adjusting the baking time slightly if the dough is still very cold.
How to Store Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Let the cookies cool completely before storing them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
Keep them separate from soft cookies and other moist baked goods so they don't lose their crunch.
Thin and Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- Kitchen scale (recommended)
- Sharp Knife
- Baking sheets
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour 172g
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened 166g
- 1 cup granulated sugar 238g
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups mini semisweet chocolate chips 340g
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until the flour is incorporated. Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
- Divide the dough into portions and shape each into a log approximately 1½–2 inches in diameter. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or parchment paper and refrigerate for about 30 minutes, or until firm enough to slice cleanly.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Use a sharp knife to slice the chilled dough into rounds approximately ½ inch thick. Arrange the slices on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between cookies to allow for spreading.
- Bake for 13–15 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown, including the centers. Baking time may vary slightly depending on the size of your cookies.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will become crispier as they cool.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my chocolate chip cookies soft instead of crispy?
The most common reason is underbaking. These cookies need to bake until they're golden brown to develop their crispy texture. Make sure you let them cool completely, too, because they'll become crunchier as they cool.
Can I use brown sugar instead of white sugar?
I don't recommend it for this recipe. Brown sugar contains molasses, which attracts moisture and contributes to a softer, chewier cookie. The all-white-sugar formula is intentional.
Do I have to chill the cookie dough?
Only long enough to make the dough firm enough to slice. The chilling step isn't meant to prevent spreading. In fact, we want these cookies to spread and bake up thin.
Can I make these cookies larger?
Yes, but larger cookies may need more baking time to become crisp throughout. I prefer making them small because they bake evenly and have a great crunchy texture.
Are these cookies like Tate's chocolate chip cookies?
If you love thin, crunchy cookies like Tate's, you'll probably enjoy these. They have a similar crisp-cookie appeal, but my version is smaller and uses mini chocolate chips.
More Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes
There's a chocolate chip cookie for everyone! Whether you love big, thick bakery-style cookies, fun cut-out cookies, or homemade cookie mixes for gifting, you'll find plenty of chocolate chip cookie recipes here on Better Baker Club.
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