1-First Step: Preheat and Prep Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking. This setup takes just 5 minutes and makes cleanup easy. Softening the butter ahead leave it out for 30 minutes saves time and ensures smooth creaming.

2-Second Step: Cream the Butter and Sugars In a large bowl, use an electric mixer or sturdy spoon to beat ½ cup softened butter, ½ cup brown sugar, and ¼ cup granulated sugar together. Mix until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. This step incorporates air for tender cookies. Scrape down the bowl sides to catch every bit.

3-Third Step: Add Wet Ingredients Beat in 1 egg and 1 tsp vanilla extract until fully combined, another 1 minute. The mixture should look smooth and glossy. If your egg is cold, let it sit briefly to avoid curdling the batter. This binds the dough perfectly.

4-Fourth Step: Mix Dry Ingredients In a separate bowl, whisk 1¼ cups flour, ½ tsp baking soda, and ¼ tsp salt. Gradually add the dry mix to the wet ingredients on low speed. Stir just until no flour streaks remain overmixing toughens cookies. The dough will be soft but scoopable.

5-Fifth Step: Fold in Chocolate Chips Gently fold in ¾ cup mini chocolate chips with a spatula. Mini size ensures chocolate in every bite without overpowering the dough. For extra fun, reserve a few chips to press on tops before baking.

6-Sixth Step: Scoop and Shape Scoop teaspoon-sized dough balls (about 1 inch) onto prepared sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. They spread during baking, so give them room. A cookie scoop or tablespoon measure works best for uniform mini cookies.

7-Seventh Step: Bake to Perfection Bake one sheet at a time in the middle oven rack for 8-10 minutes. Edges turn golden while centers stay soft. Rotate halfway if your oven heats unevenly. Avoid overbaking for chewy results.

8-Final Step: Cool and Serve Cool cookies on the sheet for 5 minutes they firm up here then transfer to a wire rack. Enjoy warm or at room temp. Pair with milk for busy parents’ quick treat or pack for travelers. Total time: 25 minutes active, 30 including cooling. For the full chocolate chip pudding cookies variation, check our related recipe.