5-Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies

When you need dessert now but don’t have the time or energy for a labor-intensive process, look to this flourless chocolate chip cookie recipe. It calls for just five ingredients—almond butter, eggs, chocolate chips, brown sugar, and salt—and is ready in about 20 minutes flat. Even better, you won’t need to pull out your mixer or wait around for the dough to chill. Just dump everything in the bowl, stir until combined, then portion and bake. Gooey and decadent, they're suitable for those who avoid gluten—but will be devoured by everyone else, too. This really might just be the easiest cookie recipe ever.

5 Ingredients for Quick and Easy Cookies

Almond butter: Nutty almond butter does double duty in this recipe, replacing both the flour and butter that's key to most cookie recipes. It also adds a delicious richness and a dose of protein. We recommend using a natural almond butter that contains just nuts and oil (just be sure to stir it very well to ensure the oil is well incorporated before using).

Brown sugar: You'll only need half of a cup of brown sugar for these cookies, making this recipe less sweet—and a bit healthier—than others. We call for light-brown sugar but you can use dark brown if that's what you have on hand.

Eggs: There's no baking powder or soda called for here. Instead, two eggs help the cookies rise while also binding the other ingredients.

Chocolate chips: We love the depth that semisweet chocolate chips lend this recipe. If preferred, you can use bittersweet or milk chocolate chips. If you're aiming to keep these cookies dairy free, check the ingredient list on your chocolate chips; many brands add milk powder or milk fat.

Salt: A touch of salt brings out the nuttiness in the almond butter and balances out the sugar's sweetness. If using fine salt, use half as much.

Equipment Needs

There's no need to pull out your mixer for this recipe, but you will need four other basic pieces of kitchen equipment:

Mixing bowl: Reach for a medium mixing bowl to stir together the dough. Because this is what we call a "dump and stir" batter, you can add everything to the bowl at once rather than in stages.

Rubber spatula: A sturdy rubber spatula is key for incorporating the dry ingredients, eggs, and chocolate chips into the stiff, sticky nut butter. As you mix, be sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl to ensure no streaks of almond butter remain.

Ice cream scoop (or tablespoon): If you have a tablespoon-sized ice cream scoop, use it here—it'll make quick work of portioning out the dough and will guarantee all your cookies are the same size and shape. If not, use a tablespoon instead.

Baking sheets: Divide the dough between two baking sheets, spacing each ball about one inch apart. Rimmed baking sheets or cookie sheets will work equally well here, just be sure to line them with parchment or silicone mats for an easy release.