This 10 minute single serving cookie dough is safe to eat raw, because it doesn't have flour in it (oats instead) and is egg-free. It's gluten free, and just as delicious as my favorite One Serving Chocolate Chip Cookie.
[This single serving cookie dough recipe was originally posted in February 2023. It has been updated with cooking instructions, storage tips and substitutions, FAQ, related recipes and ways to repurpose/use up ingredients]
Table of contents
I love cookie dough, especially when it's dotted with lots of semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips. But, after years of nutrition education, and working as a dietitian, I'm a bit wary of eating raw eggs and flour.
Ya, uncooked flour is something to be aware of too.
Instead of skipping it, I created a simple single serving edible cookie dough recipe without flour, and with no egg. And it's as delicious, especially when it's dotted with lots of chocolate chips. Which it is, and the mini ones!
Cookies often satisfy my dessert cravings, but baking them sometimes just takes too long! Even if they just take 10 minutes to bake. Plus, it doesn't always seem worth it to turn on the oven to bake one cookie.
That's where this edible single serving cookie dough recipe comes into play. It's quick, gives all the cookie flavors, without the baking. Sure you won't get gooey chocolate pieces, but maybe a quick zap in the microwave would solve that.
Food Safety Considerations
There are 2 main reasons to not eat raw cookie dough: raw flour, raw eggs. Pretty much, risk of e coli and salmonella being in either the flour or eggs is higher. That's why this single serving cookie dough has oats and no eggs in it.
Heat kills both bacterias in flour and eggs, but because flour isn't mixed with other ingredients, then baked, the bacteria might not be killed. Food scientists say that since flour is so dry, heat alone might not kill all the bacteria in it.
Not just that, but adding liquids to make cookie dough, not baking it, and then possibly refrigerating it after-well all of those actions create an even better environment for bacteria to thrive and could make you sick/sicker.
It's not advised to cook flour (dry) in the oven or microwave to be able to use it in uncooked cookie dough.
While many of us have taken the risk, and may still, this easy single serving cookie dough recipe just removes the risks. I use oats and no eggs.
This single serving cookie dough is gluten free, but if you need, use gluten free oats.
Ingredients
Scroll down to the single serving cookie dough recipe card for the amounts of each ingredient, but here's a quick visual + description of what's in this recipe.
- Oats: I essentially use oat flour in this single serving cookie dough recipe, but grind them in my blender because it's way less expensive, and easy. But if you already have oat flour, use that.
- Butter
- White sugar
- Brown sugar
- Milk: This will help bind your cookie ingredients, especially since there's no egg in this recipe.
- Vanilla
- Chocolate Chips: I chose mini chocolate chips in this recipe since they don't soften in the oven like in baked chocolate chip cookies. Use whatever type you want, though.
Instructions
Scroll down to the single serving cookie dough recipe card for more detailed instructions. Here's a quick overview + photos to see how to make this recipe in general.
1. Start by 'making' oat flour. Add rolled oats to a high speed blender (small jar if you have one), spice or coffee grinder, mortar and pestle, or knife, chop/grind until barely chunky flour texture, or desired texture.
If you have oat flour, you can use that, but grinding your own is so inexpensive and easy. Also, a smaller, narrow blender/food processor will be easier than a wider one.
2. Next, cream together your butter and sugars (white sugar and brown sugar) with a hand mixer. It will be pebbly, it's a small amount. Press the butter and sugars together with the back of a spatula.
3. Next, add milk and vanilla extract. Mix.
4. Add ground up oats (oat flour). Blend until incorporated. Your cookie dough may be crumbly. Press together, if it holds, you're ok, if not, add a splash of milk at a time until it holds together.
5. Fold in chocolate chips with a spoon or rubber spatula. Press together and enjoy.
Storage Tips
Store leftover edible cookie dough without flour in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week. Storing it in the fridge will help the cookie hold it's shape too. It's probably freeze-able, just freeze in an airtight container/bag.
You can microwave it to soften it for about 10 seconds too.
Substitutions/Tips
- You can substitute the ground oats/oat flour with pasteurized flour in this single serving cookie dough recipe. I'd start with 3.5 Tablespoons in this recipe, and add more if needed.
- You can use regular or dark brown sugar, but if using dark brown sugar, you might want to skip the vanilla, I felt like like the molasses/vanilla flavor was too strong when testing this recipe with dark brown sugar.
- You might be able to substitute the oat flour for another type of plant, not wheat flour. I haven't tested it with another type of flour. Just search to see if it's safe to eat raw flour of whatever kind you'll use.
- This single serving cookie dough is gluten free, but use specific gluten-free oats and chocolate chips if you need to.
- Use whatever milk you have in this single serving cookie dough.
- Other great add-ins: Chopped nuts, small pieces of dried fruit, chia seeds (add these with/in place of the chocolate chips) are great added to single serving cookie dough.
FAQ
Raw flour and raw eggs could have bacteria in them that may get you sick. Read more in the Food Safety section. You can skip the egg and replace raw flour for ground oats/oat flour, like this single serving cookie dough.
If your cookie dough has eggs and/or milk in it, just like this single serving cookie dough, store in the fridge or freezer. Store it in the fridge if you plan to use it in 5 days, or in the freezer.
If you plan on baking the cookies and need a gluten free option, choose a gluten free flour to get the right texture. If you're just making cookie dough to eat and not bake, I recommend using oat flour, which you can make!
How to Repurpose
Crumble leftover single serving cookie dough over ice cream or yogurt.
What to do with leftover ingredients
When you're cooking for one, you often have leftover produce, cans of whatever ingredient, etc. Here are a couple ideas on how to use up the leftover ingredients. It'll help you save money by wasting fewer ingredients.
Did you make this single serving cookie dough? Leave me a comment & rating to share how it turned out!
Single Serving Cookie Dough (10 minutes)
Equipment
- medium mixing bowl
- Hand mixer
- Measuring cups, spoons
- Spoon or rubber spatula
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon butter softened
- 1 heaping Tablespoon white sugar
- 1 heaping Tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ Tablespoon milk
- ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup old fashioned/rolled oats
- pinch table salt if using unsalted butter
- handful chocolate chips or about 2 Tablespoons, but who likes to measure chocolate chips?
Instructions
- To make ground oats/oat flour: add ¼ cup of old fashioned/rolled oats to a high powered blender, food processor, spice grinder, etc. Pulse until desired texture. I like mine with a few small chunks of oats. Measure out ¼ cup. Set aside. (you can also chop them up with a knife)
- Add 1 Tablespoon softened butter, 1 heaping Tablespoon white sugar, and 1 heaping Tablespoon brown sugar to a medium mixing bowl. Cream together with a hand mixer. It will be pebbly, just press together with a spoon/rubber spatula a few times.
- Add ½ Tablespoon milk, ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix until incorporated.
- Add in ground oats/oat flour (¼ cup). Mix until incorporated. It might be pebbly here too, if so, press together with spoon/rubber spatula. If it holds together, great, if not, add a splash of milk at a time until it does.
- Fold in about 2 Tablespoons of chocolate chips (or however many you want). Roll into a ball. Enjoy.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days (or until it starts to smell off).
Notes
- I use oats in this recipe instead of flour, because consuming uncooked flour may put you at risk of getting sick (same with raw egg). See food safety section in the blog post for more info.
- Since we're making a single serving of cookie dough, there isn't enough volume to really incorporate your dough, it might remain pebbly when mixing. This is ok, just press together with a spoon/rubber spatula occasionally. or use a narrow, high sided mixing bowl. That might help too.
- If using dark brown sugar, I recommend skipping adding the vanilla, the molasses taste from the brown sugar + vanilla are very strong combined.
Want time saving tips to make recipes like this single serving cookie dough delivered to your inbox? Click here to download my Cooking for One Time Saving Tips.
Recipes are great, but you’ll need a simple 3 step process to create a meal plan that make cooking easy & helps you stop wasting food. Check out this expertly developed meal planning guide to get started.
Elizabeth says
You've answered the prayers of millions with this recipe! LOL. Love it!
Rebecca says
haha yes!
Kushigalu says
My family loves this cookie dough. Thanks for sharing.
Rebecca says
great to hear
Jessi says
Soo good!! I know to go to you for all my single, just for me, desserts!
Rebecca says
ha! yes, you'll always find great desserts for one here 🙂
Sonal Gupta says
My kid loved it when I made it for her this past weekend! It’s a hit!
Rebecca says
great to hear!
Ned says
I had to make 2 batches because the first one was gone before I could get to it. Always a good problem. 🙂 Thank you for an awesome recipe!
Rebecca says
glad to hear!