Cookie Clicker
Created by Orteil (Julien Thiennot), Cookie Clicker took the world by storm by turning one of the most ordinary actions, clicking a cookie into a full-blown economic empire. Play Cookie Clicker now to become the master of baking.
What is Cookie Clicker?
Cookie Clicker is a clicker game about exponential growth. You start with one massive cookie on the screen. You click it. You get a cookie. That’s it at least for the first minute.
Then you realize you can spend those cookies. You hire Cursors to auto-click for you, recruit Grandmas to bake in bulk, and invest in Farms, Factories, Banks, and even Time Machines that churn out cookies faster than your brain can process.
Every upgrade you buy increases your cookies per second (CPS), and every minute you stay, that number skyrockets into absurdity. Eventually, your cookie empire spans dimensions, and you’re questioning your life choices while smiling proudly at your cookie counter ticking up in the trillions.
How to Play Cookie Clicker
- Click the Big Cookie – Each click earns you one cookie.
- Buy Buildings – Use cookies to purchase generators like Cursors, Grandmas, and Factories.
- Upgrade Everything – Invest in multipliers, synergy bonuses, and golden cookie boosts.
- Idle for Income – Once you’ve automated your bakery, your empire keeps growing even while you’re away.
What starts as frantic clicking turns into careful planning. The moment you unlock your first Golden Cookie a shiny, random bonus that can multiply your production you’re hooked for good.
Controls Guide
- Mouse or Tap: Click the big cookie.
- Buy buttons: Spend cookies on upgrades.
- Keyboard shortcuts (for mods): Quickly purchase items or activate boosts.
That’s it. No complex systems, no learning curve — just you, your mouse, and an endless hunger for baked goods.
Ascension, Sugar Lumps, and Beyond
Don’t let the simplicity fool you. Underneath the clicking lies a surprisingly deep layer of strategy.
- Golden Cookies: Appear randomly and give huge temporary boosts.
- Ascension: You can “reset” your game to gain Heavenly Chips, which grant permanent upgrades.
- Sugar Lumps: A slow-growing currency that lets you level up buildings or unlock minigames.
- Seasonal Events: From Christmas to Halloween, each event brings themed bonuses and fun surprises.
You can play Cookie Clicker casually for a few minutes… or spend months perfecting your build to reach the highest CPS possible. It’s one of those rare games where doing “nothing” still feels productive.
Smart Tips for New Bakers
- Buy in bulk. Purchasing 10 or 100 buildings at once unlocks special bonuses.
- Balance cost vs. gain. Don’t just buy what’s cheap — invest in upgrades that actually boost CPS.
- Never ignore Golden Cookies. Their effects can snowball your progress.
- Time your Ascension. Reset only when you’ve earned enough prestige to make it worth it.
- Stay curious. The game hides plenty of weird, hilarious secrets.
Why Cookie Clicker Still Reigns Supreme
Over a decade later, Cookie Clicker remains the gold standard of idle games. It didn’t just popularize the genre it defined it. The perfect blend of humor, absurdity, and endless progression makes it strangely comforting. It’s about watching numbers go up and feeling a small, irrational burst of pride every time you unlock something new. And somehow, that’s more satisfying than most action games out there.
