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Chocolate Chip Cookies Without Brown Sugar

Name: Chocolate Chip Cookies Without Brown Sugar
Prep time: 8 min
Total time: 16 min
Ingredients: ¾ cup butter, softened ((regular or dairy free)); ¾ cup granulated sugar; 1 egg; 1 tbsp vanilla extract; 1¾ cup all-purpose flour; ½ tsp salt; ¾ tsp baking soda; ½ cup chopped chocolate or chocolate chips ((regular or vegan))

Published on November 26, 2021. Last updated on November 26, 2021. By Gabby. 32 Comments

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These chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar are soft, gooey, and just as delicious as classic chocolate chip cookies! Made using just 8 ingredients, with no chill time, and ready in 16 minutes!

chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar stacked on top of each other with chocolate chips scattered around them

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If there is one thing that chocolate chip cookies have in common, it's that they pretty much all have brown sugar in them. Well what if you ran out of brown sugar but you still want cookies?! Don't worry, these chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar are here to save the day!

These chocolate chip sugar cookies taste just like a classic chocolate chip cookie, and use just the right amount of flour, granulated sugar and butter to achieve that soft texture that typically requires brown sugar! You can make these cookies using either dairy free butter or regular butter too!

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chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar on a baking sheet sprinkled with salt

Why These Chocolate Chip Cookies Without Brown Sugar Work

These cookies are ready in 16 minutes - they seriously couldn't be easier! The dough doesn't even need to chill.
They freeze really well both before and after baking!
If you find yourself running low on ingredients, you can still make these cookies! All you need are 8 simple pantry ingredients to make this recipe.
If you want thicker cookies, you can easily just chill the dough overnight and bake the next day!

chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar stacked on top of each other and split in half

Ingredients Needed

Flour: This recipe calls for all-purpose flour, and hasn't been tested using any other flour.
Butter: You can make these cookies dairy free by using dairy free butter, or you can make them using regular butter!
Vanilla extract: I recommend using real vanilla extract if possible, as it gives the cookies so much flavor!
Chocolate chips: You can use semisweet, dark, or milk chocolate chips. You can even use white chocolate chips (if you're making these dairy free, use vegan white chocolate chips). I also like to chop up a chocolate bar and use chocolate chunks instead of chips!
Egg: These cookies have not been tested with any egg substitutes.

Step By Step Instructions

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl, then set aside.

STEP TWO: In the bowl of a standing mixer with the paddle attachment or using a handheld mixer, beat butter and sugar until light in color and fluffy (around 1-2 minutes).

STEP THREE: Add in the egg and vanilla extract, then beat until the mixture is just combined, being careful not to over-mix. Mix in the dry ingredients, then stir in the chocolate chips.

STEP FOUR: Use a medium cookie scoop or spoon to form the dough into 1.5 tablespoon sized balls, placing them on the baking sheet, 3-4 inches apart. Bake one sheet at a time for 8-11 minutes, or until the edges look set and have just begun to darken - but are not golden brown! The cookies will look under-baked! Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

step by step showing how to make chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar

Is brown sugar necessary for cookies?

Most chocolate chip cookie recipes use a mix of brown sugar (for added moisture and chewiness), and granulated sugar (for that slight crisp on the edges of a cookie), but it is not necessary. This recipe has been specifically created to work perfectly without any brown sugar.

Some other types of cookie recipes, like sugar cookies or shortbread cookies, don't use any brown sugar at all and are still delicious!

Do I have to chill the cookie dough?

Nope! No chill time required, but if you want to make the dough now and bake the cookies later, you can cover the bowl with plastic wrap and store in the fridge to chill for up to two days.

Why are my cookies hard the next day?

The single most important thing to do when making these cookies is to not over-bake them. If you leave the cookies in the oven until they are golden brown, they will not stay soft the next day. Because these cookies don't have brown sugar in them (one of the key ingredients of a soft cookie), this is extra important!

What can I use if I don't have brown sugar for cookies?

In general, there are a few options for sugar substitutes if you don't have brown sugar:

1. Granulated (white) sugar: white sugar can be used as a substitute in many recipes at a 1-1 ratio.
2. Dark (demerara) sugar: Very similar to light brown sugar, demerara can usually be used as a substitute for light brown sugar.
3. Coconut sugar: coconut sugar works really well in many recipes and has a similar texture to brown sugar.

chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar stacked on top of each other

Expert Tips

Properly measure your flour: Please use a kitchen scale or the scoop and level method to properly measure your flour! This is the most common baking mistake I see and the cookies will be as soft and chewy as they should be if you over-measure your flour.
Do not over-bake the cookies! Leaving the cookies in the oven even one minute too long can lead to over-baked cookies. These cookies don't rely on brown sugar for their soft and chewy texture, but instead rely on the right baking time! If you want cookies that stay soft for days, keep an eye on the cookies and when in doubt, it's better to take the first batch out too early, than too late! The edges will have a tiny but of color but will not be fully golden brown.
Top the cookies with extra chocolate chips to create gooey pools of chocolate on top of them!

chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar stacked on top of each other and split in half with chocolate chips scattered around

Storage and Freezing Instructions

To get that fresh out of the oven texture in the days after the cookies have been baked, pop one in the microwave for 5-10 seconds. They will now be gooey and warm again, but be sure to eat them right away or else they will harden after being microwaves.

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

The baked cookies can stored in a freezer bag and frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature when you're ready to eat them.

To freeze the cookie dough, scoop it balls with a cookie scoop and place them on a parchment lined plate in the freezer until they are firm. Transfer them all into a ziploc freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months.

Allow the dough to soften a little before baking. They will require 1-3 more minutes of baking time and the edges will get golden brown (unlike when you bake the cookies directly after making the dough).

More Recipes Without Brown Sugar That You'll Love

If you make this recipe, let me know how it went in the comments below, I’d love to hear from you! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!

The calorie information provided for this recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.

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