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4.99 from 120 reviews

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

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!

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.
ingredients needed to make chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar in bowls with labels

Step By Step Instructions

Note: Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.

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

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.

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 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).

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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!

chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar stacked on top of each other and split in half
4.99 from 120 reviews

Chocolate Chip Cookies Without Brown Sugar

Gabby Kislanko
These chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar are made with 8 ingredients, no chill time, and ready in 16 minutes! Soft, gooey, and full of chocolate chips!
Prep Time: 8 minutes
Bake: 8 minutes
Total Time: 16 minutes
Servings: 19 cookies
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Ingredients
 

  • ¾ cup (158 g) butter, softened, (regular or dairy free)
  • ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1¾ cup (218.75 g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¾ tsp baking soda
  • ½ cup (100 g) chopped chocolate or chocolate chips , (regular or vegan)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a standing mixer with the paddle attachment or a handheld mixer, combine butter and sugar, mixing until light and fluffy (around 1-2 minutes).
  • Add in the egg and vanilla extract, and beat until just combined (do not over-mix!).
  • Mix in the dry ingredients until a dough forms. Stir in the chocolate chips and mix until combined. SEE NOTES
  • Use a medium cookie scoop or spoon to make 1.5 tablespoon sized balls and place them on the baking sheet around 3-4 inches apart.
  • Bake the cookies (one sheet at a time for even baking) for 8-11 minutes. Remove them from the oven when the edges look set and have just begun to darken on the edges – but the edges should not be golden brown! It is very important that these cookies are under-baked in order for them to stay soft. They will look under-baked (but will continue to bake on the baking sheet) and very pale, because there is no brown sugar in the recipe. Remove from the oven and leave them on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

Equipment

Mixing Bowl
Baking Sheets
Baking Sheets

Video

Notes

PLEASE NOTE: I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh your dry ingredients. Metric measurements are found above, under the “Metric” tab.
MEASURING FLOUR: Please properly measure your flour using either a kitchen scale or by fluffing it up in the bag with a fork, then using a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup and then use the back of a butterknife to level it off (the is the scoop and level method)
THICKER COOKIES: For thicker, puffier cookies, you can chill the dough in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.
CHOCOLATE CHIPS: You can use any kind of chocolate chips. I like to use semisweet. You can also use a chopped up chocolate bar or even white chocolate chips.
Storage and Freezing: Store the cookies in an airtight container or ziploc bag at room temperature for 5-6 days.
The baked cookies can be frozen in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature when you’re ready to eat them.
Freezing the cookie dough: To freeze the dough and bake later, use a cookie scoop to scoop the dough onto a baking sheet and place in the freezer. Once they are firm but not frozen completely, transfer to a plastic freezer bag if desired, then freeze up to 2 months.
Calories: 157kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 9mg, Sodium: 166mg, Potassium: 46mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 356IU, Calcium: 6mg, Iron: 1mg
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The calorie information provided for this recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.