These Chocolate Chip Cookies without Brown Sugar have that perfect slightly crunchy edge with a soft, gooey, chewy chocolate center. If you're not a fan of brown sugar or find it missing from your pantry you can still have classic, delicious chocolate chip cookies!
Chocolate Chip Cookies without Brown Sugar still have all the hallmarks of classic chocolate chip cookie recipes. They are soft, chewy, chocolatey, and irresistible! Leaving out the brown sugar lets the flavors of the butter and the chocolate really shine through in each bite. These Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies are an elevated version of classic chocolate chip cookies.
If you're looking for more delicious cookie recipes check out my Lemon Curd Cookies, Lavender Cookies, or Raspberry and White Chocolate Cookies!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Without the addition of brown sugar these cookies have a slightly firmer texture than your run-of-the-mill chocolate chip cookie. Which some find preferable to an extra gooey cookie! These Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies will also give you some crunch.
- These cookies have a lighter, more buttery taste. These Pie Crust Cookies also bring that buttery flavor.
- Chocolate chip cookies made without brown sugar have just a few simple ingredients that you probably already have on hand! My No-Bake Cookies are also made with simple ingredients.
- These cookies have a neutral base that can easily be added to for many different variations of chocolate chip cookies! Like the addition of pecans in my Pecan and Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Baking soda and baking powder are used to give the cookies a bit of rise and help make them tender.
- Vanilla extract is a must in baked goods just like salt. Real vanilla adds a better flavor than imitation vanilla.
- Granulated sugar, also known as white sugar, will take the place of the brown sugar. It will sweeten the cookies and make them tender.
- Measuring the all-purpose flour correctly is very important. I suggest weighing your flour out. If you want to use a measuring cup, make sure you spoon the flour into the cup and level it off with a knife. Don’t use the cup to scoop directly from the flour.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Use brown butter instead of regular butter for a deeper flavor that will make up for the missing molasses in the brown sugar. I also use brown butter in my Brown Butter Donuts.
- You can change up the type of chocolate you use to change the taste of these cookies. I usually go for semi-sweet, but white, milk, or dark chocolate would all be delicious! White chocolate is my chocolate of choice in my Matcha Cookie Recipe.
- If you want to up the chocolate flavor even more you can add a bit of espresso powder to the cookie dough. I use this technique with my Black Bean Cupcakes.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
Step-By-Step Instructions
STEP 1: In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine.
STEP 2: In a large bowl using a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer cream together the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing fully before adding the next. Pour in the vanilla and combine.
STEP 3: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Be sure not to over mix.
STEP 4: Mix in the chocolate. Do this until just combined. Cover the cookie dough. Chill for at least 30 minutes. If you love cookie dough you should try out my Edible Cookie Dough Recipe.
STEP 5: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Make scoops of cookie dough about 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons in size. Place at least 3 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.
STEP 6: Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
STEP 7: Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the cookie sheet.
Expert Baking Tips
- Chill your cookie dough. I know skipping this step is tempting (you want your cookies as quickly as possible and I can’t blame you for that!) but don’t do it! Chilling cookie dough prevents the cookies from overspreading. This can cause them to be thinner, and crispier, and change the overall flavor of the end product.
- Use an oven thermometer. Most ovens run either hot or cold. Using an oven thermometer ensures that you are baking your cookies at the perfect temperature.
- Don’t use cold ingredients. Ensure that all of your cold ingredients are at room temperature before making your cookies. The ingredients will combine much easier and you won’t have chunks of cold butter in your cookie dough, which can lead to greasy cookies.
- Weigh your ingredients. One of the most common baking mistakes that I see is measuring incorrectly, especially with flour. The best way to get accurate measurements every time is to weigh them with a kitchen scale.
- Use a cookie cutter to shape your cookies after baking. If you shake a cookie cutter around the cookies when they are fresh out of the oven they will be perfectly round and more visually appealing.
Recipe FAQ's
The butter was probably too warm when you baked the cookies. This is why I recommend resting the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking.
You sure can! I recommend scooping the cookie dough while it is soft and then placing it in the fridge for up to three days or in the freezer for up to two months.
Room Temperature: The Chocolate Chip Cookies without Brown Sugar can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Refrigerator: If stored correctly in an airtight container the cookies will last up to 1 week in the fridge.
Freezer: I recommend scooping the cookie dough and freezing it on a baking sheet, then transferring them to an air-tight container. That way you can pull out one or two cookies whenever you’d like them. I leave them sitting out at room temperature for about 30 minutes and then bake them normally. The dough will last up to 2 months.
You can also bake the cookies and then store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months.
I recommend granulated sugar and that is what we used in this recipe. It yields similar results.
Of course! I would just replace the amount of brown sugar with granulated sugar.
More Recipes You'll Love
If you tried these Chocolate Chip Cookies without Brown Sugar or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I so appreciate hearing from you!
Recipe
Chocolate Chip Cookies without Brown Sugar
Ingredients
For Cookies:
- 1 ½ stick (170 grams) unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups (396 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 large (100 grams) eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups (360 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups (255 grams) chocolate chopped or chocolate chips
Instructions
For Cookies:
- In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine.
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer cream together the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing fully before adding the next. Add the vanilla and combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredietns. Mix until just combined.
- Mix in the chocolate. Cover the cookie dough and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Make scoops of cookie dough about 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons in size. Place at least 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet.
Notes
- The provided nutrition information is an estimate. The calorie accuracy is not guaranteed.
- Don’t use cold ingredients. Ensure that all of your cold ingredients are at room temperature before making your cookies. The ingredients will combine much easier and you won’t have chunks of cold butter in your cookie dough, which can lead to greasy cookies.
- Chill your cookie dough. I know skipping this step is tempting but don’t do it! Chilling cookie dough prevents the cookies from overspreading. This can cause them to be thinner, and crispier, and change the overall flavor of the end product.
- Use a cookie cutter to shape your cookies after baking. If you shake a cookie cutter around the cookies when they are fresh out of the oven they will be perfectly round and more visually appealing.
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