These Chocolate Chip Cookies without Brown Sugar are soft, chewy, buttery, and packed with sweet, melty chocolate chips. They taste a little like a tender sugar cookie mixed with a classic chocolate chip cookie, making them perfect when you are out of brown sugar or simply want a quick cookie recipe made with white sugar. Best of all, this is an easy no-chill cookie dough, so you can bake a fresh batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies in less than 30 minutes.
Why Should You Make This Recipe
If you love easy cookie recipes, this chocolate chip cookie recipe without brown sugar is a dependable one to keep on hand. It uses basic pantry ingredients, comes together quickly, and still delivers a soft, chewy texture with plenty of chocolate in every bite. The cookies have crisp, lightly golden edges and tender centers, making them a great everyday dessert, lunchbox treat, or simple weekend bake.
- They are quick, easy, and no chill. Bring the butter and eggs to room temperature, mix the dough, scoop, and bake. There is no need to wait hours before enjoying warm cookies.
- No brown sugar is required. This recipe is ideal when you want chocolate chip cookies but only have granulated white sugar in the pantry.
- They are soft, chewy, and buttery. Even without brown sugar, these cookies bake up tender thanks to the butter, eggs, and cornstarch.
- They are full of chocolate chips. Semi-sweet chocolate chips add the classic flavor everyone expects from homemade chocolate chip cookies.
Ingredients
This easy homemade chocolate chip cookie recipe is made with simple ingredients you may already have in your kitchen.
- Dry ingredients: All-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.
- Wet ingredients: Unsalted butter, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract.
- Chocolate: Semi-sweet chocolate chips give these cookies their classic chocolate chip cookie flavor.
Ingredient Substitutions
These chocolate chip cookies with white sugar are designed to be simple, but a few substitutions can work if needed.
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch helps create a softer, chewier cookie without chilling the dough. It also helps the cookies hold moisture and reduces spreading. Arrowroot may be used in place of cornstarch at a 2:1 ratio.
- Baking soda: Double-acting baking powder is the best substitute. The texture will be slightly different, but the cookies will still taste delicious. Use 3 teaspoons, or 1 tablespoon, baking powder in place of the baking soda.
- Unsalted butter: Salted butter can be used in the same amount. If using salted butter, omit the added salt.
- Granulated sugar: Granulated white sugar is the only sweetener used in this recipe. This recipe has not been tested with maple sugar, coconut sugar, or other alternative sweeteners.
- Eggs: Flax eggs may be used in place of regular eggs. To make one flax egg, mix 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 2.5 tablespoons water and let it sit for about 10 minutes, or until gelatinous. This recipe requires 2 flax eggs.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Semi-sweet chips create the classic flavor, but you can use your favorite chocolate chips or chopped chocolate.
How To Make
Can you make chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar? Yes, and the process is very simple. This no-chill cookie dough mixes quickly and bakes into soft, chewy cookies with lightly golden edges.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt together until evenly combined.
- Beat the butter and sugar. In a large mixing bowl, beat the room-temperature butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla extract until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients. Stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Fold in the chocolate chips. Stir most of the chocolate chips into the cookie dough, saving some for topping.
- Scoop the dough. Use a medium 2-tablespoon cookie scoop and place dough balls 2 to 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Top each dough ball with extra chocolate chips.
- Bake the cookies. Bake at 350 F for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown. Let the cookies cool on the hot baking sheet for 3 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack.
How To Make Ahead, Freeze, Thaw and Store
Make Ahead:
Even though these cookies are quick to make, the dough can be prepared ahead of time. Mix the cookie dough through the step of adding the chocolate chips, then choose the storage method that works best for you.
Freeze And Thaw:
To freeze the cookie dough: Place the scooped cookie dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until firm. Transfer the frozen dough balls to a zip-top freezer bag. These chocolate chip cookie dough balls without brown sugar can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months.
To thaw the cookie dough: Move the desired amount of frozen cookie dough balls to a lined plate or baking sheet and thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Bring the dough to room temperature before baking. You can also bake the dough straight from frozen; simply add about 2 to 3 minutes to the baking time.
Store:
To store leftover cookie dough: Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to one week, or freeze for up to 2 months.
To store baked cookies: Keep baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 to 3 days. For a warm, fresh-from-the-oven texture, microwave a cookie for about 15 to 20 seconds before serving.
M’s Expert Tips
- Use room-temperature ingredients: Room-temperature butter and eggs mix more evenly, which helps create a soft and chewy cookie.
- Measure the flour correctly: Too much flour can make cookies dry or cakey. For best results, use 250 grams of all-purpose flour for this recipe.
- Do not overmix the dough: Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients only until combined. Overmixing can make the cookies less tender.
- Reserve chocolate chips for topping: Save about ½ cup of chocolate chips to press onto the cookie dough balls before baking.
- Slightly under-bake the cookies: Remove the cookies when the edges are set and lightly golden. The centers may look soft, but they will continue to set on the hot baking sheet.
- Warm leftovers before serving: A quick 15 to 20 seconds in the microwave brings back a soft, melty texture.
FAQ’s
Brown sugar contains molasses, which adds moisture and helps cookies bake up chewier.
No. This recipe shows that you can make delicious chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar. Because brown sugar adds moisture, this recipe uses butter and cornstarch to help keep the cookies soft and chewy when using only white sugar.
Yes. Mix 1 tablespoon, or 15 ml, molasses with 1 cup, or 200 g, white sugar until well combined.
Other Chewy Cookies To Try
- Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
- Lemon Lavender Cookie Bars
- Hot Chocolate Brownie Cookies
- Chewy Maple Pumpkin Cookies
If you try this Chocolate Chip Cookies without Brown Sugar Recipe, leave a rating and a comment to help other bakers decide whether this is the right recipe for them. Happy baking!
Chocolate Chip Cookies without Brown Sugar Recipe
Megan
Equipment
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1 stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric hand mixer with beaters
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2 large baking sheets
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1 medium cookie scoop, optional
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp (10 g) cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1¼ cups (250 g) granulated white sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract
- 2 cups (12 oz, 340 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
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Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt together until well combined.
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In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
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On low speed, beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla extract. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
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On the lowest mixing speed or by hand, stir in the dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in 1½ cups of chocolate chips and reserve the remaining ½ cup for topping.
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Use a medium 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies 2 to 3 inches apart. Top with the remaining chocolate chips.
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Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown. Cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Notes
- Bring the eggs and butter to room temperature about 45 to 60 minutes before baking.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 to 3 days.
- This is a no-chill cookie recipe. If you have extra time, chilling the dough for 2 hours or up to overnight can create a slightly deeper flavor and chewier texture.