These chewy chocolate chip cookies are made without brown sugar!
While most cookie recipes call for brown sugar to create a chewier cookie, these small-batch chocolate chip cookies are made only with regular white sugar and very simple basic ingredients.
These delicious chocolate chip cookies are sweet and crisp with a soft texture - perfect as a sweet treat any time of the day!
⭐ Love more chewy chocolate chip cookies? You can't miss our coconut chocolate cookies, gluten free chocolate chip cookies, and banana oatmeal cookies.
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Why It's Yummy
- Perfect for planning ahead - You can freeze these cookies before or after baking, and they'll turn out great!
- Ease - The cookie dough requires only one bowl, and doesn't need to chill for a long time. These tasty small-batch cookies make just 6 to 8 cookies.
- Perfect Texture - The cookies turn out super soft, fluffy and chewy.
- These cookies are gluten free.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter - Softened at room temperature. I highly recommend using unsalted butter for this recipe. It allows you to control the salt level as you never know how much salt is added to a specific butter brand. You can make these cookies dairy-free by using dairy-free butter.
- White sugar - White or Caster sugar. It has a fine texture which dissolves easily into the butter. White sugar helps with spreading and chewy texture for cookies. Cookies still come out very moist even without brown sugar.
- Flour - I've used a gluten-free flour blend. Bob's Red Mill is a great option. You could also use all-purpose flour if you don't mind these cookies containing gluten.
- Baking powder - Check the expiry date on this ingredient to ensure a good rise in these gluten-free chocolate chip cookies.
- Chocolate chips - I used ½ cup as I like to feel the gooey chocolate in every bite, but you can decrease the amount to ⅓ cup. You can use any: semi-sweet chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, milk, or white chocolate chips. If you don't have chocolate chips, use chocolate chunks instead. Chopped nuts can also be added to these cookies. If you want to use mini chips, decrease the amount to ¼ cups.
- Vanilla extract - Pure and not the artificial kind. Real vanilla extract adds delicious flavor and a bakery-style aroma. It is optional but it adds so much more to any cookie recipe and balances other flavors well.
- Size - These cookies are on the thicker and larger side but you can also make very small cookies similar to my Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies . For this, make about 1- 1 ½ sized tablespoon cookie dough balls.
- Milk - Adds moisture to the cookie dough.
- Egg - Bring the egg yolk to room temperature. Use a large egg, not medium or jumbo. In the UK or Europe, medium eggs are suitable.
📋 JULIA'S TIP These cookies have a perfect fluffy texture. They are thick and bigger cookies and very chewy and soft inside.
Is Brown Sugar Necessary For Cookies?
Not at all. You can use white and brown sugar interchangeably in chocolate chip cookie recipes. Brown sugar will add more moisture (although these cookies are pretty moist already) and caramel flavor.
How To Make Chocolate Chip Cookies without Brown Sugar
In a large bowl combine butter and sugar. Beat on low speed with an electric mixer or stand mixer until smooth and creamy.
Gradually add egg and vanilla. Mix on low until combined. Set aside.
In a separate large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Whisk to combine and add the flour mixture in batches add to the wet ingredients.
Beat on low until just combined.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and freeze the cookie dough for 30 minutes or fridge for longer until the dough resembles ''playdough''.
The chocolate chip cookie dough will be sticky in the beginning so we need to chill it first otherwise it is hard to form cookie dough balls and the cookies will spread too much.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176 C).
Form about 2 ½ tablespoon-sized cookie dough balls and transfer to a baking sheet lined with a baking mat or parchment paper in a single layer. Don't press down.
Bake for 11-12 minutes (the time may vary due to different ovens). Once the cookies are baked, press more chocolate chips on the top (personal preference and only for visual presentation).
The cookies will have a soft center inside with a slightly crisp exterior. Once they cool down they will set well and the texture inside remains soft, and buttery.
Let the cookies stand in the pan for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recommended Equipment
No fancy equipment is needed. Here are the basics:
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Airtight Food containers
- Mixing Bowls
- Large Baking Sheets
- Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer
Tips
- Use a cookie scoop to create uniform-sized homemade chocolate chip cookies.
- To make the best chocolate chip cookies, chill the cookie dough which will help to prevent the cookies from spreading flat while baking and also makes it easier to handle when forming balls.
- It's normal for chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar to look paler than cookies with brown sugar.
- Don't overmix the dry ingredients and wet ingredients. They should be mixed until just combined to ensure crisp and chewy cookies.
- When making multiple batches of these gluten-free chocolate chip cookies, switch baking trays so that the raw cookie dough is not added to a hot baking sheet. Adding the dough to hot or warm baking sheets will cause the cookies to spread too much.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to the cooling rack. This will help prevent them from crumbling.
- Use softened butter, letting it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes. It should be soft but not easily pierced through.
- To make these cookies crispy make them smaller and add 2-5 minutes extra baking time.
- Chocolate Chip Variations - You can use semisweet, dark, milk chocolate chips or peanut butter chips. Dairy-free options like vegan white chocolate chips work too. Chocolate chunks are also a tasty alternative.
- Accurate Flour Measurement - Ensure precise flour measurement by using a kitchen scale or the scoop and level method. Over-measuring flour is a common mistake that can affect the soft and chewy texture of the cookies.
- Avoid Over-Baking - Be mindful not to over-bake the cookies. Even a minute too long in the oven can result in over-baked cookies. For cookies that stay soft for days, carefully monitor them and err on the side of removing the first batch a bit early. The edges should have a touch of color but not be fully golden brown.
- Extra Chocolate Chip Delight - Enhance your cookies by adding extra chocolate chips on top. This creates delightful, gooey pools of chocolate goodness.
- Proper Spacing - When placing the cookie dough scoops on the baking sheet, ensure a spacing of 3 inches (7 cm) between them. This allows the cookies to expand evenly during baking and prevents them from sticking together.
- Preheating and Oven Temperature - Always preheat the oven for at least 10 to 15 minutes. Some ovens may not heat accurately, potentially varying by a few degrees. To ensure optimal baking, use an oven thermometer if needed. It can help determine if your cookies are underbaked or browning too quickly.
📋 JULIA'S TIP To achieve the best mixability, ensure that the butter is at room temperature when creaming it with the sugar. However, be cautious not to let the butter become too soft or nearly melted. Overly soft butter can hinder proper creaming, resulting in greasy and dense cookies.
Cookie Trouble Shooting
Here are a couple of common mistakes when baking cookies and how to fix them:
- Dry/Crumbly Dough: If your dough is dry or crumbly, it's likely due to an excess of flour (ensure you measure accurately by weight or using the spoon and sweep method) or a small egg, resulting in insufficient liquid for proper mixing. To remedy this, add a small amount of extra milk or water until the dough comes together, ensuring no dry flour bits are at the bowl's bottom.
- Cookies Not Spreading: Several factors can cause cookies not to spread as desired. Firstly, excessive flour in the dough can be a culprit, so ensure accurate measurement by weight or using the spoon and sweep method. Or you have chilled the cookies in the fridge/freezer for too long.
Freezing And Storing Instructions
- To Store. To keep your cookies fresh, store them in an airtight container or a ziploc bag at room temperature for 3 days. In the refrigerator for up to a week.
- To Freeze. If you want to extend their lifespan, you can freeze the baked cookies in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. When you're ready to enjoy them, simply thaw them at room temperature.
- How To Freeze The Cookie Dough. For convenient future baking, you can also freeze the cookie dough. Use a cookie scoop to portion out the dough onto a baking sheet (but not essential; you can also freeze it as it is in a freezer bag or airtight container), and then place it in the freezer. Once the dough is firm but not completely frozen, transfer it to a plastic freezer bag if desired. This way, you can freeze the dough for up to 2 months and bake it whenever you'd like.
- How To Reheat. For that fresh-out-of-the-oven taste, pop a couple of cookies into the microwave and heat them for 15 to 20 seconds. It'll make the cookies soft and gooey again.
Variations
- White Chocolate Macadamia Nut - add about ¼ cup macadamia nuts as an extra or instead of chocolate chips. Or try my recipe for chewy cookies with macadami nut instead. Add ⅓ cup white chocolate chips and ¼-½ cup of chopped macadamia nuts
- Chocolate M&Ms Cookies - add m&ms instead of chips or try my recipe for oatmeal monster m&m cookies.
- Funfetti - Add ½ cup of white chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon of sprinkles.
- Dried fruit - Dried fruit, such as cranberries, cherries, raisins, or chopped apricots, will all be a delicious add-in for these cookies. Some dried fruit contains added sugar, so be sure to look for no extra sugar added as the cookies might turn out a little sweeter.
- Use other extracts - vanilla is the best in these cookies but we also love to experiment and add rum, almond, or peppermint extract.
Dietary Variations
- Vanilla extract - you can skip the vanilla extract and the cookies will still taste delicious but will lack this bakery-style cookie flavor.
- Chocolate Chip Cookies Without Baking Powder - you can use baking soda in these cookies instead.
- Dairy free - use plant-based milk and substitute regular butter for vegan butter.
- Eggless chocolate chip cookies - I haven't tested these cookies with vegan eggs (such as flaxseed eg) but a powdered egg replacement should work better here.
FAQs
I've used white sugar in these small-batch chocolate chip cookies. You could also use coconut sugar, honey, maple syrup, agave syrup, pulsed Medjool dates, or a liquid sweetener as a brown sugar replacement.
Brown sugar is dense and compact, creating chewy and moist cookies as it prevents moisture from escaping the cookie dough while baking.
Brown sugar adds a lovely golden brown color to baked cookies with a caramelized flavor.
The level of sweetness in these chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar remains the same, but the texture may change slightly as brown sugar typically creates a more moist and chewy texture in cookies.
Yes! Brown sugar is white sugar that has been combined with molasses.
To make your own brown sugar from scratch, add ½ cup of sugar with 1 ½ teaspoon of molasses.
I don't recommend using blackstrap molasses as this is too bitter for cookies.
White sugar dissolves easily into the butter mixture, adding sweetness and making the cookies crisp. The brown sugar traps moisture in the cookie dough, which results in a chewy texture.
Yes! Store the unbaked chocolate chip cookie dough in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Ensure the bowl is tightly covered with plastic wrap or transfer the dough into a food container. Before baking, allow the cookie dough to sit on the counter for 10 to 20 minutes to become soft enough for scooping.
This is a small batch with just 6-8 cookies.
More Cookie Recipes
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Recipe Card
Chocolate Chip Cookies Without Brown Sugar
Ingredients
Method
- In a large bowl combine butter and sugar. Beat on low speed with an electric mixer or stand mixer until smooth and creamy. Gradually add egg and vanilla. Mix on low until combined. Set aside.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Whisk to combine and add the flour mixture in batches add to wet ingredients. Beat on low until just combined.
- Stir in chocolate chips. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and freeze the cookie dough for 30 minutes or fridge for longer until the dough resembles ''playdough''. The chocolate chip cookie dough will be sticky in the beginning so we need to chill it first otherwise it is hard to form cookie dough balls and the cookies will spread too much.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176 C).
- Form about 2 ½ tablespoon-sized cookie dough balls and transfer to baking sheet lined with baking mat or parchment paper in a single layer. Don't press down.
- Bake for 11-12 minutes (the time may vary due to different ovens). Once the cookies are baked, press more chocolate chips on the top (personal preference and only for visual).
- The cookies will have a soft center inside with a slightly crisp exterior. Once they cool down they will set well and the texture inside remains soft, and buttery.
- Let the cookies stand in the pan for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition
Notes
- Unsalted butter - Softened at room temperature. I highly recommend using unsalted butter for this recipe. It allows you to control the salt level as you never know how much salt is added to a specific butter brand. You can make these cookies dairy-free by using dairy-free butter.
- White sugar - white or caster sugar can also be used when making chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar. It has a fine texture which dissolves easily into the butter. White sugar helps with spreading and chewy texture for cookies. Cookies still come out very moist even without brown sugar.
- Flour - I've used a gluten-free flour blend. Bob's Red Mill 1:1 (with xanthan gum) is a great option. You could also use all-purpose flour if you don't mind these cookies containing gluten.
- Baking powder - Check the expiry date on this ingredient to ensure a good rise in these gluten-free chocolate chip cookies.
- Use softened butter, which means letting it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes. It should be soft but not easily pierced through.
- Accurate Flour Measurement - Ensure precise flour measurement by using a kitchen scale or the scoop and level method. Over-measuring flour is a common mistake that can affect the soft and chewy texture of the cookies.
- Avoid Over-Baking - Be mindful not to over-bake the cookies. Even a minute too long in the oven can result in over-baked cookies. The edges should have a touch of color but not be fully golden brown.
- Trouble Shooting:
- Dry/Crumbly Dough: If your dough is dry or crumbly, it's likely due to an excess of flour (ensure you measure accurately by weight or using the spoon and sweep method) or if you used a small egg, resulting in insufficient liquid for proper mixing. To remedy this, add a small amount of milk or water (about half a teaspoon) until the dough comes together, ensuring there are no dry flour bits at the bottom of the bowl.
- Cookies Not Spreading: Several factors can cause cookies to not spread as desired. Firstly, excessive flour in the dough can be a culprit, so ensure accurate measurement by weight or using the spoon and sweep method. Or you have chilled the cookies in the fridge/freezer for too long.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
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Julia | The Yummy Bowl
Deliciously chewy chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar!