I have started chocolate chip cookies, reached for the brown sugar, and found the bag empty more times than I care to admit. The first time it happened I almost scrapped the whole plan. Then I tried it with just white sugar and honestly, they turned out great.
These chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar are crisp around the edges, soft in the middle, and packed with melted chocolate chips. They have become my go-to for last minute baking, and my kids have never once asked if something was missing.
These cookies are excellent additions to Christmas cookie trays, along with my Chocolate Chip Cookies DoubleTree copycat.
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Why This Recipe Works
- No brown sugar required. These cookies use only white sugar, so you get a crisp, light cookie with a clean vanilla flavor. The chocolate chips do the heavy lifting on richness, and they do it well.
- Crisp and buttery. Without the molasses in brown sugar, these bake up thinner and snappier around the edges. If you like a cookie with a little crunch, this is your recipe.
- Pantry friendly. Most chocolate chip cookie recipes assume you have brown sugar on hand. This one works with what you already have, no last minute grocery run.
- The same simple method. Cream the butter and sugar, add the egg and vanilla, mix in the dry ingredients, fold in the chocolate chips. The routine is the same even if one ingredient is not.
Ingredients in Chocolate Chip Cookies Without Brown Sugar
- unsalted butter, room temperature
- white sugar
- large eggs, room temperature
- vanilla extract
- all-purpose flour
- cornstarch
- baking powder
- salt
- semisweet chocolate chips
See the recipe card for the ingredient amounts and the detailed instructions.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookies Without Brown Sugar
The first step is to set the butter and eggs out to come to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Using an electric mixer, cream the unsalted butter together with the granulated sugar sugar until creamy in a large bowl.
Beat in one egg at a time followed by the vanilla extract.
In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients; all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture until a soft cookie dough forms.
Stir the chocolate chips into the cookie dough.
Using a #30 cookie scoop (roughly 2 tablespoons of dough), scoop the chocolate chip cookie dough and roll it into cookie dough balls.
Place them two inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet.
If desired, press extra chocolate chips down into the cookie dough balls.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are a light golden brown. Baking time will vary by oven so keep an eye on your cookies!
Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Variations in Chocolate Chip Cookies without Brown Sugar
To make these delicious cookies you're very own consider these variations. Keep in mind that altering the recipe will produce different results this easy chocolate chip cookie recipe.
Honey or Maple Syrup: If you're looking for a chewier texture and a hint of rich flavor, add a little honey or maple syrup to replace the chewier texture that brown sugar provides.
Butterscotch or White Chocolate Chips: Stir in some butterscotch chips or white chocolate chips or swap them out for a new flavor profile.
Nuts: Incorporate about ½ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans for added texture and a nutty flavor.
Gluten-Free Flours: You can swap out the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 measure gluten free flour mixture or use almond or coconut flour to cater to gluten-free needs.
Quick Tips
- Chill the dough if you have time. Even 30 minutes in the fridge keeps the cookies from spreading too thin and gives you a thicker center with crisp edges.
- Watch the bake time. Without brown sugar, these cookies go from golden to overdone fast. Pull them when the edges are set but the centers still look a little soft. They will firm up on the baking sheet.
- Use good chocolate chips. Since white sugar keeps the flavor light, the chocolate stands out more here than in a traditional cookie. Use chips you actually like eating straight from the bag.
- Swap the vanilla if you want a different vibe. Almond extract works really well with the buttery flavor and only takes a tiny splash.
- If you like playing with cookie textures, my cake mix cookies are even faster and use the same no-fuss method.
Storage Tips
When you've baked delicious chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar, storing them properly ensures they retain their flavor and texture. They can also be frozen to enjoy later!
To store cookies at room temperature, place them in an airtight container and place in a single layer with parchment paper between them to prevent sticking. When stored properly, they will last for up to 5 days.
Both chocolate chip cookie dough and baked cookies can be frozen.
- Dough Freezing Tips:
- Portion the cookie dough into balls for easy baking later.
- Flash freeze on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag.
- Label the bag with the date, and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Baked Cookies Freezing Tips:
- Cool the baked cookies completely before freezing to prevent condensation from building up and creating a soggy texture.
- Store in layers separated by parchment in a freezer-safe container.
- Label and date a freezer-safe container and store for up to 3 months for best quality.
Tools Needed to Make Cookies
- Light colored baking sheets bake slower than dark ones, so your cookies are less likely to over-brown on the bottom.
- An electric mixer such as a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment are great kitchen tools to have because they mix the dough and batter more efficiently than when doing it by hand. It also takes less time to complete the prep work for the recipe.
- A cookie scoop takes the guesswork out of cookie portions and gets uniform-sized cookies every time.
- Mixing bowls with grips is my favorite type of mixing bowl to use when using hand mixers. It prevents the bowl from moving around and it's easy to control. You will need a large bowl and a medium bowl for this recipe.
I make these cookies anytime the brown sugar runs dry and I still need something warm and chocolatey on the cooling rack. They hold their own next to any traditional chocolate chip cookie, and nobody has ever guessed the brown sugar was missing. If you try them, let me know what you think.
RELATED
Here are some more easy chocolate chip cookies to try:
- Soft Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies are incredibly soft chocolate chip cookies that have a rich buttery vanilla flavor.
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Chip Cookies without Brown Sugar
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter - room temperature
- 1 ½ cups white sugar
- 2 eggs - room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Using an electric mixer, cream the unsalted butter together with the granulated sugar sugar until creamy in a large bowl.
- Beat in one egg at a time followed by the vanilla extract.
- In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients; all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture until a soft cookie dough forms.
- Stir the chocolate chips into the cookie dough.
- Using a #30 cookie scoop (roughly 1.5 tablespoons of dough), scoop the chocolate chip cookie dough and roll it into cookie dough balls.
- Place them two inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet.
- Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate based on third-party calculations. Actual values may vary due to ingredients, measurements, and serving sizes.
© Popular Recipes
Dana is the lead recipe developer and photographer for PopularRecipes.com. With her 10+ years of experience creating, testing, and photographing recipes, she has become an artist in developing wholesome, family-friendly meals that are a hit with both kids and parents.
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