Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies without Brown Sugar are chewy, slightly crispy, and loaded with big chunks of chocolate. Delicious cookie recipe you'll love to make even if you aren't out of brown sugar.
Jump to:
- How to Add Flavor to Chocolate Chip Cookies without Brown Sugar
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients
- What Does Brown Sugar Do in Cookies?
- What Does White Sugar Do in Cookies?
- Brown Sugar Substitute in Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Step by Step Instructions
- Storage
- Expert Tips
- FAQs
- More Favorite Cookie Recipes
- Recipe Essentials
- Let's Stay in Touch
- Chocolate Chip Cookies without Brown Sugar
When a chocolate chip cookie craving strikes, don't let an empty brown sugar canister stand between you and a fresh, warm homemade chocolate chip cookie.
You can absolutely make chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar with this super easy recipe.
How to Add Flavor to Chocolate Chip Cookies without Brown Sugar
These chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar have a chewy texture and perfectly crispy edges. I added a big splash of vanilla and a full teaspoon of salt to enhance the flavors in the cookies.
I also used chopped chocolate in addition to the chocolate chips. Why?
Those tiny shards of chopped chocolate melt throughout the cookie and add rich chocolate flavor all throughout the cookies. Plus, look at those big gobs of melted chocolate on top ... I mean ...
No brown sugar chocolate chip cookies are a lighter colored cookie because, well, no brown sugar.
They're thinner, a bit crisper, and less chewy than cookies with brown sugar.
You can almost think of them like a really good sugar cookie loaded up with chocolate chips -- a pretty good thing, if you ask me!
These are really delicious cookies.
Try these Cookie Recipes Next
- Chocolate Chip Cookies without Butter
- Mexican Wedding Cookies
- Carrot Cake Mix Bar Cookies
- Mocha Coffee Blossom Cookies
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Easy cookie recipe with basic ingredients you might already have
You can still make delicious chocolate chip cookies, even if there's no brown sugar in the house!
Fun twist on classic chocolate chip cookies
Chewy chocolate chip cookies with a soft texture and tons of chocolate
Ingredients
Easy chocolate chip cookie recipe with simple ingredients.
Unsalted butter. Use room temperature butter so it will easily cream with the sugar and blend cohesively with the rest of the ingredients.
Granulated sugar. All white sugar in these chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar give them that classic buttery sugar cookie flavor.
One egg and one egg yolk. Egg whites can dry out cookies, so I took one out. The egg yolk adds richness and moisture to the cookie dough. Use room temperature eggs.
Pure vanilla extract. One full tablespoon of vanilla enhances the flavor in these cookies.
All purpose flour. Carefully measure the flour to avoid accidentally adding too much flour, which can make the cookies dry and tough. Stir the flour in the canister or bag, spoon it into the measuring cup, and level the top off with a knife. Do not scoop the measuring cup straight into the bag or canister.
Salt. One teaspoon of salt is another flavor enhancer. If you're watching your salt intake, you can reduce it down.
Chocolate chips and chopped chocolate. I use a combination of semi-sweet chocolate chips and chopped chocolate, but you can use all of either one. Dark chocolate chips, mini chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, or white chocolate chips would all work.
What Does Brown Sugar Do in Cookies?
Brown sugar adds a rich, molasses caramel flavor to chocolate chip cookies. You'll also notice a darker color than cookies made with all white sugar. Chocolate chip cookies with brown sugar also tend to be a more moist and chewier cookie.
What Does White Sugar Do in Cookies?
Cookies with all white sugar have a lighter color, like a sugar cookie. White sugar may help your cookies spread a bit more, so they may be thinner with more of a crispy texture than chocolate chip cookies made with brown sugar.
Brown Sugar Substitute in Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you're mid-recipe and really need brown sugar, you can essentially make your own brown sugar!
Brown sugar is really just white sugar with molasses, so if you have molasses in the cupboard, you're in luck!
Here's how to make your own light and dark brown sugar:
- Light brown sugar: Mix 1 cup granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon molasses
- Dark brown sugar: Mix 1 cup sugar with 2 tablespoons molasses
Use light molasses, also called first, mild, or sweet molasses.
Dark molasses will also work, but will have a more intense flavor. If you're making dark brown sugar with dark molasses, taste the sugar mixture with one tablespoon of molasses before adding the second tablespoon.
Blackstrap molasses is not recommended, as it has a bitter flavor. Save it for savory recipes, instead.
Step by Step Instructions
1. Mix the wet ingredients.
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together with an electric mixer at medium speed. Mix in the egg and egg yolk until creamy. Add the vanilla and mix until completely combined.
2. Mix the dry ingredients.
In a separate large bowl, stir the flour, salt, and baking soda together.
3. Combine the wet and dry ingredients.
Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed while stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
4. Stir in the chocolate.
Set aside a handful of chocolate chips and chocolate chunks to add on top of the cookie dough later.
With a sturdy spatula or wooden spoon, fold in the chocolate chips and chopped chocolate.
5. Chill the dough.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least one hour up to several hours or overnight.
A shorter chill time will result in cookies that spread a bit more, so they'll be thinner and a little crispier. A longer resting time yields cookies that spread less, so they're a bit thicker with a chewier texture. Both are delicious :).
6. Bake
Preheat the oven to 350. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
Scoop the dough with a cookie scoop into 2-3 tablespoon cookie dough balls.
Pro Tip: To create cookies with craggy texture, break the dough ball apart and stick it back together with the rough sides on the outside.
Also, shape the dough into a tall ball to help keep the cookie from spreading too much during baking.
Place the cookie dough about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
Place a few extra chocolate chips and chocolate chips you set aside earlier on top of each cookie dough ball.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges and tops just start to turn a light golden brown. These are very light colored cookies, be very careful not to overbake them.
7. Cool.
Set the pan on a wire rack and let the cookies cool on the pan for 10 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to cool the rest of the way.
Storage
Baked cookies.
Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days.
Freeze baked cookies in a single layer between wax paper in a freezer safe container or freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature.
Cookie dough.
Freeze cookie dough balls in a freezer bag for up to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.
Store chocolate chip cookie dough in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Expert Tips
Be careful not to overbake the cookies. Check on them a minute or two before the bake time is up and adjust as needed.
Chill the cookie dough for at least an hour, up to overnight, if you like a softer, chewier cookie. A shorter resting time creates a thinner cookie that spreads just a little bit more. It's still very moist and delicious.
For the best flavor and texture of your cookies, I recommend using a mixture of chocolate chips and chopped chocolate. Chocolate chips don't melt down during baking, so when they cool, they add crunchy texture. Chopped chocolate melts throughout the cookie, adding chocolate flavor. The big chunks of chocolate that melt on top are creamy, gooey, and irresistible.
FAQs
Absolutely! Chocolate chip cookies with white sugar -- no brown sugar -- are absolutely delicious.
You will notice a difference in the flavor, thickness, and color of the cookies, so you may need to make some adjustments to your classic chocolate chip cookie recipe.
For instance, during my testing, the white sugar chocolate chip cookies were thinner and spread more, so I had to add a little bit of flour.
Also, I wanted to make up for some of the flavor, so I boosted the vanilla, salt, and used chopped chocolate so the little shards of chocolate would melt throughout the cookie and add flavor.
Yes! Chopped chocolate is a great substitution for chocolate chips -- and actually, an upgrade.
First, you have better control over the flavor because there are more choices of chocolate bars than chocolate chips.
Also, premium chocolate melts creamier than chocolate chips, so you'll also improve the texture.
And those tiny slivers of chocolate on your cutting board? Definitely put those in your cookies too because they melt and add chocolate flavor throughout the cookies.
That extra egg white you have leftover can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days or frozen for up to a few months.
More Favorite Cookie Recipes
Recipe Essentials
I love my aluminum NordicWare baking sheets -- plus they're made in my home state of Minnesota <3.
This little KitchenAid hand held mixer is tough enough for stiff cookie doughs. It even comes with a whisk attachment for whipping egg whites for macaroons.
Let's Stay in Touch
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Chocolate Chip Cookies without Brown Sugar
Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter 1 ½ sticks
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ cups chocolate chips and/or chopped chocolate I use ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1 cup chopped dark or bittersweet chocolate.
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar together in a large bowl at medium speed. Mix in the egg and egg yolk until creamy. Add the vanilla and mix until completely combined.
- In a separate large bowl, stir the flour, salt, and baking soda together.
- Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed while stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Set aside a handful of chocolate chips and chocolate chunks to add on top of the cookie dough later. With a sturdy spatula or wooden spoon, fold in the chocolate chips and chopped chocolate.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least one hour up to several hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
- Scoop the dough with a cookie scoop into 2-3 tablespoon cookie dough balls. To create cookies with craggy texture, break the dough ball apart and stick it back together with the rough sides on the outside. Shape the dough into a tall ball if you want a little bit of a thicker cookie. Place the cookie dough about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Place a few extra chocolate chips and chocolate chips you set aside earlier on top of each cookie dough ball.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges and tops just start to turn a light golden brown. These are very light colored cookies, be very careful not to overbake them.
- Set the pan on a wire rack and let the cookies cool on the pan for 10 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to cool the rest of the way.
Storage & Freezing
- Baked cookies. Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days. Freeze baked cookies in a single layer between wax paper in a freezer safe container or freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature. Cookie dough.Freeze cookie dough balls in a freezer bag for up to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator. Store chocolate chip cookie dough in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
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