Chocolate Chip Cookies Made Without Brown Sugar

Craving cookies but fresh out of brown sugar? This soft, gooey recipe is your sweet solution!

Hi sweet friends, Bethany here! Last weekend, I was knee-deep in a cookie craving—but my brown sugar jar was empty. Instead of giving up, I grabbed my whisk and whipped up these chocolate chip cookies made without brown sugar. Spoiler: they’re soft, golden, and absolutely delicious. Even without brown sugar, these beauties are full of flavor and texture, thanks to a few smart swaps and tricks. If you’ve ever wondered whether cookies can be crave-worthy without brown sugar, the answer is a confident yes. So grab your mixing bowl and meet your new favorite no-fuss cookie recipe!

🍯 Can You Really Make Chocolate Chip Cookies Without Brown Sugar?

Yes, and the results are surprisingly sensational! These chocolate chip cookies made without brown sugar use pantry-friendly ingredients, yet still deliver soft centers and just-crisp edges.

So, what happens when you skip brown sugar? You lose a little moisture and molasses flavor—but that’s easily fixed. In this recipe, we bump up the vanilla extract and use just the right amount of flour and butter to balance softness and structure.

Get even more creative with your cookie game by checking out these Rice Krispie Treats with Marshmallow Fluff. They’re soft, sweet, and totally addictive.

💡 Bonus: This recipe works with regular or dairy-free butter, and you can use semisweet, dark, or even white chocolate.

👉 Check out my Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls for another easy, no-fuss treat that hits the sweet spot fast.

Chocolate Chip Cookies Made Without Brown Sugar

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• Author: Bethany Delish
• Total Time: 16 minutes
• Yield: 19 Cookies 1x

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Description

These chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar are made with 8 ingredients, no chill time, and ready in 16 minutes! Soft, gooey, and full of chocolate chips!

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Ingredients

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• ¾ cup butter, softened (regular or dairy free)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup chopped chocolate or chocolate chips (regular or vegan)

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a standing mixer with the paddle attachment or a handheld mixer, combine butter and sugar, mixing until light and fluffy (around 1-2 minutes).
4. Add in the egg and vanilla extract, and beat until just combined (do not over-mix!).
5. Mix in the dry ingredients until a dough forms. Stir in the chocolate chips and mix until combined. SEE NOTES
6. Use a medium cookie scoop or spoon to make 1.5 tablespoon sized balls and place them on the baking sheet around 3-4 inches apart.
7. Bake the cookies (one sheet at a time for even baking) for 8-11 minutes. Remove them from the oven when the edges look set and have just begun to darken on the edges – but the edges should not be golden brown! It is very important that these cookies are under-baked in order for them to stay soft. They will look under-baked (but will continue to bake on the baking sheet) and very pale, because there is no brown sugar in the recipe.
8. Remove from the oven and leave them on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

Notes

1. PLEASE NOTE: I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh your dry ingredients. 
2. MEASURING FLOUR: Please properly measure your flour using either a kitchen scale or by fluffing it up in the bag with a fork, then using a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup and then use the back of a butterknife to level it off (the is the scoop and level method)
3. THICKER COOKIES: For thicker, puffier cookies, you can chill the dough in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.
4. CHOCOLATE CHIPS: You can use any kind of chocolate chips. I like to use semisweet. You can also use a chopped up chocolate bar or even white chocolate chips.
5. Storage and Freezing: Store the cookies in an airtight container or ziploc bag at room temperature for 5-6 days.
6. The baked cookies can be frozen in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature when you’re ready to eat them.
7. Freezing the cookie dough: To freeze the dough and bake later, use a cookie scoop to scoop the dough onto a baking sheet and place in the freezer. Once they are firm but not frozen completely, transfer to a plastic freezer bag if desired, then freeze up to 2 months.

• Prep Time: 8 minutes
• Bake Time: 8 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 Cookie
• Calories: 157 kcal
• Sugar: 10g
• Fat: 8g
• Saturated Fat: 3g
• Unsaturated Fat: 5g
• Trans Fat: 1g
• Carbohydrates: 19g
• Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 2g
• Cholesterol: 166mg

🍪 The Secret to Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies Made Without Brown Sugar

The golden rule? Underbake slightly. Since there’s no brown sugar to lock in moisture, timing is everything.

To keep your chocolate chip cookies made without brown sugar soft and chewy:

• Bake at 350°F for 8–11 minutes
• Pull them when edges are set, but centers look pale
• Let them sit on the baking sheet for 10 minutes to finish cooking

These steps help your cookies stay soft and tender—even after cooling.

Ingredients

Here’s what you need for these chocolate chip cookies made without brown sugar:

• ¾ cup softened butter
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• ½ cup chocolate chips

And that’s it—no brown sugar needed. These cookies still bake up gooey, sweet, and picture-perfect.

Don’t forget to measure flour properly (use a digital scale or scoop & level method). Too much flour can make your chocolate chip cookies made without brown sugar dry or cakey.

🥄 Additions & Swaps:

• Want depth of flavor? Stir in a teaspoon of maple syrup or molasses.
• Add chopped walnuts or pecans for crunch.
• Fold in butterscotch chips for a caramel-like bite.

These cookies pair perfectly with a cozy drink or something creamy like my Boston Cream Cupcakes—rich, smooth, and pure comfort.

Or, if you love delicate flavors, you’ll fall for my Lemon Lavender Cookies—they’re floral, buttery, and impossible to eat just one.

🍽️ Quick Recipe + Storage Tips

Ready to bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies made without brown sugar in under 20 minutes? Here’s your plan:

👩‍🍳 Instructions:

1. Go ahead and preheat your oven to 350°F, then grab two baking sheets and line them with parchment paper to keep things mess-free.
2. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt.
3. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (1–2 mins).
4. Beat in egg and vanilla until just combined.
5. Gently mix in the dry ingredients until a dough forms, then fold in those glorious chocolate chips until evenly combined.
6. Scoop 1.5 tbsp dough balls, spaced 3 inches apart.
7. Bake 8–11 minutes until edges are set.
8. Let rest 10 minutes on sheet, then cool on rack.

🍪 Storage:

• Airtight container at room temp: 5–6 days
• Freezer (baked cookies): Up to 2 months
• Freeze raw dough: Scoop balls, freeze, store in bags

Want to elevate your chocolate chip cookies made without brown sugar? Top with flaky sea salt before baking, or press extra chocolate chips on top for bakery-style presentation.

Or cool things down with a scoop of Rice Krispie Treat Ice Cream—a playful twist on nostalgic flavors.

📌 Want more grab-and-go options? Try my Mini Cookies & Chips for fun-sized bites that vanish fast.

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