Chocolate Chip Cookies without Brown Sugar

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These simple Chocolate Chip Cookies without Brown Sugar only require 8 basic ingredients to make and dough chilling is completely optional. It does not get any easier! These are perfect for when that sweet tooth hits and you need a quick fix. You can’t go wrong with a classic!

side view of cookie being dunked in milk

Like I have mentioned in some of my recent posts, starting my blog has really piqued my interest in baking. I used to hate it and rarely do it. Now, I have a new appreciation for the process.

My husband's favorite dessert is chocolate chip cookies. They really are the best! What is your favorite cookie/dessert?

I wanted to create a super simple and basic chocolate chip cookie recipe. I found that so many recipes out there call for whole eggs & egg yolks, brown butter, espresso powder, sea salt, etc. While all of these ingredients can really take a chocolate chip cookie to the next level, I wanted to bring things back to the basics.

This only calls for 8 simple ingredients. And it only requires white granulated sugar. You heard me right, no brown sugar needed! So it is perfect if you find yourself fresh out of brown sugar or you are just looking for a simple cookie recipe.

Brown sugar is not as sweet as white sugar. So it is not a 1:1 substitute. I found that many of the chocolate chip cookie recipes without brown sugar were too sweet for my liking. So I reduced the amount slightly. You will notice the recipe does not call for a full ¾ cup of sugar.

For fun I used mini chocolate chips and regular, but this is totally personal preference. Feel free to use whatever you have on hand! They are delicious regardless. Hope you enjoy!! xx

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Highlights
Ingredients
Instructions
Expert Tips & Recipe Notes
FAQs
Related Recipes
Chocolate Chip Cookies without Brown Sugar

Highlights

No brown sugar needed
Only 8 simple ingredients
Chilling is optional
Regular & mini chocolate chips
Not overly sweet
Super easy to make

Ingredients

Softened Unsalted Butter: Leave the butter on the counter for 1 hour. If you are short on time, you can soften the butter in the microwave. Place the butter on a microwave safe plate in its wrapper. Microwave on 50% power for 8 seconds. Flip and repeat. You do not want to overheat the butter. This will cause the cookies to spread too much.
Semi Sweet Chocolate: You can swap this or use a combination of white and milk chocolate. I prefer semi sweet so the cookies are not too sweet. You can use chocolate chips, mini chocolate chips, chopped chocolate, or chocolate chunks.

Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.

Instructions

before you start . . .

Soften the butter. Leave the butter on the counter for 1 hour. If you are short on time, you can soften the butter in the microwave. Place the butter on a microwave safe plate in its wrapper. Microwave on 50% power for 8 seconds. Flip and repeat. You do not want to overheat the butter. This will cause the cookies to spread too much.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Step 1: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium high for 2-3 minutes.

Step 2: Add the egg and vanilla. Mix on medium until well combined.

steps 1 & 2
butter and sugar creamed
eggs and vanilla added to creamed mixture

TIP - Use a spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is incorporated.

Step 3: Add the flour, salt, and baking soda in this order. Mix on the lowest speed or use a spatula to fold until about ¾ of the flour is combined.

Step 4: Use a spatula to fold in the chocolate. (Optional: If you want thicker cookies, chill the dough for 1-2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator or for 30-40 minutes in the freezer.)

steps 3 & 4
dry ingredients added with flour showing in dough
chocolate chips stirred into dough no more flour showing

NOTE - You will see uncombined flour at this step. This is good!

Step 5: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Scoop the dough into 1 ½ Tablespoon mounds. Arrange 12 per baking sheet spacing them 2-3 inches apart.

Step 6: Bake for about 11 minutes or until the edges just begin to brown. Allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes or until set on the baking sheet.

steps 5 & 6
cookie dough scooped on sheet
baked cookies on sheet

NOTE - Cookies often look underdone when they come out of the oven. They will continue cooking on the baking sheet when they come out.

Expert Tips & Recipe Notes

Use a kitchen scale. Accurate measurements are the most important aspect of baking. I measure all of my ingredients in grams. If you do not have one, be sure to spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a knife. This prevents the flour from being packed in.
Use room temperature butter. Room temperature butter is around 60 degrees. The best way to bring it to this temperature is to let it sit out or use the microwave trick I mentioned above. Do not use melted butter for this recipe. It will cause the cookies to overspread. White sugar spreads more than brown so it is especially crucial for this recipe. It also helps it seamlessly combine with the sugar.
Cream the butter and sugar. Creaming the room temperature butter and sugar with an electric mixer creates little air bubbles throughout the mixture. This results in perfectly puffy cookies.
Use good quality chocolate & vanilla. Since this recipe does not use brown sugar. The quality of the other ingredients are even more important because their flavors are on the forefront. I like Ghirardelli Chocolate the best. Simple Organic makes a great vanilla extract.
Do not over mix the dough. If you over mix the dry ingredients, the cookies will be denser and flatter. This is not the ideal texture.
Remove from the baking sheet. After the cookies have baked for a few minutes and are set, transfer them to a wire rack or plate. They will overcook if they continue to sit on the hot baking sheet.
Rotate if baking two sheets at a time. If you want to bake all of the cookies at the same time, follow the same baking instructions, but swap the rack position of the baking sheets halfway though. This helps the cookies cook more evenly.

FAQs

How do you store leftover cookies?

These will stay fresh in an airtight container on the counter for 5-7 days.

Do you have to chill the dough?

No. I prefer to chill it though. The cookies spread a bit more, resulting in a slightly flatter cookie without chilling. Even if you only have 30 minutes, pop the dough in the freezer.

Can you make this dough ahead of time?

Yes. Follow the recipe through step 4. Chill the dough for up to 1 day in the refrigerator and follow the rest of the steps as written. These are great to make the day before you want to serve them.

What can I use if I don't have brown sugar for chocolate chip cookies?

Brown and white sugar are not 1:1 substitutes. I recommend finding a recipe specifically made without brown sugar for the best results.

Can I use white sugar instead of brown sugar in cookies?

No. I find white sugar to be much sweeter. It also affects the texture of the cookies differently. They will overspread if the recipe does not account for the extra white sugar.

What does Brown Sugar do to cookies?

Brown sugar gives the cookies a chewier and puffier texture. It does not spread as much as white sugar.

Why are my cookies flat?

There are a few things that cause flat cookies. Too much butter or sugar will cause the cookies to spread more. This is why accurate measurements are so important. If you do not properly cream the butter and sugar, the dough will have less aeration. This also results in flatter cookies. Over mixing the dry ingredients will also cause your cookies to be flat. This adds too much air, causing the cookies to collapse.

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