Enjoy the ultimate thick and chewy classic chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar. They’re ready in 15 minutes and require no chilling time. Perfect quick and easy dessert any time of year!
Chewy chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar
These are the ultimate thick, chewy, and soft chocolate chip cookies! My friends and family are obsessed. We make them at least once a week, along with these snickerdoodles or these oat flour chocolate chip cookies, because they only last a few hours in our kitchen.
The best part about this cookie recipe is that you don’t need brown sugar like these chocolate chip sugar cookies. Most classic chocolate chip cookie recipes call for both granulated sugar and brown sugar to achieve a chewy texture. But I wanted to make things easy for you, so here is the best chocolate chip cookie recipe without brown sugar. Instead, we use an extra egg yolk and maple syrup to make them chewy.
The cookies are soft and chewy; plus, the chocolate chips are gooey and add the perfect amount of sweetness. They are super thick and taste like a bakery-style classic chocolate chip cookie. My secret to making these cookies chewy without brown sugar is adding a little maple syrup and an extra egg yolk to the dough. It’s impossible to tell that there is no brown sugar!
I love baking these cookies on a Sunday and enjoying them for dessert all week. They call for simple, common ingredients that only take 10 minutes to bake. Plus, you don’t need to chill the dough before baking, so you’ll be in and out of the kitchen in under 20 minutes.
Why you’ll love this no-chill chocolate chip cookie recipe:
- Best Texture: They’re soft and chewy.
- Bakery Style Cookies: These chocolate chip cookies are thick and bakery-level good.
- Quick & Easy Recipe: Ready in 15 minutes.
- No Chill Time: The best part is that you don’t need to chill the dough.
- No Brown Sugar: These cookies are sweetened with granulated sugar.
- Make them Gluten-Free: These cookies can be made 100% gluten-free with one swap.
- Freezer Friendly: Quickly freeze cookie dough and bake later.
- Try these thick and gooey oat flour chocolate chip cookies next!
Ingredients needed
These are seriously the best chocolate chip cookies ever! They call for very basic baking ingredients like homemade flour, butter, sugar, vanilla, maple syrup, and a few other pantry staples. There is NO brown sugar in them! Here is a list of everything you need so you are prepared, but remember to scroll to the bottom of this page to get the exact measurements:
- Butter: First up, you’ll need one stick of unsalted butter for these cookies. The butter makes them super soft and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
- Granulated Sugar: White cane sugar is the only sugar we use to sweeten these chocolate chip cookies.
- Maple Syrup: Brown sugar is used in chocolate chip cookies to get a chewy texture. Since there is no brown sugar in this recipe, we use 1 Tablespoon of maple syrup to make them chewier.
- Vanilla Extract: A dash of vanilla adds the best flavor.
- Eggs: You need 1 egg and 1 egg yolk. I added an egg yolk to help achieve a super chewy texture since there is no brown sugar in this chocolate chip cookie recipe.
- Flour: I used all-purpose flour. You can also use gluten-free 1:1 baking flour.
- Baking Soda: To help these cookies rise and stay super thick.
- Salt: I love adding a dash of salt to my cookie recipes.
- Chocolate Chips: Grab dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips!
Kitchen tools needed
You only need a few kitchen utensils to make these soft chocolate chip cookies. Here is a list:
- One large mixing bowl
- One small mixing bowl
- Electric Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
- Spatula
- Two cookie baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Measuring Tools: 1/2 teaspoon, 1 Tablespoon, 1/4 cup, 1/3 cup, 1/2 cup, and 1 cup.
How to make chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar
These thick and chewy chocolate chip cookies are made in a few simple steps without brown sugar. There is no chill time required! They are loaded with chocolate chunks and melt in your mouth. Here are step-by-step directions with pictures for visual reference. The full recipe and ingredient measurements are at the bottom of this page in the recipe card.
Step 1:
First, preheat the oven to 350°F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set to the side.
Step 2:
Then, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Set to the side.
Step 3:
In a stand mixer (with a paddle attachment) or using an electric handheld mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until thoroughly combined and creamy. It should take about 1 – 2 minutes.
Step 4:
After that, add the maple syrup, vanilla extract, egg, and egg yolk. Mix until combined; be careful not to over-whip.
Step 5:
Gradually add the flour mixture until the dough is combined and slightly “sticky.” Molate chips by hand with a spat as they coolula.
Step 6:
Then, using a cooking scooper, portion out about 1.5 Tablespoons of dough for each cookie. Use your hands to roll them into balls, evenly space them out on your lined cookie sheets, and press a few extra chocolate chips on each dough ball. This recipe makes about 22 – 26 cookies.
Step 7:
Bake for 10 – 13 minutes, until edges are slightly golden. They might look underdone, but as they cool, they will sink and cook further. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking tray before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
Expert baking tips & tricks
- Room temperature ingredients. Opt for room-temperature butter and eggs to prevent extended baking times and potential flattening. Cold ingredients from the fridge can adversely affect the texture.
- Make sure your ba is NOT expired. Expired baking soda can lead to flattened and spread-out chocolate chip cookies. Check the expiration date, and to prevent this issue, make it a practice to swap out your baking soda every 4 months.
- Don’t skip out on the extra egg yolk. This recipe calls for 1 egg and 1 egg yolk. Don’t just add two full eggs. The egg yolk helps make these cookies extra thick and chewy without needing to add any brown sugar, which is typically used to make chewy chocolate chip cookies.
- Don’t overbake the cookies. These cookies will look slightly underbaked when you pull them out of the oven. That is normal! They will continue to cook on the baking sheet as they cool.
- Let the cookies cool for at least 5 minutes. It’s essential to let these chocolate chip cookies cool on the baking tray for at least 5 minutes so they finish baking and get their chewy texture. Trust me.
Easy ingredients substitutions:
Here is a list of the best ingredient substitutions when baking these chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar. I only recommend swapping one ingredient, so the recipe doesn’t change too much.
- Butter: Substitute with an equal amount of plant-based butter sticks or solid coconut oil for a dairy-free option.
- Maple Syrup: Replace with honey or agave syrup for a similar sweetening effect.
- All-Purpose Flour: You can experiment with whole wheat flour or a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. DO NOT use almond flour or coconut flour.
- Chocolate Chips: Feel free to mix different types of chocolate chips, such as white chocolate or milk chocolate, based on personal preferences. For a unique twist, You can replace it with chopped nuts or dried fruit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the texture of these cookies?
Once baked, the cookies have a soft, gooey, and chewy texture. They are nice and thick, and each bite melts in your mouth! They are not dry, thin, or crispy.
Can I make them gluten-free?
You should have no problem substituting the all-purpose flour with gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour to make these cookies gluten-free. Let me know if you try this in the comments section below!
Do you need to chill the cookie dough?
You do not need to chill the dough in this chocolate chip cookie recipe! You will be in and out of the kitchen in less than 20 minutes.
Can I freeze cookie dough and bake it later?
Yes, just portion out the dough, roll it into balls, space it out in a single layer in an airtight container, and freeze it for up to 2 months. You can bake them straight out of the freezer, but the bake time will likely increase by 1 or 2 minutes.
Why are my cookies flat?
Cookies flatten out when baking soda is expired. Check the expiration date! Avoid using baking soda that has been open for more than six months. I always reccomend writing the date you open a new container on the box.
What can I use if I don’t have brown sugar for cookies?
There are a few substitution options for brown sugar in cookies. The best two are (1) granulated white sugar in a 1:1 ratio, or (2) coconut sugar in a 1:1 ratio.
What’s the best way to keep cookies soft?
To keep your cookies soft and tender, place a piece of white sandwich bread, an apple wedge, or a tortilla in your storage container a day or two after baking. The moisture from the bread/apple will migrate to the cookies, making them soft again.
Is brown sugar necessary for cookies?
No, brown sugar is not strictly necessary for cookies. While brown sugar contributes to the texture and flavor, you can still make delicious cookies using alternative sweeteners like white sugar, honey, or maple syrup. This recipe uses granulated white sugar; the cookies are still sweet, chewy, and soft!
How do you bake frozen cookie dough?
Freezing cookie dough and baking it later is easy. Simply, portion out the dough, roll them into balls, space them out in a single layer in an airtight container, and freeze for up to 2 months. You can bake them straight out of the freezer, but the baking time will likely increase by 1 or 2 minutes.
How to store and freeze chocolate chip cookies:
Storing: For best results, store them in either a sealed, airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. You can also store them in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezing Baked Cookies: Add cooled baked chocolate chip cookies to a freezer-safe plastic bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months.
If you love this recipe, try these next!
- Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookies
- Snickerdoodles without Cream of Tartar
- Oat Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peanut Butter Almond Flour Cookies
- Healthy Apple Pie Oatmeal Cookies
- Healthier Gooey Cookie Skillet
- Gingerbread Cookies without Molasses
Did you make this recipe?
If you make this recipe, be sure to comment and rate it down below. Also, don’t forget to tag me @healthfulblondie on Instagram and use the hashtag #healthfulblondie so I can see your delicious creation and share it with my followers!
Chocolate Chip Cookies without Brown Sugar
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar (white sugar)
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg + 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ – 1 cup chocolate chips, dark or semi-sweet
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set to the side.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set to the side.
- In a stand mixer (with paddle attachment) or using an electric handheld mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until fully combined and creamy. It should take about 1 – 2 minutes.
- Add the maple syrup, vanilla extract, egg, and egg yolk. Mix until combines, be careful not to over whip.
- Gradually add in the flour mixture and mix until the dough is combined and slightly “sticky.” Mix in the chocolate chips BY HAND with a spatula.
- Using a cooking scooper, portion out about 1.5 Tablespoons of dough for each cookie. Use your hands to roll them into balls and evenly space them out on your lined cookie sheets and press a few extra chocolate chips on top of each dough ball. This recipe makes about 22 – 26 cookies.
- Bake for 10 – 13 minutes, until edges are slightly golden. They might look underdone, but as they cool, they will sink and cook further. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking tray before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
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Alyssa says
All I can say is WOW. One of the best cookie recipes I have made. I could not tell there was no brown sugar in them. They were sweet and chewy. I loved them. Thanks Agian!
andrea says
Best cookies ever!!! loved them.
emily says
Loved these cookies!