Chocolate Chip Cookies Without Brown Sugar

These classic chocolate chip cookies are made without brown sugar but don’t skimp on flavor. This recipe features basic ingredients and simple steps.

I have a sweet tooth…. on second thought, sweet teeth might be more accurate.

Just the other day I caught myself wondering how many cookies I’ve made in my lifetime, and how many I’ve eaten. I stopped when I hit middle school math concepts.

Some things are better left alone and cookie math is against my religion.

But these cookies, well they’re so stinking good, they added the E in BEDMAS.

This chocolate chip cookie without brown sugar recipe is dedicated to the E.

Chocolate chip cookies with a glass of milk.
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Tips + Tricks

No. 1 –> Don’t forget to properly measure your flour! It can be tempting to just grab flour straight out of the bag, but the best way is to use the scoop and level method. It’s easy to do, just stir the flour, then use a spoon or different measuring cup to scoop up the flour and transfer to your measuring cup. Level the measuring cup with the back of a knife of bench scraper.

No. 2 –> Creaming together the butter and sugar is a crucial step. It helps aerate the mixture, adding lightness to the finished product which can make the difference between good cookies and the best chocolate chip cookies. The creaming step should be done for at least two minutes before adding in any of the other ingredients for full effect.

No. 3 –> There’s a sweet spot for butter in terms of “creamability” (totally made up word, but you get it!). Ideally, you want room temperature butter thats softened but not too soft or too warm. Butter that is too cold will clump and resist the mechanical leavening, butter that’s too warm will not cream at all.

No. 4 –> Don’t wait too long to take these sweet ditties out of the oven! The color on the cookies, even when fully baked is quite blonde. Avoid the temptation to allow them to bake too long – instead, look for slightly golden edges and bottoms.

Overhead View of no brown sugar chocolate chip cookies!

What Does Brown Sugar Do?

Brown sugar has a more dense consistency and compacts more during the creaming process than white sugar which usually results in cookies with less rise and more spread. The extra moisture in brown sugar from the added molasses helps keep the cookies from drying out and adds to their chewy texture. Molasses added to the brown sugar also interacts with baking soda to help improve leavening action.

Oftentimes, the caramel flavor that brown sugar adds is the perfect complement to the deep buttery taste of cookie dough.

Overhead view of chocolate chip cookies made without brown sugar.

Is Brown Sugar Necessary?

No!

Is it a 1:1 swap between brown sugar and white or granulated sugar? Sadly, no. But, with a couple of small modifications, you can make great homemade chocolate chip cookies!

In this recipe, the white sugar is creamed with butter to make a light and fluffy base for thicker cookies with a soft texture to overcome the lack of acidity in the white sugar.

Granulated sugar also offers a sweet, yet neutral, base for the other flavors in your cookies. This allows your high-quality vanilla extract or to-die-for dark chocolate chunks to really stand out.

To answer the question: no, brown sugar is not necessary for soft chocolate chip cookies. White sugar has many redeeming qualities that might actually be preferential – depending on your cookie goals!

Key Ingredients

Sugar: Granulated sugar is the perfect sweetener for these treats, providing a balanced sweetness that isn’t too overpowering. The neutral sweetness of the sugar also helps accentuate other flavors in the recipe.

Butter: Butter adds a rich, creamy texture and flavor to the cookies. The combination of sweetness and richness that butter adds to this recipe can’t be replicated by any other ingredient.

Labeled photo of ingredients required.

How To Make Chocolate Chip Cookies Without Brown Sugar

Make the cookie dough:

  1. Preheat oven to 375f and prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 1 cup of softened, unsalted butter and 1 1/2 cup of granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed for at least 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally until completely combined. The color will lighten and the mixture will look and feel lighter and airy.
  3. Add 2 tablespoons of corn syrup, 2 large eggs, and 1 teaspoons of vanilla extract, beating well after each addition.
  4. In a large bowl, combine 2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of coarse kosher salt.
  5. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in mixing bowl and stir on low speed until completely combined. I like to add 1 1/2 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips when the dry ingredients are about half incorporated – this ensures that the dough does not get over mixed.

Bake the cookies:

  1. Use a #40 cookie scoop or make cookie dough balls about 1 1/2 tablespoons in size. Space on prepared baking sheet. Press extra chocolate chips into the top of each cookie, if desired.
  2. Bake at 375f for 10-12 minutes, or until edges and bottoms are slightly darkened and golden brown in color.
  3. Allow baked cookies to rest on baking sheet for 3-5 minutes before transfering cookies to cooling rack.

Batch + Storage

Batch:

A single batch makes about 5 dozen delicious cookies. It can easily be halved or doubled based on how many chewy chocolate chip cookies you want or need! Personally, I like to double my batches and save some for later. See the make ahead section below for more information.

Storage:

For best results, store your delicious chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze flat on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer bag or container for storage up to 3 months.

Make Ahead?

Yes, please!

One of my favorite things to do is whip up a double batch of white sugar chocolate chip cookies and scoop all of the dough into balls on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Then I freeze until solid before transferring to a freezer bag.

Then whenever I’m hankering for a fresh cookie, I just remove a few cookie dough balls and allow them to thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking at 375f for 10-12 minutes!

It’s a great way to reduce waste and increase satisfaction!

Scooped chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar on a baking sheet.

Stand mixer: My KITCHENAID MIXER is one of my most used tools in the kitchen, I believe every home cook should have one!

Good baking sheets: It’s hard to bake a perfect cookie on a lightweight cookie sheet. I like my BAKING SHEETS to have a decent weight to them, this helps to prevent the cookies from burning on the bottom before the rest is cooked.

PARCHMENT PAPER – I find parchment paper to be a better solution than silicone mats for most cookies, and as an added bonus, you can wipe the crumbs off, fold it up and use it again next time you bake cookies!

If you love this recipe, please give it a star rating or leave a comment below! This helps me to create more content you enjoy!

📖 Printable Recipe

Overhead view of chocolate chip cookies made without brown sugar.

Chocolate Chip Cookies Without Brown Sugar

Allyson Letal
Treat yourself to a homemade batch of chocolate chip cookies with no brown sugar needed! These cookies are full of flavor and the perfect balance of sweetness, making them an irresistible treat.
No ratings yet
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Treats + Desserts
Cuisine American
Servings 30
Calories 192 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons corn syrup
  • 2 eggs large
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt coarse
  • 1 ½ cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375f and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 1 cup of softened, unsalted butter and 1 1/2 cup of granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed for at least 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally until completely combined.
  • Add 2 tablespoons of corn syrup, 2 large eggs, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, beating well after each addition.
  • In a large bowl, combine 2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of coarse kosher salt.
  • Add dry ingredients to mixing bowl and stir on low speed until completely combined. I like to add 1 1/2 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips when the dry ingredients are about half incorporated – this ensures that the dough does not get over mixed
  • Use a #40 cookie scoop or make cookie dough balls about 1 1/2 tablespoons in size. Space on prepared baking sheet. Press extra chocolate chips into the top of each cookie, if desired.
  • Bake at 375f for 10-12 minutes, or until edges and bottoms are slightly darkened and golden brown in color.
  • Allow baked cookies to rest on baking sheet for 3-5 minutes before transferring cookies to the cooling rack.

Notes

Batch:

A single batch makes about 5 dozen delicious cookies. It can easily be halved or doubled based on how many chewy chocolate chip cookies you want or need! Personally, I like to double my batches and save some for later. See the make ahead section below for more information.

Storage:

For best results, store your delicious chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze flat on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer bag or container for storage up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 2cookiesCalories: 192kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 2gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 97mgPotassium: 69mgFiber: 1gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 209IUCalcium: 19mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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