These chocolate chipless cookies have the same buttery, chewy base as a classic chocolate chip cookie but without the chocolate! They're perfect if you're out of chocolate chips or aren't a chocolate fan.
Have you ever been eating a chocolate chip cookie and thinking "Wow, this is so good. I kinda wish I could have the cookie with no chocolate chips". Or is it just me? Either way, these chocolate chipless cookies are soft, chewy, and absolutely delicious. You won't even miss the chocolate!
These cookies are rich, buttery, and chewy on the inside with crisp edges. They have all the best parts of a CCC recipe, just without the chocolate!
The best part about this recipe is how quick and easy it is. The cookie dough is made in one bowl with no mixer and no chilling time required!
If you're a chocolate chip cookie lover, try my eggless double chocolate chip cookies, brown butter pecan chocolate chip cookies, and raspberry chocolate chip cookies.
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Ingredient Notes
See ingredient measurements and full instructions in the recipe card below.
- Unsalted butter- Unsalted butter gives us the most control over the flavor. You can use salted butter, just omit the additional salt in the recipe. No need for the butter to be at room temperature since it'll be melted. Melted butter helps chocolate chip cookies get those lovely crisp edges.
- Brown sugar- Brown sugar adds a warm, caramel-like flavor and keeps the cookies thick. You can use light or dark brown sugar depending on your flavor preference; dark brown sugar will have a more pronounced molasses flavor. Make sure it is moist and fresh, not dried up.
- Granulated sugar- Granulated white sugar adds the perfect amount of sweetness. Caster and cane sugar work as substitutes.
- Large egg- A whole egg helps bind the ingredients together.
- Egg yolk- Adding an extra egg yolk makes cookies extra soft and chewy! Make sure the egg and the egg yolk are at room temperature. Take them out of refrigerator 30 minutes before you start.
- Vanilla extract- This rounds out the flavor profile. You'll need a little more of it in this recipe since there's no chocolate. Pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste work.
- All purpose flour- All purpose flour gives the cookies a tender crumb while keeping them chewy. Make sure to measure it accurately with a kitchen scale.
- Baking soda- Baking soda interacts with the acid in the brown sugar, producing carbon dioxide that helps the dough rise and encourages spreading. Make sure your baking soda is less than 6 months old since it loses its power over time. Do not use baking powder since it isn't as strong as baking soda!
- Sea salt- Use finely ground sea salt or table salt. Baked goods need salt or they'll be too sweet!
Substitutions
- Butter: Vegan buttery sticks can be substituted to make the cookies dairy free.
- All purpose flour: Substitute measure-for-measure gluten free all purpose flour if you're making these for someone with gluten sensitivities.
- Sea salt: Substitute fine Kosher salt or pink Himalayan sea salt. Add an additional ¼ teaspoon if your salt isn't finely ground.
Helpful Equipment and Tools
Here are some tools I recommend for success in the kitchen!
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Half cookie sheets: If you live in a small space and have a mini oven, use quarter baking pans and place 6 dollops of dough on each pan instead of 8.
- Parchment paper
- I like using a medium cookie scoop that holds 1.5 ounces. The cookies will be large, but not so large that they spread and bake into each other in the oven.
Step by Step Instructions
Here's how to make chipless chocolate chip cookies. Before you start, make sure the racks in your oven are positioned near the middle since we're baking 2 sheets of cookies at once. Then, preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C and line 2 half cookie sheets with parchment paper.
STEP 1: First, melt the unsalted butter in a large heat-proof mixing bowl and allow it to cool for about 3 minutes. Then, whisk in the brown sugar and granulated sugar until well combined.
STEP 2: Whisk in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until the consistency looks like a paste.
STEP 3: Pour the all purpose flour, baking soda, and salt into the bowl. Then, gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a rubber spatula, scraping around the sides of the bowl and pulling the spatula through the center. Fold until no dry pockets of flour remain and everything is just combined.
STEP 4: Use a cookie scoop to scoop 8 balls of cookie dough onto each lined baking sheet, leaving a few inches between each. Bake each tray for 9-13 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are set and light brown. The middles should look puffy and slightly underdone.
STEP 5: Remove the trays from the oven and let the cookies cool for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack. The cookies will be too hot and fall apart if you try transferring them immediately.
Allow the cookies to cool for about 10 minutes and enjoy!
Expert Baking Tips
- Use a kitchen scale. Baking with a scale is much more accurate than using imperial (cup) measurements. Metric measurements are in the recipe card. If you don't have a scale, gently spoon the flour into your measuring cup (don't pack it in!) and swipe the excess back into the flour bag.
- Use room temperature ingredients. Using room temperature ingredients creates a smooth, fully blended batter that will bake up evenly.
- Don't overmix. Mix the dough just until no dry flour pockets remain. Overmixing cookie dough makes more gluten develop, and too much gluten makes cookies tough and gummy.
- Underbake the cookies. The cookies will keep baking on the hot tray when you remove them from the oven. Because of this, we want them to be slightly underbaked. Take the cookies out of the oven when the edges are set and light brown with the centers still undercooked.
Additions and Variations
- Mix-ins: Fold ½ cup of frozen berries into the batter before baking for some freshness and color. You can also fold in chopped nuts, pretzels, marshmallows, dried fruit, peanut butter or butterscotch chips.
- Toppings: Press some sprinkles into the tops of the dough balls before baking for a festive twist. I also like sprinkling flaky sea salt on top after they've baked.
Storage and Freezing
Store baked cookies in an airtight container or ziplock bag at room temperature for 3-4 days. I don't recommend storing them in the refrigerator because it can dry them out.
Freezing
Room temperature baked cookies can be frozen in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Let them thaw at room temperature for about 3 hours before enjoying.
You can easily freeze the cookie dough balls to bake later! Scoop the dough onto the baking trays and chill in the freezer for at least two hours. After that, transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag. Dough will stay fresh for up to 3 months and can be baked straight from the freezer. Just add a couple minutes on to the bake time.
Frequently Asked Questions
You might've added too much flour. Make sure to measure your flour properly with a food scale or by spooning flour into a measuring cup and leveling off the excess. Banging the pan of warm cookies on the counter a few times helps encourage the cookies to spread.
You either under-measured the flour or your oven is too hot. In an overheated oven, butter melts quickly before the other ingredients firm up to give the cookie structure. Because of that, the entire cookie flattens and "melts". Purchase an oven thermometer and make sure your oven is calibrated correctly.
You sure can! I've tested these with regular and gluten free measure-for-measure all purpose flour, and there isn't a noticeable difference.
Of course. Can't blame you for missing the chocolate! My favorite chocolate chips are semi-sweet, but you can add white, milk, or dark chocolate chips too.
More Cookies to Try
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Chipless Cookies
Equipment
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 Cookie scoop 1.5oz
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
- ½ cup brown sugar light or dark
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 egg yolk room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Pour the melted butter into a large mixing bowl. Then, whisk in the brown sugar and white granulated sugar until the mixture is homogenous.½ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar
- Add in the large egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and whisk vigorously until well blended.1 large egg, 1 egg yolk, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Add the all purpose flour, baking soda, and sea salt to the bowl. Use a rubber spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Stop mixing when no dry pockets of four remain and the cookie dough is just combined.1 ½ cup all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop even cookie balls and place them onto the lined baking sheets a few inches away from each other.
- Bake each tray for 9-13 minutes. Do not overbake! The cookies are done when the edges appear set and light brown. The middles will be puffy and look slightly underbaked.
- Remove the cookie sheets from the oven. Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes on the pan, then transfer them to cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.
- Sprinkle with flaky salt if desired and enjoy at room temperature!
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