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Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies Without Brown Sugar are a breeze to make and produce a bakery-style cookie right at home that melts in your mouth! These cookies are made with only white sugar and have no chill time. That means this chewy cookie can be made in 30 minutes!
Believe it or not, there is a science to making the best chocolate chip cookies! As a pastry chef, you learn all the tricks of the trade, which include what ingredients to add and how much for different flavors and textures.
Brown sugar is a common baking ingredient because it helps keep baked goods like chocolate chip cookies, moist and chewy. It’s made by combining regular granulated white sugar with molasses, which gives a signature brown color and sweet flavor. Brown sugar also adds a hint of sweetness to recipes like cakes, homemade cookies, and even frosting like brown sugar frosting.
So, what happens if you take the brown sugar out of a cookie recipe? The answer is easy! You get a cookie that is ultra moist, soft, and melts in your mouth! If you don’t have brown sugar but really want a good chocolate chip cookie then read on because you’re in luck!!
This recipe uses simple baking ingredients you would normally see in a chocolate chip cookie recipe but without the brown sugar for a bakery-style chocolate chip cookie that is soft, chocolatey and chewy.
If you are a cookie lover be sure to check out my 20 minute small batch chocolate chip cookies, or this Chocolate Chip Cookie Skillet that haunts my dreams or these coffee chocolate chip cookies.
WHY YOU SHOULD MAKE THIS RECIPE
- This recipe uses no brown sugar if you are completely out!
- The cookies do not have to be chilled and can be ready in 30 minutes.
- They rival any cookie you will find at a bakery or specialty dessert shop!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
- Unsalted Butter – When added to a cookie recipe, butter helps give the cookies a softer texture and buttery flavor.
- White Granulated Sugar – Granulated sugar is the only sugar that is used in this recipe for sweetness.
- Eggs – Eggs plus an egg yolk give cookies a chewy texture and adds structure to the dough.
- Vanilla Extract – Vanilla extract helps to flavor desserts like cookies and gives them an added depth of flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour – All-purpose flour is necessary for thickening the cookie dough while adding structure to the cookies.
- Baking Soda – Helps to leaven the dough, and make it crispy.
- Salt – Necessary in sweet recipes as it helps balance the sweetness of desserts while helping to activate the baking soda.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips – Gives the cookies their classic dark chocolate flavor with pieces in every bite!
HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES WITHOUT BROWN SUGAR
Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 350° degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
Whisk the wet ingredients: Melt the butter in the microwave, then add the sugar and mix. Add the egg and extra egg yolk to the mixture and whisk further to combine. This will help create the crackly tops on the cookies. Mix in the vanilla extract.
Add the dry ingredients: To the wet ingredients, add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix with a whisk or a spatula just until combined. The cookie dough will be sticky.
Fold in the chocolate chips: Pour in the chocolate chips, then use the spatula to fold them in until evenly distributed.
Arrange the cookies: Use an ice cream scoop to add the cookie dough to the prepared baking sheets. Leave two inches in between each cookie. For best results, only bake six cookies at a time, with three on each row.
Bake the cookies: Place the cookie sheets one tray at a time on the middle rack. Bake for 10-11 minutes or until the edges are light brown.
Scoot the cookies: Immediately after removing the cookies, take a round cookie cutter or a small bowl that is larger than the cookie and place it over the cookie and scoot in a circular motion. This will make the cookies perfectly round and will create a gooey texture.
Cool and enjoy: Let them cool for two minutes on the cookie sheet. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
TIPS FOR RECIPE SUCCESS
- For best results, use a kitchen scale to measure the ingredients. If you don’t have one, measure the ingredients using the spoon and level method. Never scoop your flour with a measuring cup because you will pack in too much and alter the recipe.
- Use room temperature ingredients to ensure the cookie dough mixes together easily.
- Use an ice cream scoop or measuring spoon to ensure all cookies are even in size before baking.
- Only bake one tray at a time in the middle rack, as this will ensure even baking throughout.
- Scooting the cookies is a technique where you use a round cookie cutter or small bowl that is larger than the cookie. Then, place it over the cookie and scoot in a circular motion. This will make the cookies perfectly round and create an incredibly soft texture.
STORAGE AND FREEZING
Storing: Once cooled, these cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to five days.
Freezing: To freeze, let the cookies cool completely and then place them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Put the baking sheet into the freezer and freeze overnight. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe storage bag or container. To serve, thaw at room temperature and enjoy
FAQ
Why do traditional chocolate chip cookies need brown sugar?
Brown sugar helps to give the cookies a rich caramel flavor, as well as helping to soften and moisten the cookie dough. It also helps to create a chewy texture on the outside of the cookie.
Do cookies without brown sugar taste different?
Yes, the taste of these cookies may be slightly lighter because there is no brown sugar in the dough. However, they still have a delicious flavor and are extremely soft and gooey!
What happens when you put too many cookies in the oven at once?
If you overcrowd the oven, the cookies will be too close together and they won’t bake evenly. It’s best to only bake one tray of cookies at a time in the middle rack. This will ensure even baking and delicious results!
MIX IN IDEAS
There are so many ways you can change up the flavor and texture of these cookies by adding in some fun mix-ins! Here are some ideas:
- Chopped pecans or walnuts
- White chocolate chips
- Mini marshmallows
- Dried fruit such as cranberries, blueberries, or cherries
- Coconut flakes
- Butterscotch chips
- Chocolate chunks or chunks of a favorite candy bar
Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies Without Brown Sugar
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter melted 185 g
- ¾ cup white sugar 150g
- 1 egg
- 1 yolk whites disarded
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour 240g
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups semi sweet chocolate chips 290g
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl melt the ¾ cup unsalted butter in the microwave until completely melted. Add the ¾ cup sugar to the melted butter and whisk to combine.
- Add the egg and egg yolk and whisk again well. Using a whisk and mixing well will create shiny, crackly tops on the cookies. Add in the 2 tsp vanilla extract and mix again.
- Add the 2 cups flour, ½ tsp baking soda, and ½ tsp kosher salt and mix to combine using either a whisk or spatula. The dough will still be a little sticky.
- Add the 1 ½ cups chocolate chips and mix to combine evenly.
- Using an ice cream scoop, scoop out the cookie dough onto the parchment paper leaving 2 inches between the dough. I bake 6 cookies at a time on a sheet, 3 on each row. Bake one tray at a time on the middle rack for the best results.
- Bake for 10-11 minutes until the edges are very light brown not golden brown.
- Immediately after removing the cookies, take a round cookie cutter or a small bowl that is larger than the cookie and place it over the cookie and scoot in a circular motion. This will make the cookies perfectly round and a little more gooey!
- Cool for 2 more minutes on the cookie sheet then cool completely on a wire rack.
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