Chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar are thick and chewy with crisp edges, made using only granulated sugar and common pantry staples.
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Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Chill Time
1 hour
Total Time
1 hour 35 minutes
Servings
13 cookies
Difficulty
Easy — classic creaming method, no specialty ingredients.
Calories *
405 kcal per cookie
Technique
Creaming method with granulated sugar; chill dough before portioning to keep cookies thick and chewy.
Flavor Profile
Buttery, sweet, semi-sweet chocolate, with a clean vanilla note.
* Based on nutrition panel
I made these last weekend when I realized I didn’t have any brown sugar and I was craving a classic cookie! The edges came out perfectly crisp while the centers stayed thick and chewy. Chilling the dough made portioning so much easier, and they baked up beautifully! These will be my new go-to. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lauren
Why This Recipe Works
- Thick, chewy texture from granulated sugar alone. Granulated sugar gives a slightly crisper edge while centers remain chewy as cookies cool, creating a pleasing contrast.
- Crisp exterior, soft interior. Chilling the dough limits spread so the edges set quickly in the oven while the centers finish more slowly.
- Standard pantry ingredients. The recipe uses common items: granulated sugar, butter, flour, eggs, vanilla, and chocolate chips.
- Reliable creaming method. Properly aerating butter and sugar builds structure and lift for these cookies.
Table of Contents
- Why This Recipe Works
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- Variations
- Professional Tips
- How to Make
- Chef Lindsey’s Tip
- Recipe FAQs
- Recipe Card
- Before You Go
I was skeptical about skipping brown sugar but adapting a bakery-style cookie to use only granulated sugar worked beautifully. These are my go-to when I’m out of brown sugar and want a classic cookie fast.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure; weigh flour for consistent results.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Work together to balance lift and spread—baking powder adds sustained lift while baking soda aids browning and spread.
- Kosher Salt: Enhances flavor.
- Butter: Use slightly softened butter (cool but spreadable) to cream properly and control spread.
- Granulated Sugar: Gives crisper edges and helps aerate during creaming.
- Egg: Use a true large egg for proper moisture and structure.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds depth and prevents the cookie from tasting one-note sweet.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: Twelve ounces provide plenty of chocolate and help interrupt spread, keeping cookies thick.
See the recipe card below for exact quantities.
Variations
- Skip the chill for thinner cookies. Baking immediately yields flatter, crisper cookies with more spread.
- Dark chocolate chips. Swap semi-sweet for dark chocolate to balance the extra sweetness of an all-white-sugar dough.
- Add-ins. Fold in up to ½ cup chopped toasted nuts for texture and a touch of bitterness.
Professional Tips
- Use slightly softened butter, not melted. Over-soft butter won’t cream properly and leads to flat cookies.
- Don’t overmix after adding flour. Mix until just combined to avoid tough cookies.
- Chill the dough before portioning. Refrigerate at least one hour to firm the fat and hydrate the flour for taller cookies.
- Bake at a lower temperature. 325°F convection or 350°F conventional helps edges set without over-browning centers.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookies without Brown Sugar
Have ingredients measured and ready. The method comes together quickly.
Step 1: Whisk dry ingredients. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Step 2: Cream butter and sugar. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy—this can take several minutes.
Step 3: Add egg and vanilla. Beat in the egg and vanilla on medium-high until smooth and emulsified. If the mixture looks slightly curdled, continue mixing; it will come together.
Step 4: Add flour and chips. Reduce to low and add the flour mixture in 3–4 additions, mixing just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Step 5: Portion the dough. Scoop dough into large balls (~85g each) and place on a parchment-lined sheet. For the thickest cookies, refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
Step 6: Preheat and arrange. Preheat oven to 325°F convection or 350°F conventional. Space dough balls about 2 inches apart on parchment.
Step 7: Bake. Bake 18–20 minutes until edges are set and lightly golden and centers look matte with small cracks. Centers will appear slightly underdone—this is correct.
Step 8: Cool. Let cookies rest on the baking sheet 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Chef Lindsey’s Recipe Tip
Butter temperature matters. If the butter looks shiny or your kitchen is warm, chill the dough for 15 minutes during creaming. This keeps the fat emulsified and ensures the final chill step works to produce thick, chewy cookies.
Recipe FAQs
Yes—the flavor is cleaner and more straightforwardly sweet without brown sugar’s molasses notes. Chocolate and vanilla are more prominent.
Yes. Refrigerate portioned dough up to 5 days or freeze balls for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 2–3 minutes to bake time.
Pull cookies when centers look matte with small cracks and edges are lightly golden. Centers will firm as they cool on the pan.
Avoid using overheated butter, overmixing after flour, skipping the chill, or baking until the centers look fully set—those all lead to flatter or dry cookies.
Store baked cookies airtight at room temperature up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw before serving or enjoy from frozen.
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If you tried this recipe and loved it, please leave a star rating and share how it went in the comments. I love hearing from you!
Chocolate Chip Cookies without Brown Sugar
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup butter, slightly softened
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Cream butter and granulated sugar together in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until pale and fluffy.
- Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth and emulsified. If it looks curdled, continue mixing; it will come together.
- Reduce to low speed and add the flour mixture in 3–4 additions, mixing until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Portion dough into balls of approximately 85g each. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight for the thickest cookies.
- Preheat oven to 325°F convection or 350°F conventional. Place dough balls 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined sheet.
- Bake 18–20 minutes until edges are set and lightly golden and centers look matte with small cracks.
- Cool on the baking sheet 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Yield: 13 cookies at 85g each.
Chilling: Refrigerate portioned dough at least 1 hour or overnight. Chilling firms the fat and hydrates the flour for height and chew.
Doneness cue: Pull when centers look matte with small cracks; they will firm as they cool.
Storage: Store baked cookies airtight at room temperature up to 5 days or freeze up to 2 months. Portion dough can be refrigerated up to 5 days or frozen 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 405 kcal | Carbohydrates: 50 g | Protein: 4 g | Fat: 21 g
Before You Go
These white-sugar chocolate chip cookies have a crackled top, chewy center, and crisp edges that keep you coming back. If you want more ideas, explore other cookie and dessert recipes in the archive.