Chocolate chipless cookies are the perfect treat for when you want that classic soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie, but without the chocolate.
Why you'll love it
This is everything you love about the best chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate. It's perfect for anyone who isn't too crazy about chocolate, but still loves the texture and flavor development of this classic cookie.
For the most depth of flavor, we use my brown butter chocolate chip cookie recipe as a base. This gives us the perfect nutty, caramelized flavor and an irresistibly chewy center with buttery, crisp edges. Unlike using any other cookie recipe without the add-ins, this is made to create delicious cookies without anything else added to them.
If you love cookies and want to learn the science behind the best chocolate chip recipe, check out my cookbook Cookie School.
Key ingredients
The ingredient list for these chocolate chipless cookies is very familiar as to what you would expect from your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, let's review some of the key ingredients, plus any potential substitutions. You can find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.
- Butter - It is important to use unsalted butter so we can control the amount of salt. We will be making brown butter and because we cannot use chocolate to fall back on flavor-wise, I highly recommend using a good quality butter.
- Sugar - To create the best depth of flavor and texture, a mix of both white sugar and brown sugar come together to create this cookie. The molasses in the brown sugar not only adds to the flavor profile, but it also adds to the chewiness.
- Vanilla - To add more dimension to the flavor, you should add vanilla in some form. Pure vanilla extract is preferred, but you can also use vanilla bean paste.
- Salt - These cookies need salt to help enhance all the flavors we add in. Salt helps make each flavor feel more amplified and balance them out to create a cookie you want to reach for again and again.
- Egg - We use both a whole egg and an egg yolk for multiple purposes. It binds the ingredients together and adds moisture. The extra egg yolk also helps to add richness to the cookies.
How to make
- Add your butter to a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently with a rubber spatula, scraping the bottom often. Continue to cook until the butter begins to brown and smell nutty.
- Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl or your stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
- Let the butter reach near room temperature, then add both sugars and vanilla extract.
- Beat the butter and sugars together using your stand mixer or hand mixer until well-combined. The mixture may look like very wet sand.
- Add in the egg and yolk and beat well. The mixture should start to come together.
- Mix together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and pour into the butter mixture. Mix until just combined.
- Cover with plastic wrap and chill the dough for at least an hour, preferably overnight up to 72 hours.
- Portion out your cookie dough balls and bake on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper until the edges are a light golden brown.
- Leave on the sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
How to brown butter
If you've never browned butter before, it is a very easy process that gives these chocolate chip-less cookies its complex flavor.
- Use a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan on medium heat and add your butter.
- Cook until your melted butter begins to foam and bubble.
- Stir constantly until you notice the butter starts to turn a beautiful golden brown and give off an irresistible nutty aroma.
- Take the saucepan off the heat immediately and transfer the butter to your bowl so it can cool and stop the caramelization process.
Expert baking tips
The most important way to ensure you get the best results is to make sure you are correctly measuring your ingredients, particularly the all-purpose flour. You should fluff up the flour and then spoon it into your measuring cup then sweep of the excess. If you want to make sure you get consistent results, you can convert the recipe to metric and use a kitchen scale.
It is important to use all room temperature ingredients because it helps everything to incorporate well together. You can quickly bring your eggs to room temperature by leaving them in very warm water for five minutes before cracking them.
Don't overmix the dough when adding in the dry ingredients! You want to mix just until there are no streaks of flour. Mixing too much can develop the gluten in the all-purpose flour which will leave you with dry, tough cookies.
The dough for these chocolate chipless cookies are the best cookies to freeze and bake up whenever you want a freshly baked cookie. You can even bake them from frozen. Lower the oven temperature by 20F/15F and add a few more minutes to the bake time for the best results. You can learn more with my guide on how to freeze cookie dough.
Underbake your cookies. This is how you get chewy, soft chocolate chip cookies (without the chocolate) texture you love. The edges should be just a light golden brown and the very centers should look underbaked. The will continue to cook on the baking sheet when you take them out of the oven.
Recipe FAQs
Adding cornstarch to your cookies helps to make them thick and soft. It is an important part of what make the texture of these cookies so amazing, but you can omit it if you'd like.
Absolutely! This is a great recipe to build upon. I love adding toasted nuts and other mix-ins. You can also use it to make ice cream sandwiches or other sandwich cookies. Get as creative as you'd like!
If stored in an airtight container, they should last for up to a week at room temperature. You can also freeze baked or unbaked cookies for up to a month if stored properly in an airtight container. .
Recipe Card
Chocolate Chipless Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- 2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan until it is all melted, darker in color, and the milk solids are caramelized. The butter should smell nice and nutty.
- Allow to cool to room temperature.
- Mix together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl and set aside.
- Beat the butter and both sugars until well-combined about 4 - 5 minutes on medium speed. The mixture will look like very wet sand
- Add in the egg, yolk, and vanilla. Beat well until well-combined, at least another 2 - 3 minutes. The mixture should come together to a smooth, almost creamy consistency.
- Stir in the flour mixture and mix until just combined,
- Chill the dough for at least an hour, preferably 24 - 72 hours for the best flavor development.
- Portion the cookie dough into balls and set aside to rest while the oven preheats.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place the cookie dough 2-inches apart on your baking sheets and bake for 8 - 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 1 -2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Top with flaky sea salt while still warm.
Alexandra says
Could you do this without the cornstarch for a crunchier cookie or would that otherwise alter the overall outcome?
Amanda Powell says
You can omit the cornstarch and add a couple more minutes to the bake time to make them crunchier!