These homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies without Brown Sugar are inspired by the original Toll House cookie recipe. No brown sugar, no problem. These cookies are still every bit as chewy & sweet as the classic recipe.
There are a few changes so these chocolate chip cookies crisp on the outside plus soft and chewy on the inside. Brown sugar lends to the chewy moist texture in cookies but my secret ingredient replacement still delivers.
This easy recipe is still from scratch but made with only white sugar, like my recipe for Hershey's Kiss Sugar Cookies. This is inspired by other substitution cookie idea, my recipe for how to make cookies without vanilla extract. Ok, now we bake.
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Substitute for Brown Sugar in Cookies
You can replace brown sugar in a recipe and use only white sugar when making these chocolate chip cookies. The easiest brown sugar substitute is simply granulated white sugar. Use a 1:1 ratio replacement.
Baking is a bit of science so you want to make sure you measure correctly. Also, follow the techniques and steps in this recipe. When you are baking with substitutes, like this recipe, or when making snickerdoodles without cream of tartar, making the right changes is the key to success.
Ingredients for Chocolate Chip Cookies
These chocolate chip cookies are made with granulated white sugar only, no brown or muscovado sugar substitute. No need to run to the store or borrow from the neighbors when a cookie craving hits!
Secret Ingredient!! To still maintain the soft chewy texture of a good chocolate chip cookie, while not using brown sugar add cornstarch to the dough. Cornstarch will help make them thicker and softer so they do not flatten out. No thin crunchy cookies with this cookie hack.
- All-Purpose Flour - the pantry staple makes the best cookies
- Cornstarch - key to a chewy texture when no brown sugar is added.
- Baking Soda - so the cookie rise & get fluffy with crispy edges..
- Salt - balance the sweetness
- White Sugar - without any brown sugar, the amount is double as a replacement compared to traditional recipes.
- Butter - for rich buttery cookies that yield a crispy edge.
- Egg - room temperature is best.
- Vanilla - for classic flavor.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips - you can use milk or dark if you prefer.
This recipe is also made without baking powder, baking soda only. The absence of baking powder ensures they are chewy and not "cakey". See the recipe card for amounts and full instructions.
How to Make Cookies Without Brown Sugar
Ever wonder if you can make cookies without brown sugar? Yes and here is how.
For this recipe, it is best to start with room-temperature ingredients. So you may need to plan ahead so that your butter and eggs are ready once you want to start mixing the cookie dough. Eggs mix easier when not cold, the yolk tends to combine easier with the whites and other ingredients.
Eggs only need about 20 minutes or so to come to a temperature. Sticks of butter need at least an hour to soften at room temperature. For a quick 15-20 minute hack try this microwave steaming method to Soften Butter Quickly.
Here are the easy steps for making chocolate chip cookies from scratch with only white sugar:
- Combine the Dry Ingredients
- Combine the Wet Ingredients
- Mix Together
- Chill the Dough
- Scoop, Bake & Enjoy
See the step-by-step instructions with photos below plus the recipe card at the end of the post.
1 - Combine the Dry Ingredients
2 - Combine the Wet Ingredients
** Remember ** Bring butter & eggs to room temperature before mixing the dough.
3 - Mix Together
4 - Chill the Dough
5 - Scoop, Bake & Enjoy
Enjoy cookies slightly warm or cool completely to stack or store for later enjoyment. Continue shaping, baking, and cooling each dozen. This will make about 4-5 dozen cookies, depending on the size of the cookies you are rolling into dough balls.
Storing & Freezing Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate chip cookies can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
To bake later, you can freeze this chocolate chip cookie dough. It freezes well and bakes up perfectly later. It will last for up to 2 months in the freezer if stored in an air-tight ziplock bag properly. Thaw the frozen dough in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours.
Recipe Tips & Behind the Scenes
Here's my recipe for success - including what I learned when testing, fun stories, recipe history, and more.
- #1 Tip - Chill the dough, it helps keep the cookies from spreading too much.
- Add in other mix-ins; nuts, white, dark or milk chocolate chips, M&Ms, or chocolate chunks.
- Here are Chocolate Chip Substitutes. Other ideas include adding Old-Fashioned Classic Toffee, as in my sweet & salty recipe for Salted Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies.
- These are great for pairing with my Coffee Ice Cream Recipe for making gourmet ice cream sandwiches.
FAQ
The chilled dough doesn't spread as quickly when baking which results in a thicker chewier cookie. If you do not mind a thin cookie that is crisper, you do not need to chill the dough. You can scoop and bake immediately.
Storing them properly will ensure they do not get hard the next day. Also, be sure to not overbake them. Overbaked cookies (plus ones that are too thin) tend to dry out and get hard faster.
Baking powder helps cookies be light and puff up as they cook. It is what also gives them a chewy tender texture. These cookies have baking soda in them which will activate that rise as it bakes.
There is a difference between baking soda vs baking powder.
The cornstarch acts as the dough tenderizer for a lovely soft cookie. You will never guess these cookies are made without baking powder.
RECIPE NOTE: this recipe was originally published January 2024. It has been updated to include recipe card updates, substitutions, additional photos, concise steps, similar recipes, and tips for republishing in 2026.
Chocolate Chip Cookies without Brown Sugar
Equipment
- cookie baking pans
- cooling rack
- hand mixer
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup salted butter (2 sticks) softened/room temperature
- 1 ½ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Bring butter & eggs to room temperature before mixing the dough.
- In a small mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients - flour, baking soda, salt, & cornstarch.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the wet ingredients - softened butter, sugar, and vanilla. Using a hand mixer, mix on medium speed to cream the ingredients together until well combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time and mix at low to medium speed. Once both eggs are combined with the wet ingredients, the dry ingredients are ready to be added.
- Add ½ of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With the hand mixer on low to medium, mix to bring the dry and wet ingredients together. Add the other half slowly with the mixer on low until all the dry ingredients are added. Then mix on medium speed to combine completely, scrape edges with a rubber spatula as need to incorporate all ingredients together.
- Once the dough is ready, pour in the chocolate chips. Fold or stir them gently into the cookie dough to evenly distribute.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator for an hour. This will allow the cookies to bake slowly and not spread. This step is what gives the soft & chewy thick cookies even without the brown sugar. If you want them to be thin and crispier, you can skip this step.
- Preheat the oven to 350°
- Prepare a cookie sheet with a Silpat mat or spray/grease. Using hands or a cookie scoop, drop tablespoon-sized balls of cookie dough on the baking sheet. A dozen at a time will fit as you keep them evenly spaced so they can bake up evenly.
- Bake 10-12 minutes on the middle rack of the oven.
- Using a spatula, carefully remove hot cookies from the baking sheet and place them on a cooling rack.
- Continue shaping, baking, and cooling each dozen. This will make about 4-5 dozen cookies, depending on the size of the cookies you are rolling into dough balls.
- Enjoy cookies slightly warm or cool. Chocolate chip cookies can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. The dough can be frozen to bake later. It will last for up to 2 months in the freezer if stored in an air-tight ziplock bag properly.
Notes
- Cookies store well in an airtight container for 5 days.
- The dough freezes well for up to 2 months. Thaw dough in the fridge for 24 hours & bake as instructed.
Nutrition
More Cookies with Chips Recipes
Here are some similar recipes for homemade cookies with different kinds of chocolate chips that you make like as well:
Anjali says
My kids and I made these cookies today and they turned out great! They were chewy, soft and perfectly sweet!
Andrea says
Oh my goodness, these cookies bring back some childhood memories. Would make cookies like these with my aunt. They are really good.
Suzanne says
This saved the day. We are all home due to covid exposure & wanted cookies. No one can go to the store to get brown sugar & this is how we got to this. And now we don’t care, best chocolate chip cookies with or without brown sugar. Yes
Angela says
Oh no - I hope you all stay healthy and test negative. I am happy that the cookies helped though.