Chocolate Chip-less Cookies
These are your favorite chocolate chip cookies, minus the chocolate chips. Think you’ll miss the chocolate? Think again!
These chocolate chip-less cookies have been on my site for years now and it’s amazing how many people love them. Whenever I first describe them to people I always get strange looks.
Why would you make chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate chips???
The reason is that they simply don’t need it, these cookies have so much fabulous flavor all on their own. They’re rich and buttery, with lots of nutty and butterscotch-y flavor thanks to brown butter and plenty of brown sugar. These cookies are crisp on the outside, with no chocolate chips to break up the velvety texture on the inside. One bite is all you’ll need to be convinced, I swear!
Table of Contents
- Melted brown butter is the star of this recipe
- Also, no mixer required!
- Can I add chocolate chips?
- Other cookie recipes to make today
- Chocolate Chipless Cookies recipe
Melted brown butter is the star of this recipe
Since this recipe actually starts with melted butter (instead of butter at room temperature), it only make sense to brown the butter first. Why not kick the flavor up a notch, right?
baking tip:How to brown butter
- Add cubed butter to saucepan over medium low heat (cubing the butter first allows it to melt more evenly).
- Butter will melt and start to foam. Stir frequently with a rubber spatula, scraping the bottom of the pan.
- Continue to cook butter until you see brown specs in the butter and it has a nutty aroma.
- Remove from heat immediately and pour it into a heatproof container. If left in the pan it will continue to cook and burn.
- Use the melted browned butter right away or put in the fridge for later use.
Also, no mixer required!
This cookie recipe is a little different from other chocolate chip cookie recipes. Not only does it start melted butter, but it also is mixed completely by hand. I borrowed this cookie recipe from Cook’s Illustrated and I love how easy it is.
- Mix melted browned butter with sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until combined. The mixture will be very soft and greasy.
- Add eggs and egg yolk one at a time, mixing for about 30 seconds after each addition. You’ll notice the mixture lightens in color and starts to thicken.
- Wait for a few minutes, then mix again for 30 more seconds. This will lighten the color and texture even more.
- Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and stir until combined. This will take a few minutes mixing by hand, but it will com together to make a thick cookie scoop.
- Portion onto cookie sheet and bake for 9-11 minutes.
- Add coarse see salt to warm baked cookies, if desired.
Just when I thought there was nothing new to do with chocolate chip cookies! You have to give these a try, I promise you’ll fall in love too.
Can I add chocolate chips?
I get this question all the time, and the answer is— yes of course! If you can’t bear to leave out the chocolate, or if you want to turn this into your go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe, feel free to add 1-2 cups of whatever kind of chocolate chips or chunks you like.
(To be completely honest, I add chocolate chips sometimes too.)
Other cookie recipes to make today
- Monster Cookies
- Caramel-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
This recipe was originally published June 2015.
Chocolate Chipless Cookies recipe
Chocolate Chipless Cookies
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons (140 grams) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (160 grams) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 ¾ cup (210 grams) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Coarse salt , for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- In a small saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter. Continue to cook the butter until it turns golden brown, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.
- Pour browned butter into a large bowl and add the sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Add the egg and egg yolk, stirring for 30 seconds after each. Let batter rest for about 5 minutes, then stir vigorously for about 30 second. Batter should lighten in texture and color.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the cookie batter all at once and stir until no streaks of flour remain.
- Drop dough by rounded tablespoon onto the prepared sheet pan. Bake until cookies turn golden around the edges but centers aren’t completely set, about 9-11 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Will this work with non diary Earth Balance butter?
These came out perfectly! I was so worried about browning the butter but it was very easy and smelled amazing. The cookies were soft and so flavorful my boyfriend immediately said there’s no reason for chocolate chips!
The instructions were also very clear and easy to follow.
well its ok, i guess………….. One out of five stars
Sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy these cookies. They’re definitely unique and not for everyone. 🙂
I love these cookies. The first time I made them they came out so good. I have a problem though, the last 2 times I tried the recipe they came out almost bread like and I need help figuring out what I am doing wrong. Any advice? I don’t want to try another recipe b/c this one is really so good. Any words of wisdom are much appreciated.
Thank you for this recipe!!
Hi Leah! I’m not sure what you mean by bread-like? Are they more cakey and less chewy? See if you can think of any differences between the first batch and the other two. Maybe there was a difference in how you measured the flour? I’m sorry, I wish I could be of more help!
I live in Switzerland where it is impossible to find chocolate chips (seriously, they don’t exist!) so this is the perfect recipe! Thank you!
Yeah! I love that you made these. I just made some for Pete this week. We’ve all been enjoying them cold from the freezer. I too make them with brown butter and you can never go wrong with a touch of sea salt!!
I made your chocolate chip cookies for my mother. They were fantastic! I’m so glad I found your blog. We don’t eat sweets that often and traditional recipes make way too many cookies. This was perfect. Thank you!
So happy to hear you and your mother enjoyed these cookies! Thanks so much for the comment!
I love brown butter so I know I’d love these cookies!
I never thought I’d be interested in a chocolate chip cookie without chocolate, but these look incredible! The browned butter sounds so tasty.
Brown butter cookies with sea salt…I can definitely live without the chocolate for a bit!
Wow, I love this idea! I love brown butter in my chocolate chip cookies and it pairs really well with the brown sugar and vanilla – why do we need chocolate chips anyway?
I thought I was the only one who loved the dough sans chips!! These look decadent!
I’m giving this recipe 5 stars even though I haven’t even made it yet. ( I know it’s gonna be so good :). ) I do have a question, though. Can you skip on the salt if you use salted butter or it it a must to use unsalted butter and add salt later? I’m asking this because it’s quite difficult for me to look for unsalted butter sometimes when EVERY butter tastes like it’s salted.
You can use salted butter in place of unsalted without any problem! I usually recommend unsalted for baking, but cookies are a little different as the sweet and salty combo works so well. If you use salted butter, you can reduce the salt if you’d like, but I wouldn’t leave it out.
The picture of the dough in the bowl literally made my mouth water!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
At first, I was a little EHHHHH what is she thinking with this whole no-chip shenanigans?
But then I saw the browned butter. And my heart melted. Totally obsessing over these cookies! Pinned!
I know, I know, it sounds so crazy until you give them a try. 🙂 Thanks Taylor!
Love this! When I was younger, my mom would always bake a couple of cookies without the chocolate chips for me. It wasn’t until years later that I actually learned to appreciate the chocolate chips, but the chocolate chip-less cookies are still my favorite!