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.
Video
Have you ever made a reverse choc chipless cookie? You do the recipe you provided and let them cool to room temp . Melt semi-sweet choc chips in double boiler and dip the cooled down cookies in them half way. Put the dipped cookies on a cooling pan insert and stick them in freezer for 1/2 hour. They are really good. You get half no choc and then half dipped in choc, but still without the whole chips in them. I’m making these tonight your way, because I have no choc. These even make a good fall cookie by sprinkling chopped pecan pieces on the cookie after dipping them in the chocolate. Or you could fill a bowl with the pecan pieces and then dip the choc half inserted in nuts then place on the cookie sheet to cool in fridge/freezer. I’ll let you know what I think! Thank you for recipe!
Really nice and soft I had it with ice cream when I first took it out the oven. I accidentally used baking. powder instead of soda but they still turned out delicious!
Oh my goodness, I love this recipe! I didn’t have any chocolate chips on hand so I needed something else. Everything came out perfect and that flavor that comes from the browned butter is gorgeous! Thank you for this recipe!
Your cookies were so good I at least make them once a month
Finally someone understands me!! Everyone always thought I was so crazy. I always told my mom when I was younger that I wanted chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate chips. I’m not a huge chocolate lover. I have to be craving it to enjoy. Can’t wait to try this out.
Big hit in our house tonight! I needed a recipe because I was out of chocolate chips-they were delicious, and the salt on top-loved it! Thanks for sharing!!
I was extremely happy to see that these cookies did not flat out, which is a problem I have been having lately! The dough was a bit sticky, which was more than likely user error. The main problem I had with these cookies was that they were not as flavorful as I had hoped for. Probably because I am so used to chocolate chips (but did not feel like going to the store to get some!), but a few other family members enjoyed the cookies. I will probably not make these cookies again, but they were worth a try and the recipe was very easy to follow!
I made these, and they didnt flatten out. I’ve tried 3 times and it never works. So sorry but I’ll give it a 2,star
Best cookies ever. At first I was skeptical about the mixing. So instead I just used an electric mixer and it came out perfectly. These cookies are very easy to do and they taste so good at the end trust me. The brown butter smelled so good and at took me 8 minutes to do it. This recipe is great and definitely a 5 out of 5 stars in my book. So try out the recipe and you won’t regret it.
Hello , I love this recipe, at first I was skeptical because I wanted to use an electric mixer so I did and it came out perfectly. Plus the brown butter was really easy to do it which I loved. This recipe is something that is going to be book marked because of how good and easy it is to do. Definitely 5 out of 5 stars
I made these and they were the bomb!?
I made these and they were the bomb!?
My daughter made these and put cranberries in them. They were amazing!!!
I have been looking for a good base recipe that will work with different types of chips, nuts, etc. I really loved these cookies. I’m just wondering if you change the recipe at all when you add chocolate chips?
Nope, I make no changes when I add mixins. I’ve add chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruit, coconut, etc. to this recipe plenty of time. Aim for about max 1 1/2 total mixins. 🙂
It worked!!!! OMG you have no clue how long I’ve been searching for a recipe which will work for me, of course I changed some ingredients as to what usually works and doesn’t work for me, so many failures taught me so many things which I’ve been able to include when working with your recipe, excuse the terrible ENG it’s my third language. thank you so much!!!!!! it was delicious !!!.