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
Delicious. Made them as written the first time and added one cup of well crushed pecans the second time. Both batches were wonderful.
Mines keep coming out incorrectly what I am I doing wrong
Hi Marie, it’s hard to know what the issue is without more info. Feel free to email me at completelydelicious@gmail.com if you’d like help troubleshooting the issue!
I didn’t read ahead and I did not brown the butter. Do you think they will turn out okay?
Hmm, did you just start with melted butter then? It’s hard to say how they will turn out as I never tested it that way. They might be just fine, or perhaps they will spread more in the oven since the volume/amount of melted butter and brown butter is different.
These are perfect every time. I have made them with nuts and chunks and without. Very easy to prep and bake.
I try this recipe, but my battery was very runny. It doesn’t look like how yours does.. I have no idea what I did wrong.
I made these cookies following the recipe exactly. They turned out delicious! They were more cake like than crispy, but that didn’t take away from the flavor! I bet I could have left them in for a minute or two more to crisp them up. The brown butter is what makes these special. Thanks for sharing!
I didn’t have quite enough butter (just 1 stick) so I think that’s why mine didn’t spread much, but they were definitely delicious especially with the brown butter! They’re nicely balanced and not too sweet. It seems like a good base for a flavor like cardamom or orange blossom, I might add that next time!
Unfortunately these didn’t work for me. They stayed in the shape of small golf balls and were hard and really not tasty. I followed the exact recipe but they taste of flour 🙁 looked really good though in the photos
Hi Christina! I’m so sorry this recipe didn’t work out for you. How do you measure flour? I’m guessing that could be the issue. Flour should be spooned and leveled or else you’re likely adding way more than the recipe requires. Learn how to measure flour here, and I’ll add a note in the recipe to help others out too.
So I was reading thr recipe and it says 1 egg and 1 yolk so do u mean 1 egg and half or just one whole egg separated? Also mines came out cakey followed the recipe as stated and instructions.
1 whole large egg + 1 large egg yolk (white removed). I hope that makes sense!
Really delicious. My go to recipe. This time, I didn’t have enough flour (1/4 cup short) so I ground up some oatmeal to make up for the missing flour. Turned out really nice.
I made them and they are sooo tasty. We ate the whole batch in one day. They are really nice and soft. Also I love that you dont need any special ingredients, they are made of things I usualy have at home.
Definitally not as gooey as I was hoping for. But the nuttyness of the butter is so delisious!!!
For a gooey-er cookie, try underbaking by a minute or two. 🙂 Glad you enjoyed them!
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. Pl
ehhh they are ok
Yass queen