I love chocolate so much, but, as shocking as it may be, not everybody wants chocolate in every dessert. These super simple Chocolate Chipless Cookies are all the best parts of a chocolate chip cookie without the chocolate!
This easy cookie dough comes together in one bowl with no mixer in a matter of minutes, and is loaded with so much flavor, you won't miss the chips!
For more easy cookies without chocolate chips, check out these Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies.
This recipe is great for bake sales, Christmas cookie boxes, and those friends who are allergic to or don't like chocolate! If you love flavorful desserts without chocolate, check out these Biscoff Blondies and these Butterscotch Blondies.
Why this Recipe Works
Whether you are allergic to chocolate or don't like it or just prefer the caramel brown sugar flavor of a chocolate chip cookie without the chocolate, or maybe you're just out of chocolate chips and want a cookie, there is always a need for Chocolate Chipless Cookies.
In any case, this recipe uses brown sugar, extra vanilla, and a touch of espresso powder for maximum flavor, and melted butter and an extra egg yolk to create that perfect chewy texture that we love in a chocolate chip cookie - no chips required!
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Ingredients and Notes
Melted Butter - The melted butter is key to the perfect chewy texture of these Chocolate Chipless Cookies. Butter also provides a richer flavor than other fats such as oil.
Brown Sugar - Brown sugar gives a delicious caramelized flavor to these soft homemade cookies. Light or dark brown sugar works. Dark brown sugar will give the cookies a slightly stronger molasses flavor than light will.
Powdered Sugar - Powdered sugar adds a touch of sweetness while adding a soft, velvety texture to the dough giving a tenderness to the baked Chocolate Chipless Cookies.
Vanilla - Because there are no chocolate chips in these cookies, the vanilla contributes significantly to the flavor. I recommend using pure vanilla extract over artificial if you have it since you will taste the vanilla more noticeably than when there is chocolate included.
Espresso Powder - Espresso powder really enhances the flavor of these simple cookies. By removing the chocolate chips, you can lose depth of flavor in the cookies, but the espresso powder adds that flavor depth back in without giving the cookies a coffee flavor.
Salt - Be sure to use Kosher salt. Kosher salt is not as salty as table salt. If you're using a brand of Kosher salt other than Diamond Crystal, I would slightly reduce the salt measurement, and if you're using table salt, you'll need to reduce the measurement by quite a bit.
Substitutions and Variations
Butter - For a nuttier flavor, you can brown your butter by continuing to heat it until it has a nutty smell and is browned in color. Just be careful not to let it burn! You'll also need to start with a little bit more butter because more liquid will evaporate while it browns than what evaporates when just melting it. Browned butter can really enhance the flavor of most any baked good and is especially good in these Chocolate Chipless Cookies because the flavor of the dough has to stand on its own.
Vanilla - Using vanilla paste in place of the vanilla extract can boost the delicious flavor of these chipless cookies.
Mix-ins - This cookie dough should make a great base for any mix-ins that excite you! You could mix in nuts, butterscotch chips, or toffee bits. The non-chocolate options are endless!
Spices - Adding spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, or pumpkin pie spice, with the dry ingredients can add warmth and flavor to these quick and easy cookies.
Chocolate - The whole point of these Chocolate Chipless Cookies is to skip the chocolate, but these cookies would also be delicious drizzled with or dipped into melted chocolate.
How to Make Chocolate Chipless Cookies
Step 1: Combine the melted butter, brown sugar, and powdered sugar.
Step 2: Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix until well combined.
Step 3: Stir in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until just combined.
Step 4: Form the dough into balls and bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 375℉ for 8 minutes till golden brown. They may look slightly underbaked in the center. Cool on the baking sheet about 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe FAQs
Not exactly. Sugar cookies tend to have a white granulated sugar base, while these have a more caramelized flavor from brown sugar. Sugar cookies also tend to be soft, but chipless cookies are chewier, like a chocolate chip cookie dough.
The chocolate chips add both flavor and texture to a chocolate chip cookie, so simply removing the chips from a chocolate chip cookie recipe could leave you with a flat, boring cookie. This Chocolate Chipless Cookies recipe accounts for the lack of chocolate by adding depth of flavor through the extra vanilla, the espresso powder, and the combination of sugars.
I would not recommend doing this. Brown sugar adds that caramelized flavor to the cookie dough as well as the moist and chewy texture. Using other sweeteners will impact both flavor and texture. For example, white granulated sugar will result in a crispier cookie.
Chocolate Chipless Cookies Tips & Tricks
Tip #1: The chipless cookie dough will be very soft when first mixed. If it's too soft to form a ball of dough, let it sit for about 10 minutes. It should stiffen and allow you to more easily form balls. If it's still too soft it can be refrigerated for 15-30 minutes to help it stiffen.
Tip #2: As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, while they're still puffy, use the open top of a glass or a round cookie cutter and scoot each cookie around in a circle. This will both make the cookies into perfect circles and can give them a little bit of the crinkled look that makes them look extra chewy and yummy!
Tip #3: If you freeze the balls of cookie dough (see storage tips below), I always find it helps to write the name and source of the recipe as well as the baking temperature and bake time on the outside of the bag. This way you have the information you need in front of you and don't have to look it up every time you bake a cookie, but also if you do need to look up more information, it tells you exactly where to find it!
Storage Tips
- Chocolate Chipless Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about 5 days.
- The chipless cookie dough can be frozen by forming dough balls and placing them on a lined cookie sheet in the freezer for about an hour then moved into a freezer-safe zip-top baggie and stored in the freezer. The cookies can be baked from frozen, but will likely need to add a minute or two to the bake time.
More Non-Chocolate Desserts to Try!
If you tried this Chocolate Chipless Cookies Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Chipless Cookies
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 1 ½ sticks butter melted
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 ¾ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt Diamond Crystal
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375℉ and line one or two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Combine melted butter, brown sugar, and powdered sugar.1 ½ sticks butter, 1 cup brown sugar, ¼ cup powdered sugar
- Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix until well combined.1 egg, 1 egg yolk, 1 tablespoon vanilla
- Stir in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder and mix until just combined.1 ¾ cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, 2 teaspoons Kosher salt, 2 teaspoons espresso powder
- Roll dough into balls, about a tablespoon each, and place 1-2" apart on a lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 7 minutes, until just slightly golden but not fully browned. They will look puffy and slightly underbaked. Allow the cookies to cool for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated so should only be used as an estimate. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Liz Pollio says
These are so simple and loaded with so much flavor, you won't even miss the chocolate!