Chocolate Chipless Cookies
Super soft and chewy Chocolate Chipless Cookies have the most incredible rich and buttery flavor. A fun twist on the classic, you will love the bendy texture, crisp edges and beautiful crinkly top. They’re so good you’ll never miss the chocolate!
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A Note from Kim
Decadent, Chewy, and Chocolate-Free
These chocolate chipless cookies have the same deliciously rich and deep flavor as our favorite chocolate chip cookies but without the chocolate! If you love the flavor of chocolate chip cookies but feel like the chocolate overpowers the cookie, these are for you. They’re also great if you’re craving a decadent, soft, chewy cookie but you’re out of chocolate chips.
If you’re wondering why anyone would ever make chocolate chip cookies without chocolate chips get ready to be blown away by the irresistible taste and texture of these chocolate chip-less cookies. They are every bit as addictive as the classic!
They’re the perfect sweet treat to enjoy all year and for any occasion, but I’ll definitely be saving a spot for them on my Christmas cookie platter.
With love (and lots of good eats), 
I’ve made this recipe over and over since finding your blog, and it’s a total winner! The cookies freeze perfectly, and I love keeping extra dough in the freezer for whenever a sweet craving hits.
— Jenny
More Favorite Cookies
Ingredients You’ll Need
The ratio of simple ingredients in this chocolate chipless cookie recipe is what creates a chewy texture and rich flavor. Without the added chocolate, the molasses-spiked brown sugar will really shine through in every delicious bite. Here are some notes about the ingredients used. You can find the list of ingredients with measurements in the recipe card below.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is ideal for the perfect tender crumb.
- Baking soda and baking powder: Using both leavening agents will keep these from being too dense and will help lift the cookies while baking.
- Salt: A small amount of salt is VERY important to balance the sweetness and intensify the amazing flavors.
- Unsalted butter: Using unsalted butter allows you to fully control the amount of salt going into your recipe. If you only have salted butter, you can reduce the amount of salt that you add to the batter.
- Sugars: Use a mix of brown and white sugar for cookie perfection! Brown sugar adds a warm, caramel-like flavor and plenty of moisture. Light brown sugar may be used but dark brown sugar is recommend for a more pronounced molasses flavor.
- Eggs: These will bind the ingredients and provide structure and richness.
- Vanilla extract: For complex flavor use pure vanilla extract, not imitation. You can truly taste the difference.
- Flaky salt: Optional to complement the caramel notes. Sprinkle over the tops immediately after taking these out of the oven. I use Maldon Sea Salt Flakes.
Variations
These are SO good as-is, but this is a great base recipe and it’s super versatile, so feel free to get creative and make these your own! Here’s some ideas:
- Sprinkles or M&M’s: For extra fun and color, stir in a handful of colored sprinkles and/or about 1 cup miniature or regular M&M’s.
- Add chocolate chips: So maybe you’re actually craving a classic chocolate chip cookie recipe or you want some with chocolate and some without? Simply fold in 1 ¼ cup (225g) semi-sweet chocolate chips after combining the dry ingredients with the wet. You could also half the batter and add in 3/4 cup (115g) semi-sweet chocolate chips to only half of the batter.
- Other baking chips: Fold in white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, toffee chips, mint chips, caramel bits or any other fun baking add-ins.
- Nuts: You can add up to about 1 ¼ cup chopped pecans, walnuts, almonds, peanuts, pistachios, and/or macadamia nuts.
- Dried fruit: Try adding about 1 ¼ cup dried cherries, cranberries, chopped apricots, or chopped dates for an extra sweet burst of flavor. You could also do a combination of nuts and dried fruit!
How to Make Chocolate Chipless Cookies
This is the same reliable batter used to make multiple different cookie recipes from my family’s favorite chocolate chip cookies and these M&M cookies, just switch up the mix-ins.
You can find printable instructions in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Step 2: Wet ingredients. Add softened butter and sugars to a large mixing bowl and use a hand mixer or stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, to beat together on medium speed until combined and creamy, about 2 minutes.
Step 3: Add eggs. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition until just combined. With the last egg, add in vanilla extract.
Step 4: Combine. On low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula. Mix until fully combined, but don’t over-mix.
Step 5: Chill dough. For best results, cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours, or up to 3 days.
Step 6: Roll cookie dough balls. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and allow it to slightly soften at room temperature for 10 minutes, if you had it chilling for more than 2 hours. Preheat oven to 365ºF or 185ºC. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Using a 2 tablespoon-scoop, scoop about 2 tablespoons (40 grams) of dough, roll into a ball and place 3-inches apart onto the lined cookie sheet.
Step 7: Bake. Place in the oven and bake for 10-12 mins. Remove from the oven right when edges start getting golden brown. They will still appear soft in the middle but will continue to cook in the center on the baking sheet after being removed from the oven.
Step 8: Cool. If desired, while the cookies are still warm, sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Chocolate Chipless Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 ¼ cup (390g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (288g) light or dark brown sugar
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- coarse sea salt, optional for sprinkling on baked cookies
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Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: 3 ¼ cup (390g) all-purpose flour, 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- Add softened 1 cup (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter, 1 ½ cups (288g) light or dark brown sugar and ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar to a large mixing bowl and use an electric mixer to beat together on medium speed until combined and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add 2 large eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition until just combined. With the last egg, add in 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract.
- On low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture. Mix until fully combined, but don’t over-mix.
- For best results, cover the dough and chill for 2 hours, or up to 3 days. (see notes)
- Take the dough out of the refrigerator and allow it to slightly soften at room temperature for 10 minutes, if you had it chilling for more than 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 365ºF or 185ºC. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Scoop about 2 tablespoons (40 grams) of dough, roll into a ball and place 3-inches apart onto the lined cookie sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 mins. Remove from the oven right when edges start getting golden. They will still appear soft in the middle but will continue to cook in the center on the baking sheet after being removed from the oven.
- If desired, while the cookies are still warm, sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely. Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
Storage tips
- Freezing the dough: Scoop out balls of dough. Flash freeze the balls on a pan for about 30 minutes and then place them in a freezer-safe baggie for up to 3 months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw.
- Make ahead dough: If you are wanting to prep just several days ahead, you can keep batter in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezing baked cookies: Once completely cool, store in a freezer-safe container or baggie, and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Storing leftover cookies: Leftover cookies will keep in an airtight container or zip-top baggie for about 1 week at room temperature, but I can’t imagine them lasting that long!
- Reheating: To make them taste freshly baked, warm them in the microwave for about 25 seconds.
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Kim’s Recipe Tips
- Weigh ingredients: For the most precise measurement of ingredients, especially flour use a food scale to weigh in grams. This will help ensure your baked goods come out exactly as written in the recipe instead of dry and puffy.
- Measuring flour: If you don’t have a food scale, lightly spoon flour (don’t pack) into a measuring cup and without shaking the cup, use a straight edge to level off the top.
- Cookie scoop: Use a triggered cookie scoop to portion the cookie dough. A cookie scoop ensures that all the cookies are the same size and bake evenly.
- Don’t over-mix the dough: Over-mixing leads to more gluten developing in your dough which can lead to a tough or dry cookie. Only mix the batter until the flour is just incorporated and no streaks remain.
- Chilling the dough: Even though, it’s not completely necessary to chill the cookie dough, I highly recommend it for best results regarding flavor and texture.
- Don’t over-bake: If you like a doughy center, check these at about the 8-minute mark. For a soft, but more set center, they’ll probably need to cook for about 10 minutes. Remember, they will continue to set on the baking sheet as they are cooling.
Frequently Asked Questions
In most chocolate chip cookie recipes, you can simply omit the chocolate chips if you’re out of them or just simply don’t want to eat cookies with chocolate. You can also add in other mix-ins like M&M’s, sprinkles, dried cranberries, raisins or nuts. Other types of baking chips work too! Try white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips or caramel chips.
Chipless cookies can be described as plain chocolate chip cookies, brown sugar cookies, chocless chip cookie or simply a chip-less cookie! These even went viral on TikTok and were called “Boneless” chocolate chip cookies – not so sure about that name!
For perfectly chewy chipless cookies, use more brown sugar than white sugar, use two eggs, don’t overwork the dough and chill the dough.
Storage Recommendations
- Freezing cookie dough: Scoop out balls of dough and place on a sheet pan. Transfer to the freezer and flash freeze the balls for about 30 minutes, then place them in a freezer-safe baggie for up to 3 months. Label with the date. Bake frozen dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw.
- Make ahead: To prep several days ahead, store batter in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezing baked cookies: Once completely cool, store in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Label with the date.
- Storing: Leftover cookies will keep in an airtight container or freezer bag for about 1 week at room temperature.
- Rewarm: To make these taste freshly baked, warm in the microwave for about 25 seconds.
More Cookie Recipes You’ll Love
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So incredibly good! This is exactly what I picture when I think of the perfect chocolate chip cookie—soft, chewy, and finished with just the right touch of salt. I added semisweet chocolate chips for a classic twist, and they turned out absolutely heavenly.
I’ve made this recipe over and over since finding your blog, and it’s a total winner! The cookies freeze perfectly, and I love keeping extra dough in the freezer for whenever a sweet craving hits.