This is my most popular cookie recipe, my original no butter chocolate chip cookies! Baked with oil instead of butter, they are butterless cookies and come out delicious every time. They have the perfect amount of chewiness and sweetness!
These no butter chocolate chip cookies were one of my first recipes on Sugar and Charm! To this day, they are my go-to cookie recipe. I love to serve them right out of the oven when entertaining.
I created this recipe when I had no butter but an intense craving for chocolate chip cookies. To my amazement, the cookies came out so delicious! I love that they are far from cakey or dry.
They’re the best chewy cookie with crispy edges, and it’s become my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe. It’s easy to make, and they’re a tremendous, easy everyday cookie recipe.
And if you love cookies, like me, try oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, chocolate chip cookies with walnuts, and the best chocolate chip cookie pie.
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
- The recipe was originally posted in 2010 and over 500 amazing reviews!
- It’s a great way to enjoy cookies if you are intolerant to dairy.
- The oil gives the cookies a cake-like crumb texture, and because of the high-fat content, they stay wonderfully moist.
Shopping List and Ingredient Notes
The full recipe and measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
All-Purpose Flour: We use King Arthur All-Purpose Flour. You can also use whole wheat flour too.
Baking soda and Baking powder: Both are used as leavening agents to activate the rise in the cookie.
Vegetable oil: Is used instead of butter. Use neutral oil, sunflower oil, canola, or vegetable oil, in your butterless chocolate chip cookie recipe. You will taste the flavors using an intensely flavored oil, like olive or peanut oil.
Brown sugar: Dark brown sugar works well. However, if you only have light brown sugar, that will work too.
Granulated sugar: This is used to sweeten the cookies.
Eggs: Use organic eggs if possible.
Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract adds flavor and enhances the recipe’s flavors.
Almond extract – Pure almond extract works best.
Semisweet chocolate chips or chunks: We love Ghirardelli and Ghirardelli. If you prefer chocolate chunks, you can do that, too. Dark chocolate also tastes delicious in this recipe.
No Butter Cookie Variations
- Gluten-Free: To make these chocolate chip cookies gluten-free, use a 1:1 ratio of all-purpose gluten-free flour. I like Bob’s Red Mill.
- Add Nuts: Add 1 cup of chopped nuts, such as pecans or walnuts.
- Different Flavored Chips: Swap the chocolate chips for white, peanut butter, or butterscotch chips.
- Salt: Sprinkle a little sea salt on top of the cookies after they come out of the oven.
How to Store
For about three days, you can store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
You can also freeze cookies in an airtight sealed bag or container for up to three months. However, nothing is better than a warm chocolate chip cookie right out of the oven!
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use oil if you want a butter-free cookie. Just make sure to use a natural oil such as sunflower, canola, or vegetable oil. This will give the cookies a crispy and chewy texture.
Yes, you can! Oil is the best substitute for butter in cookies. This recipe uses only oil (no butter), and they have the best texture and flavor.
More Cookie Recipes
Here are a few more of my favorite cookie recipes. These are ALL fantastic recipes and are perfect for all occasions.
- Butterless Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookies
- My Favorite Chocolate Cherry Cookies
- Chocolate Cherry Chunk Cookies
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Gingersnap Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- Our Favorite Thumbprint Cookies
- Kitchen Sink Cookies
I hope you enjoy these butterless cookies! If you like this recipe, please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
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No Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp almond
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together oil, brown sugar, and white sugar using the paddle attachment.
- Beat eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla and almond extract.
- Blend in dry ingredients and fold in the chocolate chips.
- Using a cookie dough scoop, scoop balls of cookie dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, 2" apart.
- Bake for 8 to 9 minutes, then let them cool on the pan before moving them to a wire rack.
Just made them and came out delicious!! Definitely a keeper, tasted like store bought frozen dough cookies. The recipe says to bake for 8-9 min. I did 10 and was perfect.
Thanks so much!
We love hearing this! Thank you so much for sharing and I’m so happy these worked out for you!
Very good recipe! I tried them, I put 1/3 cup less sugar in total and only had 1/3 cup of brown sugar left so I used that in addition to white sugar. I would put a little less salt in these cookies. The shape comes out phenomenal, they are a good cookie recipe if you are gifting cookies. I added a couple table spoons of cocoa and some chopped almonds to half of the batter which also turned out great. OH and after the original 9 minute bake time i did broil for about a minute in a half to give the tops of the cookies a bit more colour. But overall, a great recipe , its going in the recipe collection!
Love hearing this! What a great idea to broil too! Never thought about that!
These were absolutely amazing! The best cookie recipe I’ve tried so far that requires no butter. This is definitely going to be my go-to recipe for when I’m craving cookies but I don’t have butter on hand. You are a wonderful human being for coming up with these! <3
Yay! Thank you Ashley! So happy you liked them… they are one of my favorites!! You don’t even miss the butter!
I tried out this recipe but they kept coming out unbaked, so I would put them back in for a few more min and when its cooked, its like a bit of a crumble 🙁
Tried these today. Easy recipe and so delicious! Thank you
Love to hear this! Thank you!
I had tried this cookies recipe yesterday, they turned amazing
I have tried many recipes in the past I never had a result like this, this one is quick easy with few ingredients, The whole family was happy
I don’t make any change, the recipe is perfect
Thank you
four stars
Is almond extract necessary?
Do you grease the cookie sheet
You can yes! or use parchment paper
How many does this serve? Thanks! x
depends on how big or small you make them 12-18 usually
I made mine for breakfast and they were amazing! I’m twelve and the directions were very easy to follow. It’s the first time I baked something on my own, I ended up SUCCESSFUL!!!
i thought they were great!i am ten and i cant make a lot of stuff but these were mostly easy
I love this recipe. My mom wanted cookies to put in her new cookie jar and we didn’t have any butter laying around so I found this. I kinda made it my own by adding almonds in half of the batter. They look and taste amazing! I did pretty good for being 14! You are awesome!
Yay!! Awesome job Jasmyn!! So happy they turned out yummy for you and your mom! Love the idea of adding almonds too… great work!!
Thank you! I found a new recipe to make for Thanksgiving! Thank you so much!! Keep making AWESOME recipes!
I don’t know why but my batch were terrible. They would barely come off the cookie sheet, were a strange consistency, and the almond was over powering.
Sorry to hear Rachel! Wish I could have helped!
These are amazing! Such a cute website! xx
Thank you!!
Could I possibly substitute for/leave out the almond extract?
try vanilla extract
I don’t ever put almond extract in. They turn out fine, and taste delicious!
You can always leave out almond extract and/or replace it with any other extract or pure vanilla extract. To same a ton of money regarding almond extract, get a no-name brand of almond liquore. It will last forever and considering the $3.00+ cost of that small bottle of supermarket extract, it is a true savings. Actually most other alcohol products are great for baking!
Is it possible to substitute the baking soda with anything?
You could try baking powder, but I’m not really sure how that would turn out!
thank you! I am a fourteen year old on my last day of summer vacation so i decided to celebrate with cookies. My parents were both at work and I wanted to surprise them, but we had no butter! I used this recipe and it worked awesomely. I also use your little cookie tool~ great minds think alike, if i may compliment myself.
Awww!!! Thank you so much 🙂 I am so happy they worked for you and that you were able to surprise your parents! Hope school is going well!! Thank you for the very sweet comment!! Made my week!
these sound fantastic! i’m going to half the recipe because its just me eating 🙂 i hope my turn out as yummy as those ones look! thank you!
I only used 1/2 cup of vegetable oil and added another 1/2 cup of sour cream. It really improves the texture in baked goods. I also used white chocolate and lemon baking chips instead of semi-sweet. Great cookies! So glad that I could find a recipe after I realized I was out of butter!! 🙂