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These chocolate chip cookies without butter use oil for soft, chewy centers, lightly crisp edges, and plenty of melty chocolate chips. There’s no butter to soften and no dough to chill, so you can have warm cookies in about 30 minutes.
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Pin ItI first shared this recipe more than 16 years ago, and it’s become one of the most-loved recipes on Sugar & Charm. It even earned a spot in my book, Entertaining with Charm! A little almond extract is my secret for giving these simple cookies the best flavor.
These butterless chocolate chip cookies are perfect when you’re out of butter. And if you have butter on hand, try my brown butter chocolate chip cookies for a completely different take on the classic.
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“I have family members who are dairy free and these are the best! I was skeptical at first (because I love my butter in baking) but everyone—even those who love butter—loves these. I’ve been asked for the recipe many times!”
— Angie
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love These Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cookies Without Butter Ingredients
- How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookies Without Butter
- Eden’s Recipe Tips
- Best Oil for Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Easy Variations
- How to Store and Freeze
- Chocolate Chip Cookies Without Butter FAQs
- Chocolate Chip Cookies Without Butter Recipe
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
No butter needed: These are made with oil, so there’s no butter to soften or cream.
No chill time: I normally bake the dough right away, so you can have warm cookies in about 30 minutes.
Soft and chewy: They have soft centers, lightly crisp edges, and plenty of melty chocolate chips.
Easy to make: The dough comes together quickly with simple baking ingredients.
Tried and loved for years: I first shared this recipe more than 16 years ago. It’s now been rated more than 500 times!
Chocolate Chip Cookies Without Butter Ingredients
All-Purpose Flour: Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off rather than packing it in. Too much flour can make the cookies dry.
Baking Soda + Baking Powder: I use both in this recipe to give the cookies the right amount of spread and lift.
Salt: A little salt balances the sweetness and chocolate.
Oil: Vegetable, canola, and sunflower oil all work well. I prefer a neutral-tasting oil so it doesn’t compete with the vanilla, almond, and chocolate.
Brown Sugar + Granulated Sugar: Brown sugar adds moisture and chewiness, while granulated sugar helps with the lightly crisp edges.
Large Eggs: Two eggs bind the dough and add moisture and structure.
Vanilla + Almond Extract: Vanilla gives the cookies their classic flavor, and almond extract is my secret ingredient. If you prefer a more subtle almond flavor, use ½ teaspoon.
Chocolate Chips: Semisweet chocolate chips are my go-to, but you can use your favorite. For another chocolate chip cookie variation, try my pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookies Without Butter
- Preheat the oven: Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk together 2½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- Mix the oil and sugars: Beat ¾ cup oil, 1¼ cups dark brown sugar, and ½ cup granulated sugar until smooth and well combined.
- Add the eggs and extracts: Add 2 large eggs, one at a time. Mix in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon almond extract.
- Finish the dough: Gradually mix in the dry ingredients just until combined. Fold in 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips. Don’t overmix the dough.
- Scoop: Portion the dough into approximately 2-tablespoon balls and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake: Bake for 8 to 9 minutes. The edges should look set and very lightly golden while the centers still look soft.
- Cool: Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. This gives the soft centers time to set without overbaking them.
Eden’s Recipe Tips
Don’t overbake: This is probably my most important tip. Take the cookies out when the centers still look slightly underdone. They’ll continue to set on the warm baking sheet.
Measure the flour carefully: Too much flour is one of the easiest ways to end up with a dry cookie. Spoon and level it, or use a kitchen scale if you have one.
Use a neutral oil: A neutral oil lets the brown sugar, extracts, and chocolate shine without adding a strong savory flavor.
Give them room: I bake about 6 to 8 cookies per sheet so they have plenty of space to spread and bake evenly.
Finish with salt: A small sprinkle of flaky sea salt on the warm cookies is optional, but so good.
For another chewy chocolate chip cookie, try my oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.
Best Oil for Chocolate Chip Cookies
I usually make these cookies with vegetable oil, but I’ve also made them with coconut oil, including the version in my book, and they turn out SO good.
Vegetable oil: My go-to for a neutral flavor and the classic version of this recipe.
Coconut oil: Works beautifully too. Use it melted and slightly cooled before adding it to the dough.
Canola or sunflower oil: Both can work as neutral-flavored alternatives.
Easy Variations
- Add walnuts: Fold chopped walnuts into the dough with the chocolate chips. If you love that combination, try my chocolate chip walnut cookies too.
- Change the chocolate: Use milk, dark, or semi-sweet chocolate chips, or chopped chocolate for bigger, melty pockets. If you love chocolate chunks, my chocolate cherry chunk cookies are another fun variation.
- Finish with flaky salt: Sprinkle a little flaky sea salt over the cookies right after they come out of the oven.
How to Store and Freeze
Room temperature: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Let the cookies cool completely, then store them in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Thaw at room temperature, or warm one briefly in the microwave before serving.
Reheat: Microwave a cookie for about 10–15 seconds for that warm, soft, just-baked texture.
Chocolate Chip Cookies Without Butter FAQs
No. I love the little hint of almond flavor and have used it in this recipe for years, but you can leave it out or replace it with additional vanilla extract for a more classic chocolate chip cookie flavor. You can also use just ½ teaspoon for a more subtle almond flavor. I use the same vanilla-and-almond combination in my chocolate chip walnut cookies, too.
No. I normally bake this dough right away. If your kitchen is particularly warm or the dough seems unusually soft, you can chill it for about 20 minutes to help control spreading. For comparison, my oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are a recipe where chilling the dough really does make a difference.
Yes. You can cover the dough and refrigerate it overnight, then bake the cookies when you’re ready. The chilled dough will be firmer, so let it sit at room temperature briefly if it’s too firm to scoop.
Make sure your flour is measured correctly, don’t place dough on a warm baking sheet, and give the cookies enough room to spread. Because this dough is made with oil, it can also become softer in a warm kitchen. If that happens, chill it for about 20 minutes before baking.
Too much flour is usually the first thing to check. It can make the dough too thick and prevent the cookies from spreading properly. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off rather than scooping directly from the bag, or weigh it for the most consistent results.
The cookie dough itself is naturally dairy-free because it uses oil instead of butter. Chocolate chips can contain dairy, though, so use dairy-free chocolate chips if you need the finished cookies to be completely dairy-free.
You can also browse all of my favorite cookie recipes for more ideas.
This is one of those recipes I’m especially proud to have shared for so many years. If you make these chocolate chip cookies without butter, please leave a star rating and comment below! I love hearing how they turn out for you.
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Chocolate Chip Cookies Without Butter
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil, canola oil, sunflower oil and coconut oil work too.
- 1 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, you can use light too
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract, 1/2 tsp for less of an almond flavor.
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Prep the Oven and Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt. Set this aside.
- Cream Oil and Sugars: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl with a hand mixer), beat together 3/4 cup oil, 1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar, and 1/2 cup white sugar on medium speed until well combined and smooth.
- Add Eggs and Aromatics: Add 2 large eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1 tsp almond extract (use 1/2 tsp if you prefer a subtler almond flavor) until the mixture is creamy.
- Combine: Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the flour mixture, blending just until no streaks of flour remain. Use a spatula to gently fold in 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips.
- Scoop the Dough: Using a standard cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons), portion the dough into balls. Place them on the prepared baking sheets, spaced 2 inches apart to allow for slight spreading.
- Bake and Cool: Bake for 8 to 9 minutes, or until the edges are just set and very lightly golden. The centers will still look soft—don't overbake! Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes to firm up before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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!! 🙂