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!
If you love cookies, try oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, chocolate chip cookies with walnuts, and the best chocolate chip cookie pie.
Butterless Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
These butterless 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. They are so good that they made it into my book Entertaining with Charm!
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.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Excellent Reviews: The recipe was originally posted in 2010 and over 500 amazing reviews!
- No Dairy: It’s a great way to enjoy cookies if you are intolerant to dairy.
- Moist & Chewy: The oil gives the cookies a moist, chewy texture with a crispy edge.
- No Chill Time: These cookies don’t require extra chill time, making them quick and easy to make!
Ingredient in No Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
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.
Step by Step Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Cream Sugars and Oil: In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together the oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until well combined.
Add Eggs and Flavoring: Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then, mix in the vanilla and almond extract until smooth.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually blend in the dry ingredients until just combined. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
Portion the Dough: Using a cookie scoop, portion dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
Bake and Cool: Bake for 8 to 9 minutes until the edges are lightly golden. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
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.
Eden’s Recipe Tips
Taste Expectations: Remember, these cookies won’t have the exact buttery flavor of traditional recipes, but they’re perfect for moments when you’re out of butter or want a lighter option.
Choose a Neutral-Flavored Oil: Using a neutral oil, like canola or light olive oil, helps keep the classic chocolate chip cookie taste. Avoid oils with strong flavors (e.g., extra virgin olive oil), as they can change the flavor of your cookies. Always use fresh oil, as older oils can become rancid
Coconut Oil Option: If you prefer a slightly firmer dough or a hint of coconut flavor, food-grade coconut oil can be a good choice. Coconut oil is semi-solid at room temperature, which may help your cookies hold their shape better. Keep in mind that unrefined coconut oil adds coconut flavor, while refined coconut oil has a neutral taste.
Chill the Dough if Needed: If your kitchen is warm, consider chilling the dough for about 20 minutes before baking. This can prevent the cookies from spreading too much.
Only Bake 6-8 Cookies Per Baking Sheet: For the best results, limit the number of cookies per baking sheet to ensure even baking and prevent overcrowding.
Storing and Freezing
For about three days, you can store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
Freezing
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.
You can use neutral oils like vegetable, canola, or avocado oil for cookies or flavorful options like coconut or olive oil for added taste. Oils make cookies chewier than butter, so choose one that complements your recipe’s flavor and texture.
Yes, margarine can replace oil or butter in cookies in a 1:1 ratio, though it may slightly alter the flavor and texture due to its water content.
Baking cookies with oil instead of butter will not taste the same, as butter adds a different richness and flavor. But these cookies are very flavorful, and the texture is perfect.
More Cookie Recipes
Here are a few more of my favorite cookie recipes. These are ALL fantastic recipes and are perfect for all occasions.
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
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.
These tasted delicious – with a few adaptations.
Def only 1/2 cup of oil
1/2 cup each of white sugar and brown sugar
Pinch of salt
100g of mini choc chips
Seriously, give this version a go and if it’s not sweet or oily enough for you then top it up next time. :o)
Good ? recipe I love them
these are the best shaped cookies ever !
I just made these for my kiddies and I used half of the amount of oil, per suggestions in the comments, and they are so so so yummy!!! This made a ton of cookies as well! The kiddos love them and I have had probably 6 myself! ?? Such a good recipe!
Thank you for sharing Kayla!! I am so glad they worked for you!!
Absolutely love these!! Best cookies I have made!
Love hearing that!!
Very nice cookie very crunchy.
Hi I just wanted to know if I can refrigerate these overnight and bake when ready.
I’m sorry I accidentally posted this comment again. Thank you for the reply, your recipe is amazing.
HI I just wanted to know if I can refrigerate these overnight and take them out when ready to bake.
Yes you can refrigerate the dough overnight!
Amazing!!! (>^-^<) It's such a clever recipe. I am definitely going to try this out!
Chocolate chip cookies are my favorite. I haven’t tried making them without butter but I have the same issue you do. I’m going to give it a shot.
SO yummy! I love this for when we are out of butter!
What a great way to cure my sweet tooth! Definitely baking these this afternoon; looks too good to pass up!
I never knew this would work! I’m always having a craving for cookies but never have enough butter. This is perfect!
Delish
These actually turned out really well! I had to make a few changes though because I didn’t have any granulated sugar or almond extract. So I simply omitted the almond extract and used one cup of powdered sugar in place the the granulated sugar. I will agree with a lot of the posts on here though, that the cookies did have a very pungent oil taste and smell. Missing was that buttery aftertaste you love with chocolate chip cookies. However, I placed them in a tin and tasted them again the next day, and for some reason the pungent oil taste faded and you were left with a fairly good cookie. I probably won’t make these again, because I do miss that buttery aftertaste in a good chocolate chip cookie, but they are decent if you are in a pinch.
The best! Thin and crispy on the outside chewy in the middle just the way we like them!
These cookies came out so well! I love the texture and I really didn’t miss the butter one bit!
These cookies are so delicious and we’re obsessed! Thanks so much for sharing!
I made these a couple of weeks ago and remarked how different mine looked from yours. I decided to make them again paying attention to packing the brown sugar and levelling off the flour and I have to say it’s an entirely different cookie!! Today’s look more like yours, thin crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. This time I put an extra tsp of vanilla extract instead of the almond extract so it tastes like a classic chocolate chip cookie!! Please let me know if your cookie dough was a little sticky? I did keep the dough refrigerated between baking. I’m determined to get the perfect consistency.
Absolutely DELISH! And…I didn’t burn them! This is my new go-to recipe…thank you!!
Thank you Kara! We’re so glad you liked them!!
Had some left over large choc chips from a “cowboy cookie” disaster (subbing oil for butter). Decided to find butterless choc chip recipe and chose yours. The other cookies I bake all call for oil, but i was getting tired of oatmeal and molasses !!! These turned out so amazingly large, light and chewy, even using my 26 year old convection oven and a mix of 3 oils (not intentional just using up) Even had a satiny gloss to them. Puffed up and flattened out perfectly. My new fave !!! Thank you !!!