These Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies are soft and chewy on the center, with slightly crispy brown edges, and are generously loaded with lots of warm gooey chocolate chips.
A classic and straightforward chocolate chip cookie recipe where brown sugar is the star of the show. This is dedicated to all brown sugar lovers out there!
Want more cookies? Here are some of my other favorites: Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies, Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies, White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies
Brown Sugar in Chocolate Chip Cookies
Brown sugar is basically white sugar with molasses added back in. Light brown has less molasses, dark brown has more. Molasses may be one simple ingredient, but it brings so much to baked goods.
These brown-sugar-only (no granulated sugar) chocolate chip cookies highlight the magic of molasses.
Here’s why brown sugar makes such a difference in this cookie recipe:
- Deep, caramelized flavor – molasses gives these cookies a rich caramel and toffee flavor you just don’t get from white sugar alone.
- Chewy, moist texture – that same molasses helps make the cookies denser, chewier, and more moist in the center.
- Crispy, golden edges – as the natural sugars in molasses caramelize in the oven, they give the cookies crispy edges and that gorgeous golden brown color.
- Better keeping quality – because brown sugar holds onto more moisture than white sugar, these cookies also tend to stay soft for longer after baking.
- More complex sweetness – instead of one-note sweetness, brown sugar brings notes of caramel to every bite, so the cookies taste a little more special without any extra effort.
These brown sugar chocolate chip cookies are one of those cookies I whip together at the last minute (or at 11pm at night) when I’m craving desserts…they are just plain easy to make. Here’s why:
- Only one mixing bowl needed – you can choose to used two separately bowls (one for wet ingredients and one for dry ingredients), but I really don’t think it’s necessary!
- Calls for simple, pantry-staple ingredients…you probably have all of those ingredients already in your pantry!
- Ready in under 30 minutes
- No chilling required
It’s easy yet delicious, and the best chocolate chip cookies recipe to have in your hip pocket which you’ll go back to over and over again.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to make brown sugar chocolate chip cookies:
- Butter: Unsalted butter always works best for baking so we know for sure the amount of salt added to the dough. Make sure it’s softened (at room temperature) before using so it can be mixed more easily.
- All-purpose flour: a basic pantry staple that gives structure to your cookies.
- Brown sugar: The star of our chocolate chip cookie recipe! Instead of the traditional white sugar, we’re using brown sugar in this recipe – it’s basically sugar with molasses, which is responsible for the darker coloring and caramelized flavors. Dark or light brown sugar will work great.
- Baking soda: Gives your cookies a light and airy texture, and prevents the cookies from being too dense.
- Baking powder: Another necessary leavening agent so the cookies aren’t too flat. This helps maintain the thickness and softness of the cookies.
- Salt: Enhances the flavors and balances out the sweetness in the overall cookie recipe. Any table or kosher salt works fine here.
- Chocolate chips: We use semisweet chocolate chips, but milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or white chocolate chips (or even chocolate chunks from a chopped-up chocolate bar) all work great too.
- Eggs: Give the cookies a richer and softer texture.
- Milk: Just a small splash to add a bit of extra moisture.
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract brings out the best flavor.
How to make brown sugar chocolate chip cookies
Here are the step-by-step instructions and photographs to make these brown sugar chocolate chip cookies.
It is basically a classic chocolate chip cookie recipe with a slight twist (and a lot of brown sugar!). All you need is one bowl!
step 1: make chocolate chip cookie dough
First, we work on the wet ingredients. Start by portioning out the brown sugar in a measuring cup, then creaming it together with the softened unsalted butter. You can use a hand mixer, stand mixer, or just a spatula for this. Cream until it is smooth and fluffy.
Add eggs and milk and stir until combined.
Next, slowly add dry ingredients (all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) into wet ingredients and mix to combine (on slow speed if using electric mixers).
Fold in chocolate chips.
step 2: portion and roll
Roll dough into small individual balls (~1 1/2-inch diameter), and place them 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. For most consistent shape, use a cookie scoop. This recipe yields ~36 small cookie dough balls using a cookie scoop.
If you don’t have a cookie scoop, you can always just use a teaspoon or tablespoon to try and keep the cookie dough balls a uniform size.
step 3: Bake, Cool, and eat!
Pop the pan into the oven and bake at 375℉ for 9-11 minutes.
When done, remove from oven and let the cookies sit on the pan for 1-2 minutes to set. Then carefully remove the cookies from the pan so that they will not continue cooking and eventually harden.
Cool cookies on a wire cooling rack. The edges of the cookies should be nice and golden brown, and the cookies themselves may be a bit soft as they continue to set.
And then pour yourself a beverage of choice (warm milk, hot tea, coffee etc), and enjoy these chewy brown sugar chocolate chip cookies.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve never just had one in one setting! 🙂
Variations And Substitutions
This brown sugar chocolate chip cookie recipe is easy to make your own. Here are a few of our favorite ways to switch things up:
- Flaky sea salt: Sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt over the cookies right when they come out of the oven for a sweet-and-salty finish that makes the caramel notes really pop.
- Walnuts or pecans: Fold in about a cup of chopped walnuts or pecans along with the chocolate chips for extra crunch and a toasty, nutty flavor.
- Almonds or macadamia nuts: Sliced almonds or chopped macadamia nuts are a great swap if you’d like something a little lighter and more buttery than walnuts or pecans.
- Extra egg yolk: Add one extra egg yolk to the wet ingredients for an even chewier, richer cookie.
- Mix up the chocolate: Swap in milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or a mix of chocolate chunks in place of the semisweet chips for a different result.
- Warm spices: A dash of cinnamon or a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice is a cozy addition, especially if you’re baking these in the fall or winter.
Storage Instructions
Make sure cookies are completely cool before storing away. Store these chewy chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container or bag at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freezing the Dough
This brown sugar chocolate chip cookie recipe makes a lot of cookies! Freezing the dough (before baking) is a great way to have fresh cookies on hand whenever you want, without a lot of extra work.
To freeze the dough, roll the portion you want to freeze into one large ball and place it in an airtight bag. Freeze for up to 2 months.
To freeze individual cookie dough, portion out into individual balls and place them next to each other in a ziplock bag in the freezer (don’t let them overlap so they freeze individually).
When ready to bake, leave frozen dough in the refrigerator overnight to thaw. Then follow the baking steps above to bake the cookies. If baking from cold dough, cookies will be thicker.
Tips and Tricks
A few tips to ensure a baking success:
- Soften the butter before using: Set butter out at room temperature for an hour or so until softened for a fluffier, chewier cookie. Cold butter won’t combine well, and if the butter is completely melted, the cookies will turn out flat.
- Don’t overmix the dough: Cookies will come out flat if overmixed. We want those chewy cookies!
- Line your pan: Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Make uniform cookie dough balls: Keep them all the same size to ensure even baking and doneness.
- Chill the dough: Chilling your cookie dough (optional) before baking helps the cookies keep their thick, chewy shape.
- Check on your cookies early: Peek at the cookies around the 9-minute mark to be on the safe side. They should still look soft when you take them out – they’ll continue cooking as they sit on the baking sheet.
- Don’t leave cookies on the hot pan too long: Once done, remove the cookies from the pan after 1-2 minutes, or as soon as you can transfer them without them falling apart. Leaving them on the pan too long will overcook them.
- Use the paddle attachment: If you’re using a stand mixer, the paddle attachment (not the whisk) creams the butter and brown sugar best for a smooth, evenly mixed dough.
Frequently Asked Questions
Using brown sugar will make cookies more moist, soft and slightly denser. It will also bring a caramelized flavor and crispy edges, while the center is moist and gooey.
Both works great and there’s little difference.
You can use white sugar instead of brown sugar, although the cookie will not be as chewy and the flavor will be slightly different.
Yes, but you will have to adjust (or omit) the added salt.
Use good quality chocolate chips for the best flavor and texture. Semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips work well for balanced sweetness.
Make sure to not over bake them and follow my post-baking/cooling instructions closely.
Your butter may have been overly melted instead of just softened. Chilling the dough before baking for 30 minutes or so may help prevent spreading as well.
Absolutely! Chopped walnuts or pecans, a pinch of espresso powder, or a sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top are all great additions. Check out the Variations and Substitutions section above for more ideas.
Yes – just adjust your bake time accordingly. Smaller cookies will need a minute or two less, and larger cookies a minute or two more. Keep an eye on the edges for that golden brown color as your cue that they’re done.
ENJOYED THIS RECIPE? Tell us what you think by leaving a rating and review below! 🤍
More Cookie Recipes
- Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
- Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies
- Strawberry Thumbprint Cookies
- Caramel White Chocolate Chip Chocolate Cookies
- Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Snickerdoodle Bars
Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 2 Large eggs
- 1 tsp milk
- 1 1/4 tsp vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375℉
- Cream brown sugar and butter in a mixing bowl with a hand or stand mixer until completely combined (will look a little fluffy/smooth).
- Add eggs, milk and vanilla extract to wet ingredients and mix until combined (approx. 1 minute)
- Slowly add dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda) into mixing bowl and mix on slow speed.
- Fold in chocolate chips.
- Portion out cookies into small balls (or using a cookies scooper). Place cookies 2-inches apart on cooke sheet.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes on a cookie sheet.
- Remove cookie sheet from the oven. Let cookie sit on cookie sheet for 1-2 minutes, or once cookies can be moved without breaking. Remove cookies to wire cooling rack. Cookies should still be soft.
Recipe Notes
- This recipe makes approximately 3 dozen cookies using a cookie scooper.
- When cookies are done, remove from baking sheet promptly. They may be soft, but you don’t want it to completely harden before taking them off the baking sheet and transferring them onto the cooling rack. Leaving chocolate chip cookies on baking sheet out of the oven for an extended period of time will overcook cookies.
- Freezing the dough: Roll the portion you want to freeze into a large ball and place in an air tight bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. To freeze individual cookie dough, portion out into individual balls and place them next to each other in zip lock bag (do not overlap so they freeze individually). When ready to bake, leave frozen dough in refrigerator overnight to thaw. Then follow the baking instructions to bake cookies.
Easy and yummy chocolate chip cookie recipe. Brown sugar makes these so chewy and extra rich and delicious!
I’m so glad you liked it, Jennifer!
I’ll take any excuse to try a new chocolate chip cookie recipe, and these were a hit! So good!
Thank you thank you! Glad you liked it!
These cookies were AMAZING!! My family loved them!
I’m so happy to hear that, Lana!
I made these using gluten free flour and they turned out perfect
So glad to hear that Lea! Thank you for sharing!!
When reading the recipe the instructions say to beat the sugar, butter and brown sugar but there is no mention of another sugar, like white sugar, in the ingredients list.
No other sugar needed, just brown sugar. I corrected the typo!
Just made this recipe today! so far the dough tasted wonderful! so happy to find a recipe with brown sugar, I didn’t realize I was out of granulated sugar until I was ready to make cookies for my honey.
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe!
These are the perfect chocolate chip cookies. That lingering flavor makes you want to eat the whole batch. I added pecans to mine and I meeeeeeean, heaven.
Thanks so much, Kelly! <3 Love the pecan addition! Yum!