These Brown Sugar Cookies taste like your favorite chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate chips. These cookies have the perfect crispy edges with a soft and chewy center.
I grew up with a fully stocked cookie jar at all times. My mom made a big batch of cookies for the week every Sunday night, like her Classic Peanut Butter Cookies or Chewy Chocolate Cookies, for my Dad to take in his lunch.
Any time she would make chocolate chip cookies I would beg her to make me a few without any chocolate chips inside. She would usually sneak one or two on the baking sheet for me. I asked why she couldn’t just make the entire batch that way, and I don’t remember her exact answer but it was something along the lines of “we just don’t do that” haha.
I was craving a chocolate-chip-less-chocolate-chip-cookie the other day and thought to myself, why not make an entire batch??? I’m an adult now. I can do these things. Big girl decisions, y’all.
These brown sugar cookies taste just like your favorite chocolate chip cookie without the chocolate chips. They’re buttery and salty and delicious. The edges are perfectly crispy but the centers stay soft and chewy.
What’s in Brown Sugar Cookies?
To make these brown sugar sugar cookies, all you need is:
- Butter
- Brown sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
How to Make Homemade Cookies
- Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl, then add to the wet ingredients.
- Add an additional ¼ cup sugar to a small bowl.
- Use a cookie scoop to portion out the cookie dough and roll each dough ball in the sugar.
- Bake the brown sugar cookies for 10 to 12 minutes at 350 degrees F.
How to Store Brown Sugar Cookies
These brown sugar cookies will last up to 5 days at room temperature in an airtight container.
Can I Freeze Brown Sugar Cookies?
Yes! You can freeze either the baked brown sugar sugar cookies or the raw cookie dough balls. To thaw the frozen baked cookies, pop them in the microwave for a few seconds or let thaw on the countertop.
To bake the frozen raw cookie dough, bake straight from frozen. Just note that you may need to add an extra minute or two to the total bake time.
Tips for Making Cookies From Scratch
Your butter needs to be softened to room temperature before making the cookie dough. If the butter isn’t soft enough, it won’t cream together properly with the sugar.
If your cookie dough seems extremely soft, chill the cookie dough balls in the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes before baking.
Be careful not to over-bake these, take them out when the edges are just starting to turn golden and the centers are still soft.
More Quick Cookie Recipes:
- Easy Thumbprint Cookies
- Salted Caramel Cookies
- Easy Shortbread Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Protein Cookies
- No-Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
- 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking sheet. Set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.
- In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Slowly mix the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Set aside.
- Add 1/4 cup sugar to a shallow bowl. Use a cookie scoop to portion out a ball of dough and drop it into the bowl of sugar. Coat each ball of dough with sugar completely.
- Bake 10-12 minutes- the edges of the cookies should be just starting to brown. The centers will be soft; do not over-bake. Let stand on cookie sheet 2-3 minutes before removing to cooling rack.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published June 2012. Updated June 2017.
Clay
Tuesday 5th of April 2022
somehow came out with more of a cornbread taste and feel 😥 but! good thing I love the taste of cornbread! Im sure its something to do with the butter I used (margarine) or some other error on ky end, but great recipe despite my mistakes, fun and easy to follow 😊
Jake
Monday 7th of February 2022
I modified using 4 tablespoons of canna butter and 4 regular (unsalted).
I didn’t have any chocolate chips and needed a recipe lol. Otherwise I had a memorized recipe I would follow.
They came out nice and soft and fluffy. I’ll be freezing them to preserve them.
Great recipe. Thanks!
Laura
Friday 12th of July 2019
I didn't have any butter, so I ended up using 3/4 cup of vegetable oil. I was worried they wouldn't turn out well because I didn't have butter, but they still turned out lovely! :)
Christine Costello
Monday 8th of April 2019
This is a correction to the comment I just made.
What did I do wrong? The dough was too soft and creamy to roll into a ball. So I scoop them out with the scoop and put them on the cookie sheet that way. The only thing on the cookie that cooked were the edges.
Emily Grace
Monday 8th of April 2019
Hmm, it sounds like maybe your butter was too soft? If the dough is too soft, you might try chilling it in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to allow it to firm up. Hope this helps!
Josy
Sunday 10th of February 2019
Glad I'm not the only one to prefer these without the chocolate chips. It's not something one can usually discuss in polite company ?