This quick and easy butterless chocolate chip cookie recipe uses coconut oil instead of butter for a soft, chewy cookie.
Full disclosure: I am WEIRD about chocolate chip cookies. I don't know what it is, really. I'm just PICKY. And I'm picky, but, like, in the WRONG ways?
Example: I DO NOT like chocolate chip cookies fresh out of the oven. Sometimes you get burned by a still-really-hot chocolate chip, which UGH. Give me room temperature cookies all day every day.
I also refuse to dip cookies in milk - milk makes cookies soggy and I just don't get the appeal, I guess.
SO. Just give me a soft, fluffy, room temperature chocolate chip cookie with no milk, please. This is the way to my strange, anti-all-the-regular-chocolate-chip-cookie-things heart.
These butterless chocolate chip cookies are actually kind of wonderful, though. Made from scratch? Check. Without butter? Check. Soft and chewy? Check annnnnnd check.
(And you are totally allowed to eat them hot from the oven and dip them in milk if those things make your heart happy. We accept all kinds of cookie monsters here at Life As A Strawberry HQ!)
Chocolate Chip Cookies Without Butter!
These cookies have NO butter! There's just a bit of smooth, melted coconut oil for body and flavor.
(Note: Coconut oil at room temperature is usually solid, but just spoon it into a glass measuring cup and zap it in the microwave to melt it down for this recipe):
I've been having a lot of fun baking with coconut oil lately, and it's a great alternative if you prefer to avoid butter/dairy in recipes (or have a craving for chocolate chip cookies but no butter in the house!)
You can taste a bit of coconut flavor in these chocolate chip cookies, but it's definitely not overpowering. The coconut oil also lends a very slight crispness to the outside of these butterless cookies - but the insides are soft and chewy just like a perfect chocolate chip cookie should be!
PS - You can also use coconut oil instead of butter for our small batch chocolate chip cookies!
How do you like YOUR chocolate chip cookies? Let me know in the comments!
Video: How to make butterless chocolate chip cookies
Butterless Chocolate Chip Cookies with Coconut Oil
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: Makes 25-30 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Description
Easy, chewy chocolate chip cookies with no butter.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup liquid form coconut oil (see recipe notes)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup white sugar
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 ½ cups flour (measured correctly by scooping and leveling)
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 heaping cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine liquid coconut oil, vanilla, eggs, sugar, and brown sugar. Whisk to combine.
- Add flour, kosher salt, and baking soda to bowl and stir until ingredients are incorporated and you have a smooth dough.
- Fold chocolate chips into dough until they are evenly distributed.
- Line a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or a sheet of parchment paper.
- Use a large cookie scoop (I like this 3-Tablespoon one) to scoop dough, and place dough scoops 1 inch apart on the baking sheet.
- Bake cookies at 375 degrees F for 9-12 minutes until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack to let cool.
- Serve cookies immediately or let them cool completely and then store in an airtight container on the counter for up to a week.
Notes
How to melt coconut oil into its liquid form: Coconut oil is generally solid at room temperature, but we want to melt it into a liquid form for this recipe in order to incorporate it more easily into our chocolate cupcake batter. (We’ve used virgin unrefined coconut oils from 365/Whole Foods, Nutiva, and Carrington Farms and like them all). To melt coconut oil, scoop about 1 cup of coconut oil (in its solid, room-temperature form) into a microwave-safe glass measuring cup, and then microwave for 30-40 seconds until it’s melted down. Give the coconut oil a stir and then check the measurement – you may need to add another spoonful of room temperature coconut oil to bring the liquid up to the correct amount. Melt too much oil? Pour any excess right back into the container.
Work quickly when you bake these cookies – as the coconut oil starts to come back to room temperature, the dough will stiffen and be a little more crumbly and harder to work with, so plan to bake these in just one or two batches as opposed to storing the dough in the fridge for later!
If you use a larger or smaller scoop to form the cookie dough, you may need to adjust your bake time – just keep an eye on the cookies as they bake and pull them out when they’re very lightly browned!
Adjustments and Substitutions. Feel free to use more chocolate chips than called for, or to add nuts or white chocolate chips. Add a sprinkle of flakey sea salt on top if you like! You can also swap the chocolate chips for chopped baking chocolate (we like dark or semi-sweet) for chocolate chunks.
These chocolate chip cookies are relatively soft and slightly dense. If you like a thinner, crispier cookie, you can reduce the amount of flour in this recipe by ¼ cup. For an ultra-thick, especially dense cookie, you can increase the flour by up to ¼ cup.
Homemade cookies can dry out after a few days - to keep them soft, store them in an airtight container on the counter along with a small slice of bread (they’ll absorb moisture from the bread and stay softer!) or pop a cookie in the microwave for a few seconds to warm. These cookies also freeze well once cooked!
For more butter-free recipes, check out our Coconut Oil Chocolate Cupcakes or Salted Olive Oil Dark Chocolate Cookies!
Adapted from Nestlé Toll House.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 cookies
- Calories: 201
- Sugar: 17 g
- Sodium: 95.2 mg
- Fat: 9.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 27.3 g
- Protein: 2.4 g
- Cholesterol: 14.9 mg
Ruth V
These are By far the best chocolate chip cookies I ever made or tasted. I recently started doing a lot of baking and cooking due to an early retirement. I enjoy trying new ways to make old favorites. Baking with coconut oil is new to me but I’m finding that recipes can easily be adapted to be vegan or gluten free or paleo or whatever ur preference without giving up delicious taste. These were easy to make and better than the cookies I’ve made in the past. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Jackie @ Life As A Strawberry
Hello Ruth! Congrats in retirement, and we are so pleased you found us and the recipe!
Riley
I needed to bake cookies for a party, but had no butter! This was the PERFECT solution! I adore these cookies!! 🙂 This is definitely a cookie worth your time and effort! Thank you so very much Jessie!! You are truly a life saver! 😉 I encourage those reading this to give this cookie a go! two thumbs up by me!
Jackie @ Life As A Strawberry
Hi Riley, so happy you found us! Thank you for the compliment.
Sam
Oh holy crap this is delicious! I just recently switched to a dairy free diet (my poor belly is very happy about that) but I've been missing cookies! These are FANTASTIC and they eliminate the after burn I get from buttery cookies. Even the cookiedough is delish!
P.S. you can sub Enjoy Life dairy free chocolate chips and you'd never know the difference!
Jackie @ Life As A Strawberry
Hi Sam - thank you for the compliment!
Kait
This recipe is delicious, the coconut oil really adds something to the cookie. My family didn't notice that they weren't made with butter. My second time around I was craving a double chocolate chip cookie, so I subbed the 2.5 cups of flour for 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup cocoa. Perfection!
Joanne Mogg
Thanks Jessie im going to try these cookies today.
Jackie @ Life As A Strawberry
Hi Joanne - Enjoy! How did they turn out?
Heather Centracchio
Best cookie I've ever had!
Jackie @ Life As A Strawberry
Thank You Heather!
Ashley
Yum! Best chocolate chip cookies! I love how they are so fluffy and sweet 😀😀😀 I made these 30 minutes ago and I've eaten 2 already and my boyfriend has eaten 8! 😯 I use gluten free measure for measure flour and add just a touch of nutmeg (we have a thing for nutmeg). And I use enjoy life allergy friendly chocolate chips (we are a gluten and lactose free house due to allergies). Thank you for the delishous recipe! Keep up the great work 👍😀 Our tummies thank you!
Renee
Was looking for a healthier alternative to butter, and was so happy that I tried this cookie. This is now my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe. I only used 2 cups of flour, but that was just to cut back on calories a little bit more. The cookie is great either way.
Thank you for sharing!
Jackie @ Life As A Strawberry
Hello Renee, so happy to hear this is your 'go-to' recipe! Thank you 🙂
Lauren Channels
I don’t know what I did wrong but the cookies never raised and were way too sweet 🙁
Emily Kate
These are dank. Wow.
Jalee
Amazing! Decided to try for my friend who is allergic to dairy. We all loved them as much as cookies with butter!
Jackie
The whole family loved them!
Jackie @ Life As A Strawberry
Hi Jackie - Love hearing this! Thank you!
Renee
Ive done this twice now and u think 2 1/2 cups of flour i's too much.. I pitched the first one at and tried it again but this time just putting 2 cups of flour and it's a little butter but still not smooth.
Teeta
Hahahahaha I hate any baked goods hot out of the oven...cake & pie must be cold - straight out of the fridge maybe even freezer. Cookies room temp and nooooo soggy cookies!!!
Mark
I've made this for the first time and OMG, it turned out so good. Me and my boyfriend can't stop eating it. I reduced the white sugar to half a cup and it was just perfect for us. This is just the best chocolate chip cookie I've tried.
Jenah
Just made these for my husband as I am going out of town and wanted to leave him with treats! They are amazing! I added toasted coconut and sliced almond along with mini chocolate chips. Yum! I love the way they hold their shape and have a slightly different consistency! And so easy! Will definitely make again.
Jackie @ Life As A Strawberry
Hi Jenah - love the extra add-ins! Thank you for the comment.