These Easy Eggless Brown Sugar Cookies are soft and chewy! Super easy to make with just 5 simple ingredients. No chilling time is required! The recipe includes step-by-step photos and lots of tips.
Sometimes I prefer a pure, simple cookie like these Easy Eggless Brown Sugar Cookies.
These cookies are buttery, soft, and chewy! Pure goodness. They’re super easy to make and require no chilling time, which means you’ll be in cookie heaven in almost no time at all.
Brown sugar is amazing for a couple of reasons – it adds moisture to baked goods, which helps keep the cookies soft and tender, and has molasses in it that adds a richer flavor.
These Easy Eggless Brown Sugar Cookies are totally irresistible. Soft and chewy with crisp edges. Perfect for when you want an easy, simple cookie!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Amounts are included in the printable recipe below (scroll down). You’ll need:
Ingredients Notes & Substitutions
- Butter: I prefer to use unsalted butter, but if you only have salted butter handy, you can use it. In this case, skip the salt called in the recipe.
- Brown sugar: I use and recommend light brown sugar.
- Vanilla extract: For optimal flavor, reach for pure vanilla instead of imitation. Even better, try homemade vanilla extract! If you are looking for non-alcoholic vanilla flavoring, I recommend Simply Organic Vanilla Flavoring.
- Flour: Standard all-purpose flour works best here; skip the cake flour, bread flour, and wheat flour. Make sure to measure accurately; a kitchen scale is the best way to measure your ingredients, in my opinion.
- Baking soda: Make sure it’s not expired or too old.
- Salt: I prefer kosher or sea salt. If you only have table salt handy, I recommend reducing the amount to half.
Detailed instructions are included in the printable recipe below (scroll down).
- Preheat the Oven And Prepare The Pan
Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350º F (180º C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Cream Butter and Brown Sugar
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the sugar, butter, and vanilla until creamy and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
- Add Dry Ingredients
Reduce speed to low, and add the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Form The Cookies
Form 16 tablespoon-sized balls and slightly flatten them with your hand.
- Roll The Cookie Dough Balls in Sugar
This is totally optional! I like to do it because It adds a nice crunchy texture on the outside.
- Bake
Place them on the cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 13 minutes or until the bottom is lightly browned.
Recipe Tips
Measure the ingredients correctly! A kitchen scale is always the best option.
Right-temperature butter is KEY! Softened butter should easily bend without breaking and will give slightly when pressed. If your finger sinks into the butter and looks oily, it’s way too soft.
After adding the flour, the dough will look grainy and a bit dry, but don’t worry! Mix until just combined, then turn off the mixer and bring the dough together with your hands until uniform and smooth.
Don’t over-mix your cookie dough, or you will end up with a dense cookie.
For evenly sized cookies (better for baking), use a small spring-loaded ice cream scoop to spoon out the dough.
Bake the cookies until they are JUST golden around the edges. The cookies might still look a little raw in the center, but they will be perfect once they cool. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for just a few minutes, around 2. If you leave the cookies on the baking sheets for too long, they will continue cooking, and they will be hard.
Variations You Can Apply to This Recipe
I like to roll the cookie dough balls on coarse sugar. It adds a nice crunchy texture on the outside, but that is totally optional.
Feel free to add sprinkles or nuts to the dough if you want.
If you’d like to frost these cookies, check out my favorite frostings!
Storing & Freezing Instructions
These eggless brown sugar cookies get snapped up fast, but if you do have leftovers or you’re planning on making these ahead of time for a party, here’s how to do so.
Leftover
The eggless vanilla cookies will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 to 4 days.
Freezer
You can freeze extra cookies and pull them out individually to enjoy if needed! Place the cooled cookies in a single layer in a freezer bag or container. Freeze them for up to 2 months.
This recipe makes about 16 cookies (1 tablespoon each).
To make these cookies gluten-free, substitute all-purpose flour for 1-to-1 Gluten-Free flour. This is my favorite brand. Just be sure to stir the dough longer than normal to help give the baked goods proper structure. Also, gluten-free dough needs to rest. So let your batter rest for about 30 minutes, so the flour has time to hydrate and soften before baking it.
Yes, you can! Keep in mind that the cookies will be chewier and darker in color.
Yes, to make these cookies dairy-free use your favorite dairy-free butter. My favorite dairy-free butter for baking is Miyokos Creamery.
Recipe Card 📖
Easy Eggless Brown Sugar Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 9 tablespoons (128 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (100 g) brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cup (210 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Important
Don’t forget to check out the step-by-step photos above in the post—they’ll guide you through the process and make everything super clear!
Instructions
- Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350º F (180º C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat butter on medium speed for 2 – 3 minutes, or until creamy and pale in color. Add brown sugar and continue beating for 2 -3 minutes, until creamy and fluffy. Beat in vanilla; beat to until combine.
- Reduce speed to low, add the flour, baking soda, and salt; beat until just incorporated. If the dough looks grainy and a little dry, don't worry! Turn off the mixer and bring the dough together with your hands until uniform and smooth.
- Form 16 tablespoon-sized balls and slightly flatten with your hand. Alternatively, you can use a cookie stamp to flatten them. OPTIONAL: I like to roll the cookie dough balls in coarse sugar. It adds a nice crunchy texture on the outside, but that is totally optional.
- Place them in the prepared cookie sheet and bake for 10-13 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned.
- Cool on the pan for 2-3 minutes before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Measure the ingredients properly! A kitchen scale is always the best option.
- Right-temperature butter is KEY! Softened butter should easily bend without breaking and will give slightly when pressed. If your finger sinks into the butter and looks oily, it’s way too soft.
- After adding the flour, the dough will look grainy, and a bit dry, but don’t worry! Mix until just combined, then turn off the mixer, and bring the dough together with your hands until uniform and smooth.
- Don’t over-mix your cookie dough, or you will end up with a dense cookie.
- For evenly sized cookies (better for baking), use a small spring-loaded ice cream scoop to spoon out the dough.
- Bake the cookies until they are JUST golden around the edges. The cookies might still look a little raw in the center, but they will be perfect once they cool. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for just a few minutes, around 2. If you leave the cookies on the baking sheets for too long, they will continue cooking, and they will be hard.
- I like to roll the cookie dough balls on coarse sugar. It adds a nice crunchy texture on the outside, but that is totally optional.
- Feel free to add sprinkles or nuts to the dough if you want.
- If you’d like to frost these cookies, check out my favorite frostings!
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Eggless Baking Frequently Asked Questions
You’ve asked, and I’ve answered! Read on for a handful of answers to the most frequently asked questions about eggless baking.
This recipe was originally published on April 2021. The recipe remains the same, but more notes, tips, photos, and information have been added to the post in December 2022 to make it as helpful as possible!
MY SISTER AND I LOVED IT WE CUT SHAPES OUT OF THE DOUGH SO CUT LOVED .
Hello Paul! Thank you so much for your sweet comment! I’m so glad you and your sister loved it. Wishing you a Happy New Year filled with joy, laughter, and more baking adventures. x- Oriana
Great recipe in a pinch if you don’t have eggs on hand but have a sweet tooth! I will say, too much salt. Added a little more coarse sugar on top after baking to help balance it out a bit. Wish I had whipped cream! Next time I try it out, I’ll go with 1/4 teaspoon of salt instead of 1/2.
Hello Cody! Thank you so much for your feedback. I’m glad you found the recipe handy for those egg-free sweet tooth moments. 😊
Super easy and yummy cookie to make! Thanks again for all your eggless recipes, they make life so much more delicious for kids with egg allergies 🙂
Hello Claire! It sounds like you nailed it! Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know.