Soft and Chewy Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies
These eggless chocolate chip cookies are soft in the middle, crisp at the edges, and loaded with melted chocolate. No flax eggs, no aquafaba—just butter, sugar, and a simple swap that works so well nobody will guess they’re egg-free.
You get the same golden, buttery dough and puddles of dark chocolate you crave from a classic cookie, using ingredients you already have. Whether you’re baking for an egg allergy or simply ran out, this is the recipe you’ll come back to.
Why These Eggless Cookies Stay Soft
The butter is melted, not creamed, which keeps the cookies chewy for days. A little cornstarch softens the dough so you never miss the egg. The result is a cookie with a golden, crackly top and a fudgy center that stays tender long after it cools.
And because there’s no chilling required—just mix, scoop, and bake—you can go from craving to cookie in under 30 minutes. That alone makes this my go-to lazy Sunday afternoon bake.
Ingredients
- 113 g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted: if you use salted butter, reduce the added salt to a pinch.
- 100 g (1/2 cup) packed light brown sugar: dark brown sugar works too, just gives a deeper caramel note.
- 50 g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) whole milk: any milk, including oat or almond, works in its place.
- 160 g (1 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour: spooned and leveled, not scooped.
- 2 tsp cornstarch: this is what creates a soft, chewy crumb without eggs.
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 175 g (1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips: or roughly chopped chocolate bars for bigger puddles.
Variations / Substitutions
- Dairy-free: use plant-based butter sticks, dairy-free chocolate chips, and the milk alternative of your choice.
- Gluten-free: swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend. Add 1 extra teaspoon of milk if the dough feels dry.
- Double chocolate: reduce the flour by 2 tablespoons and add 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Crunchy twist: fold in 1/2 cup of toasted walnuts or pecans along with the chocolate.
Try my Classic Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies for a richer, nuttier version.
How to Make Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies
Step 1: Whisk the Butter and Sugars
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Pour the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar into a large bowl. Whisk for about 1 minute, until the mixture looks smooth and glossy.
You’ll see the colour lighten and the sugar start to dissolve. That glossy sheen is what gives the cookies their crackly top later on.
Step 2: Stir in the Dry Ingredients and Chocolate
Add the 160 g flour, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt straight into the wet mixture. Fold with a wooden spoon or a spatula just until no dry streaks remain, then pour in the chocolate chips and fold them through.
The dough will feel soft and a little sticky, and that’s exactly what you want. Stop mixing the moment the flour disappears—overworking it can make the cookies tough.
Step 3: Scoop and Bake
Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, keeping them about 2 inches apart. Slide the sheet into the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are golden and the centres look slightly underdone.
That pale, puffy centre is your visual cue—the cookies finish setting on the hot tray after you pull them out. If you wait until they look fully baked in the oven, they’ll turn crisp all the way through.
Step 4: Cool and Serve
Leave the cookies on the hot baking sheet for 3 minutes so they firm up from the carryover heat, then transfer them to a wire rack with a spatula.
Warm is lovely, but these are even chewier once they cool completely. They’ll keep soft inside an airtight container for days.
A Few Small Things That Make a Big Difference
- For bakery-style puddles, press a few extra chocolate chips onto each dough ball right before baking.
- Weigh your flour if you can. Too much flour—even a few extra grams—will make the cookies dry.
- If the dough gets too soft while you’re scooping, pop the bowl in the fridge for 10 minutes. Chilled dough scoops cleaner and gives slightly thicker cookies.
- Switch up the chocolate: dark, milk, or a chopped bar mix are all fair game.
Bake times by texture:
| Texture | Bake Time | Visual Cue |
|---|---|---|
| Chewy | 10 to 12 mins | Edges golden, centres pale and slightly underdone |
| Crisp | 12 to 14 mins | Fully golden all over |
| Cakey | 11 to 13 mins | Puffy and set across the top |
Storing Leftovers
- At room temperature: Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Add a slice of bread to the container—it releases moisture and keeps the cookies soft.
- Freeze: You can freeze unbaked dough balls on a tray, then drop them into a bag for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes. Baked cookies freeze well too, layered between parchment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these cookies vegan?
Yes. Use a plant-based butter stick (not a spread), dairy-free chocolate chips, and the milk alternative you prefer.
Why did my cookies spread into flat puddles?
The butter was probably too hot, or the flour was short. Let the melted butter cool until it’s just warm to the touch before mixing, and double-check you measured the flour correctly.
Can I skip the cornstarch?
No, it replaces the egg’s binding and tenderness. Without it, the cookies will be drier and more crumbly.
How do I get thick, chewy cookies instead of thin ones?
Chill the dough for 30 minutes, and shape the balls taller rather than flattening them. If you like an even thicker cookie, you can also swap back to softened butter and cream it with the sugars—but you’ll lose some of the softness this recipe is built for.
Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Whisk melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl until smooth and glossy, about 1 minute.
- Stir in flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt until no dry streaks remain, then fold in chocolate chips.
- Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are golden and centres look slightly underdone.
- Let cookies rest on the hot sheet for 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
