This recipe for Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies will surprise you with their soft and chewy texture and rich buttery, caramelized flavor. They are so delicious and deceptively simple to make. They're good enough to sell at any bakery and you don't need any specialty ingredients to make them right at home! With alternative dairy options, you could also make these vegan and they will be the best vegan chocolate chip cookies you'll ever have! You'll be hard-pressed to notice that these are any different than a traditional chocolate chip cookie made with egg. Of course this recipe is ideal for those who have an egg allergy or other dietary restrictions that don't allow them to eat eggs, but it is also just great in a pinch for when you've run out of eggs. Be sure to read down below in the post to learn about cookie science and see my expert baking tips for achieving the best chocolate chip cookies. If you also want to try traditional chocolate chip cookies, then check out my most popular recipe for Bakery Style Double Chocolate Cookies as well!
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Rich butterscotch flavor - these cookies have a deep rich buttery brown sugar flavor that is not overly sweet with underlying notes of natural vanilla.
- Soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies - if you like chewy cookies, these are certainly for you! They stay chewy for days too.
- Simple egg substitute - to replace egg in this chocolate chip cookie recipe, you simply need plain yogurt. Other common egg replacements such as a "flax egg" may work, but it doesn't contribute any flavor. Yogurt adds rich cultured dairy notes as well as milk proteins that will contribute in flavorful Maillard browning reactions.
- Golden brown - say goodbye to pale eggless cookies. These bake up with a bakery-worthy golden brown look and caramelized edges which is a testament to their rich caramelized flavor.
- Dark chocolate chunks - puddles of melted dark chocolate chunks instead of chips takes these to a whole other level!
- Easy method - the recipe is simple and I actually find the best results come from when you mix it by hand with a whisk and a spatula.
COOKIE SCIENCE: HOW TO MAKE EGGLESS CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
- Melted butter: butter is quintessential to create the signature butterscotch flavor in chocolate chip cookies and for this recipe I melt it so it incorporates smoothly with the yogurt. Make sure it is cool before adding the other ingredients.
- Sugar ratio: Chocolate chip cookies should have a high ratio of brown sugar:granulated sugar as this is what differentiates it from a regular sugar cookie. I highly recommend dark brown sugar as it has twice as much molasses compared to light brown sugar and it is very important in an eggless recipe where we need to compensate for the lack of richness from egg. Molasses will give these cookies their characteristic butterscotch taste as well as contribute to the soft and chewy texture.
- Amount of Flour: It is so important to either weigh your ingredients using a scale, or measure your flour correctly without packing it into your measuring cup. Too much flour will lead to thick cookies, but they will be more doughy and crumbly once cool. Too little flour will make a very soft dough that will spread too much and lead to greasy cookies.
- Baking soda: Not only is baking soda important to help the cookies spread, but it also gives them color and flavor. Baking soda is an alkaline ingredient (the opposite of an acid), and the Maillard Browning reaction is encouraged in an alkaline environment. It is especially important in an eggless cookie recipe when the lack of egg proteins could otherwise inhibit browning and flavor development.
- Chill the cookie dough: Cookie dough that is not chilled will spread more, have less browning and have a coarser texture. Time in the fridge allows the flour to hydrate and absorb this moisture while also letting the baking soda to evenly absorb for more pronounced Maillard Reactions that will develop richer flavor in the cookie dough. A chilled cookie dough also guards against over-spreading which leads to thicker cookies.
WHAT IS A SUBSTITUTE FOR EGGS?
There are many different ways to substitute eggs in baking and deciding which substitute method or ingredient to use depends on the recipe. Some common egg substitutes include:
- Flax egg - blending 1 tablespoon of ground flax seeds with 3 tablespoons of water is sometimes used to replace 1 large egg. Flax seeds contain fat and have strong thickening properties to bind moisture and thicken a batter, however it does not have structural abilities.
- Applesauce - unsweetened applesauce contains carbohydrates and soluble polysaccharides like pectin which can bind moisture and add some structure to baked goods. It will add a lot of moisture, but will not help with browning.
- Mashed banana - mashed ripe banana contains a lot of starch and has great binding properties, however it will definitely lend a strong banana flavor to whatever you use it in.
- Yogurt - full fat yogurt with at least 6% milk fat contains protein, reducing sugars and fat which makes a great substitute based on the composition of an egg. It does not have the lift properties, but it adds moisture and helps with browning.
- Oil + water + baking powder - a combination of 2 tablespoons of water + 2 teaspoons of baking powder + 1 teaspoon vegetable oil can substitute 1 large egg in some cake and muffin recipes. The oil mimics the fat from an egg yolk while the activation of double acting baking powder in water helps to provide some initial rise in the batter before it even hits the oven.
- Aquafaba - this is the liquid drained from a can of chickpeas. It contains a lot of protein and has great thickening properties which can help provide structure to recipes such as cakes and muffins. It is often used as a substitute for egg whites to make vegan meringue.
WHAT IS MAILLARD BROWNING?
Maillard Browning or the "Maillard Reaction" is a delicious chemical reaction between the amino acids in proteins and certain sugars (called reducing sugars) that creates the beautiful brown color and flavor of chocolate chip cookies. When the proteins from egg and flour react with these sugars, they form brown compounds that taste like caramel, toffee, roasted nuts and toasty bread. YUM! This is the same reaction that happens when you sear a steak or bake bread.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BAKING POWDER AND BAKING SODA?
Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate, which is an alkaline (basic - high pH) compound that will react with acids when when dissolved in liquid to react rapidly and create carbon dioxide gas bubbles. In generally creates a more coarse, open texture.
Baking powder is a mixture of baking soda and powdered acids so it does not need additional acid ingredients to react. Once it comes into contact with a liquid, the powdered acid and base dissolve and react with each other to create carbon dioxide bubbles. Most retail baking powder products are double acting, which means that they contain two different powdered acids that react at different speeds and with different stimulants. One reacts immediately upon mixing with water while another only reacts after exposure to heat during baking. Baking powder generally creates a finer, more crumbly texture.
INGREDIENTS FOR EGGLESS CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
- Butter - there is no substitute for butter in chocolate chip cookies in my opinion! It is the foundation of the rich butterscotch flavor after all. In this recipe, you can use salted or unsalted butter, but if you choose unsalted then I recommend doubling the added salt to ½ teaspoon. I like to use salted butter because it adds another level of richness.
- Granulated sugar - this recipe uses a combination of simple white granulated sugar and brown sugar. White sugar helps create the crunchy caramelized edges. I wouldn't recommend reducing the sugar because it will compromise the chewy texture.
- Brown sugar - I highly recommend dark brown sugar for this recipe as it has twice as much molasses as light brown sugar and will make a big difference to the flavor. It will also make the dough more acidic which means it will react more thoroughly with the baking soda so that you won't be left with a soapy taste (a defect I find common in many chocolate chip cookie recipes)
- Yogurt - you'll need plain full fat stirred yogurt for this recipe. I use Balkan style yogurt with 6% milkfat.
- Pure vanilla extract - good vanilla is absolutely essential to making delicious chocolate chip cookies. I use a little extra in this recipe to bump up the flavor. I love this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
- Salt - don't leave out the salt! It really elevates the rich buttery, caramel flavors! It also enhances the chocolate taste and balances the sweetness. I also love to top these cookies with flaky sea salt after they're baked and while the chocolate is still warm.
- All purpose flour - regular unbleached all-purpose flour makes the best chewy chocolate chip cookies in my opinion.
- Corn starch - just a teaspoon of corn starch will help create the soft texture and "tenderizing" effect of eggs by diluting the gluten-forming proteins of flour and also binding moisture. Too much will make the cookies crumbly and actually speed up staling though, so it's important to use it in moderation. In this recipe it totally makes sense.
- Baking soda - as mentioned above, baking soda is a very important ingredient in chocolate chip cookies. Its function isn't only to make the cookies rise and spread, but it is what drives the browning and flavor development during baking.
- Dark chocolate chunks - this is important! I highly recommend chopping chocolate from a bar instead of using chips. Why? That's because chocolate that is made into bars, also known as "tablets", has a higher cocoa butter content so that it can be poured into molds at the factory and it typically melts smoother than chocolate chips to give you puddles of chocolate in the cookies. I love this effect! Chocolate chips will hold their shape and spread less.
- Flaky sea salt - this is optional, but I love how it amps up the flavor and adds wonderful texture to the top.
WHY BAKING SODA IS BEST FOR CHEWY EGGLESS COOKIES
My preferred chocolate chip cookies are golden, chewy and slightly gooey inside with crisp edges. The reactions that make all of this happen are accelerated in alkaline conditions which are created by the addition of baking soda (bicarbonate of soda). There is enough acidity from the molasses in brown sugar to react with it and the residual bicarbonate will help keep the dough slightly alkaline so that delicious Maillard Browning reactions are encouraged. Baking soda produces cookies that are more deeply brown with a denser texture. One of the most important ways to control your cookie shape and texture is by changing the quantity of baking soda (see the FAQ section below to learn how to make thicker cookies with less baking soda).
Chocolate chip cookie recipes with baking powder typically take longer to brown and don't spread which often leads to less flavorful and puffier cookies. In the absence of eggs which provide a lot of flavor to baked goods, we need the flavor reactions driven by baking soda to help make these cookies tasty.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
- STEP 1). Melt butter. Place butter in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until just 75% melted. Remove from heat and continue to stir until it is all melted. It should be creamy and pale yellow/custardy looking. This gentle melting process ensures that the butter isn't over-heated and not too hot. You can also melt in the microwave in a heat-safe bowl in 20 second increments at 50% power until 75% melted.
- STEP 2). Combine wet ingredients. Place cool melted butter in a large mixing bowl and add brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla. Whisk together to combine. Add yogurt and whisk gently at first to blend, then continue whisking a bit more briskly until it starts to thicken and look creamy.
- STEP 3). Combine dry ingredients. Combine flour, corn starch, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly. Add this mixture to the bowl with the butter/yogurt mixture and fold it in until mostly combined but a few streaks still remain. Then, add the chocolate chunks and fold them in evenly.
- STEP 4). Chill the dough. Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for 2 hours.
- STEP 5). Bake. Use a 1.5oz cooking scoop to portion dough and roll into smooth balls. Place them onto prepared baking sheets spacing them 3 inches apart. Flatten the dough balls slightly and press a few extra chocolate chunks on top if desired. Bake for 9-11 minutes until they are puffed in the middle and the edges are set and golden brown. They should still be a bit soft in the middle.
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES?
To make vegan chocolate chip cookies, you can substitute the butter and yogurt with non-dairy alternatives such as vegan butter and non-dairy yogurt. You will also need vegan chocolate chips, however most dark chocolate is vegan since it does not contain dairy in the first place. The difference is that you may notice slightly less coloring on the baked cookies since vegan butter tends to have less browning properties.
EXPERT TIPS
- Don't skip the salt. The right amount of salt is so important especially in eggless recipes. I use salted butter because there's something about salted butter that provides an underlying richness that can't be quite copied by adding salt separately. You can use unsalted butter if that is all you have on hand, and in that case increase the total salt in the recipe to ¾ teaspoon. BUT, if you have salted butter then you will not regret it!
- Refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 1 hour. Refrigerating cookie dough serves several purposes: 1) Flour hydration - time in the fridge allows the flour to fully hydrate from the moisture of the egg and the water in the butter. If the flour is evenly hydrated, the cookies will be thicker and they will bake more evenly; 2) Flavor development -as the baking soda becomes more evenly incorporated with the flour hydration, the cookies will brown more evenly which will help them develop flavor more quickly; 3) Chills the butter - butter in the cookie dough will also firm up in the fridge so that the cookies wont be so greasy after they've baked. Chilled fat will also spread less readily during the initial stages of baking so the cookies won't spread uncontrollably; and 4) Increases shelf life - chilled cookie dough makes cookies that stay chewy longer and slows staling.
- Use couverture chocolate. Couverture chocolate is chocolate that is designed for enrobing, coating and dipping. It is the chocolate used by professional chocolatiers because it has a high cocoa butter content to make it more fluid. This extra cocoa butter gives chocolate excellent meltability so it will melt into the cookie dough during baking which helps it to spread and creates these glistening puddles of chocolate at the surface. It also creates a laminated effect of layers of chocolate between cookie dough as opposed to chocolate chips which have less cocoa butter and remain unchanged, holding their "drop" shape in the cookie dough. These couverture chocolate discs are incredible, or you can also chop chocolate from a couverture block.
- Use a kitchen scale. For best results, weigh your ingredients according to the measurements in the recipe card below using a kitchen scale.
HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES WITH CHEWY TEXTURE:
- Cool the butter. If the butter is still very hot after melting, it will create greasy cookies and it may separate when you stir in the yogurt. I like to heat the butter until 75% melted, take it off the heat and then allow the residual heat to melt the last 25% of solid butter gently.
- Use baking soda only - not baking powder. Baking soda is alkaline and promotes browning through Maillard reactions (delicious flavor reactions) to produce a nice rich flavor. Baking powder is more acidic and creates a cakier texture as well as a more pale color.
- Measure flour accurately. Too much flour will leave you with dry and more crumbly cookies that will taste more doughy than butterscotch-y and caramel-like.
- Do not over-bake. Cookies will continue to cook on the hot baking tray, so don't wait for them to get completely golden all over in the oven. Once they are golden brown around the edges and puffed on top with cracks, the are ready. They should still be soft in the middle and will deflate as they cool.
RECIPE FAQ
Chilling this cookie dough is so important for eggless chocolate chip cookies. The egg substitute (yogurt) brings a lot of moisture without the strong binding properties of egg proteins so giving time for the flour to hydrate and bind the free moisture is important for ideal texture. It also gives time for the baking soda to evenly hydrate and distribute for even browning that leads to more flavor. Chilled cookie dough also makes cookies with a longer shelf life so they will stay chewy for longer and be slower to stale.
If your cookies spread a lot, then it could be that the dough wasn't chilled long enough, there was too much baking soda or you did not add the right amount of flour. Too little flour will mean the cookies will not have enough structure to hold their shape and the dough will be too wet. The best way to measure the flour is using a scale to ensure you use the right amount. Too much will make the cookies thick and less chewy, but too little will mean they will be crispy and thin.
If you don't have corn starch or, you can use an equal amount of tapioca.
If you prefer even thicker cookies, you can reduce the baking soda to ½ teaspoon and don't flatten the dough balls before baking. The cookies will be thick and even gooier in the middle.
For the best results, use dark chocolate with over 60% cocoa solids, and use a high quality block of chocolate that you chop into chunks.
To get melted puddles with irregular shapes like in these photos, use chopped chocolate from a bar with over 70% cocoa solids. The darker the better when it comes to meltiness because the higher the total cocoa content, the more cocoa butter it will have and that high fat content is what makes chocolate melt and spread easier. Also, block chocolate is tempered as a block that you will break up and expose all sorts of jagged edges whereas chips are tempered in a specific shape that will stay in place.
When you chop chocolate from a block you make a variety of different shapes and shards that will get in all the crevices of the cookie dough. So, use your favorite dark chocolate - the kind that you snack on. Using block chocolate instead of chips will also give you better texture in the cookies. Block chocolate has a higher cocoa butter content so it will melt more evenly and readily to create pools of chocolate that will melt into the crevices. It also helps the dough spread. You can also use dark chocolate feves, callets or discs which are often made from couverture chocolate (high cocoa butter chocolate).
STORAGE AND FREEZING
These cookies are best stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. They stay nice and soft and chewy.
Just place the cooled cookies in a resealable freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. They just need 5-10 minutes to thaw.
You can freeze the cookie dough two ways:
1) Wrap all of the dough (or any leftover dough) in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw the dough and bake as directed.
2) Scoop and portion the dough into balls, then place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze individually. Once frozen, place them in a freezer bag and keep frozen for up to 3 months.
With nothing more than a tall glass of cold milk or dunk them in fresh hot coffee!
Craving more cookies?
If you love cookies as much as I do, check out the latest recipes:
Baking with chocolate
Here are some of my latest chocolate recipes:
If you love cookies, check out these recipes!
Salted Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies The BEST Chewy Pumpkin Cookies Chewy Brown Butter Snickerdoodles Cookies Brown Butter M&M Cookies Recipe Lemon Blueberry Cookies with White Chocolate Chunks Coffee Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies Double Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies Hazelnut Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies THE BEST Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies – Bakery Style!Video
Chewy Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cups plus 1 tbsp (200g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (2g) corn starch
- ½ + ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter
- ½ cup (110g) packed dark brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (65g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (60ml) plain full fat yogurt, at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoon (7ml) pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (142g) dark chocolate, coarsely chopped plus extra for topping
- flaky sea salt for topping
For best results, use a kitchen scale to weigh the ingredients.
NOTE: I also love these single origin couverture chocolate discs or chopping up my favorite 70% bars. If you prefer semisweet chocolate, these are my favorite semisweet chocolate chips.
Instructions
- Place butter in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until just 75% melted. Remove from heat and continue to stir until it is all melted. It should be creamy and pale yellow/custardy looking. This gentle melting process ensures that the butter isn't over-heated and not too hot. You can also melt in the microwave in a heat-safe bowl in 20 second increments at 50% power until 75% melted.
- Place cool melted butter in a large mixing bowl and add brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla. Whisk together to combine. Add yogurt and whisk gently at first to blend, then continue whisking a bit more briskly until it starts to thicken and look creamy.
- Combine flour, corn starch, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly. Add this mixture to the bowl with the butter/yogurt mixture and fold it in until mostly combined but a few streaks still remain. Then, add the chocolate chunks and fold them in evenly. Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Use a 1.35-oz cookie scoop to portion dough and roll into smooth balls. Place them onto prepared baking sheets spacing them 3 inches apart. Flatten the dough balls slightly and press a few extra chocolate chunks on top if desired. Bake for 9-11 minutes until they are puffed in the middle and the edges are set and golden brown. They should still be a bit soft in the middle.
- Transfer trays to a cooling rack and let cookies cool for 2 minutes on the trays before transferring them individually to the rack to finish cooling. Top with flaky sea salt if desired.
Christine
These were amazing, never would know there is no egg. Always have success when following recipes from this blog! Thank you!
christina.marsigliese
You are welcome Christine! Thanks for the feedback! Glad you have been enjoying my recipes 🙂
Karen
These sound great. Could I press the dough to a cake pan to make a cookie cake? Would you suggest an 8” or 9” pan?
christina.marsigliese
Hi Karen! I haven't tested it, but if you try baking these in pan, you will need to reduce the baking soda to only 1/4 teaspoon otherwise they will sink in the middle. I recommend trying a 9x9 inch pan.
Kanika
Can I keep the dough overnight too in the fridge? Or you have to make it after 2 hrs?
christina.marsigliese
Hi Kanika! Yes, you can. Be sure to wrap the dough well so it doesn't dry out and bring it to room temp before portioning and baking.
PALAK
can I replace dark chocolate to white chocolate and macadamia nuts?
christina.marsigliese
Hi Palak! Replace the dark chocolate with white. You can add up to a 1/3 of a cup of additional nuts.
Rashmi
Made these once for a friend who doesn’t eat egg and they were fantastic! Can the dough be rolled (after being chilled for a bit) and frozen to bake at a later date?
christina.marsigliese
Hi Rashmi! Yes you can. Please see Storage and Freezing section about the recipe card for further information.
Traci Nguyen
Hi! Can I chill these overnight to bake the next day?
christina.marsigliese
Hi Traci! I wouldn't recommend it as the dough might be a bit dry and crumbly, but the cookies may still turn out OK after baking.
Gurbs
Hello!!! This recipe was a godsend so thank you!! I’ve been trying eggless recipes for a while and none of them have worked as well as this!! And my family loves them too!! If I was to make double choc chip cookies, what adjustments would you recommend based on this recipe? Coming from someone who is a below beginner level baker and has no natural instinct hahaha
christina.marsigliese
Thanks Grubs! Glad you enjoy the recipe. I haven't tested this, but you could try replacing 1/4 cup of flour with 1/4 cup of cocoa powder.
Abbey
Love this recipe! I used 2% greek yogurt because it was what I had on hand, and the cookies turned out great! Couldn't tell at all that they were made without eggs!
christina.marsigliese
Thanks Abbey! So glad to hear you loved the recipe.
Alisha Khanna
My eggless family members loved this cookies! Made as is with one tweak- I browned the butter. The flavor was lovely but the dough was a bit dry and crumbly (they baked up nice!)- so next time I would add an extra tablespoon of butter or milk to compensate for the moisture loss. Just a note incase anyone wants to try with browned butter! Will keep these on the rotation for a long time for eggless baking
Vandana
Wow! Alisha did you try it again with an extra tablespoon of butter or milk? What worked? I’m planning to try it too. Thanks
Anne
Another perfect recipe. Next time I will plan to use a higher quality chocolate; it really comes through.
Abby
I was looking for an eggless cookie recipe due to the recent egg shortage, and this video popped up on my Instagram feed. I gave it a shot and it’s amazing! Super easy to make and doesn’t compromise flavor or taste.
Definitely worth making, when eggs are assessable!
christina.marsigliese
Thanks so much Abby! I'm so glad this recipe came to you at a time where it was relevant.
Anushka
So easy to make and what a crowd pleaser!
christina.marsigliese
Thank you!
Mariella
These cookies were amazing! I was looking for an eggless recipe because one of my guests had an egg allergy, and I found this recipe. Honestly, you can trust any of Christina’s recipes. They never fail!
christina.marsigliese
Thank you so much Mariella!
Kel
Would Greek yogurt be ok to use? Thank you!
christina.marsigliese
Hi Kel! Yes, I think that should work.
Jen Gaines
This recipe is amazing! I made them this weekend for a gaming party my 6 year old had. The whole batch was gone in minutes! Dads were asking me for the recipe! My son has an egg allergy and finding yummy recipes he can eat isn't always easy. Before these, I was making him chocolate chip cookies that used cream cheese, which made them very light in color and not a true authentic chocolate chip cookie, in my opinion. These are chewy and gooey and definitely hit the mark! My son alone ate 11! Thank you! I love your content and I thank you for sharing your amazing creations!
christina.marsigliese
This is so great to hear Jen. I'm so glad your son was able to enjoy them!
Nanajee Travels
These Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies sound incredible! It’s amazing how they can still be so soft, chewy, and full of rich, buttery flavor without eggs. Definitely a must-try for anyone looking for a delicious and easy egg-free treat!
Mari
Texture is great!
christina.marsigliese
Thank you!
Mary
Hi… you mention honey or corn syrup earlier in the page but it’s not in the recipe?
christina.marsigliese
Hi Mary, sorry there is no honey in this recipe. The recipe card at the bottom of the page is correct.
Disha
Hi, is it to okay to multiply this recipe for bigger batches?