Recipe

Butterless Chocolate Chip Cookies

By Danielle Chen at University of California – Berkeley

This chocolate chip cookie recipe will produce happiness. With the edges golden-brown and crispy, and the center soft and chewy, these cookies will be mouthwatering whether they are served hot or cold. The twist in this recipe is that there is absolutely no butter! Instead, I use oil. This is possible due to the golden ratio of fats, sugar, and gluten.

I never take no as an option. So when my parents refused to buy me cookies and told me to make them instead, I did indeed make cookies. With no butter in sight, I made do with oil, and after years of experimentation, I finally made a seamless replication of the chocolate chip cookie. This is just the base recipe of the typical chocolate chip cookie, but it can be elevated with different add-ins. 

Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 10 mins
  • Total Time: 20 mins
  • Servings: 30
Ingredients
  • 3/4 cup oil any type with no strong taste
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • pinch salt
  • optional spices pinch cinnamon black pepper cayenne pepper

Danielle Chen

Step 1

Pre-heat oven to 370°F and assemble all ingredients.

Danielle Chen

Step 2

In a clean bowl, pour in oil and sugar. I like to use vegetable oil, but any kind will work as long as it doesn't have a strong flavor.

Danielle Chen

Step 3

Mix thoroughly until well combined.

Danielle Chen

Step 4

Add in one egg.

Danielle Chen

Step 5

Whisk everything together until it turns to a caramel shade.

Danielle Chen

Step 6

Add in vanilla, baking soda, salt, spices and flour.

#SpoonTip: Add less flour for crispy and crunchy cookies or add more flour for chewy cookies.

Danielle Chen

Step 7

Mix until well combined and then add in chocolate chips.

Danielle Chen

Step 8

Fold chocolate chips into cookie dough.

Danielle Chen

Step 9

Place plastic wrap on cookie dough and let it chill overnight in fridge. This is optional but highly suggested as it creates a deeper and more complex flavor.

Danielle Chen

Step 10

Remove cookie dough from fridge. Roll dough into 1-2 tbsp balls and place them on a non-greased pan.

#SpoonTip: Take some cookie dough and bake it first to test if cookies are up to par. If it is too sweet try adding in toppings like nuts. If taste and texture are satisfactory, start baking.

Danielle Chen

Step 11

Bake for 7-12 minutes until edges of each cookie are golden-brown and its center is cooked.

Danielle Chen

Step 12

Remove cookies from oven; you can eat them straight away or save them for later (if they even last that long)! These cookies can be stored at room temperature for at least one week.

Danielle Chen

If you ever want to elevate these cookies to the next level, just add ice cream and you'll get 2 Ingredient Ice Cream Sandwiches. Plus, if the cookies ever burn, check out these lifesaving tips. This cookie recipe is a solid starter recipe for beginners and versatile enough recipe for more experienced bakers to experiment with. So never take no for an answer because if I did, I would not have created these cookies.