Best dairy free chocolate chips cookies with no butter! Chewy and tender Dairy Free Cookies baked in oven for just 9 minutes. Make with peanut butter chips, sprinkles or as cookie sandwiches with frosting in the middle too.
I needed to figure out how to make the best dairy free cookies once my husband figured out he was lactose intolerant. There were a lot of other tweaks we had to make to recipes at home too but he has a sweet tooth. He can’t seem to go without quick easy desserts after dinner. (affiliate links present)
Cookies with No Butter Recipe
SO cookies without butter needed to be figured out. There are TWO ways to do this. You can either follow our simple chocolate chip cookies recipe but use plant based sticks and almond milk, or this way. Country Crock has sticks and tubs made with olive oil that work really great when baking.
I have used these to make our dairy free banana bread bundt cake and it is amazing too! You’d never know either didn’t have any dairy in them. The alternative to that is substituting oil like we did here. Basically it is 6 Tbsp vegetable oil = 1 stick of butter. SO I went from there and figured out one dozen worth.
What can you use instead of butter to make cookies?
- 1 cup oil = 2 sticks of butter
- Cookies with coconut oil at room temperature is best for this = vegetable oil 1:1 ratio
- This is how to make Ghee which is 1 to 1 ratio
What can you use instead of milk to make cookies?
- Almond milk = Milk is 1:1 ratio
- Dairy free yogurt = Sour cream 1:1 ratio
- And if you are super sensitive to lactose in everything, there are dairy free chocolate chips sold online too
My husband isn’t so sensitive that he needs to go that far. Keep in mind that dark chocolate will have less dairy/lactose than milk versions.
If you wanted to cut this in half it wouldn’t be an issue. We explain how to half a recipe here but for this one it is pretty easy to do it all in your head. Below as shown will make 1 dozen, so decide for yourself how many you’d like. I mean you could even cut into fourths if you wanted just a few.
No Butter Sugar Cookies
Using the base you could alter this recipe for more of a sugar cookies without butter mix too. Leave out the chips and just use some sprinkles on top. OR use peanut butter chips instead for that flavor. I have even bought crushed Andes mints that are fabulous during the holidays!!
I mean you can tweak this all you want once you have the base down pat. Take note: if you do not take the time to chill batter they will be flatter than “normal” ones. Not a huge deal but don’t think you did anything wrong if you see this.
Biggest suggestion is to put into fridge for an hour before baking and don’t over-bake them. 8-10 minutes is the general rule so I state 9 below. For perfection the outside edges should be cracking and the middle is no longer wet but still very soft. Cool on sheet and then enjoy for the softest.
You totally can use this as a substitute. I have used Country Crock plant butter that is vegan, dairy free and gluten free as well which I think is even better.
Do not bake too long. Take out when the outsides are cracking and the middle still looks a bit loose. Allow to cool on the baking pan. To keep leftovers as moist as possible you want to put them into an airtight bag once cooled. Suck all the air out or use vacuum sealed bags. You can add 1/2 a piece of bread into the bag before zipping closed to add and maintain the moisture so they don’t dry out. Keep on the counter for up to 3 days.
For this one below you’re going to need to get a few things out. A large bowl with a hand mixer or stand mixer. You can find vegan chocolate chips from Enjoy Life, butter substitutions like vegan butter plant based products in the fridge section of grocery stores. All purpose flour and vanilla extract you likely already have.
Ingredients
- Vegetable oil or 1 stick softened plant based butter
- Brown sugar will create a deep rich sweetness
- Sugar and a little white version too
- 1 egg is best added at room temperature
- Vanilla extract we love
- All purpose flour for your dry items
- Baking soda will allow them to rise a bit
- Salt, just a pinch
- 3/4-1 c chocolate chips
Variations
- Chopped walnuts or crushed roasted hazelnuts
- Raisins and dried cranberries for a fruitier mix
- Chocolate sprinkles with the chips
- Butterscotch chips
made with Bisquick
I have another option for you too. For a really quick batter you can make our Bisquick cookies recipe and substitute the butter to plant based for those, or use oil instead. The biggest difference between the two is the more oil you use vs. some sort of more solid product the flatter your baked goods will be.
with Pancake Mix
Cookies Made With Pancake Mix is another option if you want to use Krusteauz or Jiffy brand of dry mix to start with.
Gluten Free option
This type or even gluten free cookies will take about 30 minutes so keep that in mind. Cooling is best though and that needs an hour to sit too. Start off by preheating your oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, cream the oil, brown sugar, and sugar until well blended.
How to Bake Cookies without Butter
- Beat the room temperature egg in a bowl with a fork and then pour into the mixing bowl with vanilla, incorporate together. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Add to the mixer bowl and beat until well mixed and creamy, about 3 minutes.
- Fold in chocolate chips. Chill in fridge for 60 minutes ideally to prevent spreading. Use a cookie scoop to equally portion the cookie dough into balls.
- Scoop chilled cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
- This amount will make about 12-15
- Bake for 8-10 minutes before removing from the oven. Test by looking at them. The outside edges should be cracking, stiffening, and the center shouldn’t be wet.
Air fryer directions
I like doing this if it is just my husband and I and I’m making a batch of air fryer chocolate chip cookies after our meal. We definitely don’t need a dozen each if the kids aren’t home. They do save quite nicely too though if you do have leftovers, I’ll go over that in just a bit. ๐
Frosting
Here’s another fun idea you can do!! Buy a tub or make our Cream Cheese Frosting Without Butter. When they are completely cooled, spread some in the center and put a second one on top like a cookie sandwich. Pour sprinkles on a plate and roll it in there so they’re pretty like this!! If you do it this way I would make the cookies much smaller.
Other no butter desserts you’ll love
If it is, bake another minute and check again like this. When center isn’t wet any longer remove. Leave on sheet until cooled to continue to solidify and then enjoy. Kinda’ the same thing I do when baking dairy free brownies in a pan if you want them fudgy.
Like half the size and bake for closer to 8 minutes since each person would get two at a time. Rolling into crushed nuts is great too or small candies like Nerds or more chips are great. Banana Bread Recipe No Butter is a fun breakfast idea too.
Dairy Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- 1 baking sheet
- 1 Bowl
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp vegetable oil, or 1 stick softened plant based butter
- 6 tbsp brown sugar
- 6 tbsp sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 2 c all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4-1 c chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, cream the oil (or softened dairy free plant butter), brown sugar, and sugar until well blended.
- Beat the egg in a bowl with a fork and then pour into the mixing bowl with vanilla, incorporate together. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the mixer bowl and beat until well mixed and creamy, about 3 minutes.
- Fold in chocolate chips. Chill in fridge for 60 minutes ideally to prevent spreading. Use a cookie scoop to equally portion the cookie dough into balls. Put the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Will make 12-15.
- Bake for 9 minutes before removing from the oven. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet as they will continue to cook from the residual heat. Store in an airtight container for up to one week.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My husband just went dairy-free so I am on the lookout for all things dairy-free. This is perfect!
A guilt-free twist on a classic! These cookies are proof that you don’t need butter to achieve that perfect chewy, chocolaty goodness
I have a couple friends who are lactose intolerant so I made these cookies to bring with me to a potluck and they loved them!