Thick centers, crisp edges and a moist crumb these chewy chocolate chip cookies are just as addictive as their chemically leavened counterparts. Soft and rich, this cookie recipe without baking soda or powder will still be a raving success! No chilling needed either if you’re in a bind! Show
It’s all happened to us before. We get the great idea to make a fresh batch of homemade cookies because <<insert reason here>> (i.e. you forgot about (those kids/dad) dropping by, your coffee will get lonely or just because it’s “just one of dem days”). You open your pantry to find out you’re clean out of baking soda and powder (or maybe you just never had any to begin with??). You still want/need those cookies. And guess what?! You still can! I made several versions of this cookie recipe and I must say I’m very happy with this one. It’s my speedy cookie recipe because there is no need to chill the dough either! So you can whip up a batch of these and pop them in the oven in record time. How’s that for satisfying a homemade cookie craving?? Table of Contents
Why do cookies need baking soda or baking powder?Cookies benefit from baking soda and/or baking powder because these leavening agents produce carbon dioxide to help create lift and a thick center. It is possible to create a soft thick cookie even without leaveners. Luckily, unlike cakes we don’t usually require a light fluffy texture in cookies and instead enjoy a moist, rich and soft texture. What happens if you don’t use baking soda in cookies?I will point out that a cookie does benefit from an added leavener vs. without it (when all other things are equal) because of the added carbon dioxide. A cookie recipe without baking soda or powder will be denser but will have a soft, moist crumb reminiscent of a brownie. I do want to say that even with baking soda or baking powder, a cookie can still fall completely flat without some key cookie techniques. Want to find out how to foolproof cookies?? Keep reading! The secret to a thick soft cookie recipe without baking soda (or powder)The secret to making a thick cookie is a bigger flour to butter ratio, aerated butter, cornstarch and rolling the cookie dough into balls before baking. It’s important to know how much flour needs to be added to the dough to balance out the butter and avoid over-spreading thin cookies (although there is an appeal to those too). Also, not too much flour that you end up with dense dough balls. Aerated butter will make up the lift in the absence of leaveners in the form of steam. Rolling the dough into balls before baking will help prevent more spread in the oven. Lastly, swapping out some flour and adding cornstarch also helps the cookie structure to stay thick. You can also omit the cornstarch if you don’t have any, the cookies will still bake up thick. Why this cookie recipe without baking soda worksThis recipe uses cookie science concepts to make beautiful thick and soft cookies. Honestly, the crumb was just as delicious, I just gobbled up 2-3 cookies in one sitting without shame. A well-aerated dough (cool butter and white sugar)This is crucial to making sure your cookies have some lift and a soft crumb. Or else you might end up with a cross between a brownie and cookie – a brookie? Or worse a flat greasy mess. Remember, the point of baking soda or baking powder is to introduce lift in the form of carbon dioxide in the cookie. A cookie without it will still puff as long as you properly cream your butter and sugar. Creaming incorporates countless tiny pockets of air which will expand during baking in the form of steam. The key to successful creaming? Cool butter. Butter at room temperature is still cold to the touch, has some give but is never squishy. Why? Because overly soft butter can’t hold air. So if your room temperature butter is smooth enough to spread over your bread, it’s too warm. This recipe includes white sugar which helps keep those air bubbles intact. Cream your butter and sugar till it changes lighter in color. A well aerated batter become lighter in color and looks nice and creamy.Brown sugarUnlike white sugar that will add air to our batter, brown sugar will add moisture and chew to our cookies instead by trapping the steam. This is why this recipe has both. It also speeds up gluten development so our cookies stay thick and tender. EggsThis recipe requires one egg yolk and one egg. This is for extra protein coagulation (fancy word for runny eggs going solid) giving the cookies more structure. So when the air pockets expand the eggs solidify and preserve the cookie’s crumb. The extra yolk also adds richness and chewy cookies. Note: I did try with 2 whole eggs but found the batter was too moist and the cookies spread too much and didn’t stay thick. FlourThis recipe has enough flour to soak up the liquid so we can skip chilling altogether and preserve those lovely air pockets. How to make chocolate chip cookies without baking soda (or powder): step by step instructionsThe instructions are exactly the same as making any cookies. This recipe was inspired by Sally’s giant chocolate chip cookie recipe!
Combine Dry ingredients
Combine Wet Ingredients
Combine the Wet and Dry Ingredients
Roll and Bake
Expert Tips for Successful Cookies Without Baking SodaFollow these key success tips to make sure your chocolate chip cookie recipe without baking soda or powder is a success. Your cookie technique is even more crucial since you have no leavener to fall back on. Cool butter at room temperatureMake sure your butter is cool when warmed to room temperature. It should be around 65°F (18°C). When pressing down with your finger, there should be some give but still feel pretty solid. If it’s squishy like playdough, it’s too soft and won’t aerate as well which would mean dense cookies. Whip your butter and sugar till it lightens in colorCreaming your butter and sugar enough is more important than ever since we use no baking soda or baking powder. Always cream for 2-3 minutes if not longer. The butter and sugars should change to a paler yellow and look creamy due to the air we’ve whipped into it. Measure your flour properlyMake sure you measure your flour using the scoop and spoon method. Fluff your flour with a fork so it’s not packed. Then using a spoon, scoop the flour into your measuring cup. Scrape off the excess off the top with the back of a butter knife. Never scoop flour directly out of the container/bag with your measuring cup. It will always add more flour than you need since it’s densely packed. The most foolproof way is to weigh your flour – if you can. Don’t over bake your cookiesAlways take out your cookies when it’s still soft in the middle. If you take them out when they look fully cooked, chances are they are overbaked and will be hard. They will continue to cook on the pan when you remove them. Dark pans for more browningI feel chocolate chip cookies benefit with a bit more color, so I prefer to use a darker pan. I won’t recommend these for sugar cookies though. Keep with a light pan if you wish. It’s your personal preference! Use silicone mats or parchment paperAlways line your baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper for even cooking. Parchment paper will brown your cookies more. Keep your cookies at 1.5 Tbsp (no more)Since there are no leaveners, I won’t recommend making your cookies larger than 45 g. Anything larger runs the risk of a denser cookie since the steam won’t last long enough for a larger cookie to cook. Dough should resemble soft playdoughThe cookie dough should be soft but dry enough to work with. If it’s too sticky and soft, add 1-2 tablespoons more of flour but no more (or else you’ll end up with dense cookies). Substitutions/VariationsBaking Soda/Baking PowderI know this recipe is without chemical leaveners but it works beautifully with some baking soda! The acidic ingredients (i.e. brown sugar) work with 1 tsp of baking soda. You could also use 1 tsp of baking powder as well. ChocolateUse chopped chocolate or chocolate chips. Make sure it’s semi sweet. CornstarchThe cornstarch ensures the cookies bake up thick and soft. You can also omit this if you want. Cookies are still pretty thick and soft. SaltI love the taste of salt in chocolate chip cookies and so I use a full tsp. If you want to pare down the saltiness, use ½ a tsp instead. Storing TipsCookies stay fresh up to 5 days (if they can last that long) in an airtight container. Keep it in the fridge for a week and let it warm up to room temperature before eating. Freeze cookie dough in balls for up to 2 months. Leave them on the counter for 15 minutes before baking. Freeze baked cookies in your freezer for up to 2 months and place on
the counter to defrost for 15 minutes. Microwave on high for 30-45 seconds. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)What happens if you bake cookies without baking soda? Cookies made without baking soda will be denser than their chemically leavened counterparts. As long as the proportions of flour and butter and sugar are balanced, the cookies are still soft and very delicious. You can use mechanical leavening (i.e. creamed butter and sugar) to still achieve a soft delicious crumb. What can I use in cookies instead of baking soda? You can use baking powder in place of baking soda. Baking powder will produce a more cake-like cookie. Although less potent, I usually use a 1:1 replacement since it’s usually the double action kind. Or just use creamed butter and sugar to get more lift in your cookies without baking soda or powder (this recipe). Cookies made with melted butter (although chewier) unfortunately will have minimal air pockets and will always bake flatter/denser than their creamed butter versions. Soft Thick Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Without Baking Soda Or PowderThick centers, crisp edges and a moist crumb these chewy chocolate chip cookies are just as addictive as their chemically leavened counterparts. Soft and rich, this cookie recipe without baking soda or powder will still be a raving success! No chilling needed either if you’re in a bind! Prep Time 10 mins Cook Time 10 mins Course Dessert, Snack Cuisine American
Combine Dry ingredients
Combine Wet Ingredients
Combine the Wet and Dry Ingredients
Roll and Bake
Notes
Storing TipsCookies stay fresh up to 5 days in an airtight container. Keep it in the fridge for up to a week and let it warm up to room temperature before eating. Freeze cookie dough in balls for up to 2 months. Leave them on the counter for 15 minutes before baking. Freeze baked cookies in your freezer for up to 2 months and place on the counter to defrost for 15 minutes. Microwave on high for 30-45 seconds for a “freshly baked” taste. Keyword chocolate chip cookies without baking powder, chocolate chip cookies without baking soda, cookie recipe without baking powder, cookie recipe without baking soda Can I use baking powder instead of baking soda in chocolate chip cookies?With that being said, if you are not averse to a substance that contains baking soda and additional chemical agents, baking powder can be used as a substitute for baking soda in cookies.
What can I use if I dont have baking soda?Baking powder is, without a doubt, the best baking soda substitute you can find. They're not the same thing (baking soda is about three times stronger), but they are both leavening agents that work in similar ways.
What happens if you bake cookies without baking soda?What Happens to Cookies without Baking Soda? If you have a recipe that asks for baking soda and you leave it out completely, your cookies will likely be extremely dense as there was no chemical reaction to introduce those gas bubbles and give it rise.
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