Creating a recipe for chewy, gooey cookies with melty pools of chocolate and crispy golden edges is a lifelong quest for me. I want to bring you only the best when it comes to cookie recipes and these Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies are all these things and more.
The flavor and texture of these cookies is, dare I say, on par with my Best Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe, which, my friends, is not vegan. Yep, I said it and I honestly believe it! I love these chocolate chip cookies that much. They just happen to be vegan and I certainly do not discriminate when it comes to serious topics such as cookies.
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How to Make Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Preparing vegan cookies is not much different than making any other type of cookie. There are a few ingredients substitutions to achieve a fully plant-based recipe, however, these ingredients are relatively easy to find in most grocery stores.
Vegan chocolate chip cookies still contain all the good stuff like flour and sugar that make cookies cookies. And those staple baking ingredients make any cookies taste so darn good!
So, why make a vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe if you’re not vegan or following a strict plant-based diet? Well, I like a little variety in my cookie diet and these cookies bring just that. Plus, the lack of dairy is easier to digest (let’s be honest, these things happen as we get older).
And having vegan recipes like these cookies means I can share these with my vegan and dairy-free friends.
Vegan Substitutes Used in Baking
The majority of the ingredients in this chocolate chip cookie recipe look like those in a non-vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe. The vegan substitute for eggs that I typically use in my baking is flax eggs.
Flax eggs are simply a combination of water and flax meal. When these two ingredients are allowed a few minutes to gel together, they substitute for eggs in vegan recipes very well.
As a substitute for the butter typically found in chocolate chip cookies, I used coconut oil and some full-fat coconut milk. The addition of coconut milk brings in moisture as well as added fat, a necessary ingredient in any baking recipe.
The final vegan substitution in this cookie recipe is the use of dairy-free chocolate chips. There are many varieties available in grocery stores and online everywhere now. I tend to use Enjoy Life brand’s dark chocolate chips. I find they melt well and have great flavor.
Tips for Making Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
- I have tried these cookies with other plant-based, dairy-free milks such as cashew milk and almond milk, however, I found that full-fat coconut milk produces the best results. I don’t know the science behind this, however, it just works the best and produces the chewiest, best tasting vegan chocolate chip cookies ever
- I recommend using refined coconut oil instead of unrefined coconut oil in this recipe. Using refined coconut oil vs unrefined produces a less pronounced coconut flavor. If you like slightly more coconut flavor and/or all you have is unrefined coconut oil, these cookies will still taste banging, so bake away
- I like my chocolate chip cookies chewy, so I recommend baking them for 10 minutes only. They should look golden brown on top and the edges and perhaps slightly underbaked in the middle. Allow them to cool on the baking sheets. They’ll continue to bake for a few more minutes as they cool and that center will be perfect when you bite into them. Of course, if you like cookies that are more cakey, bake them a couple of minutes longer
Useful Kitchen Tools for Making Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Looking for more vegan or plant-based recipes? Give these a try:
Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 14 cookies 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies will satisfy all your cravings for cookie goodness, with melty pools of chocolate, chewy centers, and crisp, golden brown edges.
Ingredients
- 2 flax eggs (5 tablespoons (74 ml) water + 2 tablespoons (12 grams) flax meal)
- ½ cup (105 grams) refined coconut oil, solid, room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups (275 grams) packed dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup (59 ml) full-fat coconut milk, stirred well
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (25 grams) rolled oats
- 2 ¼ cups (270 grams) all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon (½ gram) ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking soda
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups (262 grams) vegan chocolate chips, plus more for top of the cookies
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200ºC). Line two baking sheets with silpats or parchment paper. Set aside. Prepare the flax eggs by whisking together the water and flax meal and place in the fridge until needed
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the coconut oil and brown sugar. Scrape down the sides and mix again until it looks like wet sand. Add the coconut milk and vanilla and mix on medium speed until evenly incorporated and light in color, 1-2 minutes. Add flax eggs and mix on medium speed for 1 minute, scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue mixing until thoroughly combined and light in color, about 2 minutes total
- With the mixer off, add in the oats, flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir to combine. Add in chocolate chips and stir again to combine
- Using a ¼ cup ice cream scoop, scoop dough and place on cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Add additional chocolate chips to the top of each cookie by pressing them gently into the tops
- Bake one tray at a time for 4-5 minutes, then rotate the tray and bake for another 4-5 minutes, until just starting to turn golden brown at the edges. Allow cookies to cool on the trays (they’ll continue cooking slightly on the trays)
Notes
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days
- To freeze, place cooled cookies in a freezer-safe ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Remove desired amount and warm gently in the microwave at 50% power until warmed through and melty, 30-60 seconds
- Inspired by the Doubletree Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe and countless others
- Category: Vegan, Plant-based
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
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Haha! “These things happen as we get older”😂. I have been trying to cut dairy and it is SO hard!! I definitely need to try these vegan chocolate chip cookies! Thanks for a great recipe Kim!
Could I make them into 2 tbsp balls instead of 4 tbsp?
How would you adjust the baking time? ^_^
Yes of course! They would probably only need about 1-2 minutes less baking time. Just watch them carefully as they bake the first time you make them this size.