Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
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There’s truly nothing better than biting into one of these Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies! They’re soft and chewy, loaded with chocolate chips and made with easy-to-find ingredients like applesauce and coconut oil. This will quickly become your go-to homemade cookie recipe!
I’m gushing ear-to-ear as I type this — I am so excited to share this vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe with you!
Vegan or not, these are the ultimate chocolate chip cookie: crispy edges with a soft and chewy center that’s loaded with chocolate chips. Is there anything better?!
The texture reminds me of my chewy coconut cookies and my molasses chocolate chip cookies, but even better. I didn’t know it was possible, but it is!
Recipe features
- Soft and chewy middle with crispy edges
- No refrigeration required!
- Loaded with chocolate chips and made with easy-to-find ingredients
Ingredient notes:
- Coconut oil – No substitutions; The combination of butter and coconut oil works well in this recipe and I wouldn’t use any other kind of oil. Make sure the oil is softened (similar to the butter).
- Butter – Most grocery stores sell Earth Balance unsalted butter (the blue box); but, if you can only find the salted kind (the yellow box), then omit the salt in the actual recipe (see recipe notes below).
- Sugar – I love the combination of cane and brown sugar; if you’re looking for a substitution, you can use only cane sugar and the cookies will turn out fine.
- Flour – I used all purpose flour, but I’m sure you can sub gluten free 1:1 baking flour to make these cookies gluten free.
- Chocolate chips – Always double check to make sure they’re vegan-friendly; I typically use Enjoy Life chips or Nestle allergen-free chocolate chips.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Cream butter, oil and sugars. Add softened butter, softened coconut oil, cane sugar, and brown sugar to a mixing bowl, then cream them together for one minute.
Step 2: Add wet ingredients. Next, add the applesauce and vanilla to that bowl and whisk all of the wet ingredients together.
Step 3: Add dry ingredients and chips. To that same bowl, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and stir to combine. Again, I’d use a stand or electric mixer to do this. Be patient — it may take 30-60 seconds for the dough to come together.
Last, fold in the chocolate chips by hand or stir them in with the mixer for a few seconds.
Step 4: Scoop the dough. Use an ice cream scooper to scoop the dough and place it directly onto a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, making sure they’re at least 3″ apart. These cookies are on the larger side, and we don’t want them touching when they bake.
Step 5: Bake. Bake the cookies for 9-12 minutes. The bake time varies depending on your oven, so check them after 9 minutes and go from there. You want the edges to be set, but the middle to be slightly undercooked.
Tips and tricks
-Make sure the butter is softened. To test: gently press your finger into the stick of butter. It should easily be able to press in, but the butter shouldn’t be melted at all. Using butter that’s too soft will result in a different cookie texture.
-On that same note, If the butter is too cold, microwave it for 5-7 seconds. Sally’s Baking Addiction has a great article on how to soften butter quickly.
-Be patient with the dough — once you combine the wet and dry ingredients, it may take up to a minute for everything to incorporate.
Salted vs. unsalted butter?
When using vegan butter, it’s important to check if you’re using salted or unsalted.
If you’re using the yellow box of Earth Balance, then you’re using salted butter and you can OMIT the salt in the recipe. If you’re using the blue box, then you’re using unsalted and it’s important to add more salt with the dry ingredients.
Does the dough need to be refrigerated?
Nope! Honestly, I’m too impatient for that. You can make these cookies from start to finish in about 25 minutes total.
How should I store these?
Store cookies in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 48 hours, though cookies taste best when consumed within 24 hours. To freeze: wait for the cookies to cool, then place them in a freezer-safe bag for up to 1 month.
More vegan desserts:
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dairy free butter, softened
- 2 tbsp coconut oil , softened
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup cane sugar
- 2 tbsp applesauce
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/3 cup all purpose flour + 2 tbsp
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2/3 cup chocolate chips, dairy free
Instructions
- Preheat 350°.
- Cream butter, coconut oil, brown sugar, and cane sugar together for about 1 minute. Then, add the applesauce and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, stir the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with an electric mixer until the dough comes together. NOTE: if the dough isn't coming together after a minute, add 1 tablespoon of milk (any kind). Then, stir in the chocolate chips by hand.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease with nonstick spray. Use an ice cream scooper to scoop the dough onto the baking sheet, making sure to space the cookies apart. Bake for 11-13 minutes, then remove from the oven and wait 2 minutes before transferring them onto a cooking rack.
Notes
Nutrition
UPDATE NOTE: This post was originally published in September 2017. It was updated with new text and photos in January 2021.
These cookies came out so amazing! The best cookies I’ve had in a long time! Thank you so much for the recipe! 🙂
Thanks for the 5-star review, Kyndall!
Fabulous! As easy to make as expected and the taste and texture unbelievably delicious! These were a huge hit!
I have tried *many* vegan chocolate chip cookie recipes & these were by far my favorite. So delicious with a good mix of gooey and some crunch. Will be saving this as my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe!
So glad these have become a favorite!