Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
These are the best Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies because they’re super soft and chewy, just like the traditional cookie. Soft, simple vegan cookies are made with lots of chocolate chips, guaranteeing chocolate in every bite. The flavor and texture combined with lots of chocolate chips make this the best cookie recipe ever!
I love a good chocolate chip cookie. In fact, making cookies was my very first baking attempt. Serving those cookies to my friends was the first time I got the thrill of hearing how much people loved something I made.
I’ve been hooked on baking ever since. Going vegan was a challenge to my baking skills, but I’ve mastered vegan desserts and even have a cooking school certification to prove it!
Yes, vegan chocolate chip cookie recipes are made without eggs or dairy. Does that seem impossible? If so, it’s only because that’s how you’ve always made them. It’s entirely possible to make delicious cookies without eggs or dairy.
Why This Recipe is a Winner
- Baking the cookies until they are golden brown on the edges and just set, but still soft in the center makes the perfect chewy cookies
- Adding cornstarch helps soften the protein in the flour, creating perfectly soft and tender cookies
- Pressing chocolate chips into the top of unbaked cookie dough balls helps create bakery shop-like cookies.
What You Need
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
- Vegan butter — I have used both Earth Balance buttery sticks, Miyoko’s, and my own vegan butter.
- Brown sugar — Light or dark is fine, or make homemade brown sugar
- Granular sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Flax Egg — Either a flax egg or use a chia egg works great here
- All-purpose flour — You can use whole wheat pastry flour (different from whole wheat flour). You can make vegan gluten-free chocolate chip cookies by substituting a high-quality gluten-free baking flour.
- Cornstarch (optional)
- Baking soda + baking powder
- Salt
- Dairy-free chocolate chips
Ingredient Spotlight
Because we don’t add eggs to vegan cookies, the balance of ingredients is important to get that chewy, delicious cookie texture. Adding a bit more all-purpose flour than a regular batter is a great way to allow the binding power of flour to create the perfect consistency for thick, chewy, and gooey chocolate chip cookies.
- Cream butter, then add the sugars and beat again until light and fluffy. Finally, add the flax egg and vanilla and beat again to combine.
- Stir together the dry ingredients like flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine.
- Make the batter by stirring together the flour mixture in with the butter mixture.
- Add the chocolate chips and stir until combined.
- Drop by rounded spoonfuls and bake for 9 to 11 minutes.
- Allow them to cool for a minute then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
If you’re wondering how to make chocolate chip cookies vegan, I’m here to tell you it’s easier than cracking an egg. Seriously!
The mixture of sugar, fat, and air is perfect for this cookie dough.
Be sure to reserve a few chocolate chips to add to the cookie dough balls before baking. This ensures baker-shop quality cookies!
Allow the cookies to cool for a minute on the cookie sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
New to Vegan Baking?
The idea of making cookies, cakes, or muffins without eggs or dairy can seem like a hill too tall to climb. But with the simple tips in my Guide to Vegan Baking, you’ll be baking like a vegan pro in no time!
Storage Tips
Store cookies in a sealed container for up to a week either on the counter or in the fridge. Or you can freeze these cookies for up to two months.
One of my favorite things about making these cookies is the vegan chocolate chip cookie dough recipe itself. In fact, you can roll this edible cookie dough into balls and freeze them, and have a quick dessert of frozen cookie dough ball bites.
Frequently-Asked Questions
Because there are no eggs in vegan chocolate chip cookies, you might think you could eat the dough raw without concern for the bacteria that might be present in raw eggs. However, there are concerns about raw flour as well. So, if you intend to eat the dough, simply bake the flour briefly to kill any bacteria that might be present.
Many store-bought cookie mixes are not vegan, so be sure and check the label. I look for eggs, dairy, and even things like lard. Those are clear indications that this is not a vegan-friendly cookie mix!
If you want to skip homemade chocolate chip cookies altogether, consider these brands of pre-made vegan cookies: Back to Nature Chocolate Chunk Cookies (paid link), Enjoy Life Soft-Baked Cookies (paid link), and Alternative Baking Company (found at most health food stores), and more.
Are chocolate chips vegan?
Not all chocolate chips are vegan. Be sure to read the labels, and even when you’ve found a brand you like, check them periodically because they sometimes change their ingredients.
There are many reasons to make cookies without eggs. For example, someone in your family could have an egg allergy. Maybe you’re vegan or someone you’re baking for is vegan.
Another great reason to bake without eggs is that you simply don’t need them! You can make absolutely stunning cookies without eggs. It’s as simple as that! Here are some of my favorite egg substitutes for cookies:
- Applesauce — a favorite egg substitute for muffins, cakes, and cookies
- Mashed banana — it’s a great egg substitute but does add flavor
- Chia egg — has a neutral flavor
- Flax egg — has a mild, nutty flavor.
Marly’s Tips
Use these expert tips to make this vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe perfect every time:
- Sit vegan butter out 30 minutes to allow it to soften
- You can use half coconut oil and half vegan butter
- Use half peanut butter and half vegan butter to change things up
- Make cookies sugar-free by using Swerve granulated and brown sugar and Lily’s stevia-sweetened dark chocolate chips
- Make-ahead tips: You can refrigerate the dough for up to 3 days before rolling it into balls.
Do you love only the best vegan cookies? Me too! Here are some of the very best easy vegan cookies, all with different takes on the vegan chocolate chip cookie:
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Ingredients
- 1 flax egg
- 1 cup vegan butter 2 sticks, softened
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup granular sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour sifted
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups dairy-free chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Make the flax egg and set it aside.
- Place the butter in a mixing bowl. Use either a handheld or stand mixer on medium speed and beat until light and fluffy. Add the sugars and beat again until light and fluffy. Finally, add the flax egg and vanilla and beat again to combine.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch (see note), baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine. Pour the flour mixture in with the butter mixture. Stir to combine.
- Add the chocolate chips and stir until combined. Be sure to cover the cookie dough when not in use to prevent it from drying out.
- Drop by rounded spoonful about 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet. (Or you can roll the cookie dough balls for more precise edges to the cookies). Bake for 9 minutes, (or up to 11 minutes depending on your desired final cookie texture). If you prefer chewier cookies, remove them at 9 minutes. If you prefer crispier, cook for a few minutes longer. See note.
- Once the cookies are done, allow them to cool for a minute or two on the cookie sheet, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store in a sealed container for up to a week either on the counter or in the fridge. Or you can freeze these cookies for up to two months.
Recommended Equipment
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Notes
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Using Ground Flax Seed as an Egg Replacer
I sometimes like to use ground flaxseed as a replacement for eggs in a cookies recipe. It adds a little bit of texture, moisture, and some omega-3s to boot! I use 3 tablespoons of water and 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed for each egg in the recipe.
So, whatever egg replacer you use, they do a great job of making delicious cookies.
I made the chocolate chip cookies for my daughter she is vegan and I have struggled making cookies that always came out flat but I tried your cookies and they were amazing soft in the center and crispy on the edges and my daughter and friends loved them!! Thank you for the best vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe and I am looking forward to trying more of your vegan recipes. They are definitely a 5 star recipe!!
Hi Irene. I’m so glad to see you loved this recipe. It’s one of my go-to favorites, too!
These are my favorite cookies to make! I’ve made them many times and even my non-vegan family members love them!!
Hi Alexa. I’m so glad you liked these cookies. They’re my favorites too, so that makes us two peas in a pod! 🙂
Just made these using chia egg instead of flax. So delicious. I did a half batch because I only had half the butter and it turned out so nice and fluffy but chewy on edges. Very happy.
Hey TF! So glad you liked these vegan chocolate chip cookies! It’s a favorite recipe of mine too!
Hello,
How much applesauce would I use to replace the chia egg? 🙂
Hi Taylor. You should be able to use 1/4 cup applesauce to replace the chia egg. Test the batter. If it’s too dry, add a little more applesauce or water. If it’s too wet, add a little more flour.
Your cookies look just like the old standby Tollhouse cookies. I’ve passed the recipe along to my daughter. She’ll love it!
What nice kids! And how sweet you are for baking them cookies. I bet they loved them!
I love these kids next door. They are so cute. They’re very polite too and that is something to be noted. I’m really lucky to have such nice neighbors. I’m also lucky to have met such nice people like you. It makes all the work of blogging worthwhile! My best to you! Marly
I need to explore more vegan cuisine, and those cookies look mouthwatering I think the kids enjoyed the cookies maybe more so than money. I hate to bring everything down to money.
These cookies taste as good as they look. My favorite egg replacer is the apple sauce. I highly recommend it. I think I have used 1/4 cup. I would love to see any vegan entrees you decide to make!
Hey Marly, these look great, and I love the way you solved your dilemma. Your’e right! Children should learn the value of helping others (especially neighbors) without expectation.
Hey, I was just thinking to post the recipe I developed for vegan chocolate chip, so I hope you don’t think I’m a copy cat (smile).
By the way, thanks for that sweet question on my last post…
What sweet question? Now I’m going to have to go back to your site and check it out!
I don’t think you’re a copy cat – I can’t wait to see your recipe!
Don’t you just love ground flax seed? I just picked up a bag today at Whole Foods. I have been eating it with my oatmeal/cereal for quite awhile but just recently started adding it to my baked goods. So so yummy! These cookies look great, and I can’t wait to give them a try. As always, thank you for sharing Marly!
Yes – it is really versatile. Do you buy the dark or the golden flax seed? We’ve tried both. I like adding it to baked goods just to try to help myself believe it’s healthy. Sure they’re cookies…but they’ve got omega 3 rich flax seeds!!!