Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

The perfect Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies with crisp golden edges, chewy middles, and chocolate in every bite. Bake a batch in just 20 minutes or freeze them for later. Everyone is guaranteed to love them! Vegan, Gluten-Free Option.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Method Oven

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Total Time 30

Servings cookies

Calories 305kcal

Author Caitlin Shoemaker

Ingredients

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
2 1/2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup salted vegan butter softened to room temperature (1 stick)
1/2 cup cane sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch or sub arrowroot powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt use 1/2 tsp if using unsalted butter
1-1 1/2 cup dairy-free chocolate chips or chunks
Flaky salt for serving (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prep: Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray or line a large baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone mat and set aside. Prepare the flax “egg” by mixing the flaxseed and water well; set aside for at least 5 minutes to let thicken.
Cream the Butter: Add the softened butter, cane sugar, and brown sugar to a large bowl or stand-mixer. Use a stand mixer or electric mixer to cream the butter and sugar together on low speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until the butter is smooth, light, and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula as necessary.
Wet Ingredients: Add the flax “egg” and vanilla to the bowl and beat again, until the mixture is smooth and combined.
Dry Ingredients: Add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix well until a thick, non-sticky dough forms. Add the chocolate chips to the batter and fold into the dough using a spatula.
Form the Cookies: Use a cookie scoop or spoon to form 12 cookies with ~3 tablespoons of dough per cookie. Roll each cookie into a smooth ball and space evenly across the prepared baking sheet. Do not flatten the cookie dough; it will spread as it bakes in the oven.
Bake: Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 10 to 12 minutes; the cookies will look puffy and pale, but the bottom edges should be golden.
Cool: Take the cookies out of the oven and sprinkle with flaky salt, if desired. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for another 10 minutes, where they will deflate further. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool completely.
Serve & Store: Enjoy the cookies immediately, or store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can also store the baked cookies in the freezer for up to 2 months, but I would recommend storing the cookie dough balls instead and baking when desired :)

Notes

Vegan Butter: Different vegan butters will spread differently during baking. I have had success using Country Crock, Earth Balance, and Violife plant-based butter sticks (not spread). Vegan butter can be replaced with softened coconut oil, but they will be slightly more dry. I recommend using refined coconut oil so there is no coconut flavor.
Chocolate Chips: I prefer my cookies to be loaded with chocolate chips, but if you like slightly less, use only 1 cup of chocolate instead of 1 1/2 cups. I also recommend using a mixture of chocolate chips and a chopped chocolate bar for a more varied chocolate flavor in each cookie.
Other Substitutions: The sugar can be swapped for coconut sugar, but the cookies will be darker and color and more dry. I have not tested this cookie with any flour substitutions, but I imagine a gluten-free all-purpose blend would work well!

Nutrition