The perfect soft vegan chocolate chip cookies recipe with a few tricks to make them extra soft and thick. These are my go-to chocolate chip cookie.
Everybody has their go-to, tried and true chocolate chip cookie recipe, right? Well, I used to before going vegan and since then it’s been hit or miss. I swear I have tried countless recipes over the years, and some have been pretty good (some VERY bad!) but I had yet to find the PERFECT vegan chocolate chip cookies recipe I was looking for.
Until now.
I have been working on perfecting this recipe for months, I’ve taken several rounds of photos and then decided, nope, not quite perfect yet. Cookie testing is hard work, but somebody has to do it. 🙂
What makes this vegan chocolate chip cookies recipe so darn perfect?
They are so thick, puffy and soft (but not undercooked). They are not flat and they spread just the right amount during baking.
They are perfectly soft and chewy. For real. AND you can make them in 1 bowl (except for the flax egg). I don’t know about you, but I really can’t be bothered with getting out 2 big bowls for chocolate chip cookies.
How to make vegan chocolate chip cookies:
- Make a flax egg – Mix 1 tablespoons ground flaxseeds with 2.5 tablespoons water. Set aside to thicken.
- In a large bowl with a hand mixer (or stand mixer), beat the softened vegan butter until creamy, then add the brown sugar. Next, mix in the flax egg and vanilla.
- Now stop the mixer for a minute. Add 1 cup of the flour, and sprinkle the cornstarch, baking soda and salt on top of the flour. Mix on low to combine. Then add the other 1/2 cup of flour and mix until crumbles form.
- Using your hands, form a big ball of cookie dough. If it’s too wet, add a few tablespoons more of flour at a time, until you can easily handle it. If your dough is too wet, your cookies will be flat. If your dough is too dry, add a tablespoon or two of almond milk. Fold in the chocolate chips with your hands, then refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, line cookie sheets with parchment paper, and roll the dough into 1-2 tablespoons sized balls. Bake for about 10 minutes, until puffy and just slightly golden on the sides. They will look underdone, but will firm up considerably as they cool. Do not over bake.
This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.
Are all chocolate chips vegan?
No, a lot of brands have milk fat or butter oil in them. Check the ingredients to ensure vegan friendliness. Trader Joe’s brand of semi-sweet chocolate chips happen to be vegan, as are Guittard. Costco sometimes carries the Kirkland brand of semi-sweet chocolate chips, which are also vegan and a great price if you can find them! There is also Enjoy Life, which you can find on Amazon or Whole Foods.
If you are really having trouble finding vegan chocolate chips, you can always look for dairy free chocolate bars, and chop them into chunks.
What makes these cookies so soft, chewy and thick?
- You must chill the dough for at least a half hour, preferably an hour or even overnight (but who has patience for this?) It’s what gives them that thickness, and prevents them from spreading like crazy and crisping up.
- Cornstarch (or tapioca starch). It’s the secret to puffy, thick cookies!
- Enough flour, but not too much. And not over baking them. 🙂
I can’t find vegan butter. Can I use coconut oil instead?
Yes, you can substitute semi-firm coconut oil for the vegan butter. They have a slightly different flavor and texture, but it works quite well. I use them interchangeably, but I prefer using Earth Balance brand of vegan butter.
Helpful tools used in this recipe:
- Handheld Mixer or
- Stand Mixer
- Silicone mat for baking or parchment paper
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 2.5 tablespoons water
- 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) earth balance vegan butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus more if needed
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch or tapioca starch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, omit if your vegan butter is very salty. I always add it.
- 1 1/2 cups non-dairy chocolate chips
Mix the ground flaxseed and water in a small bowl and set aside to make your flax egg.
In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the softened vegan butter for a minute until creamy. Now add in the brown sugar and mix for 1-2 minutes, until fluffy.
Add the vanilla and the flax egg and mix in.
Next, stop the mixer and add 1 cup of the flour and sprinkle the cornstarch, baking soda and salt on top of the flour. Turn the mixer on low speed, and mix until just combined.
Add the other 1/2 cup of flour and mix until crumbles form, then use your hands to form a large ball of dough. The dough should be easy to handle, not too wet or dry. If the dough is too wet to handle, add a few tablespoons more flour at a time. If the dough is too wet, your cookies will be totally flat. If the dough is too dry, add a tablespoon or two of almond milk.
Add in the chocolate chips to incorporate, either by hand or with a spoon until they are evenly distributed.
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate/chill for at least 30 minutes, and up to 1 day. Sometimes I skip the chilling part, and the cookies turn out fine, just not as thick.
Remove the cookie dough from the fridge and let sit on the counter for about 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Roll the dough into balls, about 1-2 tablespoons each. Bake for about 10 minutes, until they are barely golden around the edges. Do not over bake! They will be puffy and lightly colored. Let cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. The cookies will firm up as they cool, and become the most perfect chewy cookies ever! Enjoy.
- Cookies should stay fresh for 4-5 days, if they last that long.
- TIP: Freeze cookie dough balls to have on hand to make just a few cookies at a time! Simply cook for 1-2 minutes more, no need to thaw.
- May substitute coconut oil for the vegan butter if desired. Just make sure it's not melted, you want it to be semi-firm.
- If you don't like salt in your cookies or your vegan butter is very salty already, you may omit the salt.
- Recipe adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction.
*Post last updated February 1st, 2019.
