This is the best vegan chocolate chip cookies recipe ever! Easy to make in 1 bowl, no chilling required and they turn out perfect every time. Soft, chewy and full of chocolate chips!

lots of vegan cookies on a crinkled piece of tan parchment paper

If you are in need of a simple, straightforward yet incredibly delicious chocolate chip cookie recipe, look no further. Tried and true, these are the most perfect vegan chocolate chip cookies in the world and everyone who tries them agrees!

This recipe is one of the most popular on my site with 350+ 5 star reviews! I hope they become your go-to vegan cookie.

If you love chocolate chips as much as I do, make sure to check out these Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars, Chocolate Chip Muffins and Vegan Edible Cookie Dough!

What makes these vegan cookies so perfect?

  • They are SO soft, chewy and full of chocolate chips. They aren’t too flat, and they aren’t too puffy and cake-like. No one would guess they’re vegan, unlike some cookie recipes I’ve tried.
  • They’re made in 1 bowl.
  • No chilling time is required for the dough. So you can have cookies to eat FAST!
broken vegan chocolate chip cookie on parchment paper with sea salt

Ingredients needed (with substitutions)

  • Flax egg – This is your egg substitute and is perfect for creating chewy, delicious cookies without eggs. Just mix ground flaxseeds with water and let it sit for a few minutes to thicken. JUST Egg works in place of flax/water, as well as other egg substitutes. Non-dairy milk works, too. Use 4 tablespoons instead of the flax egg.
  • Vegan butter – Miyoko’s is my favorite brand of vegan butter for baking, but other brands work just as well. I’ve tried it with countless brands, including my homemade vegan butter, and they all work great. You can try substituting coconut oil, but it does change the texture quite a bit and the flavor won’t be the same. If you want to use coconut oil, try these Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies instead.
  • Brown sugar – For the best flavor and texture, use brown sugar. If you must substitute it, granulated sugar works okay (though I’d add a tablespoon of molasses) as well as coconut sugar.
  • Vanilla – For flavor, of course.
  • All purpose flour – Most of the time I just use plain flour, but if you need them to be gluten free, you can substitute a gluten free flour blend. I’ve had good luck with Bob’s Red Mill, King Arthur and Better Batter. Don’t sub almond flour, but go make these Almond Flour Cookies instead.
  • Cornstarch – This helps the cookies be extra soft and chewy. May substitute tapioca starch or arrowroot, or leave it out if needed.
  • Baking soda
  • Salt – I use salted vegan butter most of the time, but if you are using unsalted butter, increase the salt from 1/4 teaspoon to 3/4 teaspoon.
  • Non-dairy chocolate chips – Check the ingredients list on the package for things like milk fat, butter oil, etc. I like Trader Joe’s brand which happen to be vegan, as well as Enjoy Life. Sometimes the store brand will be accidentally vegan and inexpensive.
ingredients for vegan cookies with chocolate chips, labeled

How to make vegan chocolate chip cookies

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements below in the recipe card. 

Beat the softened vegan butter and brown sugar, then mix in the flax egg and vanilla. Add the flour, and then sprinkle the cornstarch, baking soda and salt on top of the flour.

glass mixing bowl with dry ingredients being added to wet for cookies

Mix on low to combine, then mix in the chocolate chips. Mmmmm… cookie dough perfection!

chocolate chip cookie dough in a glass bowl with white background

Roll the dough into 1-2 tablespoon balls (I use this cookie scoop, then roll with my hands). Place on parchment lined baking sheets.

cookie dough balls ready to be baked on baking pan

Bake for about 10 minutes, until barely golden around the edges. The cookies will seems underdone, but they firm up as they cool and you want them to stay soft so be careful to not over bake.

For smaller cookies, bake for less time. For extra big cookies, add a few minutes of bake time.

Enjoy the cookies warm with a glass of almond milk or crumbled in vegan ice cream with a drizzle of caramel, perhaps. I usually sprinkle some coarse sea salt on top as well.

cookies baked on parchment lined pan

Frequently asked questions

  • What should the cookie dough feel like? The cookie dough should be soft and mushy, but not too wet or too dry. You should be able to easily roll it into balls. If it feels too wet, add a few tablespoons of flour at a time until it’s just right. If it’s too dry, add a tablespoon or two of non-dairy milk.
  • Are chocolate chips vegan? No, not all chocolate chips are vegan. They often contain dairy. Make sure to check the package list for things like butter oil, milk fat, and so on. Enjoy Life brand are always vegan, as are Trader Joe’s semi-sweet chips, Guittard, Kirkland Brand and some others. You can also use vegan chocolate bars and chop them up for chocolate chunk cookies.
  • Does the cookie dough need to be chilled? No, I never chill this cookie dough. I’m much too impatient! It’s just not needed here, but if you want to chill it, I’m sure it will be fine. The cookies will come out much thicker.
  • How long will they last? They will keep for 3-4 days at room temperature, if you don’t eat them all before then! Store in a covered container.
marble background with a cooling rack with lots of cookies

Roll the cookie dough into balls and freeze in a freezer friendly container. When you want to bake cookies simply preheat the oven and bake, adding a few more minutes since the dough was frozen. No need to defrost the dough.

Baked cookies also freeze well and are wonderful straight from the freezer. I love having frozen cookies to throw in my kid’s lunch box on school days.

This is a great cookie base recipe for all kinds of combinations! Try:

  • Adding chopped walnuts and/or coarse sea salt on top
  • Vegan white chocolate chips and dried cranberries
  • Add dried blueberries and a little lemon zest
  • White chocolate and macadamia nut
  • Monster cookies – add a few tablespoons of rolled oats, vegan M&M type candy, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter and a few tablespoons chocolate chips.
hand holding cookie with bite taken out of it

Find all of my vegan cookie recipes here: Vegan Cookies. Here are just a few of my favorites:

crinkled parchment paper with chocolate chip cookies flat on it
4.94 stars (467 ratings)

Perfect Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is the best vegan chocolate chip cookies recipe ever! Easy to make in 1 bowl, no chilling required and they turn out perfect every time. Soft, chewy and full of chocolate chips!
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies

Ingredients 
 

  • 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
  • 2.5 tablespoons water
  • 1/2 cup vegan butter, slightly softened to room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cups brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 cups non-dairy chocolate chips

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  • 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 and brown sugar for 1-2 minutes until creamy.
  • Add the vanilla and the flax egg and mix to combine.
  • Next, stop the mixer and add the flour. Sprinkle the cornstarch, baking soda and salt on top of the flour. Turn the mixer on low speed, and mix until just combined. 
  • Add in the chocolate chips to incorporate, either by hand or using the mixer.
  • Roll the dough into balls, about 1-2 tablespoons each. Place on the prepared pans and bake for 10 minutes (12 minutes for larger cookies), 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.

Video

Notes

  1. Cookies will stay fresh for 3-4 days, if they last that long. Store in a covered container. They also freeze well.
  2. Freezer cookie dough – 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.
  3. If using unsalted vegan butter, increase the salt to 3/4 teaspoon.
  4. Other mix ins – Feel free to add chopped walnuts, or use white chocolate chips instead, dried fruit, whatever you feel like. This is a great base recipe for all kinds of combinations.
  5. Recipe inspired by Sally’s Baking Addiction.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 160kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 105mg | Potassium: 26mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 188IU | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Nora Taylor
Did you make this recipe?Mention @nora_cooks_vegan_ or tag #noracooks!
plate of chocolate chip cookies

This post was last updated in 2019 and has been reposted in 2022 with improved photos, better writing and more tips/variations.

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Comments

  1. I made them but they came out flat like lace cookies. They called for about double the chocolate chips needed. They look awful but taste great. 

    1. Hey Cindy, it sounds like either your butter was too melty when you started, or you accidentally added less flour than called for. To make sure you have thick cookies, try refrigerating the dough for an hour first. I never do this and don’t get flat cookies, but it will ensure they are thicker. Hope that helps!

  2. I’ve been making vegan chocolate chip cookies for almost a decade, and I’ve tried many different recipes. This is by far the BEST recipe I’ve found! I made these last night and don’t expect them to last long. I’m so glad I get to add this to my vegan recipe list!

    1. Thank you for sharing your fantastic review and comments! They mean a lot to me! I am so glad you love the cookies, and they will be added to your recipe list! Happy cooking!

  3. This recipe is great as is! I have a couple coworkers who are vegan so I make these for them and I (not a vegan) think they are some of the best cookies! And if you haven’t tried the brownie or chocolate cake recipes you’re missing out!

    1. I am so glad you love the cookies! Thank you for sharing your fantastic review and comments! I appreciate you using my recipes! Happy cooking!

  4. Best chocolate chip cookie recipe hands down and being vegan is just an added bonus! I’ve become famous with my friends and family because of these cookies. Thanks Nora! 

  5. These are so good!! The non-vegans in my life even enjoyed them! For the flax egg- do you wait until it becomes an egg like consistency until you add it or does it not matter? Because for me it always takes at least 50 min of it sitting in a small bowl until it becomes a gooey consistency. 

    1. I’m so glad you love the cookies! I wait for the flax egg to thicken a bit, which only takes about 10 minutes. Thank you for sharing your wonderful review about the cookies!

  6. These are good but the recipie leaves the dough too crumbly and dry so I always have to add an extra tablespoon or 2 of vegan butter or a splash of oatmilk to the dough and then it works perfectly!! But they taste amazing! Apparently my non vegan friends couldn’t even tell the difference

  7. Hi Nora! I have made these cookies so many times and I love them. I want to make them for my nephew’s birthday party, but they asked if I could make them sugar free. Should I replace the brown sugar with coconut sugar?

    Thank you

    1. I’m glad you love the cookies! If coconut sugar is an acceptable sugar free option, it will work pretty well yes!

  8. Can I replace the cornstarch with anything else? Or omit it? I really want to make these tonight but don’t have any cornstarch on hand! Thanks! 

  9. This is my go to cookie recipe! My little is allergic to eggs and milk, so this is perfect. I have made a couple of adjustments that have worked beautifully
    -instead of flax egg, the vinegar/baking soda replacement gives a really nice lift. (1 egg = 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar + 1 teaspoon baking soda) 
    -I add a dash of non dairy milk to get the dough to come together if it’s crumbly
    -add 2 tablespoons of crunchy peanut butter
    -use mini chocolate chips. I use the enjoy life mini chips. Gives a great cookie to chocolate ratio 

    I have also used cane sugar instead of brown sugar (realized I was out after already promising my toddler ?) and got great results. 

    YUM. My non allergy afflicted family thinks these are the BEST COOKIES EVER. 

  10. These are so easy to make and so yummy! Finally a vegan recipe my 5 year old and my 15 month old triplets Love. I am new to vegan cooking/baking and am learning that it has it’s challenges. One of my triplets is allergic to everything. I will say that my cookies don’t spread as much the ones in the photo but we don’t care. Thank you for easy, yummy, cookies.

    1. I am so thrilled that you guys love my cookies! I hope you will be able to explore my other recipes! Thank you for taking your time to share your comments! Happy cooking!

  11. Do you recommend chilling the cookie dough for better results? If so how long and should we adjust the cooking time and length? Thanks 

    1. I don’t usually get flat cookies without chilling the dough. That said, if you want truly thick cookies, you can make the dough balls, place them on a baking pan, then freeze for 15 minutes. Place in the oven and bake. I don’t really think they will need extra baking time of more than a minute. Bake until they are barely golden around the edges. I hope this helps! Happy cooking!

  12. I’ve made these so many times, and they come out perfectly every time! I’ve used both regular AP flour and GF flour (Bob’s Red Mill 1:1), and you wouldn’t be able to taste the difference. My non-vegan fam are OBSESSED!

    1. Hi Natasha! I’m so glad your family is loving the cookies! They are a favorite around our house as well! Thank you for taking time to share your great review and comments! Happy cooking!

  13. Hi Nora – My cookies looked beautiful in the oven and then fell flat when I took them out at 10 minutes (1 tbsp size). Tasty, but don’t have the same lift yours have. Any thoughts? I followed the recipe as is.

    1. Hi Britt! It sounds like either you added a little less flour than me, or perhaps your butter was too melty or soft, making them flatten. If you want truly thick cookies, I’d make the dough balls, place them on a baking pan, then freeze for 15 minutes. Place in the oven and bake. That will help them stay thick. That said, I don’t usually get flat cookies without chilling the dough at all.

    2. These are great cookies!
      I substituted the flaxseed with hemp seeds and it worked fine.
      We love all the recipes you have!
      I don’t even check anywhere else anymore.

      1. Thank you so much for using my recipes! I appreciate you sharing your wonderful comments and ideas! I am thrilled that you love my collection of recipes! Happy cooking!

  14. I swear every recipe of yours that I try is a hit!! Thank you so much!
    I did notice on this recipe that when I hit the option to double the recipe it changed from 1/2 cup to 1 cup vegan butter but in parenthesis stayed 8 tablespoons. That messed with me for a minute!

    1. I’m glad you are enjoying the recipes and these cookies! Yes, that parenthesis can’t automatically change unfortunately. I suppose I could remove the tablespoons altogether, but I feel like it’s helpful if you are using a tub of vegan butter or something.

  15. Thank you for this recipe. It’s amazing. Best and most reliable vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe I’ve come across. Just wondering if the 24 cookie yield is for 1 or 2 tblsp cookie dough scoop size?

    1. Hi! I’m so glad you love the cookie recipe! Thank you for sharing your great review! The 1 tablespoon scoop size will yield closer to 24 cookies. Happy cooking!

    1. Hi Brandi. Just egg should work pretty well, however, I haven’t tried it myself. You could also use applesauce. The cookies may be a little soft, but will still be delicious!

  16. I loved this recipe and it’s so easy to make! These cookies were so fluffy and didn’t last long in my house!
    Currently I’m at my mom’s house visiting and have a craving for cookies, but she doesn’t have flaxseeds, any substitute I could use?

    1. Hi Gabra! I’m so glad you love the cookie recipe! We love them at our house also! I have only used flaxseeds, however, you could use ground chia seeds, as you don’t want the seeds in your cookies. Again, I have not used the following ingredients, however, others have indicated that applesauce and egg replacer also worked well in the cookie recipe. Happy cooking!

  17. Hey I lovvvvvve these cookies but for some reason when i make them now they come out really greasy and flat( I use earth balance and follow the recipe).

    I’ve been making them for months and only recently have started having this problem. Plz help!

    1. Are you using the tub of earth balance? I find it to make cookies extra greasy and I much prefer sticks. The other thing going on could be that you are melting the butter or simply softening it way too much before making the dough. That would make the cookies flat and greasy. The other thing to check is your measurements. Are you measuring the flour correctly? If you add too little flour they will also be greasy. Hope we can figure out the problem!

    1. Yes, they work well with a gluten free flour mix! I’ve used Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 and King Arthur Measure for Measure and they both worked perfectly.

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