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!
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!
Ingredients needed (with substitutions)
- Flax egg – This is your egg substitute and is perfect for creating chewy, delicious cookies without eggs. JUST Egg works in place of flax/water, as well as other egg substitutes. Non-dairy milk, applesauce and yogurt work as well in a pinch. Use 4 tablespoons instead of the flax egg.
- Vegan butter – I’ve made these cookies 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. Chopped chocolate also works (I often use a mix).
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.
Mix on low to combine, then mix in the chocolate chips/chunks. Mmmmm… cookie dough perfection!
Roll the dough into 1-2 tablespoon balls (I use this cookie scoop, then roll with my hands). Place on parchment lined or greased baking sheets.
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.
Frequently asked questions
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.
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.
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.
They will keep for 3-4 days at room temperature, if you don’t eat them all before then! Store in a covered container. They also freeze well.
How to freeze cookie dough for later
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.
Other cookie mix in combinations
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.
Want more incredible vegan cookie recipes?
Find all of my vegan cookie recipes here: Vegan Cookies. Here are just a few of my favorites:
- Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Ultimate Vegan Chocolate Cookies
- Vegan Snickerdoodles
- Vegan Sugar Cookies
- Classic Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
Perfect Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 2.5 tablespoons water
- 1/2 cup vegan butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar*
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup vegan chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats (or spray with oil.)
- 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
- You can use the amount of sugar as listed (1 1/4 cups lightly packed brown sugar), or less to your own taste. Some people seem to prefer only 3/4 cup, while others enjoy the 1 1/4 cups. I’ve tried both and they work well either way in my opinion!
- Cookies will stay fresh for 3-4 days, if they last that long. Store in a covered container. They also freeze well.
- 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.
- If using unsalted vegan butter, increase the salt to 3/4 teaspoon.
- 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.
- Recipe inspired by Sally’s Baking Addiction.
Nutrition
* August 2025: Several people commented that the recipe didn’t need as much brown sugar as originally listed ( 1 1/4 cups lightly packed brown sugar.) If desired, you can use less sugar. Sometimes I use just 3/4 of a cup of packed brown sugar and they work well.
I used Bobs Red Mill powdered egg replacer instead of flax, and they came out with a sort of meringue-like crackled crust on top. Still an amazing chewy texture once they’ve cooled for about 10 minutes, and absolutely delicious with some flaky salt on top! I look forward to seeing how it turns out as-written with the flaxseed egg replacement next time I make them.
Thank you so much for this recipe – it’s super easy and quick, including prep time, bake time, and only a few things to wash up!
Hi Kairaya. Thank you for taking time to share your baking experience and terrific review! I’m really glad you loved the cookies! Wishing you lots of happy cooking
Simple and delicious.
I substituted the cornstarch with tapioca per directions. and I only used 1 c brown sugar. These are so yummy. My cookies stayed round and tall and did not flatten out. Somehow the cookie-dough seemed to disappear before making it into cookies. I would recommend making a double batch! Definitely a keeper recipe. thank you!!
Fantastic recipe! My friends and family loved it 🙂 Definitely recommend!
I have made these cookies before and they just never come out right I don’t know why these get such good reviews. I always feel so disappointed that I wasted all my time and all these ingredients. These cookies come out flat even spreading them out. They touch each other. I know how to spread things out. I don’t know why this recipe is like this. Also, there’s no way that these cookies are cooked at even 12 minutes. Super sad.
Hi Debra. Sorry you are having trouble with the cookies. I make them every few weeks exactly as written and never have problems with them flattening. And they actually usually only take 10 minutes to bake! With 600 ratings and reviews, I’m not the only one. Cookies can come out flat for a few reasons. First, because the butter was too soft or melted when you made the dough. Second, your measurements are slightly off. I suggest spooning flour into a measuring cup, then leveling it off with a knife for accurate measurements; do not pat it down or just scoop from a container of flour. Also, are you making any substitutions at all? What vegan butter are you using? Hope that helps!
I had this same issue happening twice. I was using country crock with avocado oil. I usually used Earth Balance original and they turn out perfect everytime
My previous comment was I used Country Crock with avocado oil, however I was mistaken it was with olive oil.
I’d like to try adding fresh raspberries to these. Have you ever tried this? Do you think this recipe could support adding them? Thanks for all of your recipes! They are always amazing!!
I haven’t tried adding fresh raspberries, but I think it could work. You’d have to fold them in gently, but even so I’m afraid they will break up into pieces. Maybe that’s fine though. Enjoy!
Perfect every time. Mmmmmm.
We needed an alternative after Kroger discontinued their plant based refrigerated dough. These are incredible! Thoughts on omitting the cornstarch and using cake flour in place of All purpose?
So glad you think so too! I’ve never tried using cake flour for cookies, you could give it a go and let me know how they turn out if you would. 🙂 Thanks!
Ive been making these and few of your other recipes for a couple years now, so I felt the need to say thank you for all the hard work put in! I make this recipe anytime if get a craving for cookies because its so easy and I usually have everything. Sometimes I’d have to leave something out (like the cornstarch) because I didnt have it and they turned out just fine. Anyone having trouble is probably being lazy with thr measurements or trying to microwave the butter to get it room temp (wont work, the bonds change chemically when you do this and it doesnt hold air well).
Anyway these are fantastic and in my non-vegan roommate’s words, “they fuck”.
I thought I’d made these before, but I guess I hadn’t, because they were a revelation, and so easy. I made them with the lesser amount of sugar you suggested in the note (3/4 cup) and dark brown sugar (all I had) and bittersweet chips plus pecans. Perfect. Thanks!
You are welcome, Bill! How awesome that you loved the cookies and found them easy to make! Thank you for sharing your baking experience and your stellar review!
These were really good, there’s just one small issue and it’s the metric conversion for the brown sugar… shouldn’t it be higher? It feels like 1 and a quarter cups of packed brown sugar is waaaaayyy more than 150 grams. I’m a total amateur though so I’m not sure, they came out great regardless.
These cookies are amazing, this last time I added 2 T of active sourdough starter to the recipe to help them puff up a bit more! Amazing recipe they are so delicious for my son who can’t have dairy and egg.
Has anyone made them gluten free with 1:1 flour? I’d love to try to make them for our friends who can’t have gluten!
These came out fabulous!! I didn’t have any baking soda so swapped for x3 baking powder. The bottom rack came out a little over baked but they taste just like Chips Ahoy. Also will have flaky salt on hand for next time, I think that would make them sensational. Thanks for the recipe!!
This is literally the best vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe I have ever found! They are super delicious, and my family loves them! I will definitely be using this a lot! Great recipe!🥰💖🍪😋
Hi Kaiyah! Your positive review and great feedback is so encouraging! Thank you for loving my recipe, and for taking time to share! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
Perfect, scrumptious, I used Unreal Gems with peanut, vegan chocolate with almonds and Giraldelly salted caramel toffee dark chocolate. I couldn’t believe how good they came out specially when is the first time that I bake cookies. Great recipe!!!
Thanks 🙏
You are welcome, Lourdes! I’m so thrilled that you love the cookie recipe and that it turned out wonderful for you! All of your additions sound delicious! Thank you for sharing your ideas as well as your glowing review! Wishing you happy cooking!
Is the flax seed equivalent to 1 egg?
That is correct.
This is by far the BEST vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe I have ever made (and I have made alot!).
Delicious as always! Added about 1/4 tsp of powdered rosemary with the salt and that made for perfection!
This sounds incredible!
Perfect
Any thoughts on replacing part or most of the sugar with other granulated sweeteners? In non-vegan cookie recipes, I have had good luck mixing a little raw cane sugar with Stevia and monk fruit, mimicking the taste of white or brown sugar with much less calories.
You can try it, but it will alter the texture and flavor of the cookies. You can certainly give it a try and see if you like it! Enjoy.
Delicious and so easy! We always know we’ll have a winner when it’s your recipe Nora! I also appreciate the tips and how flexible this is. I used the equivalent of 1 egg in Just Egg, and kept it to 3/4 cup sugar. They are perfect and so, so delicious! I love the high ratio of chocolate chips to cookie 😉 Amazing!
This is one of my absolute favorite base chocolate chip cookie recipes! I’ve experimented with it so much! I’ve replaced the vegan butter with mashed banana (1/2c), and the cookies turned out amazing! I like to save the bananas that have turned brown on the counter and put them in the freezer – when they thaw, they’re perfect for mashing (and baking)! I’ve also tried pureed pumpkin – I preferred the banana ;). Today, I may have curated and perfected the recipe for my taste buds. Instead of vegan butter, I again substituted banana, but this time added all-natural organic peanut butter, too. 1/4c cup of each. The dough was tough to mix, but the result is incredible! EnJOY!
Hi Seth. I loved reading about your recipe ideas! Thank you for sharing them as well as your fantastic review! I’m glad you are loving the cookie recipe and having so much fun trying new things with it! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
Can I use gluten free flour instead of regular flour?
Hi Carmen. I think you would have the best luck with a gluten free mix, like Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Flour. I don’t think almond flour will work here, but I do have a Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe you may want to try instead that uses almond flour. I hope this helps!
Hi Carmen. I think you would have the best luck with a gluten free mix, like Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Flour. I don’t think almond flour will work here, but I do have a Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe you may want to try instead that uses almond flour. I hope this helps!
Nora, you’re my favorite! I absolutely love all your recipes. I have one question—can I replace brown sugar with agave? My husband follows a plant-based diet, and we avoid using any type of refined sugar.
Thanks so much Ruby! Unfortunately replacing brown sugar for agave in cookies is a little difficult because you would be adding so much liquid and changing the structure of the cookie. Can you use something like coconut sugar or date sugar? They would work better. I’d have to do some testing and come up with a cookie specifically with agave I think. That said, feel free to play around yourself and see what happens. 🙂
Made this cookie recipe today and I’m in love! They flattened after cooling though and nope, it’s not the baking soda, it’s new!
Made these cookies for the first time today and they’re so good!! 😍 They did get kinda flat after I took them out of the oven though, any idea why?
To avoid flat cookies, make sure your vegan butter is softened but not at all melted. Measure everything accurately, especially the flour, as too little flour will result in flatter cookies. If you want, you can refrigerate the cookie dough for 30 minutes before baking, and that will make your cookies even thicker!
We love all your recipes!! These cookies are so good!! I’m making them again this weekend! Any thoughts on using whole wheat flour?
Hi Karla. I’m so glad that you guys are loving the cookie recipe! Thank you for sharing your awesome review! It would work quite well with whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat. If you use regular whole wheat flour they may be a bit dry and will for sure taste like whole wheat.
This has been my go-to recipe for years now. Consistently good. Chewy, sweet, perfect. I finish them with a little sea salt on top while they cool on the baking sheet and the chocolate is still melt. Divine!
Hi Emily. I’m thrilled that you are loving the cookie recipe! It is one of our favorites! Thank you for sharing your stellar review and feedback! Sea salt on the top sounds delicious!
These cookies are always a hit! I make them every week and my roommates and friends all eat them within a few days even though non of them are vegan. Favorite cookie recipe!