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.
This IS the perfect vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe! Everyone loves this and all my students happily enjoy them. I make them small, with extra chocolate chips and bake for 6 minutes and they are perfect. Thank you, Nora!
This is the BEST chocolate chip cookie recipe. Thank you Nora for always publishing banger recipes!
These are delicious! I’m my stand mixer doesn’t have a paddle attachment and I don’t have a handheld mixer so I made these using regular cooking utensils that I thought mimicked the mixer well. For the brown sugar and butter, I used a whisk. For the vanilla and flax egg, I used a regular spoon to mix. For the dry ingredients and chocolate chips, I used a silicone spoon to gently stir and fold. I followed the measurements, only adding a little extra vanilla and baked for 10-12 minutes and the cookies turned out great. My husband was even impressed despite them being vegan- as he claims he can usually tell the difference. 5/5 stars!
Hi Randi. I’m so glad you loved the cookies! Well done on your ‘by hand’ mixing! Thanks for sharing your stellar review and comments! Wishing you happy cooking!
These were sooo good! I made them exactly as described, and I very much questioned pulling them out at 10 mins but Nora said in bold do not overcook, so I told myself to trust the process and pulled them and let them cool. Oh my gosh, these were amazing! My husband, who is not vegan, made himself walk away after eating 5 and said he could definitely eat 20 haha! Thank you so much!
You are welcome, Robin! Thank YOU for using my recipe! I’m so glad you and your husband loved the cookies! They are a favorite in our home for sure! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
This is my go to cookie recipe, and I love them so much! I did notice, however, that sometimes when I make the cookies they don’t flatten properly, what could I be doing differently that would be causing that?
Hi Ann. I’m glad you are enjoying the cookies! Sounds like sometimes either your vegan butter was too firm (not softened) when you started, or more likely, you added a bit too much flour, making them puffy. To measure more accurately, 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. I hope this helps! Thanks for loving my recipe! Wishing you happy cooking!
Have yet to try. Anyone subbed the sugar for maple syrup or honey? We make our own MS and have hives we harvest from, so I usually have those over store bought sugar.
Love so many of the recipes from this site! So grateful for the recipes!!
Hi !! Dunno what happened …I subbed flax for the 4 T of plant milk ….they came out completely flat….
Sorry, I don’t think I understand. There is no plant milk in this recipe. Do you mean you replaced the flaxseeds with just plant milk? Because that would make the cookies too wet and they would come out flat then. I’m not entirely sure what you mean though.
My daughter LOVES these cookies. I made them with 3/4 cup maple sugar, and they are sooooooo good. I did have to add 2 Tbsp of water to the dough to hold it together. I actually made these and Sally’s chewy choc chip cookies – and everyone in my family agreed that your recipe is the best.
My daughter has a best friend who can’t eggs, so I’m happy to be able to offer your cookies when they have playdates. Thanks for a terrific recipe!
Hi Laura. Have fun that your daughter loved the chocolate chip cookies! We sure love them around our place as well! How awesome that her friend can enjoy the cookies as well! Thank you for your fantastic review and comments! Wishing you happy baking!
My gosh these are so good. Perfect blance if sweet & salty. I sent some to my daughter away at school. She shared with friends. Now they send me requests to send them “the best cookies they’ve ever had”.
Hi Liz. How fun that must have been for your daughter to receive some cookies! I’m so glad that they are hit with everyone, and that you are loving the recipe! Thank you for your stellar review and comments! Happy baking!
I made your recipe especially for one of my friend’s son who has dairy allergy. He loved them! My kids that don’t have dairy allergy love them too!
Hi Oinka. How kind of you to make cookies for your friend’s son! I’m so glad he was able to enjoy some delicious chocolate chip cookies! Thank you for taking time to share your stellar review! Wishing you happy cooking!
Such a great recipe Nora! Suitable even for whiney omnivores (if they don’t know it’s plant based butter) LOL
I’m so glad that the cookies are a hit! Thank you for sharing your stellar review! Wishing you happy cooking!
Good
I made these as a base for chocolate chip and ginger, cardamom, clove cookies and they were a big hit. Now making them non-vegan and they have also turned out lovely. Saving this recipe. I did halve the sugar and I always halve the chocolate chips. I’ll try with whole wheat flour next. Thanks!
These turned out perfectly soft and chewy and they were incredibly easy to make!
Just go ahead and make a double batch because these are THAT good! Amazing recipe! I have tried every vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe out there and this one is definitely the best.
This is my favorite vegan cookie recipe! I love a chewy cookie and these are a hit for everyone! I do substitute the for Bob’s Red Mill vegan egg replacer and it works every time!
So delicious 🤤. I used just egg to replace the flax egg because I’m lazy but worked perfectly.
Nora, great flavor and texture. My dough was a little dry, so I added 1 tbsp. of melted coconut oil to it and they were fine.
Best vegan chocolate chip cookies I’ve made. So so easy, I accidentally added in more baking soda and used a not so great quality vegan butter and yet they came out delightful.
Finally made these and they are perfect! You have perfected the vegan chocolate chip cookie! Thank you!
Best chocolate chip cookie recipe i’ve ever tried!!!! Vegan or non-vegan!
Thank you for sharing your awesome review and feedback, Em! I’m thrilled you are loving the cookies!
Hi,can I substitute self rising flour,if so what would be ratio?
I haven’t tried it but you could give it a go if you’d like. I’d probably use the same amount of flour, but I suppose you might not need the baking soda.
Absolutely superb! Turned out perfect – just the right amount of crunch on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. Thank you for posting :))
You are welcome, Ravi! I’m thrilled that you love the cookies! Thank you for choosing my recipe, and for sharing your glowing review! Happy cooking!
Hi Nora! Theae look great and I’d love to try making them. Can i use margarine instead of vegan butter? My margarine is vegan and aren’t they the same things anyway?
They are not quite the same, no, and it won’t work the same in baking especially for cookies. Your cookies will likely spread too much and not taste as good. If you can, get the vegan butter baking sticks. There are many brands nowadays and it’s easy to find.
I make these with vegan margarine and they come out really well! No one has ever complained. This has been my go-to recipe for YEARS!
I also needed to use margarine in a pinch and they were delicious!
These were delicious. I always attempt to make vegan chocolate chip cookies as recipe states but without fail I change the recipe to make them ‘healthier.’ This time i stayed focused! The only change i did was did half coconut sugar and half brown sugar totally 1 cup with flaked sea salt on top! Thank you!!
You are welcome, Jennifer! I’m so glad that you loved the chocolate chip cookies! Thank you for your stellar review!