Amazing vegan chocolate chip cookies that are slightly crispy around the edges and soft and chewy on the inside.
Learn how to make the best vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies ever. Almond flour and molasses add more flavor and texture to these delicious cookies, making these taste even more luscious. And you can even make them healthy with whole wheat and no loss of flavor.
Your eyeballs won't pop all the way out of their sockets and you certainly won't sprout blue fuzz all over your body, but you'll know just what goes through the Cookie Monster's brain when you sample one of these dairy free and eggless but absolutely delicious vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies.
These are truly the BEST vegan chocolate chip cookies. They are barely crispy around the edges but mostly soft and chewy, and they are studded with enough chocolate chips to make you go om nom nom nom.
I shared this easy vegan chocolate chip cookies recipe with you a few years back and so many of you have loved it and tried it. I've since tried tweaking a few things and developed many more chocolate chip cookie recipes before handpicking the best of these for you. Try them and they'll become your favorite homemade chocolate chip cookies too!
Tips and how to make vegan chocolate chip cookies
- These vegan cookies are incredibly tasty but require just eight ingredients, and molasses, which is optional. And they're so easy to make, a kid could do it. These are drop cookies, so you just need an ice cream scoop of a spoon to drop them on the baking sheet. Or, for a nicer shape, you can roll them up into cookie dough balls. They'll spread nicely while baking into perfect rounds.
- The cookies are perfect with unbleached flour or with whole wheat pastry flour -- I make them with both -- and for some added complexity and even more flavor you can sub out a half a cup of the flour with almond flour.
- I use avocado oil in these cookies, because it's a healthy fat and flavorless. You can also just use an equal quantity of melted vegan butter.
- The applesauce subs for some of the fat you might have added to this recipe, and it gives the cookies even more flavor and tenderness.
- These cookies, like I said above, are crispy and golden around the edges and soft and chewy at the center. But the texture of chocolate chip cookies is a matter of much debate and preference. I found this great NPR article that talks about the science behind baking your chocolate chip cookie to the exact texture you like: it's an informative -- and delicious -- read.
Ingredients for vegan chocolate chip cookies
- 2 cups flour, all purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour: Whole wheat pastry flour makes great, and healthier, cookies. Use all purpose if you'd rather.
- ½ cup super fine almond flour (you can simply replace with unbleached all purpose flour or whole wheat flour if you don't want to use this. You can also sub with an equal amount of oat flour.)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup coconut or olive oil or any vegetable oil.
- ¾ cup applesauce: Applesauce helps make these melt-in-the-mouth tender.
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract: For a lovely, wholesome flavor.
- 1 ⅓ cup sugar. I usually use vegan cane sugar or turbinado sugar or coconut sugar, but any sugar is fine. You can also use maple syrup for more richness.
- 1 tablespoon molasses (optional, but nice). I love the richness molasses adds to these chocolate chip cookies. If you can find vegan brown sugar or light brown sugar use that instead of the sugar and skip the molasses.
- 1 ¼ cups semi sweet vegan chocolate chips or chocolate chunks. Make sure you read the labels to ensure they are dairy free.
How to make the vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/180 degrees Celsius.
- In a bowl, mix together the all purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, whisk together the oil, applesauce, vanilla, sugar and molasses.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in the bowl and mix with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Refrigerate the cookie dough for 30 minutes to an hour. Prepare three cookie sheets by lining them with parchment paper.
- Scoop balls or mounds of dough onto the baking sheet using an ice cream scoop. You should get about 20 cookies.
- Bake each batch of cookies in the oven for 16 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
- Let the cookies cool on the sheet or on a wire rack. Remove with a spatula.
- Serve with almond milk or soy milk or any non-dairy milk!
Frequently asked questions
How do I make these chocolate chip cookies gluten-free?
Check out this grain free chocolate chip cookie recipe made with gluten free flour. It's also naturally sweetened!
Can I substitute coconut oil instead of vegetable oil or butter in these cookies?
Yes. I've also made these with olive oil and with coconut oil. Olive oil is great, but coconut oil tends to add a stronger flavor I am not crazy about. However, you can use unflavored coconut oil or, if you don't mind the flavor of coconut in these cookies, go ahead. It won't affect the rest of the recipe.
Can I use whole wheat flour to make these chocolate chip cookies healthy?
You absolutely can. Use whole wheat pastry flour, preferably, because it's got a lighter texture and won't create dense cookies. Alternatively use a mix of half whole wheat flour and half all purpose flour.
More vegan cookie recipes you might like
Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
The best vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies ever. They are slightly crispy around the edges and soft and chewy on the inside, and they need just eight ingredients. You can even make them healthy with whole wheat.
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Review Recipe
Servings: 22 2-inch cookies
Calories: 189kcal
Equipment
- Bowls
- Cookie sheet or baking tray
Ingredients
- 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour (or whole wheat pastry flour makes a great, and healthier, substitute.)
- ½ cup almond flour (superfine)
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup applesauce
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ⅓ cup turbinado sugar or vegan cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon molasses (optional)
- 1 ¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a bowl, mix the all purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, whisk together the oil, applesauce, vanilla, sugar and molasses.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in the bowl and mix with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Refrigerate the cookie dough for 30 minutes to an hour. Prepare three cookie sheets by lining them with parchment paper.
- Scoop balls or mounds of dough onto the baking sheet using an ice cream scoop. You should get about 20 cookies.
- Bake each batch of cookies in the oven for 16 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
- Let the cookies cool on the sheet or on a wire rack. Remove with a spatula.
- Serve with almond milk or soy milk or any non-dairy milk!
Recipe notes
- These are drop cookies, so you just need an ice cream scoop of a spoon to drop them on the baking sheet. You can just mound them, or, for a nicer shape, you can roll them up into balls. They'll spread nicely while baking into perfect rounds.
- These cookies are perfect with unbleached flour or with whole wheat pastry flour -- I make them with both -- and for some added complexity and even more flavor you can sub out a half a cup of the flour with almond flour.
- I use avocado oil in these cookies, because it's a healthy fat and flavorless. But I've also made these with olive oil and with coconut oil. Olive oil is great, but coconut oil tends to add a stronger flavor I am not crazy about. You can also just use an equal quantity of vegan butter.
- The applesauce subs for some of the fat you might have added to the recipe, and it gives the cookies even more flavor and tenderness.
- These cookies, like I said above, are crispy and golden around the edges and soft and chewy at the center. But the texture of chocolate chip cookies is a matter of much debate and preference. I found this great NPR article that talks about the science behind baking your chocolate chip cookie to the exact texture you like: it's an informative -- and delicious -- read.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 189kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 54mg | Potassium: 124mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 8IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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Pooja
This was an amazing recipe! The cookies turned out so soft and chewy. I didn’t have molasses but I’ve heard light brown sugar gives a chewier taste so I added a tbsp of that and they came out wonderful! Thank you for this amazing website!!
Vaishali
Hi Pooja, so happy to hear!
Kate
These were so simple to make and they taste incredible! They’re perfectly fluffy inside while having a crispness on the outside. I will definitely be making these again!
I only needed 1cup of sugar and chocolate chips and they turned out lovely. No regrets here!
Vaishali
Kate, awesome, so happy you enjoyed them.
Annette
FYI, Guittard makes chocolate chips that do not contain dairy or palm oil. I find them at Target, Safeway and most markets. Most chocolate chips these days are made with inferior chocolate and taste horrible, but Guittard is still yummy.
Vaishali
Thanks for the great tip Annette!
Moreen T
This is an awesome recipe! I have been making these cookies for my family for the past couple months. My entire family loves it, including my two finicky young sons. Thank you for the recipe. God Bless you always.
Lusi
Hi! Can you substitute the applesauce for mashed banana or will the flavor be overpowering?
Vaishali
You will have some banana flavor but it should taste great.
Mya
Hi Vaishali,
Is it ok to use 2.5cups of oat flour instead of the wheat & almond flour?
Thanks!
Vaishali
Hi Mya, you might find it difficult for the cookies to bind, with only oat flour. If you want to go gluten-free, an all purpose gluten-free flour could work better.
Vasudha
Hi Vaishali,
I stumbled upon your site and I have gone crazy ever since. Can't wait to try each one of your recipes.
In this recipe, why do you use molassis? Can I choose not to add it? Or is there a substitute for this?
Big fan,
Vasudha
Vaishali
Hi Vasudha, thanks for the kind words! The molasses adds deep, rich flavor, but yes, you can totally leave it out. Hope you try the cookies! 🙂
Cathy
Hi, Would you know how long do they stay fresh in a sealed container. I am hosting a vegan baby shower, would love to make them in advance? Thank you!
Vaishali
Cathy, about a week. You can refrigerate for longer.
jcjabdj
What can I substitute the wheat flour for?
Allergic.
Vaishali
You can try a gluten-free flour mix. If you do, I'd love to hear how they turn out.
Priya
Hi vaishali, made the cookies last weekend. Best cookies I have ever baked. Thanks a lot.
Vaishali
That's awesome, Priya, so glad you tried 'em!
Shauna
Hi! What would be your suggested substitute for the almond flour? I have an allergy..thanks!
Vaishali
Shauna, try coconut flour.
Priya
Hi vaishali
Can I substitute almond flour with app flour?
Vaishali
Hi Priya, yes, that's fine.
Ruth
OMG Vaishali! These really are the best chocolate chip cookies. I made these for my son, who is lactose-intolerant, and this recipe is going to replace my regular one. Thank you, thank you.
Vaishali
Ruth, that's lovely to hear. Thanks for letting me know!
wolp
I also have a question. Is the calorie count 120 calories or 120,000 (kcal) as stated in the beginning of the recipe.
120,000 sounds too high, so i'm betting on a typo?
Vaishali
Hey Wolp, thanks for the question! I've left my science days far behind, so this question really messed with my head (in a good way) and I spent a good part of this morning researching it. Here's what I found: a kilocalorie, or a kcal, in Britain, is the same as a calorie listed on American nutrition food labels. So whenever you see a calorie on our food labels here, it is actually a British kilocalorie, and yes, we are supposed to be consuming 2000 kcal per day, according to the USDA. Here's one little snippet of info that might make it somewhat clearer:
Namrata
Cookie recipe with just 1/4 cup of oil 😮 ? Whoa that's amazing! Normally cookie recipes call for more oil so I seldom bake them. This one I should try! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Vaishali
Hey Namrata, yes, the applesauce really helps keep these cookies from drying up and subs nicely for the oil. Hope you try!
Aimee Brimmer
I'm with you on the oil. I think you definitely have to consider your source. I believe coconut oil is a healthier choice than any animal fat. That said, its still a fat, so I just practice moderation. Although, these cookies look awfully tempting, lol! The look lovely! I have a question though. In your blog post you mention there is only 1/4 cup of oil in the cookies, but in the recipe, it calls for 1/2 cup. Which is the correct amount? Thank you. 🙂
Vaishali
Hey Aimee, that was a typo-- sorry! It is 1/4th of a cup. Corrected now!
Aimee Brimmer
Thanks so much! 🙂