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    Home » Dessert

    Easy Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

    Published: Jun 29, 2020 · Modified: Sep 8, 2022 by Larisha Bernard · This post may contain affiliate links · 81 Comments

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    These easy vegan chocolate chip cookies recipe are truly divine! Simple, one bowl, and Allergen Friendly.

    Vegan easy one bowl chocolate chip cookies on a white table.

    If you have ever wondered if vegans can have cookies, look no further. This easy vegan chocolate chip cookies recipe will show you that anything is possible.

    Cookies are something that makes everyone happy! It takes us back to the happy memories and always puts a smile on our face.

    These vegan chocolate chip cookies are thick, soft, and buttery making them great for any occasion.

    What are vegan chocolate chip cookies?

    Vegan chocolate chip cookies are a variation of the standard drop cookie featuring chocolate chips however they have no dairy, eggs, or other animal by-products.

    The standard chocolate chip cookies is widely credited to being created by Ruth Wakefield in 1938 in the United States. They are extremely popular

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    A vegan chocolate chip cookie on a table.

    Frequently Asked Questions on how to make the best vegan chocolate chip cookies:

    Can I make these Top 8 Allergen Free?

    Whether you have a gluten allergy or dairy or another Top 8, you will be happy to know that you can make these completely free of top allergens.

    For the vegan butter, we would recommend using a soy free vegan butter, like Earth Balance soy free in the red tub

    For gluten free, we have had the best of luck with King Arthur Measure for Measure flour.

    Can I make any substitutions?

    Besides the substitutions above for making Top 8 Allergen free, we are frequently asked if you can make them without vegan butter or swap out the sugar for a healthy sugar source.

    The answer is yes, but. Yes, you can, but the taste and texture is obviously going to differ once you start making any changes.

    For the butter you could make these vegan chocolate chip cookies with applesauce by replacing in the same amount.

    For the sugar, we would recommend just replacing with a coconut sugar versus something else.

    Can I prep these ahead?

    Yes! Let cool completely and then leave in an air tight container on the counter for up to 5 days.

    Can I freeze the dough?

    Of course. Whether you want to eat the entire batch at one time or you just need a couple here and there, you can totally roll out what you need and then freeze the remaining batter in an air tight freezer container or bag

    Can I refrigerate the dough until ready to use?

    Absolutely! While chilling dough isn’t needed for this recipe, if you wanted to make the dough ahead, but not ready to make, just cover the bowl and place in the fridge up to a week.

    It does take chilled cookies longer to cook so check after the recommended baking time and you may need an additional few minutes to finish your cookies.

    What is vegan sugar?

    In the United States, most sugar has been processed through bone char. While there are no animal parts left in the sugar, many vegans are not okay with the practice of using animal parts in the refining process.

    This refers to white sugar, brown sugar, and powdered sugar.

    One easy way to ensure that your sugar has not been processed with bone char is to look for Organic or Non-Gmo sugars as bone char is not allowed with either of these.

    Some sugar packages also say bone char free.

    This is not the case in most other countries.

    Tops of four easy vegan chocolate chip cookies on a parchment lined tray.

    What makes these vegan chocolate chip cookies easy?

    First, if you are newly vegan and looking for something that reminds you of traditional chocolate chip cookies without sacrificing anything in texture or taste, then this is the easiest recipe you are going to find.

    Also, it’s only made in one bowl, there’s only 9 ingredients, and you don’t need to chill the dough before using, which means you can have cookies ready to eat in under 20 minutes.

    Are vegan chocolate chip cookies healthy?

    When you eat a cookie like this, you release serotonin which is always a healthy thing to have happen.

    This recipe does contain vegan butter and vegan sugar; however both of those could be replaced with substitutions like applesauce and coconut sugar to make healthier, although the taste and texture would differ.

    Can I eat this cookie dough?

    Many people believe that since there’s no eggs in the dough, that they could just eat the dough; however, flour is actually more a risk for salmonella poisoning than eggs.

    For that reason, we do not recommend eating this dough.

    However, we do have an edible vegan chocolate chip cookie dough that you can eat. As well as a gluten free edible vegan chocolate chip cookie dough.

    Easy vegan chocolate chip cookie with large melted chocolate pieces.

    Are chocolate chips vegan?

    Traditionally, milk chocolate chips are not vegan; however, many dark chocolate chips can be vegan.

    The main ingredient that makes a cookie not vegan is either milk or whey (whey powder). If those ingredients are not included in the ingredient list, then the chocolate chips are likely vegan.

    You could also make your own vegan chocolate chips by following a homemade chocolate recipe and then piping chips instead.

    Where do you find vegan chocolate chips?

    If you are looking to just find vegan chocolate chips in the store, then you can absolutely find them. They are actually getting easier and easier.

    One of our favorites is Enjoy Life, and they can be found in most grocery stores, Target, Walmart, and stores like Whole Foods and natural grocery stores. They are Top 8 Allergen Free and do not contain and dairy or eggs making them completely vegan.

    Stores like Whole Foods will also have a large variety of other vegan chocolate chips like Lilys or Chatfields.

    What are your favorite vegan chocolate chips?

    We have a tendency to just stick with Enjoy Life. They are easiest to find and they taste almost indistinguishable from traditional chips.

    However, if we found a good dark chocolate bar that we like, for example Aldi’s 70% cacao bars, then sometimes we use those too.

    Should my dough be sticky?

    No. If you have sticky dough and followed the instructions, it could be because of the altitude that you live at or maybe things weren’t measure entirely correctly.

    In the case of your dough because sticky, we first recommend that you watch the video.

    After that, you can able a few tablespoons of flour at a time until the dough is no longer sticky.

    A tray of easy vegan chocolate chip cookies.

    Tips on how to make the best vegan chocolate chip cookies recipe:

    We list a ton of tips above and highly recommend that you read each one if before you cook your cookies; however, if you want the short version here’s some easy tips on making the best vegan chocolate chip cookies recipe.

    • Preheat the oven before you start making your dough
    • Make sure to watch the video before making
    • Use a cookie scoop to ensure uniform size of cookies so they bake at an even temperature.
    • Don’t make substitutions unless you are aware of the changes it will make to your cookies
    • Watch your cookies in the oven as all oven temperatures are different you may need to pull out your cookies earlier or leave longer
    Vegan salted caramel cookies on a white table with a silver spoon of caramel on side.

    What are other awesome vegan cookie ideas that I should make?

    Whether you are doing a cookie exchange or you just want to switch up and make a new vegan cookie recipe, we have you covered.

    We have over a dozen vegan cookie recipes that you can find when you click on our best vegan cookie recipes roundup.

    We have everything from the salted caramel cookies you see above, as well as things like:

    • vegan snickerdoodles
    • vegan classic sugar cookies
    • vegan peanut butter cookies
    • vegan oatmeal cookies
    • and more!

    Just click here.

    Pin these easy vegan chocolate chip cookies for later:

    A collage of easy vegan chocolate chip cookies.
    A batch of easy vegan chocolate chip cookies.
    Print Recipe
    4.91 from 65 votes

    Easy Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

    This easy vegan chocolate chip cookies recipe will have you questioning if it's really vegan? Super simple, all in one bowl, and can be Top 8 Allergen Free.
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time10 minutes mins
    Total Time20 minutes mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 12 cookies
    Calories: 254kcal
    Author: Larisha Bernard

    Ingredients

    • 8 tablespoon vegan butter, measured, then softened
    • ½ cup vegan cane sugar
    • ¼ cup vegan light brown sugar, packed
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
    • 2 cups all purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • ¾ cup vegan chocolate chips (we like a combination of chips and chunks)
    • ¼ cup vegan chocolate chips (for the top)
    • salt flakes for topping, OPTIONAL
    US Customary – Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350˚F (177˚C).
    • In a bowl, add softened vegan butter and both sugars. Beat with a mixer (stand or hand) until light and creamy about 2 -3 mins. 
    • Add vanilla extract and apple sauce and beat them until combined (about 15 – 20 seconds). 
    • To the same bowl, add the flour, baking soda and salt and mix until combined. Add ¾ cup chips and use a spatula to fold the chips in. 
    • Use a cookie scoop to make 12 cookies and place on a baking sheet. Use the other ¼ cup chips to add to the top of dough balls. 
    • Bake the cookies for 10 – 12 mins.
      *It’s important to stick to this time frame so you don’t over bake the cookies.  If it seems they need more time, then don’t take them out!
    • Remove from oven and let rest about 15 – 20 mins to set. Add salt flakes if desired.
    • Store any leftovers in an air tight container.

    Video

    Notes

    *After extensive testing, this recipe was updated in 2023 to change baking soda to 1 teaspoon instead of ½ and also up the applesauce from ¼ to ½.  We believe this will help the issue some people were having with cookies not flattening and staying in a ball.  
    Nutritional facts are just estimates. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. 
     

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 254kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 211mg | Potassium: 32mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 356IU | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 2mg

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Moni

      July 07, 2021 at 9:09 am

      I made these and they were so high they didn’t flatten at all. The taste was amazing. I used the Toll house VEGAN chocolate chips. i also omit the salt on top. I will try the other recipe

      Reply
      • LarishaBernard

        October 21, 2021 at 7:35 pm

        Too much flour or overmixing usually makes that happen

        Reply
    2. Tahira Akhtar

      May 10, 2021 at 3:10 pm

      Could i replace the applesauce with a flax egg instead? Thanks in advance

      Reply
      • LarishaBernard

        May 10, 2021 at 3:45 pm

        Yes you can

        Reply
    3. Patti

      March 28, 2021 at 8:05 pm

      5 stars
      So easy to make!!! My son who is kinda Vegan cause he lives in my house thought these cookies were amazing. He was more excited he could eat the cookie dough raw. Love you guys and your enthusiasm for the Vegan lifestyle. You are my go to site now for recipes. Thank you

      Reply
      • LarishaBernard

        April 14, 2021 at 1:41 pm

        So glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for leaving a review! Just a heads up, raw flour can still be a risk, but we do have an edible cookie dough on our site.

        Reply
    4. Iness

      March 28, 2021 at 6:19 pm

      5 stars
      Wow that cookies recipe really is one of the best best I’ve ever tasted !! Thank you <33

      Reply
      • LarishaBernard

        April 14, 2021 at 1:40 pm

        We’re so happy to hear that! Thank you for leaving a review!

        Reply
    5. Dr. Tim

      March 21, 2021 at 11:58 pm

      5 stars
      put simply, these cookies slap. thanks again y’all

      Reply
      • LarishaBernard

        April 19, 2021 at 2:40 pm

        Thrilled to hear that! Thanks for taking time to leave a review, we appreciate it so much

        Reply
    6. Marie

      March 21, 2021 at 4:38 am

      5 stars
      They tasted awesome, but I had a little problem with the spreading.
      I used 120 g of 70% vegan butter and 270 g of flour. After I mixed in the flour, I could already see that the dough was less crumbly that in the video. When baked, they have spread out a little bit, but stayed quite thick compared to your results.
      They will definitely become my go-to recipe, but I’d like to adjust the amount of flour next time. Would reducing the flour by 20 g be appropriate? What do you think?
      Still, everyone liked them a lot. Thanks!

      Reply
      • LarishaBernard

        October 21, 2021 at 7:34 pm

        Glad to hear everyone still liked them. Yes try reducing a bit

        Reply
    7. Bincy Varghese

      February 25, 2021 at 3:26 pm

      Cookies didn’t turn out as gooey as the ones in the video but they were still soft and delicious!

      Reply
      • LarishaBernard

        February 26, 2021 at 9:35 am

        Glad to hear you still enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review! We appreciate that

        Reply
    8. Ryanne

      February 20, 2021 at 10:56 pm

      5 stars
      So delicious and easy!!!

      Reply
      • LarishaBernard

        February 23, 2021 at 3:21 pm

        So glad to hear you are enjoying the recipe. We really appreciate you taking the time to leave a review! Have a great day!

        Reply
    9. Adrianna

      February 20, 2021 at 5:48 pm

      5 stars
      This has become my favorite vegan cc cookie recipe! My family even loves these cookies and they’re normally hesitant to try anything vegan. These are truly the best and so easy to make

      Reply
      • LarishaBernard

        February 23, 2021 at 3:32 pm

        So glad to hear that the recipe was a hit with everyone! That’s always a win. We really appreciate you taking the time to leave a review! Have a great day!

        Reply
    10. Brenda

      January 29, 2021 at 10:19 am

      5 stars
      I ran across this recipe and couldn’t wait to bake them.
      I don’t have words for how delicious these cookies are and easy to make! My husband and I loved them!!

      Reply
      • LarishaBernard

        January 29, 2021 at 6:11 pm

        We’re so happy to hear this!

        Reply
    11. beth p.

      January 24, 2021 at 2:52 pm

      5 stars
      these are delicious! i’ve made them several times. today i used whole wheat pastry flour and added some quick oats and they turned out excellent 🙂

      Reply
      • LarishaBernard

        January 28, 2021 at 7:08 pm

        so happy that you are enjoying them

        Reply
    12. Amanda

      January 19, 2021 at 3:17 pm

      5 stars
      these cookies are AMAZING!!! I’m dairy free and haven’t found a recipe to satisfy my cookie cravings until I found this one. So incredibly easy to make and my family ate them all within 20 minutes! They had no idea they were vegan until I told them. My brother is a big chocolate chip cookie fan and he said they were his favorite cookie. 10/10 would recommend and will definitely be making these again.

      Reply
      • LarishaBernard

        January 20, 2021 at 8:03 pm

        So happy to hear! Thank you for taking time to share the review

        Reply
    13. Amore

      January 01, 2021 at 5:19 pm

      5 stars
      The best chocolate chip cookie recipe I’ve made. Thank you!

      Reply
      • LarishaBernard

        January 28, 2021 at 7:12 pm

        So happy to hear that. Thanks for taking time to leave a review!

        Reply
    14. Jonathan Tay

      December 08, 2020 at 9:39 pm

      Aghh really wished this would work out. Sounds like it’s us and not the recipe since everyone else loving it. We bought some all purpose gluten free flour (rice flour/tapioca starch mix). It’s coming out flakey and dry (short bread like). Any tips on how to tweak it or did I choose the wrong flour? Our friend is gluten, dairy, soy, allergy (rough) haha. Any tips appreciated!!

      Reply
      • LarishaBernard

        February 26, 2021 at 9:54 am

        We’ve only tried gluten free with King Arthur 1:1 mix. Maybe try that one? Either way, gluten free mixes just react differently and you will have a nice cookie but it won’t be the same as the photos. Hope that helps

        Reply
    15. Kathryn

      November 26, 2020 at 12:03 am

      5 stars
      This recipe was so easy and DELICIOUS! The salt was definitely a game changer. Thank you!!!!!!

      Reply
      • LarishaBernard

        December 01, 2020 at 3:19 pm

        We’re so happy to hear it was enjoyable! Thanks for taking time out of your day to write a review, it’s much appreciated!

        Reply
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