Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
You can’t beat a classic, and these vegan chocolate chip cookies are every bit as chewy and chocolaty as the traditional version, minus the eggs and dairy!
Chewy. Soft. Chocolaty. Just a little bit salty.
There’s a reason why everyone loves chocolate chip cookies so much—they’re pretty much the perfect cookie! But how do you take that classic chocolate chip cookie recipe and make it vegan? And how do you make sure those vegan chocolate chip cookies are just as satisfying as the original recipe?
Well, it took quite a bit of testing, but I think I nailed it! Brown sugar delivers some extra moisture, which is important for that chewiness. And the cornstarch makes for a soft, tender texture rather than crispy—because there’s a time and place for crispy cookies, but for these vegan chocolate chip cookies, I was aiming for soft and chewy. As a bonus, the cornstarch gives the cookies some height, keeping them from going flat and spreading on the pan.
Best of all, my vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe requires no fussy ingredients—that means no aquafaba, no flax eggs, and no pricy egg replacer!
Notes on Ingredients
Please note that this is important information on the ingredients and instructions and the FULL recipe with amounts and details can be found DOWN BELOW (scroll to it) in the recipe card.
- Vegan butter – Let the butter come to room temperature so it can be creamed with the sugars.
- Organic white sugar
- Brown sugar – Either light or dark brown sugar will work; a dark brown sugar will add more depth to the flavour of your cookies since it has a higher molasses content.
- Vegan milk – This will also need to be room temperature. Use any variety you like or have on hand!
- Vanilla extract
- Flour
- Cornstarch
- Baking soda
- Sea salt
- Vegan chocolate chips or chunks
What Makes a Chocolate Chip Vegan?
It’s common for chocolate chips—even dark and semisweet chips—to be made with milk fat or dry milk powder, which means they’re not vegan. Make sure you buy chocolate chips without these ingredients to make vegan chocolate chip cookies.
How to Make Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Be sure to account for the chilling time when planning to make this recipe! Here’s what you’ll need to do:
Mix the wet ingredients. Use a stand mixer, hand mixer, or whisk to cream the vegan butter and sugar for 3 minutes. Add the vegan milk and vanilla extract, then mix again for 30 seconds.
Mix the dry ingredients. In another bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and sea salt.
Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Mix gently until fully combined (about 1 minute), then fold in the chocolate chips. Refrigerate the dough for at least two hours. When you’re ready to finish the cookies, start preheating the oven to 350ºF.
Form the cookies. Scoop out the cookie dough by the heaping tablespoon. Place the dough on baking sheets, allowing 3 inches of space for each cookie. Make sure the dough remains cold while you work; return it to the refrigerator if needed.
Bake. Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake for 11 to 12 minutes. Remove the sheets from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips for Success
These vegan chocolate chip cookies are pretty easy and unfussy, but here are some hints and tips to help you make sure they turn out perfect!
- Working with chilled dough. If you chill the dough for more than 2 hours, it might be tough to work with. Let it sit on the counter a bit until it’s easy to scoop.
- Baking in batches. If you need to bake the cookies in batches, I recommend returning the bowl of dough to the refrigerator between batches to make sure it doesn’t warm up too much.
- Can’t find vegan butter? I developed this recipe with vegan butter, so I don’t recommend substituting oil. Try my Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe instead, which can be made with coconut oil.
How to Store
Keep these vegan chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Can I Freeze This Recipe?
Yes, you can freeze both the baked cookies and the dough. Freeze the baked cookies in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Let them thaw at room temperature before serving.
To freeze the dough, form the dough into balls and freeze them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Once the dough is frozen through, transfer it to a freezer bag or airtight container. You can bake it from frozen, adding an extra minute or two to the baking time.
Enjoy friends! If you make this vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegan butter, 1 stick or 112g, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup organic white sugar, 100g
- ½ cup brown sugar, 100g
- 3 tablespoons vegan milk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups flour, 210g
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- 8 ounces of chopped vegan chocolate chips/chunks
Instructions
- Cream together the vegan butter and sugar for 3 minutes. You can also use a whisk. Add in the vegan milk & vanilla extract and mix again for 30 seconds.
- In a bowl mix together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and sea salt. Add that into the wet ingredients. Mix gently until fully combined (about 1 minutes). Fold in the chocolate chips and stir until just combined. Chill in the fridge for 2 hours.
- Scoop out the cookies as 1 heaping tablespoon each. Allow 3 inches for each cookie. Keep the dough cold while doing this (don’t let it thaw too much).
- Bake at 350°F/180°C for 11-12 minutes. Remove immediately from the oven. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes (don’t skip this part) then move the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
Hey Jessica,
Do you think the tbsp cornstarch could be subbed for tapioca starch?
Hi Jess thanks for reading, unfortunately I don’t think that would be a good substitution .
Best vegan cookies ever!!! Made these for a gathering and they were a huge hit. Think: a perfectly basic chocolate chip cookie- soft and gooey in the middle with a slightly crispy edge on the outside. UGH. I’m a sucker for these. They are flawless. Also super easy to make– coming from someone who kind of hates baking, lol.
One thing to note – I followed the instructions precisely but because I live in a VERY dry desert climate, I had to add a little extra almond milk to the batter once I mixed the dry + wet ingredients together because the dough was a little dry & crumbly. I then refrigerated them for 90 minutes, and took them out of the oven before they really started to brown and they were amaaaazingly gooey and delicious.
Thanks for the amazing recipe!! Can’t wait to make them again.
Oh wow thanks so much for such a stunning review Shaina! We’re so happy that you were able to make it and like it!
First, this is definitely a recipe I will be trying… Can you please let me know what Vegan Butter you use and also what kind of Flour you recommend. Also, when do I put the salt on – right after they come out of the oven? Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Hi we’ve used many flours and butters in this recipe currently we’re using Bob’s RedMill all purpose flour and earth balance stick butter. I hope this helps.
These are the best chocolate chip cookies… ever. Vegan or not! And I consider myself to be quite the cookie expert. Thank you for this recipe!
Oh wow that’s such a sweet and generous review. Thank you so much.
These are the perfect cookies! So glad I found your recipe that makes the softest cookies🙌 Thank you!
We’re so glad you like them Brittney! Thanks so much.
Best traditional tasting vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe I’ve ever made! Always a hit when I bring a dessert to share. I follow the recipe exactly, and they come out great every time!
We’re so happy to read this Karlie!
These are perfection in a chocolate chip cookie! I love the chewy texture right out of the oven, and they stay nice and chewy after cooling and storing. I live at high altitude and the only adjustment I made was a splash of extra milk. Thanks for the recipe, Jessica!
Aww so happy to hear this Jenn!! Thanks for sharing with me and you’re so welcome!!
Omg! These cookies are THE BEST chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever made! My family inhaled them. Thanks for the recipe!!! They’re delicious 😋
We’re so happy to read this Heather! Thanks so much for leaving a comment.
as long as i follow this recipe correctly, it NEVER fails me. the only time they’ve come out differently is if i leave them in the oven too long but this is an incredibly consistent recipe. i use morrisons free-from giant choc buttons (2 bags) as the chocolate instead of a chopped bar and the results are unreal. i also add a lil more vanilla because i live life with reckless abandon. buts i’m never using any other fussy cookie recipes ever again!!
Thanks so much for sharing Livvy!! So happy to hear 😍!!
These cookies look awesome and I’m going to make them today. One question – the pictures look like there is sea salt on top of the cookies, but the recipe or instructions doesn’t mention that. Just that the salt is mixed in. And I seeing things?
Hi Carolyn,
They were just a garnish for the photo! They aren’t necessary for the recipe but if you’d like you can add a sprinkle of coarse sea salt on top of your cookies!