Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
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These vegan chocolate chip cookies are perfectly soft, chewy, and made in one bowl. Ready in just 12 minutes, they taste like something from a bakery.
My partner loves my eggless chocolate chip cookies and considers them to be one of my best dessert recipes ever. Some friends recently asked if there was a way to adapt them to make them vegan, and unfortunately, it wasn’t that simple. Instead, I set out to create a complete vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe. After years of testing and tweaking, it turned into something much bigger.
These cookies have actually won multiple baking awards in Australia and the United States- which still blows my mind- and they continue to be one of the most popular recipes on my site. They’re made in one bowl, require NO vegan butter or margarine, and somehow still come out soft in the middle, chewy on the edges, and packed with chocolate chips.
I love that they don’t need any chill time or specialty ingredients, and make even the biggest carnivore think they’re from a bakery.
Table of Contents
What people are saying
★★★★★ – “Made your vegan chocolate chip cookies (award-winning) 2x in 1 week. I am vegan and these are AMAZING! My 8-year-old granddaughter asked if I would make them for her birthday in September… she is an extremely picky eater…does not seem to like a lot of foods kids eat, so this is a bonus. Thank you! 💕” – Beth
Key Ingredients
- White and brown sugar. A combination of both sugars ensures the cookies are crisp around the edges while being soft and gooey in the middle.
- Coconut oil. Be sure the coconut oil has been softened to room temperature. You want it to have a soft, buttery texture. Remember to use refined coconut oil, as it has no coconut flavor.
- Plant-based milk of choice. I used unsweetened almond milk, but any dairy-free milk (like oat, coconut, soy, cashew, etc.) will be fine.
- Vanilla extract. A must for any cookie recipe!
- All-purpose flour. Nothing fancy here, just simple white flour. If you notice it clumps, I suggest sifting it first.
- Baking soda and powder. Both leavening agents are used to ensure the cookies remain thick and chewy and do not spread too much.
- Salt. Brings out the natural sweetness of the cookies.
- Chocolate Chips. Reserve a handful of vegan chocolate chips to add on top of the cookies, so there are plenty of them in every bite (my secret trick!). I typically make my own, but I like Enjoy Life chocolate chips and their chocolate chunks. Also, most dark chocolate over 68% is dairy-free.
How to make vegan chocolate chip cookies
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Step 1- Make the cookie dough: Cream together the sugars and coconut oil. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until a smooth dough remains. Fold through the chocolate chips.
Step 2- Bake: Place balls of cookie dough onto a lined baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are just done.
Step 3- Let them firm up and cool: Carefully remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool completely on a cooling rack before enjoying.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Do not over-mix the cookie dough, as this can affect how much the cookies spread. Mix until everything is combined, and fold in the chocolate chips at the end.
- If you don’t have coconut oil, you can use vegan butter instead. Try to use good-quality butter, preferably from a stick. Some vegan butter contains added water, which can change the texture of the cookies. I’ve had success using Miyoko’s or Kite Hill.
- Avoid overbaking the cookies. Remember, they continue to cook as they cool down. Besides, they are vegan and are fine to be a little undercooked. I recommend removing them from the oven once the edges begin to brown.
- For chewy vegan chocolate chip cookies, remove them from the oven at 12 minutes.
Storage and make-ahead
To store: Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Please ensure the cookies have cooled entirely first. Otherwise, they will become soft and limp.
To freeze: Place cooled cookies in a ziplock bag and label it 6 months from the date they are made- that is how long they will keep! To enjoy cookies from the freezer, allow them to thaw at room temperature or in the fridge overnight.
Make ahead: You can freeze the cookie dough for later. I don’t recommend freezing the cookie dough for more than a month, as the dough will become too crumbly.
Frequently asked questions
Melted coconut oil smooths the dough and causes the cookies to spread more, making them thinner. This is why I always recommend softening your coconut oil to room temperature.
I don’t recommend using just one kind of sugar, especially all brown sugar. The cookies turn out a little too soft, and the molasses flavor can be quite overpowering. If anything, it would be better to use all white sugar instead.
Even though this recipe is uses no eggs or milk, you still shouldn’t eat the raw cookie dough. It has untreated raw flour, which can lead to food poisoning. For a safe-to-eat cookie dough, try my vegan edible cookie dough.
✅ Nutrition reviewed
Nutrition information has been reviewed by registered dietitian Felicia Newell, MScAHN, RD, CPT.
Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Video
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar * See notes
- 1/3 cup coconut oil softened like butter, NOT melted
- 1/4 cup Unsweetened almond milk can substitute for any non-dairy milk of choice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup vegan chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a large tray with parchment paper or a cookie sheet.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar and white sugar with the coconut oil and whisk well, until glossy. Add in the milk of choice and vanilla extract. Mix well.
- Add in the sifted flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix very well, until a dough remains. Using a rubber spatula, fold through the vegan chocolate chips.
- Form 12-15 balls of dough using either a cookie scoop (2 inches) or a large spoon. Place them on the lined tray and top with extra chocolate chips. Bake for 10-11 minutes or until the edges have gone slightly golden.
- Remove from the oven and let cool on the tray completely.
Notes
- Brown sugar sub: Coconut sugar works.
- Leftovers: Keep at room temperature for up to 5 days or the fridge for up to two weeks.
- Bake from frozen: To make cookies from a frozen state, allow the dough to thaw in the fridge or at room temperature. Once it is chilled but durable, they are ready to be baked!
Nutrition
More vegan cookie recipes
- Healthy oatmeal raisin cookies
- Vegan white chocolate macadamia nut cookies
- Vegan peanut butter cookies
- Vegan Levain cookies
- Healthy monster cookies
- Vegan shortbread cookies
Originally published April 2022, updated and republished April 2025
I make these all the time when I get my cookie craving, which let’s be real happens all the time!
My boyfriend who is a professional Chef LOVES them, and can’t believe that they are vegan!
Chewy, with that slight crisp on the outside, melty chocolatey chip deliciousness!!!
It’s so hard not to eat the whole batch. Hahaha
Worth it to double or triple the recipe and have it on hand! Haven’t tried freezing but I’m sure they would keep well.
Thanks for this amazing FAVOURITE cookie recipe!
Aw, B- this is the sweetest comment, and thanks for sharing the approval of your professional chef boyfriend- I really appreciate it.
i would give this a 10000000 if i could. It was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD i LOVE it i could it EVERY DAY and i probably am i am just about to make them. ENJOY!!!!!
Thanks for the kind words Emma!
literally amazing and soft and chewy, surprising really good for being vegan as well
I made this with gluten free flour (1:1) and it came out perfect!! My new go to chocolate chip recipe
I tried this recipe but put water instead
Of milk. It was still very good!
These biscuits are so easy to make and some of the best I have ever eaten. The texture is DIVINE! Thank you so much.
best vegan chocolate chip cookies recipe ever!
Thanks. Harriet!
This recipe just became my go-to. Thank you!
They’re delicious.
Thanks, Marisa!