If you need an easy go-to vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe, these are up there with my vegan oatmeal cookies.
With slightly crisp edges while remaining softer in the centers with a hint of tanginess from vegan yogurt, saltiness from Maldon flakes, and a generous chocolate-to-cookie ratio, of course!
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✎ Recipe Testing Notes
While there is no true secret ingredient to the best vegan chocolate chip cookies, the answer is in the ingredient ratios and process.
Over several weeks I tested different combinations of ingredients including different egg substitutes, melted vs. creamed butter, raising agents and flour ratios, and baking times, and landed on this vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe.
| Test # | Notes | Outcome |
| #1 | Melted dairy-free butter and a touch of apple cider vinegar (ACV), no egg replacer. Dough chilled for 30 minutes. | Chewy texture, but slightly acidic in taste. |
| #2 | Room temperature butter creamed with sugar, otherwise the same as test 1. Dough chilled for 30 mins. | Crunchy on the outside and chewy inside, but still too acidic. |
| #3 | Melted butter, yogurt as an egg replacement, and a teaspoon of cornstarch for binding. Dough chilled for 30 mins. | Perfect flavor, but was a little too crunchy for my liking. |
| #4 | Melted butter, yogurt, half the amount of cornstarch as test 3, and a hint of espresso powder. Dough chilled for 30 mins. | Tasted a little overdone, and the espresso added an overpowering flavor. |
| #5 | Melted butter, yogurt, no cornstarch, espresso, or ACV. Dough chilled for 1 hour. | Great flavor, but 1 hour chilling time needs to be reduced. |
| #6-10 | Adjusted the dry-to-wet ingredient ratios, chilling, and baking times. | The perfect vegan cc cookie recipe! |
🧾 Ingredients Needed
These vegan classic chocolate chip cookies require mostly pantry-staple ingredients with the exception of a few fresh Here’s what to grab:
Ingredient Notes
Find the complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Granulated Sugar & Light Brown Sugar: These two types of sugar do different things so you’ll want them both. White sugar gives them a more crisp structure, whereas brown sugar adds moisture and a caramelized flavor.
- Vegan Butter: Make sure to opt for block-style butter, not spreadable margarine that comes in a tub - this is important.
- Vegan Greek Yogurt: I use alpro Greek-style which may also be labeled as skyr or protein soy yogurt. This acts as an egg replacement and binds the vegan cookie dough. You can also use regular unsweetened soy or coconut yogurt if needed.
- Vanilla Bean Paste: Real vanilla gives the best flavor. You can swap the vanilla paste for an equal amount of either pure vanilla extract or vanilla powder instead.
- Vegan Chocolate: This recipe uses vegan chocolate chips, 70% dark chocolate bars, and vegan milk chocolate. Chocolate chips hold their shape during baking, whereas bar chocolate gives a rich flavor and creates luscious chocolate puddles.
- Flaky Salt: I use Maldon salt, but you're also welcome to use coarse kosher salt or the finishing salt of your choosing.
🔪 Instructions
Here are step-by-step images showing how to make the best vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe.Please refer to the detailed printable recipe card at the end of this page for full measurements and written instructions:
Prep: Line your baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven. Measure out all your ingredients, mixing the flour, leaveners, and salt in a bowl.
Step 1: Mix wet ingredients. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar to a large mixing bowl and whisk in the melted vegan butter. Whisk in the yogurt and vanilla bean paste.
Step 2: Add dry ingredients. Fold all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt into the wet ingredients in 2-3 increments until combined.
Step 3: Add chocolate: Then fold in the vegan chocolate chunks and chips, reserving a few pieces for the tops of the cookies.
Step 4: Chill cookie dough balls. Use a cookie scoop to separate the cookie dough into 12 parts and roll it into balls. Place the raw cookie dough balls back in the bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Step 5: Assemble. Place the chilled cookie dough balls on the prepared cookie sheets, leaving at least 2 inches between each cookie. Stud the tops with the remaining chocolate chips and chunks.
Step 6: Bake and cool. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until the edges are lightly browned. While hot, use a large cookie cutter to round off the edges. Rest them on the tray for 5 minutes, sprinkle with salt, and transfer to a cooling rack.
🥣 Optional Mix-Ins
Here are just a few variations to get your creative juices flowing:
- Mix in ½ cup of your favorite chopped, toasted nuts (I like walnuts or pecans!) for added crunch and flavor.
- Use almond extract instead of (or in addition to) vanilla for an added burst of nutty goodness.
- Go with a “kitchen sink” approach and use the crumbly bits at the bottom of your snack bags. Potato chips and pretzels are shockingly tasty in cookies!
- Get fruity by adding the chopped freeze-dried or conventionally dried fruits of your choice. Chocolate pairs especially well with dates, bananas, and berries in my book.
💭 Recipe Tips
Use a kitchen scale. Even the slightest variation in ingredient ratios can throw off a recipe and affect the texture of the cookies, this goes for all baking! A digital scale is the best way to ensure accuracy.
Freeze cookie the dough balls for cookies on demand. Place them in a single layer on a parchment-lined plate until they’re frozen through (about an hour), then pop them into a labeled freezer-safe bag. Whenever your sweet tooth strikes, pull a cookie dough ball (or 3) from the freezer and bake as directed, adding another 1-2 minutes to the bake time as needed.
Don’t skip the chilling step! This not only helps to rehydrate the flour but also helps prevent the cookies from spreading too far during baking.
For perfectly round, bakery-style cookies, use a round cookie cutter or biscuit cutter that’s about one size larger than the cookies. Place the ring around the cookie while it’s still warm from the oven, then swirl it around to push it into shape.
Add the flaky sea salt while they’re still warm from the oven to help it stick.
💬 FAQs
Store your easy vegan chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container or a ziplock bag on the countertop for 3-4 days. They’ll technically last longer than that, but the texture tends to deteriorate over time.
It sounds like you skipped the chilling step. Chilling the dough gives the flour time to rehydrate, plus helps prevent the cookies from spreading too far during the baking step.
I know it's tempting but even though these cookies are made without eggs, it's not safe to eat raw flour. Try my edible vegan cookie dough instead!
🍪 More Vegan Cookie Recipes
📖 Recipe
The BEST Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 188 g (1½ cups) all-purpose flour plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt plus flaky salt for garnish
- 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar use organic if in the US
- 100 g (½ cup) soft brown sugar
- 132 g (½ cup + 2 tsp) vegan butter (block-style), melted
- 40 g (2 tbsp) vegan Greek-style yogurt or skyr or regular unsweetened soy or coconut yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 90 g (½ cup) vegan chocolate chips
- 70 g (2.47 oz) dark chocolate minimum 70% cocoa, cut into chunks
- 70 g (2.5 oz) vegan milk chocolate cut into chunks, (or more dark chocolate)
Instructions
- Prepare: Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Line 2 baking trays or cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and set aside.
- Mix the wet ingredients: Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar to a large mixing bowl and whisk in the melted butter. Whisk in the yogurt and vanilla bean paste.
- Mix the dry ingredients: Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients in 2-3 increments until combined.
- Add chocolate: Fold in the chocolate chips and chocolate chunks, reserving a few pieces for the tops of each of the cookies.
- Roll and chill: Separate the cookie dough into 12 parts and roll it into balls. Place the balls back in the bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Assemble: Place the chilled cookie dough balls on the prepared cookie sheets, leaving at least 2 inches between each cookie. Stud the tops with the remaining chocolate chips and chocolate chunks (this will give you gooey chocolate pools).
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 10-11 minutes, then remove them from the oven and round off the edges using a large cookie cutter. (This step is important if you want to get a nice round shape as pictured)Allow the cookies to sit on the baking tray to cool for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- Storage: Place in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 5-6 days in a sealed airtight container.
Notes
- Freeze cookie the dough balls for cookies on demand. Place them in a single layer on a parchment-lined plate until they’re frozen through (about an hour), then pop them into a labeled freezer-safe bag. Add another 1-2 minutes to the bake time as needed.
- Don’t skip the chilling step! This not only helps to rehydrate the flour but also helps prevent the cookies from spreading too far during baking.
- For perfectly round, bakery-style cookies, use a round cookie cutter that’s about one size larger than the cookies. Place the ring around the cookie while it’s still warm from the oven, then swirl it around to push it into shape.
- Add the flaky sea salt while they’re still warm from the oven to help it stick.
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