• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipes
  • Allergies
  • Substitutions
  • Guides
  • About
  • Shop

Living Beyond Allergies logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Allergies
  • Substitutions
  • Guides
  • About
  • Shop
  • Follow Along!

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Tumblr
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Allergies
    • Substitutions
    • Guides
    • About
    • Shop
  • Follow Along!

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Tumblr
  • ×

    HOME » Cookies

    Dated: February 23, 2022 Last Modified: November 25, 2022 by Laura This post may contain affiliate links.

    BEST Homemade Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

    I love when you share my recipes!

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    Why do people love these vegan chocolate chip cookies so much? I'll tell you why.  

    Each bite of this cookie starts with the crispy edges, perfectly sweet from the brown sugar. It caramelizes on the hot tray to give a little snap with each bite. Next comes the soft and chewy center of the cookie, filled with tiny flakes of chocolate and large chunks of chocolate that make your heart sing.

    And just when you thought it couldn’t get better, at the end are a few sprinkles of flakey sea salt that deepen the chocolate flavor, intensify the sweet, and elevate this cookie from good to divine. 

    Free from: wheat, gluten, dairy, casein, eggs, fish, shellfish, soy, sesame, peanuts, tree nuts, coconut, corn, celery, and more

    vegan chocolate chip cookies seen on the table with chopped chocolate, a cinnamon stick, and on the cooling rack

    Have I mentioned that chocolate chip cookies are my favorite? I think most people will agree with me that they are one of the best cookies around. So if you are going to make some homemade cookies, why not make the best? This is a great recipe to make because of how it is such an easy recipe.

    If you need a different cookie, make sure you check out my gluten free and vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe (which is based on this recipe!) or my vegan oatmeal raisin cookies for when you feel a little healthier. 

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Best Vegan Chocolate Chips 
    • Best Vegan Butter 
    • Instructions 
    • Baking the Cookies
    • Allergy Substitutions 
    • How to Store 
    • More Vegan Recipes to Love 
    • Recipe

    Ingredients

    You only need a few simple ingredients to make these cookies! 

    ingredients in various bowls on the kitchen table
    • Ground Flax Seeds + Boiling Water - This is what makes the flax egg for these cookies, aka, the thing that binds them together. I can’t recommend enough that you use boiling water and mix it with the flax to rest for 5 minutes. That will give you the best results in your cookies. 
    • Vegan Butter - See below for some of my favorite options. 
    • Brown Sugar - You can use white sugar in a pinch, but brown sugar brings a depth of flavor to the cookies that can’t be beat! 
    • Vanilla Extract
    • All Purpose Flour 
    • Cornstarch
    • Baking Soda
    • Salt + Flaky Sea Salt
    • Chocolate Chips - See my thoughts below on the best vegan chocolate for these cookies. 

    Best Vegan Chocolate Chips 

    Okay, so I know I said chocolate chip cookies but I have a secret: Using a chocolate bar that you chop up will give you a better cookie. 

    Doing this means you get tiny flakes of chocolate that just melt into the cookie as well as the big chunks of chocolate that just tempt you with a little nibble. 

    My favorite vegan chocolate bar brand is Baker’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate. This bar contains soy but is dairy free. It makes the most perfect chocolate chip cookies. You can also use their Bittersweet chocolate bar if you like a more dark chocolate flavor.

    But let’s say you do want some chocolate chips. No worries, I got you covered on that, too. 

    Best Allergy Friendly Vegan Chocolate Chip : Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips. These chips are rich with a nice chocolate flavor, melt just enough in the oven to get all delicious, but don’t turn into liquid chocolate. Plus, they are free of major allergens! You can get them in normal chip size, mini chips, and chocolate chunks. 

    Best Grocery Store Brand: Simple Truth or Sprouts Brand chocolate chips. Both of these major realtors make vegan chocolate chips for their store generic and they are accidentally vegan and totally delicious. 

    Best Sugar Free Chocolate Chip: Pascha Chocolate Chip with Stevia. For a lower sugar option, these are a great option and they are made with real stevia. 

    pile of chocolate chip cookies

    Best Vegan Butter 

    These cookies use vegan butter to make them rich and flavorful. There are several excellent vegan butters on the market that work great in this recipe. 

    I prefer to use stick vegan butter as opposed to out of a tub or even coconut oil. The stick variety has a better ratio of fat and water that makes for a better cookie. Some of my favorites are:

    • I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter - This is the one I reach for in my grocery store and is the butter used in the cookies in these photos. It is free from nuts, tree nuts, and coconut making this a really allergy friendly option. 
    • Country Crock - The plant based butter sticks are a great option. They have a few different varieties based on different oils like coconut, olive, and avocado. Choose one that fits your needs the best. 
    • Earth Balance Soy Free - This soy free option works well with one modification. Replace 2 tablespoons of butter with 2 tablespoons of vegan shortening when making these cookies with the Earth Balance tub. That way you’ll get the right percentage of fat to water and make these cookies chef kiss delicious. 

    Instructions 

    The full instructions with all the measurements are written down in the recipe card below! Be sure to check that out. Here is where we can get into some details about this cookie recipe. 

    For this recipe, I recommend that you use your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or a large bowl with a hand mixer. This is so you can really mix the butter and sugar together, getting a light and fluffy texture. Don’t skip that step! It’s important to the final structure of the cookie. 

    Preheat the oven to 375F and line 2 baking trays with parchment paper. Set these aside for the moment while we make the dough. 

    the flax egg in a small glass bowl

    Let’s make the flax egg. Add the ground flax seeds to a small bowl that is heat safe. Pour the boiling water over and mix well. Let it rest for 5 minutes to allow it to fully gel. 

    In a medium sized bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. 

    Grab your room temperature vegan butter and add it to your stand mixer or large bowl. Add the brown sugar. Mix on medium-high for 4-5 minutes or until the butter is light and fluffy. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times to incorporate everything. 

    Add the flax egg to the bowl with the vanilla. Let it mix in. Now add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and let it mix well. 

    chopping the chocolate
    whisking the dry ingredients in a small bowl
    the finished cookie dough
    using a cookie scoop to portion the cookie dough onto a tray

    Finally add the chocolate chips. If the dough is a little wet, add 1 tablespoon more of flour. If the dough is a little dry, add 1 tablespoon of your favorite non-dairy milk. 

    Using a cookie scoop, portion out 1 tablespoon sized balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if you like, and I totally recommend it! 

    Baking the Cookies

    Bake for 12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. They may look a little bit underdone, but don't worry! They are cooked. If you like your cookies a little crispier, add a few minutes to the bake time, I'm thinking about 15 minutes would be perfect! I prefer chewy cookies so I like to remove them from the oven at the 12 minute mark.

    Let them rest on the tray for at least 10 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to finish cooling. Enjoy! 

    Allergy Substitutions 

    If you are avoiding corn, replace the cornstarch with an equal amount of arrowroot powder or tapioca starch. 

    To make these gluten free, I recommend that you instead check out my gluten free and vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe. It is based off of this recipe and formulated for gluten free flours! 

    looking overhead at chocolate chip cookies on a cooling tray with extra chopped chocolate and cinnamon sticks

    How to Store 

    These cookies are best eaten in 5 days if kept in an airtight container on the countertop. 

    To store them before baking, make the cookie dough and portion out into dough balls. Freeze the cookie dough for 1 hour on a cookie sheet, then transfer to a freezer safe container. These will keep frozen for up to 3 months. To bake from frozen, add an additional 3-5 minutes of baking time.

    To store them after baking, place fully cooked and cooled cookies into a freezer safe container. Layer parchment paper or wax paper in between each layer of cookies. This will keep for up to 3 months. Make sure you allow them to thaw completely before enjoying from frozen. 

    More Vegan Recipes to Love 

    • egg free brownies in pan with a middle brownie on it's side to see the thick and chewy insides
      Homemade Brownies without Eggs (vegan)
    • looking down on 12 vegan chocolate chip muffins on a round cooling rack with a towel
      Simple Vegan Chocolate Chip Muffins
    • close up of a sun butter blossom cookie // livingbeyondallergies.com
      Sun Butter Blossom Cookies (peanut free!)
    • six brownies on a white plate with text that reads best egg substitutes for brownies
      Best Egg Substitutes for Brownies - With Photos!

    If you try these out, please leave a comment below! This provides helpful feedback to both me and other readers. And if you want more delicious, dietary friendly recipes you can subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!

    Recipe

    close up of vegan chocolate chip cookies seen overhead with chopped chocolate on the side

    Best Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Vegan chocolate chip cookies that are crisp on the outside, chewy in the middle, with sea salt on top that elevates this cookie from good to divine.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 12 minutes
    Total Time: 27 minutes
    Course: cookies
    Cuisine: Baked Goods
    Diet: Vegan
    Keyword: celery free, coconut free, corn free, dairy free, egg free, nightshade free, nut free, sesame free, soy free, tomato free, vegan
    Yield: 24 cookies
    Author: Laura // Living Beyond Allergies

    Equipment

    • mixing bowl
    • hand mixer or stand mixer
    • mixing spoon
    • measuring cups
    • measuring spoons
    • baking trays
    • parchment paper
    • Cookie scoop (optional)

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
    • 3 tablespoons boiling water
    • ½ cup vegan butter
    • ½ cup white sugar
    • ¾ cup brown sugar
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
    • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1 ½ cups chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
    • 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt optional

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 375F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
    • In a small heat proof bowl, mix the ground flax seeds with boiling water. Mix well and set aside for 5 minutes to gel.
    • In a medium sized bowl, sift together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, cornstarch, salt, and cinnamon.
    • In a large bowl with your hand mixer, or in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the butter with white and brown sugars on medium speed for 5 minutes. Add the flax egg mixture and vanilla.
    • Now add the dry ingredients, mixing on low speed, and making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure all the ingredients are mixed.
    • Add the chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate). Let it mix together one last time.
    • Scoop cookie dough onto the prepared baking trays using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, or using a tablespoon.
    • Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown and have crisp edges. Remove from the oven and let rest on the hot cookie tray for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling. Enjoy!

    Notes

    Allergy Substitutions 
    If you are avoiding corn, replace the cornstarch with an equal amount of arrowroot powder or tapioca starch. 
    To make these gluten free, I recommend that you instead check out my gluten free and vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe. It is based off of this recipe and formulated for gluten free flours! 
    How to Store 
    These cookies are best eaten in 5 days if kept in an airtight container on the countertop. 
    To store them before baking, make the cookie dough and portion out into dough balls. Freeze the cookie dough for 1 hour on a cookie sheet, then transfer to a freezer safe container. These will keep frozen for up to 3 months. To bake from frozen, add an additional 3-5 minutes of baking time.
    To store them after baking, place fully cooked and cooled cookies into a freezer safe container. Layer parchment paper or wax paper in between each layer of cookies. This will keep for up to 3 months. Make sure you allow them to thaw completely before enjoying from frozen.
     
    LivingBeyondAllergies.com

    The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

    Love this recipe?Mention @livingbeyondallergies or tag #livingbeyondallergies!

    More Cookies

    • A square cropped image of multiple no bake chocolate chip cookie dough balls on a beige plate on a wood table in the kitchen. A towel and glass jar are blurred in the background. More mini chocolate chips are scattered around.
      No Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites
    • Up close look at sliced chocolate chip bar cookies with the middle slice on a angle.
      Vegan Chocolate Chip Bar Cookies
    • close up of Christmas sugar cookies in various cut out shapes like trees and stars. some have pastel frosting on top with sprinkles. some are plain.
      Christmas Sugar Cookies without Eggs
    • looking at a pile of frosted and unfrosted vegan gingerbread cookies in various shapes like men, trees, and stars. a few sprinkles can be seen. there is white frosting on some of the cookies.
      Vegan Gingerbread Cookies

    I love when you share my recipes!

    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Connect with me!

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Tumblr

    Never miss a recipe! Delivered weekly right to your inbox.

    Thanks!

    Laura, a white woman with red hair, is standing in front of a gray mural with floral details. She is wearing a black top, long Burgundy skirt, and black leather jacket.

    Hi, I’m Laura! Welcome to Living Beyond Allergies, a mix of healthy + indulgent allergy free recipes, plus a sprinkle of health resources. All eaters welcome! To learn more about me, click here!

    Spring Baking

    • a gluten free angel food cake rests on a glass cake stand and is topped with whip cream and berries. a serving spoon is lifting a slice of cake away from the cake.
      Gluten Free Angel Food Cake
    • three carrot cake cupcakes without nuts in a row with swirls of frosting and crushed pumpkin seeds
      Easy Carrot Cake Cupcakes without Nuts
    • a gluten free lemon poppyseed cake tin a bundt shape is resting on a white plate on the kitchen countertop surrounded by a linen towel and lemons
      Gluten Free Lemon Poppyseed Cake
    • single gluten free soft sugar cookie on a dark background surrounded by sprinkles with a bite taken out of the cookie
      Gluten Free Soft Sugar Cookies - Lofthouse Copy

    Most Popular Recipes

    • gluten free nut free granola in a glass bowl on parchment paper
      Easy Gluten Free and Nut Free Granola
    • close up of a pizza covered in tomato free pizza sauce and large pepperoni on a white parchment paper with herbs surrounding it
      Tomato Free Pizza Sauce
    • bowl of brown sugar cinnamon oatmeal
      Brown Sugar Cinnamon Oatmeal
    • close view of tomato free bbq sauce in a jar with a. spoon dipping in the sauce
      Tomato Free BBQ Sauce
    Subscribe for Recipes and More!

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Living Beyond Allergies
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Accessibility Policy
    • Nutrition & Allergen Policy

    Recipes by Diet

    • Gluten Free
    • Vegan
    • Dairy Free
    • Egg Free
    • Nut Free
    • Top 9 Free

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work With Me

    Affiliate links to products I love are sometimes used in articles. I will earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. Thank you for your support.

    Copyright © 2023 Living Beyond Allergies