Classic Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Classic Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Chill: 30 mins
Total: 60 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Yield: 12 cookies

These chocolate chip cookies taste just like the ones you probably grew up with—only they're vegan. In place of the butter and eggs, we use vegan butter and a dash of cornstarch, and semi-sweet vegan chocolate chips are added. The result is a tender, chewy, delicious cookie that is sure to be a family favorite.

These cookies come together quickly in just one bowl, and since the vegan butter is used in a melted state, there's no beating for minutes to make it fluffy. That results in a chewier cookie, in addition to the time saved. The cornstarch prevents them from spreading, and also makes for a light, crunchy crinkle on the outside that keeps the inside extra soft. Vegan butter adds the buttery flavor you expect from a cookie, with no dairy needed.

Scoop these onto a baking sheet with a large cookie scoop, chill briefly, and then be ready to enjoy some of the best chocolate chip cookies around!

“If you’re searching for a great vegan chocolate chip cookie, look no further! These are crisp on the edges, chewy on the inside, and they come together rather quickly. To ensure you don’t overmix the dough, stop mixing when you can still see traces of flour. The rest will be folded in with the chocolate chips.” —Bahareh Niati

Classic Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour

  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar

  • 3/4 cup vegan butter, melted and cooled slightly

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 1 cup vegan chocolate chips

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Classic Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies ingredients in bowls

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  2. Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

    Flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt in a glass bowl with a whisk

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  3. In a stand mixer or with handheld electric beaters, beat brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vegan butter together until well incorporated, about 30 seconds.

    Brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vegan butter mixture in a stand mixer

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and add the vanilla extract. Beat briefly to integrate, about 10 seconds.

    Vanilla extract, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vegan butter in a stand mixer

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  5. Add the flour mixture and beat briefly on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.

    Cookie dough in a stand mixer

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  6. Fold in chocolate chips, then use a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons) or spoon to scoop 12 cookies onto a large parchment-lined baking sheet.

    Cookie dough balls on a parchment paper lined sheet pan

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  7. Flatten the tops gently with the bottom of a glass or a spatula. Refrigerate the entire sheet for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, pre heat oven to 350 F.

    Cookie dough balls flattened with the bottom of a glass, on a parchment paper lined sheet pan

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  8. Remove the sheet of dough from the fridge, and bake the cookies until they are just beginning to get golden on top, about 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

    Classic Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies on a parchment paper lined sheet pan

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Tips

  • If you're having a hard time finding vegan chocolate chips at your supermarket, try Trader Joe's or Whole Foods; their house brands are actually vegan. Sunspire and Tropical Source are two more popular brands. If you're still having trouble finding chocolate chips that say they're vegan, try looking at ingredient labels instead. Many brands don't advertise that their chips don't contain dairy. If a chocolate chip's bag label does not list any dairy ingredients, including milk solids or whey, and instead only has cocoa ingredients and sweeteners, those chips are vegan.
  • A great tool for dropping the cookies is a cookie scoop, which is similar to an ice cream scoop. It is ideal for making perfect rounds that are all the same size, and the dough releases easily with just a push of the lever.
  • These cookies don't contain eggs, but we still don't recommend eating raw cookie dough. That's because raw flour hasn't been treated to kill germs.
  • This cookie dough is more crumbly than regular cookie dough, so if it breaks apart a little while portioning into balls, just press the pieces together.

Make Ahead

This dough freezes nicely and keeps in the freezer for up to three months. Here are two different methods:

  • Form into balls and flatten gently. Place on a cookie sheet and put in the freezer. When frozen, pop them in an airtight container. There's no need to thaw when ready to bake; just add a minute or two to the baking time.
  • Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap in a log shape. When ready to bake, keep in the refrigerator until thawed. Cut into slices and bake.

Recipe Variations

  • If you don't have vegan butter on hand, you can use oil instead. We suggest butter-flavored coconut oil, but you can also use plain coconut oil. Just make sure it's melted to liquid form.
  • Add nuts to these cookies to make them even heartier; we suggest 1/2 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts, folded into the dough along with the chips.

How to Store and Freeze

  • Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They should keep well for at least several days, and should stay soft provided they aren't exposed to air.
  • To freeze, place cookies in an airtight container and freeze for up to three months.

Why are my chocolate chip cookies flat?

The cornstarch in these cookies prevents spreading and should keep your cookies from flattening. If your cookies flatten regardless, try adding an extra tablespoon of cornstarch and baking at 325 F, instead of 350 F.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
341 Calories
16g Fat
49g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 341
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g 21%
Saturated Fat 5g 24%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 147mg 6%
Total Carbohydrate 49g 18%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 31g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 21mg 2%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 99mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
Article Sources
The Spruce Eats uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Say No to Raw Dough. Updated January 7, 2021.