The Best Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
The Best Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies — made from scratch with pantry staples, no chilling, no eggs, no fuss, and ready in under 30 minutes! Perfectly soft, chewy centers and crispy edges with gooey chocolate chips in every bite!
It’s finally time to add these classic vegan chocolate chip cookies to the collection!
I’ve been perfecting this recipe for years, and now they’re soft, chewy, and packed with chocolatey goodness — ready to join favorites like Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies, Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Pecan Sandies, Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies, and 4-ingredient Almond Butter Cookies.
Simple, straightforward, and super easy to make, they’re the ultimate weekend baking project — or anytime treat. The smell alone will fill your kitchen with happiness (best natural air freshener ever!).
So grab your bowl and let’s bake a batch of fresh, irresistible cookies together!
Ingredient Notes
This vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe uses simple, everyday ingredients to create rich, chewy cookies with classic flavor — no eggs or dairy needed!
Here’s everything you’ll need, plus easy swaps and tips:
The Wet Ingredients
- Vegan butter — Miyoko’s Cultured Vegan Butter is my absolute favorite for taste and performance (minimal ingredients, great texture). Swap: coconut oil (solid at room temp) for a slightly different flavor and texture. Find Miyoko’s at Target, Sprouts, Whole Foods, or use the store finder.
- Sugar — a mix of granulated and brown sugar for chewiness and depth (you can use just one type if preferred).
- Vanilla extract — pure vanilla for that classic cookie aroma.
- Unsweetened cashew milk — acts as the egg replacer and adds moisture. Swap: any unsweetened plant milk (oat, almond, soy, etc.) — choose nut-free if needed.
The Dry Ingredients
- Flour — unbleached all-purpose or spelt flour for tender cookies. My go-to: Bob’s Red Mills Spelt Flour — cookies turn out slightly darker and denser but equally delicious!
- Baking soda — for lift and spread. Swap: 1 tsp baking powder if you’re out of baking soda (texture will be slightly different).
- Salt — mineral salt (pink Himalayan or sea salt) adds essential trace minerals and enhances sweetness. Tip: Start with ¼ tsp and adjust — it’s stronger than table salt.
The Mix-Ins
- Vegan chocolate chips — Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips are my favorite (allergen-friendly, great melt). Swap: chocolate chunks, carob chips (butterscotch-like flavor), or chopped vegan chocolate bars.
Optional Add-Ins
- Chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, pistachios) for crunch and protein
- Dried fruit (cherries, cranberries, raisins) for chewy sweetness
- A pinch of cinnamon or sea salt flakes on top before baking for extra flair
These ingredients keep things simple, customizable, and full of flavor — perfect for classic cookies or creative twists!
How to Make Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Note: Full printable recipe with exact measurements at the bottom of the post)
This classic vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe is quick, one-bowl, and ready in under 30 minutes — no eggs or dairy needed!
Step-by-Step
Preheat oven: Heat to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat.
Mix dry ingredients: In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Cream the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, beat softened vegan butter and sugars together for 1 minute by hand or with a hand mixer until light and fluffy.
Add liquids: Pour in almond milk and vanilla. Beat for 1–2 minutes until very creamy and whipped.
Combine: Add half the dry mixture and mix until just combined. Add the remaining dry ingredients and stir until no streaks remain. Fold in chocolate chips — save a few to press on top for that bakery look.
Scoop & bake: Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of dough 2 inches apart on prepared sheets (use a cookie scoop for uniform size). Press a few extra chips on top of each mound. Bake 10–12 minutes until edges are golden but centers still look slightly soft (they firm up as they cool).
Cool: Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Yields about 2 dozen cookies — double the batch if you’re sharing (or want extras for freezing!).
Now sit back, enjoy the smell, and savor your homemade vegan cookies — they’re soft, chewy, and irresistible!
Baking Tips for Perfect Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Soften the butter properly — Let your vegan butter sit at room temperature for 30–60 minutes until soft but not melted. This helps it cream smoothly with the sugars for the best texture.
- Don’t overbake — Pull the cookies when they look slightly underdone and still tender in the center (they’ll firm up as they cool on the sheet). Overbaking makes them dry and crisp instead of chewy.
- Sugar & flour choices — All coconut sugar or whole wheat flour will give darker cookies (great flavor, just a different look). For classic golden color and lighter texture, use a mix of white and brown sugars with all-purpose or light spelt flour.
- Uniform size — Use a trigger cookie scoop (1½–2 tablespoons) for even cookies that bake consistently. Uniform size means even doneness and professional-looking results.
- Coconut oil substitute — If swapping butter for coconut oil, make sure it’s soft/room temperature and all other wet ingredients are at room temp too. Cold liquids can cause the coconut oil to seize and harden.
These small details make a big difference — follow them and your cookies will turn out chewy, flavorful, and bakery-worthy every time!
How to Store & Freeze
Baked Cookies
- Counter: Store in a covered container or loosely covered for 4–5 days — they stay soft and chewy.
- Refrigerator: Keep in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks (great if you want them to last longer).
- Freezer: Cool completely, then freeze in freezer-safe containers or bags for 2–3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in the fridge — they taste just as fresh!
Cookie Dough
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for 4–5 days — perfect for baking fresh batches throughout the week.
- Freezer: Scoop into 1½-inch balls, freeze on a sheet until solid (about 1 hour), then transfer to a freezer bag or container for up to 2 months. Best part: Bake straight from frozen — add 2–4 extra minutes to the recipe time. No thawing needed!
This keeps everything simple and practical — cookies and dough freeze beautifully and taste great even after months.
More Vegan Cookie Recipes!
- Vegan Snickerdoodles
- Chocolate Chip + Banana + Oatmeal Bites (4 Ingredients)
- 1 Bowl Peanut Butter Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
- Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies
If you try this easy cookie recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love hearing what you think or any changes you make.
The Best Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
These soft, chewy vegan chocolate chip cookies are made with pantry staples — no eggs, no dairy, no chilling required. Ready in under 30 minutes, gluten-free adaptable, and packed with gooey chocolate chips — the perfect classic treat everyone will love!
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: Makes 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Vegan
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (113g) vegan butter (I used Miyoko’s), at room temp*
- 1/2 cup (85g) coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup (43g) pure cane sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cashew or almond milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups flour (light spelt (149g), all-purpose (180g) or gluten free flour blend)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon mineral salt
- 1 cup (175g) vegan chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat, or use the baking sheet as is, un-greased.
Cookie Dough: Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl, set aside. Beat butter, coconut sugar, and pure cane sugar in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Add almond milk and vanilla extract, and beat until fluffy and creamy, about 1 – 2 minutes. Add 1/2 of the flour and mix to combine, add the remaining flour and mix again. Stir in chocolate chips.
Scoop: Drop rounded 1 1/2-2 tablespoons of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
Bake: Place in the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes (don’t overbake). Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes, then move to wire racks to cool.
Makes 2 dozen cookies.
Storing:
- Baked Cookies: Baked cookies will stay fresh stored in a covered container for 4 – 5 days. To keep longer, let them cool completely, then store them in freezer-safe containers in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Cookie Dough: Store cookie dough in an airtight container for up to 4 -5 days in the refrigerator. You can keep it longer in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Notes
*Substitute the butter with room-temperature coconut oil. When using room-temperature coconut oil, make sure all other wet ingredients are at room temperature as well; otherwise, the coconut oil will seize and harden.
Optional Add-Ins: Add nuts such as chopped pecans, walnuts, or pistachios. Dried fruits like cherries or cranberries would be delicious.
Pull the butter out early, so it has time to come to room temperature. It’s important that the butter is softened, but not melted, so it will cream well with the sugars.
Don’t overcook the cookies. They will look tender and slightly underdone, but will firm up as they cool.
If using only coconut sugar, your cookies will be darker. This will also happen if using a heavier flour, such as whole wheat. For lighter cookies, use a mix of white and brown sugars, and all-purpose or light spelt flour.
For flour measurements in grams, see this Flour Weight Chart.
The recipe can easily be doubled.
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT: I love my Silpat or these parchment liners for lining the baking sheet, and this cookie scoop works great for making uniform cookies!
Nutrition information is calculated using 1/2 cup vegetable margarine (since there is no calculation for Miyoko’s butter).
Nutritional values are estimates only. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
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Love these cookies. I am by no measure a good cook, but wow, this recipie is easy and flexible. People actually ate what I made which is a success for me! I used water rather than milk and also avocado oil instead of the vegan butter. Came out fabulous.
I found this recipe a few years ago… although I am not vegan myself I keep going back to this recipe every time I want chocolate chip cookies. Seriously, I haven’t used any other recipe since I found this, it’s perfect!
This is my favourite cookie recipe on earth! The cookies turn out so soft and chocolatey.
That’s wonderful to hear and I couldn’t agree more! Thanks for sharing, Anna. Cheers :)
Amazing. I used coconut oil. Definitely my go to for chocolate chip cookies now.
This is my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe! I’ve made it at least a dozen times over the years, and this recipe produces the best cookies. Chewy, chocolatey, and the coconut sugar works so well. Thank you!