As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
These soft vegan chocolate chip cookies are melt-in-the-mouth delicious. A crowd-pleasing hit every time, with just one bowl, 20 minutes, and 8 inexpensive pantry ingredients!
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email & get this sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!
Why You’ll Love This Soft Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
I have no shortage of chocolate chip cookie recipes, but this one is my go-to for a thick, soft vegan chocolate chip cookie. Think Chips Ahoy! but dairy-free and egg-free, and so thick, soft, and deliciously crumbly that no one will know they’re vegan. With simple ingredients and quick prep time, these cookies are a win-win!
But since everyone has their cookie preferences, be sure to also check out my smaller, soft, chewy Keebler-style chocolate chip cookies and larger, thinner, dairy-free chocolate chip cookies. I also have recipes for oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, and even chocolate chip quinoa cookies or chickpea chocolate chip cookies.
Ingredient Notes
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients, quantities, and substitutes.
Water: I use a small amount of water, but higher-fat dairy-free milk will add even more moisture/softness to these egg-free chocolate chip cookies.
Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe Add-Ins
- Orange zest: Add a tablespoon for subtle, bright depth.
- Chopped nuts: Like walnuts, pecans, almonds, or pistachios for crunch.
- Dried fruit: Like raisins, chopped dates, cranberries, apricots, etc., for sweet chew.
- Shredded coconut: Add a few tablespoons for texture.
- Flaky sea salt: Sprinkle over the top before baking.
How To Make Soft Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Step 1: First, preheat the oven to 375F/190C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Then, in a large bowl, use a hand-held mixer (or whisk) to mix the wet ingredients (vegan butter, oil, water/plant-milk, vanilla, and brown sugar).
Step 2: Next, add the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, and salt) and combine into a dough, then carefully fold in the vegan chocolate chips.
For even softer cookies, cream the vegan butter and sugar until light and fluffy first.
Step 3: Finally, use a small cookie scoop (tablespoon-sized or 1 ½ tbsp) to scoop the dough onto the baking sheet, lightly flattening them with the back of a spatula. Bake for 10 minutes or until the cookies are golden, with crispy edges. Finally, leave them to cool on a wire cooling rack, then enjoy!
FAQs
You can prepare this cookie dough up to 3 days in advance and keep it stored in the refrigerator (or rolled into balls and frozen for up to 3 months). Add an extra 1-3 minutes to the baking when baking from chilled/frozen.
Yes, just remove the baking soda and heat-treat the flour by spreading it across a tray and baking for 10 minutes at 300F/150C, stirring occasionally.
Once prepared, store the vegan edible cookie dough for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or 2 months in the freezer.
These are naturally soft and crumbly vegan chocolate chip cookies, but if they’re overly dry/crumbly, you may have used too much flour, over-mixed the dough, or over-baked them.
Toni’s Recipe Tips
- Measure the flour properly: Too much can lead to dense, dry, crumbly cookies. For the best results, fluff it in its bag, spoon it into the measuring cup, and level with a knife.
- Don’t over-mix the dough: If you overwork the gluten in the cookie dough, it can become dense and gummy. It also affects spread.
- For even softer cookies: Cream the vegan butter and sugar and optionally reduce the baking time by a minute or two.
Storage Instructions
Once baked and cooled, store the soft vegan chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Freeze: You can also freeze leftover cookies by flash-freezing them (not touching) on a tray until solid, then storing them in a Ziplock/Stasher for up to 3 months.
If you’re loving my recipes and would like a more comprehensive resource, check out my cookbooks!
Vegan Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email & get this sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!
Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup of granulated sugar
- ¼ cup of brown sugar
- ½ cup of vegan butter
- ¼ cup of vegetable or canola oil
- ¼ cup of water
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 1 cup of vegan chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, vegan butter, oil, water, and vanilla extract. I recommend mixing with a handheld electric mixer if you have one. If not, old-fashioned whisking will do the trick.
- Add flour, baking soda, and salt to the vegan butter mixture and thoroughly combine.
- Stir in chocolate chips, and optional add-ins (if using).
- Scoop tablespoonfuls of the dough onto the prepared baking sheet and lightly flatten them out with a spatula.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until the cookies are golden and crispy around the edges. Allow to cool before eating.
Explore More with AI
Notes
- Measure the flour properly: Too much can lead to dense, dry, crumbly cookies. For the best results, fluff it in its bag, spoon it into the measuring cup, and level with a knife.
- Don’t over-mix the dough: If you overwork the gluten in the cookie dough, it can become dense and gummy. It also affects spread.
- For even softer cookies: Cream the vegan butter and sugar and optionally reduce the baking time by a minute or two.
![completed EASY Chocolate Depression Cake [Wacky Cake] sliced against a white surface](https://plantbasedonabudget.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/36-Crazy-Cake-Plant-Based-on-a-Budget-1-2-378x378.jpg)
So soft and delicious!