Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
These amazing chocolate chip cookies are miraculously vegan. They're easy to make with basic, wholesome ingredients (no mixer required).
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on June 10, 2025
For years, I’ve been searching for my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe. I want outrageously delicious bakery-style chocolate chip cookies that completely capture my attention upon first bite. I want a chewy middle, barely crisp edges, complex flavor, and rich chocolate chips.
I want all of that in a cookie recipe that’s easy to make. No mixer required. No creaming of softened-but-not-too-soft butter. No chilling the dough for 24 hours. I don’t have the patience for any of that. Sometimes a girl just needs a cookie!
These cookies are among the best homemade chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had. My cookie search is over. The crazy part? These cookies are vegan, so they’re free of the usual butter and eggs. I’m honestly shocked.
These amazing cookies are delicious and supremely easy to make. The dough needs a very reasonable 30-minute chill in the refrigerator, and let me tell you, they’re worth the brief wait.
Why This Vegan Cookie Recipe Works
There’s no butter or egg in this recipe, but you’d never guess it. How? Instead of butter (or vegan butter like Earth Balance), these cookies use melted coconut oil, extra-virgin olive oil, or a neutral-flavored oil like avocado oil. The eggs are omitted with no downsides—these cookies still have the perfect texture and flavor without them.
For non-vegans like me, this means that the recipe is even easier to make than standard chocolate chip cookies.
For those with dairy or egg allergies, these cookies are a total game-changer. You can even make these cookies gluten-free by substituting Bob’s Red Mill’s gluten-free all-purpose blend.
The remaining ingredients are simple and wholesome. You’ll need whole wheat flour, chocolate chips, sugar, coconut sugar or brown sugar, as well as your basic salt and leavening agents. I sprinkled my cookies with some flaky sea salt to make them even more irresistible.
Watch How to Make Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
My Recipe Substitutions
I can’t take full credit for this recipe. I was intrigued by the original recipe from the Ovenly Cookbook, via Food52. I made several adjustments to their ingredients and method.
I swapped whole wheat flour for all-purpose, which is undetectable in the final product. I also substituted coconut sugar for brown sugar, which is less refined (for those wondering, it is impossible to make bakery-style cookies using liquid natural sweeteners). I experimented with oils other than canola, which is highly processed and high in omega-6s.
I also found a chilling time shortcut. If you scoop the dough onto the sheets and then chill it, 30 minutes in the freezer works just as well as their 24-hour recommendation. That way, the recipe works with coconut oil, which solidifies at cool temperatures.
Coconut Oil vs. Olive Oil
Your choice of oil impacts the final product. I didn’t notice any textural differences during my recipe testing, but virgin coconut oil offers a slight coconut flavor. Olive oil tastes like, well, olive oil, especially when the cookies are warm.
If you enjoy the flavor of either of those oils on its own, I think you’ll love how they shine through in these cookies, making the flavor more interesting. I’m partial to coconut oil.
If you want cookies that taste like standard bakery chocolate chip cookies, use refined coconut oil or a neutral oil like avocado oil or safflower oil.
Cookie Dough Safety Note
Since the dough is egg-free, it doesn’t carry the usual risk of salmonella poisoning. However, raw flour can carry a slight risk for E. Coli or other pathogens. So, I don’t recommend eating this dough, either!
Here’s more information from the CDC about raw flour (thank you to Tara for sharing).
More Vegan Cookie Recipes
Here are a few more vegan cookie recipes and treats on Cookie and Kate. A few of them require a simple substitution like a flax egg to make them vegan, but I wouldn’t want you to miss out on the recipe.
- Lemon, Rosemary and Olive Oil Shortbread
- Pumpkin Polvorones (Mexican Wedding Cookies)
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Crispy Bars
- Healthier Gingerbread Cookies: See recipe notes.
- Monster Cookies: See recipe notes.
- Peanut Butter Oat Cookies: See recipe notes.
Please let me know how these cookies turn out for you in the comments. I hope they become your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, too, whether you’re following a vegan diet or not.
Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Meet the best vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe! These cookies are easy to make with basic, wholesome ingredients (no mixer required). Recipe yields 13 large cookies.
Ingredients
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour, regular whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 ¼ cups vegan chocolate chips*
- ⅔ cup lightly packed coconut sugar or ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil**
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon water
- Flaky sea salt for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine, then add the chocolate chips and toss to coat.
- In a large bowl, combine the coconut sugar, regular sugar, oil and water. Whisk until the sugar has incorporated into the oil and the mixture is smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture, then stir just until combined and no more flour is visible (don’t overdo it).
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Fill an ice cream scoop two-thirds with dough (or spoon the mixture into even 2-inch mounds), and place the dough onto one of the prepared sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough, leaving several inches of space around each cookie.
- Freeze the cookies on their pans for 30 minutes, or chill them for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
- When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake until the edges are just starting to turn golden, about 14 to 17 minutes. Place the baking sheet on a cooling rack and sprinkle the cookies with flaky salt, if using. Repeat with the remaining cookies.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Ovenly’s Secretly Vegan Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies.
*Chocolate chip notes: Use dairy-free/vegan chocolate chips, such as Enjoy Life brand. If you’re not trying to make vegan cookies, I also like Ghiradelli’s bittersweet 60% cacao chocolate chips here.
**Oil notes: You’ll detect a light coconut or olive oil flavor in these cookies. Use whichever one you prefer. For completely neutral-flavored cookies, use a neutral-flavored oil such as avocado oil or safflower oil.
Make it gluten free: Bob’s Red Mill’s gluten-free all-purpose flour blend works well in this recipe.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I love this recipe as is! Recently, though, I’ve been placed on a grain free, sugar free diet: do you think this recipe could work with all coconut sugar and almond flour?
Unfortunately, almond flour isn’t a 1-to-1 substitute and won’t bind the correct way. Sorry!
Excited to try these today! Has anyone used spelt flour with success? Thanks!
What did you think? I haven’t tried spelt flour and am not as familiar with it.
I just got your Love Real Food cookbook and I can’t wait to try all of the recipes!! Love all the photos and tips, super helpful.
I baked your banana muffins and these cookies this weekend, and I just wanted to thank you for being such an inspiration and for taking healthy eating to another level. Thank you Kate and adorable Cookie!!
Thanks for buying my book! I would love a review on Amazon too :) You’re so kind! I appreciate the support, Sherri.
can i use all coconut sugar instead of regular sugar? or would it be better to use coconut sugar and honey or maple syrup?
I added dry ingredients while coconut oil was still quite hot, and I ended up having a batch of little brownies, instead of chocolate chip cookies, but doesn’t matter, as they’re still delicious :D Thanks for the recipe!
Oh no! Did you happen to chill the dough before baking? It sounds like a very happy accident, indeed. I’m glad you enjoyed them!
Yeah, but added regular chocolate beforehand. Guess I will mix it with dough after chilling this time, or’ll buy some baking-destined chocolate drops. :D
Aw man, I was a little bummed with how these turned out. Good, for sure, but not amazing. It could be because in attempt to make them a little healthier I subbed in 1/4 cup ground flax seed in place of some of the flour, but I’ve done this in other recipes with no issues. I also cut back on the sugar and used about a cup of chocolate chips. The consistency of the dough was fine, but the cookies didn’t really spread when cooking. Maybe I should have pushed them down? Also, I baked a tad too long—the full 17 min, when 14 would have sufficed. Oh well. Better luck next time, I guess!
Hello Kate!
I hope you’re so well. Thanks for creating such great content which is always a source of inspiration for me.
In my recent post on the Power of Cake, The Cookie Experiment, I mention your choc chip cookie recipe, which I also tested as part of my quest to discover what makes a cookie recipe truly awesome.
Lots of love,
Caroline
Thank you, Caroline for your feedback and review. I’m happy to hear it’s inspirational for you!
Made these tonight – delicious! I had been wanting to try these cookies since you posted the recipe in the fall. I am so happy I finally did it. I may try them with Ghiradelli semisweet instead of bettersweet next time.
I’m glad you you finally tired them as well, Jessica! Thank you for your comment and review, Jessica. Try not to eat them all at once. :) It’s so hard not to.
I made these last night & they were delicious! I like how quick & easy they came together. I did add another tablespoon or so of water to mix. I’m not a huge fan of salty cookies, so I only used 1/4 tsp (just to be safe). I didn’t have time to chill them, so straight into the oven they went! Even my picky, non-vegan step-kids loved them!! Yay!!
Thanks for sharing, Andrea!
I don’t do this often but had to leave a comment just to sing the praises of this recipe. Kate, you’ve truly outdone yourself. I’ve tried numerous vegan and healthier chocolate chip cookies to have them turn out to be excessively cakey or just plain disappointing. Since your recipes are always delectable, I decided to give it one last shot with your cookies-and how they delievered! I used brown sugar, unrefined cane sugar and whole wheat pastry flour and I genuinely think these are amongst one of the best cookies I’ve had-and my standards are by no means low! I gave some to my boyfriend’s family (who believe that all non-vegan versions were better) and they DEVOURED them. They were amazed they were vegan! You’ve truly outdone yourself, Kate. I am beyond impressed.
I’m so glad you did and think they stand-up to their name! I appreciate the kind comment and review, Mankiu.
Hi Kate,
I was just wondering if you can use Oat Flour in this chocolate chip cookie recipe instead of whole wheat flour?
Thanks,
Vanessa
Bob’s Red Mill’s gluten-free all-purpose flour blend works great, if looking for gluten free!
Have you tried to use turbinado sugar in these cookies?
Hi Debbie, you would end up with cookies that are more soft and less chewy. You would need to use the same amount by weight, and I’m not sure what that would come to in cups. I would suggest sticking with coconut sugar since I know it works great!
A-maz-ing! Yum. Made these with my children today (4 and 3yrs old). Came together easily and were delicious after lunch! Perfect amount of sweetness. Instead of chocolate chips we used up left over Easter eggs – perfect. I also stretched the recipe to 25 cookies – I think we are used to a slightly smaller sized cookie here in Australia!
Win! Thank you, Karen for sharing.
Hi Kate,
I am not familiar with using coconut oil in recipes, and just wondered how do you recommend melting the coconut oil called for in this recipe? I looked on my jar of coconut oil and it does not give any recommended instructions on how to melt it. I’m guessing in the microwave, but want to be sure. Also, are the amounts listed in the ingredients the liquid form after melting it?
Thanks,
Vanessa
I usually melt it in the microwave for a handful of seconds at a time. It can vary amount of time and I stir between. The amount listed is melted. I hope this helps!
Hi, I was wondering if its strictly necessary the usage of regular sugar? Would it work if I use both measures for raw cane sugar? Thanks
Raw cane sugar doesn’t typically react the same way unfortunately. But you could give it a try. Thanks for the review!
These cookies are magical. I made them today and they were a hit with a 3-year-old, his parents, and several adults (one of whom called the cookies “out of this world!”). I used a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, which made 24 cookies. I baked them for 12 minutes and they came out perfectly chewy. Thanks for another winning recipe!
Magical is music to my ears. :) Thank you for commenting, Kate!
Hands-down best chocolate chip cookie recipe ever!! Thanks for making the healthier substitutes. I feel like I can serve these to my friends and family without any guilt.
Please share more dessert recipes with a “Cookie and Kate” spin on them!
Right! I agree. Thanks for the review, Lexi.
These are so very good. I used coconut oil and wholemeal flour and they were absolutely delicious! I ate far too many in one go! Not quite guilt free, but much better than the butter content that most recipes have. Next time I’m going to either cut a bit of the sugar down or use lower sugar choc chips as they were a little sweet for me. Fantastic recipe though and it’s my go to for choc chip biscuit.
Thanks for the review and comment, Trudi!
I made this today and it was great! I tweaked a couple of minor things – couldn’t find dairy-free choc chips so I chopped up some choc peanut bars that were dairy-free and ended up with peanut and chocolate chunks. Also, I used almond milk instead of water in the wet mixture. I brought it to a get-together and everyone enjoyed them. Thank you for this awesome recipe!
Thanks for sharing, Mandy! I appreciate the review.
Wow! So good!!!
Thank you!
I just made these and they are absolutely divine! So glad I stumbled across your blog, will now have to try some of your other recipes :)
These cookies are divine! My very picky and vegan-skeptical mother even loves them!
Hooray!! Thank you, Heather for your review.
Hi Kate! This recipe looks amazing! Having just added gluten back to my diet (yay!), I’m super excited to try these with my husband and children this weekend. Do you think Nutiva organic shortening (melted, perhaps?) would work in place of the oil? I have some of that on hand. Otherwise, I’m thinking we’ll try avocado oil for a neutral flavor. Thank you in advance!
That’s exciting! I’m not sure, but I do know avocado oil would work here.
Thanks!
I just made these cookies and unfortunately they were a huge flop. I followed the recipe exactly, but the cookie dough just melted into 2 giant cookie messes in the oven and when they cooled off they fell apart. I couldn’t eat half of them because they basically turned into giant crumbs (and I didn’t over or under cook them). I’m not sure what I did wrong… I left a lot of space around each cookie and I used 2 cookie sheets but they still melted together somehow. On the plus side, the cookies that survived were good. If anyone has any suggestions or troubleshooting tips, I’d be happy to hear them.
Jennifer, I’m so sorry that I missed your comment from several months ago. Yikes! I’m bummed to hear that the cookies didn’t turn out for you, and stumped because I haven’t had this experience myself, or heard from others with similar issues. The only areas I can think of to troubleshoot would be – 1) I know it’s been a while, but—could it be possible that you forgot to add the second cup of flour? or 2) I’m assuming you did chill the dough as directed, but that step solidifies the coconut oil somewhat, which keeps the cookies from spreading more than they should
No worries! I’m wondering if I forgot to chill them first? I will try them again and make sure I follow the recipe exactly.
I only have regular olive oil and no coconut oil. Does it need to be EVOO?
I’m not sure how this would work with olive oil that isn’t extra-virgin. The flavor would likely be not as neutral. Sorry I can’t be of more help! I like extra-virgin for the taste and quality.
Hi!
I really want to try out your recipe, but I would like to incorporate molasses. Do you have an idea what would be the right way to do so?
Thank you :)
Unfortunately, I don’t cook with it as I like to stick with maple syrup or honey so it doesn’t spike my blood sugar. Sorry I’m not much help!
These cookies are so delicious, like all of the recipes I have tried from you! Thanks for sharing them!
You’re welcome, Devora.
This recipe is so good! I made it vegan and my family ate them within 20 minutes (straight out of the oven because we couldn’t wait) and it’s my go to/staple cookie now! Love that you include vegan substitutes in your recipes too!
I’m glad you enjoy the substitutes! I try my best to provide options. Thanks so much for the review, Lucy!
Do we need to use both baking powder and baking soda? or just add baking powder more instead
You will need both for this recipe. Thanks for the question, Jay!
what’s the purpose of freezing the coookie dough before cooking? can u skip this step?
It’s the trick! It helps get it to a good cold temperature that helps in that soft inside, crispy outside.
I really liked this recipe except the fact that it had too much sugar and oil for my taste. I halved the recipe for a small batch of cookies, and I used a little less than 1/4 cup of sugar, a little less chocolate chips (dark and 1/2 cup), and 1/8 cup of olive oil. To substitute part of the olive oil I did not use, I used 1/8 cup of Greek yoghurt and the cookies were slightly sweet. I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, so this is my suggestion for others like me.
Thanks for sharing your preferred take!
How is it even possible that the BEST chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had in my whole life have no butter, dairy, and can be made with whole wheat flower?? Why am I just now making these?? I actually witnessed my husband’s knees buckle when he took a bite of one while declaring, “this is the best cookie I’ve ever had”. Just wow.
I’m so grateful for your easy recipes that require ingredients that are easy to find, or that are already in my pantry. And much healthier than other recipes! I bake something from your blog a few times a week. Huge fan!
xx
I know, right?! Crazy but oh so delicious. Thank you for sharing, Krissy!
I have made these about a dozen times and the whole family adores them. This last time however we left town and forgot about them in the pantry! How many days do you think these stay good in an airtight container @ room temp?
Thank you for one of our classics!
I usually say a few days for safety and freshness purposes. I’m not sure about your situation, I’m sorry!
Made these tonight at my little one’s request. Sub’d gluten free flour & coconut sugar instead of regular sugar. Too impatient to freeze so made right away & it’s a hit! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Elise! Thanks for sharing your experience.
Why does the recipe have coconut sugar and then an additional 1/2 cup of regular sugar? Does regular sugar enhance the texture or taste of the cookie? Could you use only coconut sugar?
Hi Carmel! Typically, chocolate chip cookies contain brown sugar and white sugar to achieve the chewy-outside-tender-soft-inside texture. I replaced the brown sugar with coconut sugar, since it’s less refined. I have heard from another commenter that using all coconut sugar worked for her, so you can do it—your cookies might be a little less sweet and a little less soft, but I bet you won’t know the difference. :)
PLease explain what “white whole wheat flour” is – I thought there was either white flour or whole wheat but I never heard of white whole wheat flour.
Hi Aliya, white whole wheat flour is made with white wheat berries, and regular whole wheat flour is made with red wheat berries. The white whole wheat flour has a more mild (less nutty) flavor, but it’s harder to find. Either will work!
Kate, thank you for your explanation. Do stores like Whole Foods have white whole wheat flour? Does Bob’s Red Mill make it perhaps? If I can’t find white whole wheat flour, is unbleached white flour not an acceptable choice? If not, then I will buy a bag of regular whole wheat flour. But I must admit I have regular unbleached white flour in the house.
By the way, I love your recipes. I am making your Better Broccoli Casserole for Friday night dinner. Best, Aliya
Love these cookies! We take the dry ingredients with us on vacation add a little oil and we have amazing chocolate chip cookies. So good!
Wonderful, Lisa!
Can you cut back on the sugar. Have to watch sugar. Would not add the salt as on low soduim diet
Hi Dianne, I’m not sure since I haven’t tried. Sugar is what makes cookies so nice and tender. Please keep in mind that the chocolate chips have sugar in them, too. You could try cutting the amount of sugar by half, but I’m not sure you’ll love the outcome.
I’m going to make your Amazing Chocolate chip cookies as soon as possible.they sound so good. Thanks again for another great recipe Kate/Cookie.
Let me know what you think!
This have been my go-to cookie recipe since you originally posted it! I am constantly amazed that the buttery, crispy, gooey cookies I’ve always craved are completely vegan. And soo easy! It feels like a trap. My only modifications are to play with the oil and mix in flavours, and sometimes I add vanilla ;)
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks so much for letting me know.
Hi Kate, would it work to replace.the sugar with date paste?
Hi Nathalie, that will change the moisture content so I can’t predict how your cookies will turn out. Coconut sugar is a natural sweetener that is minimally refined, so hopefully that will do!
Hi Kate,
I love your blog and your cookbook and I’m really looking forward to making these cookies. I wanted to mention something though: it’s not just the raw egg in cookie dough that makes eating raw dough a risk, it’s the raw flour too. It’s a less-known risk, but it is a risk and recalls have been made for flour and store-bought cookie dough in the past few years because of e.coli outbreaks. What you said in your post above, “And, you can eat this egg-free cookie dough without any risk of salmonella poisoning!” is perhaps true (I think the risk of raw flour is generally from e.coli), but it might give folks the wrong idea that there is no risk to eating this dough raw.
Of course, you should not be expected to be an expert on these health and food safety issues, but you have such a huge platform and audience that if you choose to say something about this risk, a lot of folks will learn about it that otherwise might not have, and they can incorporate that info into their decision-making and risk-analysis!
Some info from the FDA: https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm508450.htm.
Warmly,
Tara
Hi Tara, this is news to me, and I’d like to consider myself a well-informed recipe creator and consumer! Thank you very much for sharing. I will revise the post accordingly.
I can NOT WAIT to try this recipe out with my little guy!! Kate you always amaze me with your recipe adaptations. You have mad skills lady!
I’ll be back with my review :)
You’re so sweet, Judy! Let me know what he thinks :)
Best Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe ever! I’ve made these numerous times, passed the recipe on more than I can count, freeze the cookies by the batch load for later, and even made them vegan with your flax “eggs” baking tips. All are delish and they have never failed me!
Ever?! Yes, happy you agree to. Thank so much for your comment and review, Melanie!
Kate, those look fantastic!! What are your thoughts on adding more coconut sugar instead of refined sugar? Or maybe just leaving the refined sugar out? We like our desserts less sweet.
Hi Jessica, you could replace the refined sugar with more coconut sugar. Your cookies will be less sweet and will probably be less tender.
Thank you so much, Kate! I’ll give it a try :D
I never used to like sweets, but I’ve recently been super into chocolate chip cookies! Whole Foods has a great vegan one, but I need to make my own :)
If you try this one, let me know what you think!
Amazing – my son and I had kind of a rough day yesterday and I was *just* thinking that I would love to have a batch of chocolate chip cookies waiting for him when he got off the bus, but didn’t want to bust out my stand mixer and try to soften butter. Put together a half batch of the dough in 5 minutes flat and they are chilling in my freezer right now!!!
T, I hope the cookies turn out great, and that today is better than yesterday!
They were FANTASTIC and hit the spot in every possible way. I may never go back to the egg- and butter- version again.
Does this cookie turn out soft or crunchy?
It’s a little crisp around the edges, and softer in the middle!
Wonder if Walnut oil would be ok?
I haven’t tried baking with walnut oil, but I imagine it would work! I think some nut oils are sensitive to heat, so check the bottle to make sure it’s ok to bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Thanks! That sure explains it! And now, OK, I can be happy with just one. Thanks for all your work. I own and have gifted your cookbook and like many recipes on your blog.
Yay, thank you so much Catherine! That really means a lot. :)
Hi Kate
What’s the UK equivalent to white whole wheat flour and whole wheat flour.
Love your recipes!
Thanks
Frank
Hey Frank, I think they might call it wholemeal flour. White whole wheat flour is a variation of whole wheat flour that is made with white wheat berries instead of red—I am not sure if you’ll find it in the UK. Regular will work!
Thanks Kate