These thick and chewy vegan chocolate chip cookies will satisfy that nostalgic craving without the use of eggs or dairy. Loaded with chocolate chips, these cookies are crispy golden brown outside and chewy and soft in the middle. Comes together in about 30 minutes with no complicated ingredients and no refrigeration required (although the dough can be made in advance if you like). Makes 18 cookies about 3" across and about ½" thick.
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Why This Recipe Works
I've been making these thick and chewy vegan chocolate chip cookies for many years and they're always a favourite. These come together quickly with basic ingredients and taste every bit as good as the classic. And, if you prefer a thick chocolate chip cookie, that isn't cakey, this is the recipe for you.
The tested ratio of granulated sugar to brown sugar is what makes these cookies both chewy and crispy and helps them spread nicely without being too thin. Brown sugar also adds a rich caramel flavour to these cookies. In addition, its molasses content reacts with the baking soda to create the desired soft and chewy texture in the centre.
Moreover, unlike other vegan chocolate chip cookie recipes, there is no applesauce, no yogurt or no aqufaba needed here. I find cornstarch to be a superior binding agent which also happens to increase the overall chewiness of these cookies once baked and cooled.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Below are notes and substitutions for each ingredient. For the full list and quantities, please see the recipe card further down this post.
All-Purpose Flour: it's key to use sifted all purpose flour (sift before you measure it) to ensure you don't end up with dry cookies.
Baking Soda: reacts with the brown sugar, which is slightly acidic, to produce rise and subsequent chewiness once the cookies have cooled fully.
Vegan butter: or refined coconut oil in equal measure.
Granulated Sugar: integral for developing crispiness around the edge and on the bottom of the cookies. To keep it vegan, I use certified organic cane sugar.
Brown Sugar: adds a caramel flavour and chewiness. I prefer to use light brown sugar, but dark will also work. Again, choose a brown sugar with the certified organic or certified vegan label.
Cornstarch: this acts as a binding agent similar to how eggs would in traditional chocolate chip cookies recipes. You can also use arrowroot powder in equal measure.
Vanilla Extract: enhances and balances the chocolate in this recipe.
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: or chocolate chunks. Or use a combination of both.
Step by Step Guide
This recipe is straightforward and similar to classic recipes. From start to finish it should take roughly 30 minutes, not including cooling time. The detailed instructions can be found in the recipe card further down the post.
- Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.
- In another bowl, combine the cornstarch and water and stir to ensure there are no lumps.
- Beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar together.
- Add the cornstarch mixture and vanilla and beat again.
- Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and beat until the dough comes together.
- Stir in the chocolate pieces.
- Using a cookie scoop, portion the dough onto a baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
- Remove the from the oven and cool for 5 minutes on the pan before cooling on a wire rack.
Helpful Tips
Sift the flour before measuring: this will help ensure you don't end up with too much flour which would create a dry cookie that won't spread. The measurement is 2 cups of sifted flour. Or better yet...
Use a kitchen scale: This is the most accurate and easiest way to measure ingredients and it is what I recommend for this recipe to ensure you get the exact amount of flour needed. I've included the gram measurements for each ingredient in the recipe card.
Use softened vegan butter or coconut oil: I like to set the butter out at room temperature for about 30 minutes prior (although the time to soften will vary depending on your particular ambient temperature). If you use coconut oil, it should be semi-solid so that is easy to scoop, but still holds it's shape. See the recipe FAQ's for notes on how to soften coconut oil for this recipe.
Use a hand mixer or stand mixer: You can mix the dough by hand, however, a hand mixer (or stand mixer) works quickly and efficiently.
A medium size cookie scoop is best: A medium sized 1oz or 2 tablespoon scoop creates a cookie that is about 3" wide and about ⅓-1/2" thick. You can make them smaller if you wish, just reduce the baking time and check on them regularly to make sure they aren't over browning or burning.
Don't Over-bake: to achieve a chewy centre, bakes these only until golden brown. The centre may look a touch underdone, but it will set up once it cools.
Cool on the baking tray first: allow the cookies to cool for 5-10 minutes before moving them to a wire rack. This will help prevent any cracking or breaking.
Let them cool completely: the cookies need to cool fully in order to set up and develop their chewy crumb.
Storage & Make Ahead
Make Ahead: Portion the dough on a lined baking tray. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day. To bake, remove the dough from the fridge, uncover and transfer them to an unlined baking tray 2" apart as per the recipe. Add a few more minutes to the baking time to account for the lower dough temperature. Keep a watch to make sure they aren't burning or over browning. Finally, note that the cookies will bake a bit thicker this way than if the dough was at room temperature.
Storage: These cookies will keep for 4-5 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
Freezing: Place the baked and cooled cookies in a freezer safe bag or container in a single layer and freeze for up to 2 months. If freezing in more than one layer, I like to add parchment paper between each layer to prevent them from sticking together. Defrost the cookies in the fridge overnight.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. I find that the cookies bake better straight on the baking tray. When I tested the cookies on parchment paper, they didn't spread the same way and didn't develop the same level of crispiness. I use Nordicware aluminum sheet pans.
It's not necessary, however, you can if you need or want to. Add additional baking time (approx. 2-3 minutes more) to account for the lowered temperature of the dough (the fat will be harder and take longer to melt). Check the cookies while they bake to make sure they aren't over browning or burning. Moreover, the cookies will bake slightly thicker than if the dough had been at room temperature.
Coconut oil can be solid, semi-solid or liquid depending on ambient temperature or where it's stored. If it's liquid, place it in the fridge for several minutes to firm up, however, the exact amount of time may vary depending on your fridge. If you need to soften hard coconut oil, portion some into a microwave safe dish and microwave for just a few seconds. You may need to repeat this process a few times, stirring in between, to get the right soft spoonable viscosity.
Likely, this is the result of too much flour in the batter. Cup measurements can vary by weight each time you measure which means you can't guarantee you're getting the right amount. This is why I recommend using a kitchen scale and measuring the flour (and other ingredients) by weight. It's the most accurate and precise way to measure and helps you achieve the correct results! Digital kitchen scales are easy to use, relatively inexpensive and easy to find.
No. Raw cookie dough is not safe to eat, whether it's vegan or not. Both eggs and flour can be sources of E.Coli, so it's never safe to eat raw dough. Here is a link from the CDC on the subject of safety with raw cookie dough.
You need to check the package ingredients to check for the presence of dairy. Typically, dairy would be listed as "milk fat" or "butter fat". Moreveor, if the package doesn't list dairy ingredients, there is still the risk of cross contamination if they are processed in a facility that also processes milk-based chocolate. There are lots of brands that are vegan friendly which are clearly labelled as such.
Conventional sugar is usually not vegan. Granulated sugar is often processed with bone char to make it white. And, because brown sugar is just granulated sugar with molasses, this makes it unsuitable for vegan baking as well. To the contrary, certified organic sugars are not processed in the same way which makes them suitably vegan. Look for brands showcasing the vegan certification or opt for certified organic if you can. I use organic cane sugar in all my baking.
More Recipes
If you love my chewy vegan chocolate chip cookies, you may also love the below recipes. You can also find all my vegan cookie recipes here.
Vegan Chewy Ginger Spice Cookies (Popular Recipe)
Chewy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies (vegan)
Banana Bread Breakfast Cookies
Vegan Salted Caramel Granola Bars
If you made my Thick and Chewy Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies please leave me a comment below with a star rating; it really helps others who are interested in making the recipe. For more from The Simple Green, follow me on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest. Also, consider becoming a subscriber to receive emails of new recipes and posts.
Thick & Chewy Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Special Equipment
- 1 oz cookie scoop
Ingredients
- 2 cups (300g) sifted all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup (226g) vegan butter, or softened coconut oil
- ½ cup (110g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (175g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch, or arrowroot powder
- 4 tablespoon water
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (175g) semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375℉.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.2 cups (300g) sifted all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and water and until there are no lumps. Set aside.2 teaspoon cornstarch, 4 tablespoon water
- In a large mixing bowl beat the vegan butter with an electric hand mixer for 30 seconds until fluffy. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar then beat until well combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in the cornstarch mixture and vanilla.1 cup (226g) vegan butter, ½ cup (110g) granulated sugar, 1 cup (175g) packed light brown sugar, 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and beat on low until the dough comes together and there are no streaks of flour remaining. Stir in the chocolate pieces.1 cup (175g) semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chips
- Using a 1oz (2 tbsp) cookie scoop, portion the dough onto a baking sheet 2 inches apart. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
- Remove the baking tray from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Heidi's Notes
Nutrition
This is an approximation of the nutrition offered in this recipe, and is created using a nutrition calculator. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your preferred calculator.
Disclaimer
all recipes on The Simple Green are developed and tested in a Canadian kitchen, at normal elevation, using electric appliances and ingredients available in Canada. Results may vary.