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These Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies are as classic and delicious as chocolate chip cookies get! They’re perfectly chocolatey, soft & chewy, easy to make, and require just 9 simple ingredients. Plus, they’re made in 1 bowl and require no chill time. 

The perfect vegan chocolate chip cookies

We don’t want to brag, but making the best vegan chocolate chip cookies is one of our specialties (just read the 60+ 5-star reviews!). In addition to these classic cookies, we’ve also got Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies, Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies, Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars, and an ooey gooey Vegan Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie for you to dive into next!

Safe to say, we’ve got you covered when a chocolate chip cookie craving hits.

Ingredients for vegan chocolate chips on a board

What You’ll Need to Make Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • Coconut Oil – This will serve as the fat in this recipe. We use refined coconut oil because it doesn’t have a coconut flavor. So if you’re looking for good coconut oil to use, we recommend this one. If preferred, vegan butter is a good alternative. 
  • Sugar – We use two different types of sugar in this recipe—brown sugar and organic granulated sugar. Using both types of sugar helps create more depth in the flavor of the cookies. If you want to ensure that the sugar you are using is vegan-friendly, we recommend opting for organic sugar since it’s not processed through bone char. 
  • Applesauce – Believe it or not, apple sauce acts as a vegan egg replacer and helps bind everything together. Don’t worry – these cookies don’t taste like apples! To make sure your cookies aren’t overly sweet, we recommend using unsweetened applesauce. If you need suggestions on which applesauce to use, we like this one
  • Vanilla Extract – We use vanilla extract in this recipe, and most other baked goods, to enhance all of the different flavors in the recipe. The quality of vanilla extract is also a factor, so make sure you are using a high-quality one.
  • All-Purpose Flour – We’ve found the best classic chocolate chip cookies are made with all-purpose flour. We like to use Bob’s Red Mill organic all-purpose flour, but any brand will do the trick! You can also use gluten-free flour for this recipe. We have more details on that in the notes of the recipe card. 
  • Baking Soda – When baking soda reacts with an acid, it produces carbon dioxide and bubbles, causing the cookie dough to rise. This will help give the cookies a chewy and coarse texture. 
  • Salt – Similar to vanilla extract, the salt in this recipe helps enhance the other flavors in the cookie. Optional: Try sprinkling flaky sea salt on top of your finished cookies if you enjoy the salty and sweet flavor combination. 
  • Baking Powder – The function of baking powder in this recipe is to encourage your cookies to spread up instead of out, making them more even and fluffy.
  • Vegan Chocolate Chips – You may be wondering…what brands of chocolate chips are vegan? Good news, you’ve got plenty of options. We like to use Enjoy Life semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can even use chocolate chunks if you prefer.

Equipment Needed:

Vegan chocolate chip cookie dough on a baking sheet

How to Make Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

  1. Cream the oil and sugars together. In a large bowl, cream the coconut oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. 
  2. Add the apple sauce and vanilla. Mix again until combined. 
  3. Stir in the dry ingredients. In the same bowl, add the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until a cookie dough forms. Lastly, fold in the chocolate chips using a spatula until well incorporated. 
  4. Preheat the oven. These cookies bake at 350°F and line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper or a reusable baking mat. This recipe makes about 36 cookies, so you’ll likely need to bake in batches. 
  5. Scoop your cookie dough. Using a 1 tablespoon-sized scooper, drop mounds of chocolate chip cookie dough onto the baking sheet, leaving about 2” between each cookie dough mound. No need to press them down – they’ll spread perfectly on their own! 
  6. Bake. Bake these chocolate chip cookies for 13-14 minutes, or until the edges are slightly crisp and golden and the center is still soft. The cookies will seem under-baked, but they will firm up while they cool. 
  7. Transfer to a cooling rack. We typically allow the cookies to cool completely on a cooling rack before digging in, but you can’t go wrong eating warm chocolate chip cookies either!
The perfect vegan chocolate chip cookies with almond milk

How to Make a Chocolate Chip Cookies in a Jar Gift Mix

If you’re baking these vegan chocolate chip cookies during the holiday season, you can’t go wrong with gifting these cute jarred cookie mixes! You can find the printable gift tag here! 🙂

It’s easy to put together, and our friends and family loved it when we gifted it to them. Just be sure only to put the dry ingredients in the jar.

DIY vegan chocolate chip cookie mix in a jar for a holiday christmas gift by sweet simple vegan

Instructions

  1. Place 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons organic granulated sugar, 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons packed organic brown sugar, 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons vegan chocolate chips into a 32-ounce mason jar. 
  2. Screw the lid tightly on the jar, then attach the gift tag that lists the wet ingredients. Download the exact one we use here!

Watch us make a variation of this recipe in our DIY Budget-Friendly Holiday Gifts Video on our Youtube Channel!

How do I prevent my cookies from over-spreading?

Cookies spread as a result of the fat in the cookie dough melting. If your cookies tend to over-spread, two things could be happening. First, you may not have used enough flour. Or, the fat was too warm before baking. This is why we recommend using soft coconut oil or softened vegan butter over melted. 

Why didn’t my vegan cookies rise?

If your cookies did not rise, it is possible your baking powder expired or the dough was overmixed. Baking powder is only fresh for about 6 months after opening. After this time, it loses its leavening power and can cause your cookies to fall flat. Similarly, whipping too much air into your vegan cookie dough will cause your cookies to collapse in the oven. 

Can I freeze my vegan chocolate chip cookies?

Yes! You can freeze these cookies before or after baking. If you’d like to freeze the raw cookie dough before baking, we recommend pre-scooping them into individual cookie dough balls and flash freeze them on a baking sheet, then transferring them to a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
Then, bake the cookies directly from frozen for 1 to 2 minutes longer! 
Similarly, freeze baked chocolate chip cookies after cooling completely and flash freezing on a baking sheet until frozen. Transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag, then thaw the baked cookies at room temperature!

Can I make these chocolate chip cookies gluten-free?

Absolutely. We’ve tested this vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe using Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour and had great results. You might like our Coconut Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies, Oat Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies, or Gluten-Free Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies too! 

Storage Instructions

These vegan chocolate chip cookies store best in an airtight container at room temperature. When stored well, these cookies will last for up to 1 week. 

For freezing instructions, read our above cookie FAQs or check the recipe card!

Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you recreate any of our recipes, we love to see your photos!

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The perfect vegan chocolate chip cookies

Classic Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 84 reviews

  • Author: Jasmine @ Sweet Simple Vegan
  • Total Time: 2 hours 23 minutes
  • Yield: 36 cookies (3 dozen)

Description

These Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies are as classic and delicious as chocolate chip cookies get! They’re perfectly chocolatey, soft & chewy, easy to make and require just 9 simple ingredients. Plus, they’re made in 1 bowl and require no chill time. 


Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup refined coconut oil* (see notes)
  • 3/4 cup organic granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup packed organic brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (see notes for gluten-free option)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 1/4 cups vegan chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, add the coconut oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Using a hand mixer (or a whisk) cream the oil and sugars together until fluffy.
  2. Add in the applesauce and vanilla, and mix well.
  3. Stir in the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until a dough forms. Lastly, fold in chocolate chips until well incorporated.
  4. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Keep in mind that this recipe makes 3 dozen so you will need to bake multiple batches. See notes for freezing options.
  5. Using a 1 tablespoon-sized scooper, drop mounds of dough onto the baking sheet 2 inches apart (we fit 12 on each sheet and baked these in 3 batches). No need to press them down.
  6. Place into the oven and bake for 13-14 minutes, or until the edges brown. The cookies will seem soft but don’t worry, they will firm up while they cool. Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 1 minute after removing them from the oven and then carefully transfer them onto a cooling rack using a spatula.
  7. Cool until set and then dig in!

Notes

  • We opted for refined coconut oil in order to avoid the coconut flavor. Unrefined coconut oil will have a coconut flavor so just keep that in mind!
  • We originally made this recipe with melted coconut oil but from your feedback, we updated this recipe on 5/22/21 to use room temperature coconut oil instead. This way, there is no longer the need to chill the dough and it speeds up the prep time so you can eat your cookies much sooner! 
  • If you would like to make these gluten-free, we recommend the Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-free Baking Flour. We tested this recipe with it and it was successful!
  • If you would like to save this dough for later, you can freeze it! Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and use a cookie scooper to evenly scoop mounds of the dough. You can line them up close together since you are not baking them. Once you have scooped out all of the dough, place the baking sheet into the freezer for 30-60 minutes (the longer the better). Remove the dough mounds from the trays and transfer them to a freezer safe bag. Be sure to keep note of when you freeze them + what time and temperature you need to bake them at! Since the dough is frozen, it might require 1 to 2 minutes or even longer for baking.
  • Store in an airtight container for 1 week.
  • Prep Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 13 minutes
  • Category: Dessert, Cookies
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: Vegan

Nutrition facts label provided by Nutri Fox.

Disclaimer: The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional’s advice. This page may contain affiliate links, which simply means that we earn a commission if you purchase through those links, but your price remains the same. Thank you for supporting Sweet Simple Vegan!

Meet The Bloggers

hey there! we’re jasmine & chris.

Hi, we’re Jasmine and Chris! We share fresh and fun recipes to show you that vegan cooking is easy, approachable and delicious. When we’re not blogging, you will probably find us enjoying live music, tending to our backyard garden or playing with our dogs Berry and Louie

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202 Comments

  1. I have tried other vegan chocolate chip cookie recipes, and none of them come close to yours. This is by far the BEST vegan chocolate chip cookie I have ever tasted. The ingredients are simple and its easy to make. Thank you for sharing a wonderful recipe, that I know I will be making frequently.

  2. First time making these for my husband, turned out very good! I bake a lot and have a ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe with Ghirardelli chips that is my very favorite! So, I was worried that I would not like these, but they are really great for being a vegan product! I only had 1/2 cup of pure organic unrefined cold pressed coconut oil solids so I melted that and added a 1/4 cup stick (softened) of plant butter. Used my Kitchenaid mixer to beat the sugars, applesauce, oil/butter and vanilla, then used a wire whisk to mix all dry ingredients before adding to the wet ingredients, then added the package of Enjoy Life mini chips (10 oz.). Lined my large commercial baking sheet and refrigerated dough one hour before baking in the 350 degree oven for 12 minutes, left on pan for one minute then moved to cooling racks. I have photos but not sure where to share them here. Enjoy!

  3. When I tell you, these are the BEST CHOCOLATE COOKIES I have ever made, I am not playing! These are foolproof and I ain’t no fool! I have made them with coconut oil, margarine, and cashew butter, and they come out delicious every single time! My husband is not even Vegan but he requests these from me at least once a week! You are a Godsend and thank you for sharing this recipe!

  4. Simply delicious! My daughter and her boyfriend loved them. I did add some peanut butter and oatmeal, still turned out great. I will be sending another batch with her when she heads back to school!

  5. Ma’am.

    MISS JasMINE.

    Girrrrl… I don’t know who you are but—

    May my MOST HIGH GOD BLESS your little talented, vegan, CHOCOLATE CHIP cookie making…SOUL.

    This is a delicious, drop tha’ spatula and walk out tha’ kitchen…because it’s SO good— Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie.

    OMGoodness!

    I am not on a plant based diet by my pastor is. I know for certain that he is going to absolutely love me for this cookie here.

    I’m always looking for the best vegan sweets for him because he can’t eat a lot of the ‘regular goodies’ that I make. And I’m not about to let him suffer.

    I thank you SO SO much for blessing me to bless him.

    Awesome.

    Much love ❤️.

    Note to future ‘triers’: I only had (in my pantry) the ‘Vita Coconut Oil— Unrefined’. While the coconut fragrance is strong in the jar, after baking it dissipated quite a bit. Really it was hardly noticeable.

    The same goes for the coconut flavor. Barely noticeable and of course if you like coconut it will be a plus.

    Second, I DO recommend you test out your oven temperature but bake her recipe at tha’ full bake time for best results.

    Cause o my goody goodness!!!!

    I promise you—that’s where that goodness of crispy edges, chewy texture…is achieved. They will or maybe a shade ‘darker’ than a normal color if a C.C Cookie or even her picture but trust me.

    Also—I refrigerated my dough overnight and I did flatten them a bit after rolling into perfect ball and got a beautiful, perfect circle, chocolate chip cookie.

  6. Absolutely amazingly delicious! Can’t stop eating them! Used only one cup of brown sugar and grated a whole apple with the skin on. Didn’t refrigerate either, just used my hands to the preferred cookie shape. Sharing it with everyone, thanks!

  7. Loved these cookies!!!
    I would suggest scooping them into balls first, then freeze them. Unless your hands and forearms are super strong. lol. Loved these and will definitely make them my new vegan chocolate chip cookie go to recipe!!

  8. I guess I have a super oven or something, because I set a timer to 12 minutes and it burnt my first batch to a crisp. Second batch was AMAZING! Thank you so much for sharing! I want to get my family on the vegan bandwagon because it’s healthier, and we have a baby with a milk allergy, but all the vegan recipes I find have weird ingredients, and I can’t stand that. I love this recipe for the simplicity.
    I saw some other people commenting about subbing the applesauce with banana, and I’m curious about subbing some of the sugar with a banana. So it’d have applesauce and banana both. Has anyone tried that? Wasting food kills me a little inside, and I’m scared to try it on my own.

    1. Hi Jessie,

      So glad you liked it! We have not tried it but I think it may make the batter a bit more moist so I think that you will need to compensate with more dry ingredients.

  9. Made these today after trying 2 vegan chocolate chip recipes which were a fail, it was disappointing to waste good ingredients especially when you have a craving for cookies, but I’m so happy to have stumbled on this recipe. It was really delicious! Thank you.

  10. This was my first attempt at vegan baking and these cookies turned out great! Thank you so much for the recipe. The only change I would ask you to consider making is adding the refrigeration time to the prep instructions at the top of the recipe. You say the total time is 23 minutes, but it’s actually 2 hours and 23 minutes when you consider the refrigeration time, which caught me off guard. I had to make them much earlier in the day than I had planned because of that.

    1. Thanks for pointing that out! The chill time was part of an update we did and we missed the prep time update. Just changed it!

  11. Just made these cookies and boy they were amazing. My husband and I been vegan for a month and haven’t had sweets in about 2 months and these taste absolutely amazing diary free????. Thank you so much definitely helped with my sweet tooth since going vegan.

  12. These are absolutely delicious! I ended up with 43 delicious, gooey cookies. Thanks so much for the recipe!

  13. Love this recipe! I subbed the coconut oil with sunflower oil and I did press them after chilling the dough in the fridge to thin them out. Utterly crispy and delicious! Thank you!!!

  14. These were fantastic and tasted just as good as traditional chocolate chip cookies. I don’t know if it was the brand of brown sugar I used or the fact that I left the dough in the fridge overnight but they were really brown. I was worried I burnt them but they were actually perfect. The consistency is great and they stay soft for a while which is nice.

  15. I used just 3/4 cup of pure granulated sugar, left out the brown sugar and it still turned out fantastically for me. When I pulled them out of the oven, I initially thought it was way too soft, but you’re right! It DID firm up after cooling. Also, I’m looking to cut the 3/4 cup of sugar in half (6 TBSP, apparently), but wanted to know if I needed to adjust the flour, baking soda, or baking powder to make up for the smaller amounts of dry ingredients. Or, does the amount of sugar not matter?

    Thanks for THE BEST VEGAN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE recipe ever!!

  16. I don’t usually eat vegan but I ran out of eggs and was really craving a good cookie. These are so good and simple! I’m saving this recipe to use as my new standard. Thanks!

    1. My kids are allergic to dairy and eggs. These cookies were a hit with them!it will now be our go to recipe. Thanks for sharing.

      Also, I normally do not leave comments but this one was too perfect not to.

  17. Just made these cookies and they turned out perfectly. I refrigerated the dough for about an hour before baking and they kept the perfect shape. I will definitely be making these again. Thanks for the recipe.