Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Before you start

A good vegan chocolate chip cookie does not need egg replacers that taste of flax or banana. In a cookie, egg mostly adds moisture and some binding, and a few tablespoons of plant milk with a teaspoon of cornstarch cover both jobs. Plenty of brown sugar gives chew and a caramel flavor, and a plant-based butter stick provides the richness.

The key choice is the fat. Firm stick-style vegan butter behaves most like dairy butter; soft tub spreads contain more water and make thin, cakey cookies. A 30-minute rest in the refrigerator lets the sugar dissolve and the flour hydrate, which gives a chewier center, a crisper edge and less spread. Check the chocolate label, since many semisweet chips contain milk.

Ingredients

• 115 g (½ cup) plant-based butter sticks — softened; not tub spread
• 165 g (¾ cup packed) light brown sugar
• 50 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
• 45 ml (3 tbsp) unsweetened oat or soy milk — room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 220 g (1¾ cups, spooned and leveled) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp fine salt
• 170 g (1 cup) dairy-free chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
• to finish flaky salt — optional

Method

1. Beat the plant butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed for 2 minutes, until smooth and lighter in color.
2. Add the plant milk and vanilla and beat for 30 seconds. The mixture may look a little separated; it comes together once the flour goes in.
3. Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Add to the bowl and mix on low until just combined, then stir in the chocolate by hand.
4. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 175°C (350°F) and line the sheets with parchment.
5. Scoop 45 g balls (about 3 tablespoons) and place 8 per sheet, at least 6 cm apart. Press a few extra chocolate pieces onto the tops for looks.
6. Bake one sheet at a time for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are golden and set and the centers look puffy and slightly underbaked. Sprinkle with flaky salt.
7. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 10 minutes; they are soft while hot and firm up as they cool. Move to a rack.

Tips for success

• For crinkled, flatter cookies, lift the pan and drop it on the rack twice in the last 2 minutes of baking.
• Plant butters vary in salt. Taste a tiny bit of the butter; if it is salty, cut the added salt to ¼ teaspoon.
• Chill the dough up to 48 hours for an even deeper toffee flavor; bake straight from cold and add a minute.

Substitutions

Plant-based butter sticks

Refined coconut oil (100 g, softened, not melted) works but gives a crisper, flatter cookie. Unrefined coconut oil adds coconut flavor.

Oat or soy milk

Any unsweetened plant milk or aquafaba (chickpea liquid) works at the same amount; aquafaba makes slightly crisper edges.

All-purpose flour

Up to 60 g can be replaced with whole wheat flour for a nuttier flavor and a slightly drier, heartier crumb.

Variations

Double chocolate

Replace 25 g of the flour with unsweetened cocoa powder and use chopped dark chocolate.

Tahini chocolate chip

Replace 30 g of the plant butter with well-stirred tahini and add sesame seeds to the tops.

Troubleshooting

Cookies spread thin and greasy

Tub spread was used, or the dough was too warm. Use firm stick butter, chill the dough the full 30 minutes, and use a cool baking sheet for each batch.

Cookies stayed tall and cakey

Too much flour or not enough sugar. Weigh the flour, and flatten the dough balls slightly before baking.

Cookies are hard after cooling

They baked too long. Take them out while the centers still look underdone.

Storage

Store cooled cookies airtight at room temperature for up to 4 days. Freeze dough balls for up to 3 months and bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes.

Safety notes

This dough has no egg but contains raw flour, so do not eat it unbaked. Plant butters and milks may contain soy, coconut or nuts, and many chocolate chips contain milk; check labels for allergies or strict vegan diets.