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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies [Oil Free]

    Published: May 16, 2023 by Rosa · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, meaning if you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.

    2.0K shares
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    Vegan chocolate chip cookies pin
    Vegan chocolate chip cookies pin

    A delicious sweet treat that everyone can enjoy! These vegan chocolate chip cookies are not your ordinary cookies. Instead, they’re soft and fluffy in texture, lightly sweetened, and taste delicious.

    Plant based cookies with chocolate chips on a cooling rack.

    This recipe was originally published in March 2019. It has been updated for content and photos.

    This fun twist on classic chocolate chip cookies brings you the perfect plant based cookies.

    They’re soft, chewy, and fluffy like baby chocolate chip pancakes! Plus, they’re allergen friendly: gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free, egg-free and oil free, too.

    With an added bonus of being wholesome (especially compared to store-bought cookies) so feel good about enjoying these. 🙂

    And if you’re a fan of healthy plant based cookies, try these almond flour cookies, vegan peanut butter cookies (with chickpeas!!) or these yummy almond butter cookies.

    Jump to:
    • Reader Feedback:
    • What makes them healthy?
    • Ingredients + Substitutions
    • Instructions
    • Storage
    • Expert Tips
    • More healthier plant based cookies
    • 📖 Recipe
    • FAQ

    Reader Feedback:

    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ They were soooooo goooood!!😃 its half passed midnight 4 days later, and I’m making another batch for a road trip tomorrow, gotta have healthy snacks available, thank you so much for this great recipe!!😁😁😁💖 – Autumn

    What makes them healthy?

    • For starters, these are WFPB (whole food plant based) cookies, meaning they’re suitable for whole food plant based eaters as they’re made with minimally processed ingredients.
    • They’re low in fat, using unsweetened applesauce instead of oil and/or vegan butter.
    • These plant based cookies are lightly sweetened with unrefined sugar from pure maple syrup.
    • AND, these wholesome cookies are made using oat flour. No all purpose flour or highly refined flour needed. Healthy enough for breakfast (as far as vegan cookie recipes go). 😉

    And look at those deliciously, melty, chocolate chips! These were a HUGE hit with my kiddos and they don’t need to know that they’re the healthiest vegan chocolate chip cookies they’d ever eaten! 😉

    Hands breaking a chocolate chip cookie in half.

    Ingredients + Substitutions

    Here’s everything you’ll need to make this healthier vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe.

    Ingredients needed to make plant based chocolate chip cookies.
    See recipe card for quantities.
    • Oat flour: You may purchase oat flour or make your own gluten free flour by grinding oats in your blender.
    • Baking powder: Use active baking powder for lift and spread. Baking powder that has been open in your pantry for 6+ months may start to lose its effectiveness.
    • Salt: A touch of salt adds flavour and amplifies the sweetness of these vegan cookies.
    • Maple syrup: An unrefined sweetener keeps these cookies wholesome, but if you must, you may sub with another liquid sweetener. The maple syrup replaces the need for refined sugars like brown sugar.
    • Applesauce: Choose unsweetened applesauce. (Again, to avoid refined sugar.) This replaces the need for coconut oil or other oils.
    • Vanilla: Use pure vanilla extract, and not the atificially flavoured kind.
    • Milk: I used soy milk, so there’s no dairy or cream, but another non-dairy milk such as cashew or almond milk also works well.
    • Chocolate chips: Make sure to choose dairy-free vegan chocolate chips (or chocolate chunks) to keep these cookies plant based. Or purchase vegan chocolate bars and break it up into bits or chunks. You may also sub with chopped nuts or dried fruit of your choice.

    Instructions

    (This is a summary with step by step photos, full recipe measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.)

    These are so simple to make, all you need is a couple bowls, a whisk, or a wooden spoon. No stand mixer required.

    White bowl with flour and baking powder inside.

    Add the dry ingredients to a small bowl and whisk together. (photo 1)

    Mixing bowl with a liquid mixture inside.

    Add the wet ingredients to another bowl and mix well. (photo 2)

    Mixing bowl with wet and dry ingredients and chocolate chips on top.

    Add the flour mixture and chocolate chips to the bowl of wet ingredients and mix well. (photo 3)

    Chocolate chip cookies on baking sheet before baking.

    Scoop the cookie dough onto your tray and bake for 10 minutes. (photo 4)

    NOTES: You should get around 20 cookies. Make sure to leave space in between each one. Allow the cookies to cool for at least 10 minutes before handling to help them set and firm up.

    Then transfer the plant based cookies to a wire rack to continue cooling, or enjoy them warm.

    Vegan chocolate chip cookies on cooling rack.

    Storage

    Keep your cookies at room temperature to enjoy within 1-2 days for the best texture.

    Or, you may store them in a sealed container and refrigerate to keep up for up to 5 days.

    To freeze, use an air tight freezer-safe container and layer with parchment paper. Keep frozen for up to 3 months.

    Expert Tips

    • Weigh your flour for the most accurate results. Scooping flour from a bag often results in too much flour, producing dry results. If you do not have a kitchen scale, spoon your flour into your measuring cups, and level it off with the back of a knife.
    • Use ACTIVE baking powder. Once opened for 6+ months in the pantry, baking powder will start to lose its effectiveness.
    • Your batter will look similar to pancake batter, and that’s to be expected. Remember, these are low fat plant based cookies and not your ordinary butter filled variety.
    • Let your cookies cool for 10 minutes once removed from the oven, before handling. This cool down period will help them firm up and set.

    More healthier plant based cookies

    • chickpea cookies with bite taken
      Healthy Peanut Butter Chickpea Cookies
    • stack of cookies with one cookie leaning on the stack.
      Allergen Friendly Vegan Sweet Potato Cookies
    • Close up of vegan shortbread cookies on cooling rack.
      Healthier Shortbread Cookies
    • cookie being dipped into glass of milk
      Healthy Vegan Oatmeal Cookies

    If you tried this recipe, please let me know about it in the comments below. I always love hearing from you! Don’t forget to Subscribe to This Healthy Kitchen to be among the first to get my new recipes! You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter to see more delicious food and get all the latest updates.

    Buon appetito

    Rosa

    📖 Recipe

    Hands breaking a chocolate chip cookie in half.

    Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies [Oil Free]

    Just 8 ingredients, and 20 minutes for a delicious + healthy plant based cookie. They're fluffy, soft + addictive!
    4.96 from 48 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Add to Collection Go to Collections
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Course: Breakfast, Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 20 Cookies
    Calories: 54kcal
    Author: Rosa

    Ingredients

    Dry Ingredients

    • 180 grams oat flour, gluten free if preferred approx. 1.5 cups
    • 1.5 teaspoon baking powder
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt

    Wet Ingredients

    • ⅓ cup soy milk
    • ⅓ cup maple syrup
    • ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

    Optional Fill In (But Recommended)

    • ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips
    US Customary – Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350℉/176℃ and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • Whisk together the 3 dry ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. In a separate, medium bowl, combine the wet ingredients and mix well. Then, add the dry ingredients and chocolate chips to the bowl of wet ingredients, and stir to combine.
    • Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to scoop the mixture onto your prepared baking tray to make approx. 20 cookies, leaving space in between each one.
    • Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Enjoy warm, or continue cooling to room temperature and enjoy.

    Notes

    • Weigh your flour for the most accurate results. Scooping flour from a bag often results in too much flour, producing dry results. If you do not have a kitchen scale, spoon your flour into your measuring cups, and level it off with the back of a knife.
    • Use ACTIVE baking powder. Once opened for 6+ months in the pantry, baking powder will start to lose its effectiveness.
    • Your batter will look similar to pancake batter, and that’s to be expected. Remember, these are low fat plant based cookies and not your ordinary butter filled variety.
    • Let your cookies cool for 10 minutes once removed from the oven, before handling. This cool down period will help them firm up and set.
     
    Best served within 1-2 days, but will keep 2-3 days at room temperature, up to 5 days refrigerated, or frozen for up to 3 months.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 54kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 65mg | Potassium: 53mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 9IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg
    DID YOU TRY THIS RECIPE?Mention @this.healthy.kitchen on IG and tag #thishealthykitchen!
    *Nutritional information is an estimate, calculated using online tools and does not include optional ingredients unless otherwise indicated.

    FAQ

    Are chocolate chips vegan?

    Not always. Milk chocolate chips are definitely not vegan. Some semi-sweet and most dark chocolate chips are vegan. Make sure to read the ingredients, and choose accordingly. For less sugar, use dark chocolate chips or chunks.

    What can I replace the chocolate chips with?

    If you prefer, you may omit the chocolate chips. Or you may sub for raisins, dried cranberries, chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts, unsweetened coconut or chopped dates.

    Can I make the oat flour?

    You bet. I always make my own by blending oats in my Vitamix. So if you don’t have any oat flour on hand, no need to rush out to the store.

    2.0K shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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    1. Jo

      July 01, 2023 at 12:33 pm

      I’m wondering if I’ve followed the recipe properly. They’ve come out very dry and crumbly. I used all the right ingredients.

      Reply
      • Rosa

        July 04, 2023 at 8:35 am

        Hi Jo, sorry you had some trouble. Did you weigh the flour? Scooping into cups won’t be as accurate and often results in too much flour being used since it gets packed into the cup. This batter is actually very wet compared to most cookie recipes, so it definitely won’t be crumbly if everything was followed exactly.

        Reply
    2. Judith

      December 22, 2022 at 4:34 pm

      5 stars
      I just tried this recipe to take to a friend. I made the mistake of not reading the tips all the way through and when the dough turned out more like a batter, I thought I had done something wrong and so added 1/3 cup of whole wheat flour. Luckily the cookies turned out OK this way also kind of cakey and very delicious. I added white chocolate chips, cranberries and pumpkin seeds to the the cookie dough and it turned out delicious . thank you for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Rosa

        December 23, 2022 at 8:46 am

        You’re very welcome Judith, glad it worked for you and thanks for sharing your process with us. 🙂

        Reply
    3. Melanie

      October 20, 2022 at 9:32 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious! Added cacao powder and a scoop of chocolate protein powder and they came out perfect!

      Reply
      • Rosa

        October 22, 2022 at 10:25 am

        Fantastic! Thrilled you enjoyed these Melanie. 🙂

        Reply
    4. Victoria

      August 03, 2022 at 11:15 pm

      5 stars
      These are soo yummy!! I used oat milk instead of soy and they came out great! Will be making again and again 🙂

      Reply
      • Rosa

        August 04, 2022 at 9:09 am

        So glad you enjoyed these Victoria, thanks for sharing. 🙂

        Reply
    5. Lisa

      May 22, 2022 at 8:58 pm

      5 stars
      Wow! These were so good I had to make a second batch before the first was even gone! Decided to add raisins along with the dark chocolate chips to the second batch! I am definitely saving this recipe! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Rosa

        May 24, 2022 at 8:36 am

        Thanks so much for sharing Lisa. 🙂

        Reply
    6. Cammie

      March 28, 2022 at 5:37 pm

      I made these today, but instead of cookies, I made them in an 8X8 pan. More cakey like, but Oh So GOOD!

      Reply
      • Rosa

        March 29, 2022 at 8:10 am

        Oh, fun! Sounds great, thanks for sharing. 🙂

        Reply
    7. Elizabeth Bell

      January 03, 2022 at 2:46 pm

      Can I use all purpose flour and skip the choclate chips?

      Reply
      • Rosa

        January 03, 2022 at 3:42 pm

        Hi Elizabeth, yes you may skip the chocolate chips but I haven’t tried these with all purpose flour, so I can’t say for sure. If you give it a try, please let us know how it goes.

        Reply
        • Jim McNeely

          March 21, 2022 at 11:06 am

          I tried whole wheat flour, and they were spongy and awful. Really really horrible. It’s hard to believe something with chocolate chips could be that bad, but they were.

          Reply
          • Rosa

            March 21, 2022 at 2:35 pm

            Whole wheat flour is a very dense flour and these cookies were not tested using it. Unfortunately, the same results can’t be expected when changing the main ingredient.

            Reply
            • Jim McNeely

              March 21, 2022 at 4:27 pm

              No problem, I just tried it because I didn’t have any oat flour. I’m reporting this as a failed experiment, no criticism of your recipe intended at all!

            • Rosa

              March 21, 2022 at 7:38 pm

              Thanks for reporting back! 🙂

    8. kevin l youngblood

      December 15, 2021 at 8:46 pm

      5 stars
      Very Good, I keep making double batches, everybody loves them.

      Reply
      • Rosa

        December 16, 2021 at 8:11 am

        Thrilled to hear that Kevin. Thanks so much for the review. 🙂

        Reply
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    Hi, I'm Rosa! Welcome to This Healthy Kitchen where you'll find tasty and nutritious, plant-based recipes. I'm an avid home cook who believes food is medicine. Each recipe is made using wholesome ingredients and under 400 calories per serving with many gluten-free and oil-free options. Occasional cheat days included. 😉

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