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.
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.
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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! 😉
Ingredients + Substitutions
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this healthier vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe.
- 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.
Add the dry ingredients to a small bowl and whisk together. (photo 1)
Add the wet ingredients to another bowl and mix well. (photo 2)
Add the flour mixture and chocolate chips to the bowl of wet ingredients and mix well. (photo 3)
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.
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
If you tried this recipe, please let me know 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 YouTube to see more delicious food.
Buon appetito
Rosa
📖 Recipe
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
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.
Nutrition
FAQ
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.
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.
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.
Rosa says
I think an equal swap should work but I haven’t tested these with all purpose flour, so I can’t say for sure. Let me know if you try it.
Teresa says
Just made the chocolate chips cookie 🍪 they are so delicious me, and my family love it so much. Thank you for your wonderful recipes ❤️
Rosa says
Aww my pleasure Teresa. Thanks so much for the review. 🙂
Marion says
These were delicious!!! Made them for my kids to have a healthier treat and we all loved them. I love that these are low fat and sugar but still so yummy! Thank you!
Rosa says
Oh yay, great news! Happy everyone enjoyed. 🙂
Bri M says
While it is nice to have a simple recipe that is quick to make when needed, these really should not be called cookies. They are more like an oven baked pancakes. I am disappointed in the texture but satisfied with the ease to round up the ingredients.
Rosa says
Hi Bri, sorry you were disappointed. If you read the post, you’ll see that I do comment on their fluffy, pancake-like texture. These are not ordinary chocolate chip cookies, as I’ve indicated at the very top of the post. Glad you found them easy to make!
Natalie says
Would these work with raisins instead of chocolate chips?
Rosa says
Yes, absolutely. Enjoy Natalie. 🙂
Kristin Curtis says
Mine look nothing like the picture. Mine were way darker (probably because of the whole wheat flour I used) and the dough was super sticky so they’re not as smooth and nice looking. Felt like more of a dense biscuit than a fluffy cookie others describe. Maybe user error. It was easy and tastes pretty good for a healthy cookie. Definitely breakfast haha
Rosa says
Hi Kristin, yes unfortunately this does sound like user error. These cookies call for oat flour, not whole wheat flour, so that’s likely why yours didn’t turn out as shown in the images. Hope that helps! 🙂
Nancy Vogt says
These cookies are fantastic- they are really cake-like, which I love, and can’t believe they have almost no fat in them and so little sugar. I’m always looking for these types of recipes that are low-fat vegan with little sugar, so thanks for providing this one!!
Rosa says
Thanks so much for sharing Nancy. Thrilled you enjoyed them! 🙂
Azita says
Holy YUM!! My Omni husband, sister, and brother in law raves about these!! Made them slightly bigger so I only got 12 cookies. I was on my last bit of maple syrup so the last 1/8 of a cup or so I added molasses and wow! A nice cakey flavorful chocolate chip cookie you don’t have to feel guilty about. Making more this weekend and probably a every week cuz it’s just that good! WFPB game changer right here!
Rosa says
Aww thanks so much Azita. I’m so flattered you and your family loved these! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Vickie Lopez says
These cookies were delicious! They were a real treat and I didn’t feel bad about eating them! 🙂
My batch turned out to be around 14 cookies instead of 20. I ate 4 out of the whole batch and my husband ate the rest. I was surprised because he always wants the full fat, chocolate chip packed cookies! Thanks for a healthy recipe! Making them again soon 🙂
Rosa says
Thrilled you both enjoyed Vickie. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review. 🙂
Tierney says
Glad everyone else is getting a fluffy texture because I thought I was going insane. I have made chocolate bread now 3 times but still loving the flavour
Rosa says
Thanks for sharing Tierney! Thrilled you’re enjoying. 🙂