For years, I’ve been searching for my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe. I want outrageously delicious bakery-style chocolate chip cookies that completely capture my attention upon first bite. I want a chewy middle, barely crisp edges, complex flavor, and rich chocolate chips.
I want all of that in a cookie recipe that’s easy to make. No mixer required. No creaming of softened-but-not-too-soft butter. No chilling the dough for 24 hours. I don’t have the patience for any of that. Sometimes a girl just needs a cookie!
These chocolate chip cookies are the best homemade chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had. My cookie search is over.
These cookies are so delicious and supremely easy to make. The dough needs a very reasonable 30-minute chill in the refrigerator, and let me tell you, they’re worth the brief wait.
Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Also amazing? These cookies are (shockingly) vegan. That’s right, there’s no butter or eggs in this recipe, but you’d never guess it.
How? Instead of butter, these cookies use melted coconut oil, extra-virgin olive oil, or a neutral-flavored oil like avocado oil. The eggs are simply omitted with no downsides.
For non-vegans like me, this means that the recipe is even easier to make than standard chocolate chip cookies.
For those with dairy or egg allergies, these cookies are a total game changer.
The remaining ingredients are simple and wholesome. You’ll need whole wheat flour, chocolate chips, sugar, coconut sugar or brown sugar, and your basic salt and leavening agents. I sprinkled my cookies with some flaky sea salt to make them even more irresistible.
How These Amazing Chocolate Chip Cookies Came to Be
I can’t take full credit for this recipe. I was intrigued by the original recipe offered in the Ovenly Cookbook, via Food52. I made several adjustments to their ingredients and method.
I swapped whole wheat flour for all-purpose, which is undetectable in the final product. I also substituted coconut sugar for brown sugar, which is less refined (for those wondering, it is impossible to make bakery-style cookies using liquid natural sweeteners). I experimented with oils other than canola, which is highly processed and high in omega-6s.
I also found a chilling time shortcut. If you scoop the dough onto the sheets and then chill it, 30 minutes in the freezer works just as well as their 24-hour recommendation. That way, the recipe works with coconut oil, which solidifies at cool temperatures.
Coconut Oil vs. Olive Oil
We should talk a little bit about how your choice of oil affects the final product. I didn’t notice any textural differences with any of the oils, but virgin coconut oil offers a slight coconut flavor. Olive oil tastes like, well, olive oil, especially when the cookies are warm.
If you enjoy the flavor of either of those oils on their own, I think you’ll love how they shine through in these cookies and make the flavor more interesting. I’m partial to coconut oil. If you want cookies that taste like standard bakery chocolate chip cookies, use refined coconut oil or a neutral oil like avocado oil or safflower oil.
Cookie Dough Safety Note
Since the dough is egg free, it doesn’t carry the usual risk of salmonella poisoning. However, raw flour can carry a slight risk for E.Coli or other pathogens. So, I don’t recommend eating this dough, either!
Here’s more information from the CDC about raw flour (thank you to Tara for sharing).
More Cookie Recipes to Enjoy
Please let me know how these cookies turn out for you in the comments. I hope they become your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, too.
Watch How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookies
Amazing Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Author:
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes (plus 30 minutes chill time)
- Yield: 13 cookies 1x
- Category: Cookie
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
The best chocolate chip cookie recipe! These cookies are easy to make with basic, wholesome ingredients. No mixer required! They’re miraculously vegan, too (no softened butter here). Recipe yields 13 large cookies.
Ingredients
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 ¼ cups chocolate chips*
- ⅔ cup lightly packed coconut sugar or ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil**
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon water
- Maldon flaky sea salt for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine, then add the chocolate chips and toss to coat.
- In a large bowl, combine the coconut sugar, regular sugar, oil and water. Whisk until the sugar has incorporated into the oil and the mixture is smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture, then stir just until combined and no more flour is visible (don’t overdo it).
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Fill an ice cream scoop two-thirds with dough (or spoon the mixture into even 2-inch mounds), and place the dough onto one of the prepared sheets. Repeat with remaining dough, leaving several inches of space around each cookie.
- Freeze the cookies on their pans for 30 minutes, or chill them for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
- When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake until the edges are just starting to turn golden, about 14 to 17 minutes. Place the baking sheet on a cooling rack and sprinkle the cookies with flaky salt, if using. Repeat with the remaining cookies.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Ovenly’s Secretly Vegan Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies.
*Chocolate chip notes: I like Ghiradelli’s bittersweet 60% cacao chocolate chips. Use vegan/dairy free chocolate chips if necessary.
**Oil notes: You can taste the coconut or olive oil flavor lightly in these cookies. Use whichever one you prefer. For completely neutral-flavored cookies, use a neutral-flavored oil such as avocado oil or safflower oil.
Make it dairy free/vegan: Simply use dairy-free/vegan chocolate chips, such as Enjoy Life brand.
Make it gluten free: Bob’s Red Mill’s gluten-free all-purpose flour blend works great!
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Torontoyogi
Hi! I really enjoy the recipes on this site and have followed quite a few. These turned out okay… they didn’t spread much. Texture is good though. I think it must’ve been something on my end, as the other reviewers seem to have had better luck!
★★★
Kate
I’m sorry you didn’t love these.
Katie
Hi Kate,
My hubby and I love these cookies, but especially so since I can’t eat gluten and we’re both plant based. But we’d love to make them into pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. We saw your pumpkin cookie recipe and were wondering if we took out the 1/4 cup plus one tablespoon of water and replaced it with one cup of pure pumpkin purée and some yummy spices if you think that would work out?
Thanks!
Katie
Kate
Hi Katie! Pumpkin Cookies may be an option to try. I wouldn’t know without trying your specific changes if they would work or not.
Galen
Followed the recipe steps…the mix was very dry so I added several tablespoons of water. Was still a bit crumbly when forming into balls.
Wow! These are tasty cookies! Nice job Kate
★★★★★
Rehha
Hey kate,
The cookies turn out just so delicious.. I made them second time today.. and I am a regular here.. you are my go to place for meal ideas..
Thankyou !!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed this.
Gayle
I have had this recipe saved for awhile. Tend to make your brownies every time! Decided to try and it is quite honestly the best chocolate cookie I have ever baked! I went with coconut oil, 72% chocolate chips and the flaky salt. Amazing! Exactly what I want in old favorite. Thank you!!
★★★★★
Kate
Great to hear, Gayle! Thank you for sharing.
Carr
I followed the instructions except I added a little a little vanilla extract, I used light Olive oil,and I used Swerve Brown sugar replacement, and Monk Fruit for the white sugar substitute, the cookies didn’t come out crunchy, and I prefer crunchy cookies instead of soft ones. Is there anything I can do to make them slightly crunchy?
Thank You
★★★★
Jennifer
These cookies turned out amazing! They kept their shape and were so tasty! Going to make another batch right now.
★★★★★
Gina
This is my go to recipe. I will not use any other chocolate chip cookie recipe. These are the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever had in my whole life! They are delicious and they are beautiful. They turn out perfectly every single time!
Amy
These are the best chocolate chip cookies ever. I usually use non-dairy chocolate chunks and sometimes I’ll throw in some vegan m&m’s and I always get rave reviews. People are absolutely shocked when I tell them they’re made with whole wheat and olive oil. I’ve had multiple tell me they are the best cookies they’ve ever had, and I’ve had multiple requests for them this Christmas. Thank you for such a great recipe!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m excited you enjoyed them, Amy! I appreciate you taking the time to review .
Michelle
Made these and love them! thanks for the recipe :) I used a little less sugar (both of them) and added two scoops of chocolate protein powder and they’re still perfect.
★★★★★
Debb Rivers
I made these this morning and they are delicious.I used only 1 cup of brown sugar and left out the white.
★★★★★
Candice
Not only are these really easy to make, they are absolutely delicious. Definitely a family favourite at our house.
★★★★★
Kate
Great to hear, Candice! I appreciate your review.
Janal Cummings
These cookies are amazing! Not that I doubted you, but we kept biting and staring and saying YUM, ha! I used 100% stone ground whole wheat which worried me a bit but they were perfect! I used unrefined coconut oil. I used the chocolate chips you recommended too. They looked just like your photo… the best texture ever. Thank you, thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you loved them, Janal! I appreciate your review.
Avrie
My daughter and both of my young grandsons are on dairy restricted diets. Whenever I try a new recipe, Fletcher who is 4, gets to rate the outcome yuck or yum. If yum, then the recipe goes in my binder. My daughter said that when Fletcher saw the cookies, he did a happy dance and rated them “oh so yummy!” His highest rating yet!!! Many thanks!
★★★★★
Kate
Love to hear that, Avrie!
Shark
These are incredible! I’ve been looking for an actually good vegan chocolate chip cookie forever, and these are way better than good. Subbed in trader Joe’s blueberry lavender almond milk for the water and it was really good. Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
Great to hear, Shark! I appreciate your review.
Jess
I ‘m French living in Europe and I’ve been following you for a while and I must say for the first time my 3 kids and I loved those cookies !!
★★★★★
Kate
That’s great to hear, Jess! I’m excited they are a hit with your family.
alex
These turned out so well! Definitely will be my go-to.
★★★★★
Kate
That’s great to hear, Alex!
Emy Lee
Hi Kate, I’m surprised the recipe doesn’t contain eggs – how come please? Thanks!
Kate
I hope you try it! They are so good.
Eunyoung Kim
Hello from South Korea! I made these cookies (without salt sprinkle) when I visited my friend’s house yesterday. I wasn’t sure if the cookies came out well because it was my first time to try to make them. But it turned out… I loved them, my husband loved them, and so my friend and her husband did!!! It was very successful, and I also made the cookies with the remaining dough, sprinkling salt on the top. It also tasted good! My husband preferred salted cookies. Everyone was happy about these cookies. Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe!!!
★★★★★
Kate
Wonderful! I’m glad these cookies were a hit.
Brynn Olenberg Sugarman
I love this recipe! I used it to make a giant chocolate chip cookie for my husband’s birthday…worked great! I just backed it a bit longer…also, I swapped 1/3 cup oatmeal mash left over from making oat milk for 1/3 cup flour, and that also worked well! Thank you for this yummy vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe!
Clarice
Cookies were delicious the first day, but the second day they were hard as a rock.
I stored them in a airtight container too.
Kate
Hi Clarice. I’m sorry to hear that. Were they completely cooled when you put them in the container?
Min
hi! how can you add in cocoa powder as well and do you know how much? because i would also like the cookies to be chocolate too :)
★★★★★
Robin Petros
For your amazing Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, an I substitute apple sauce, honey or maple syrup for the 1/2 C sugar? How much?
Kate
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. I recommend this best as written.
Caitlin
I leave the cookies in for 17 mins and they always come out very soft. Do they harden a bit when cooled or should I leave them in a bit longer? I know every oven can be a bit different… Thank you! Flavours are delish.
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Caitlin.
Kim
Soo good. Just made a second batch of these for this week. I had one fresh from the oven, such a treat!
★★★★★
Kate
Great to hear, Kim! I appreciate your review.
Nalira Rumaizan
Is it a must to freeze the dough? Can i leave the dough in the fridge for couple of hours and then shape them before baking?
★★★★★
Kate
I haven’t tried freezing the dough, so I can’t say for sure. I recommend this recipe best at written.