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This is the ultimate recipe for eggless chocolate chip cookies. Soft, chewy, crispy around the edges, and perfectly rich, they’re everything you could ever want in a vegan chocolate chip cookie. Over 400 recipe testers agree—you won't find a better recipe anywhere!
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This recipe uses no costly hard-to-find ingredients, and you aren’t going to find complicated steps and headaches here, or boring, unhelpful stories about how I learned this recipe from my grandma. Just pure, buttery, crispy-edged, chocolate-studded perfection that’s easy enough to whip up on a weeknight.
Perfect not only for dunking in your tall, frosty glass of oat milk, they are also the bomb dot com alongside some vegan Thai tea, or a steamy warm mug of bandrek on a chilly winter evening. Did you know Santa Claus is lactose intolerant from over-doing it on dairy-ass-crap for all of these years? He’s going to be downright psyched that you put a plate of these out for him instead!
You might be thinking, “egg-free chocolate chip cookies?? How are these going to not suck?” Well, one winter I spent about a month testing and tweaking countless different ratios to get the exact vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe I was after. (Yes, I am a little bit obsessive when I want to get a recipe just right). Anyway, what you see before you is the winner of that month of continuous tweaking and experimentation.
I am super-confident about this one thingy: you’re going to love how these turn out!
Jump to:
🥰Why you’ll adore these eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies
✊ Vegan AF: No m’dear love. These don’t just not have eggs. Like all of my vegan dessert recipes, these bad boys don’t have a single animal-derived ingredient. Good for your cholesterol intake, better for the animals who aren’t harmed for you to fulfill your cookie desires.
🕒 Quick and Easy: No need for complicated techniques or special equipment—this recipe comes together super-quickly with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.
✅ Tested and Approved Worldwide: Like all the vegan recipes I share, after perfecting these vegan chocolate chip cookies, I shared the recipe with a massive team of recipe testers from all around the planet who all nailed it and gave overwhelmingly positive feedback.
🍪 Vegan chocolate chip cookie ingredients
Vegan Butter
Vegan butter is the base of these cookies, providing richness and moisture. While you can make your own, following the recipe I share in my vegan dairy crash course, just about any store brand works. I have not only had great success making it with Earth Balance, Melt, and Trader Joe’s vegan butter, but I have also pulled them off beautifully with refined coconut oil too.
Sugar
I like to use evaporated cane juice (it’s a dry granulated sweetener, not a liquid) as the primary "white" sugar in my kitchen. You can use just about any. I 100% don’t mess with xylitol because it’s deadly poisonous to dogs, and since I live with 4 rescues (and a rescued wallaby named Doyle), xylitol is something I just crossed off my list and never looked back.
Brown Sugar
To get the flavor I really wanted, I knew part of the sugar used in the recipe had to be some kind of brown sugar. Regular ol' light brown sugar is fine. But since my wife tries to avoid consuming cane sugar, I always have coconut sugar and palm sugar on hand and they both work great in the recipe.
If you get coconut or palm sugar for this recipe and don’t know what the heck to do with the rest of the darn bag, I use them in tons of Southeast Asian desserts. Palm sugar is essential for making klepon, and bubur sumsum, and coconut sugar is amazing to make the coconut filling for kuih dadar.
Cornstarch
Cornstarch is the secret to an eggless yet tender cookie. Its fine starchy texture helps bind the dough and results in a soft cookie that can still nicely crisp up around the edges. If you don’t have cornstarch, both arrowroot powder and tapioca starch work fine as replacements.
Vanilla
I love the Neilson Massey vanilla, but have also sorta fallen in love with the affordable vanilla available at Costco. Don’t judge me
Vanilla powder is also a great alternative so that the cookies are speckled with little black bits of vanilla bean. It’s the same ingredient I use to make my coconut panna cotta and my Filipino suman recipe.
Dairy-Free Chocolate Chips
Having chocolate chip cookies that are light on the chocolate chips is like making bombolini that’s not bursting at the darned seams with custardy goodness. And by that, I mean it sucks and is a sad, sad disappointment.
I like to use a semi-sweet chocolate chip so that the end result is rich but not cloyingly sweet. Chips are more versatile than full chocolate bars to keep on hand, not only for cookies but also to make homemade vegan Nutella or martabak (Indonesian chocolate and peanut stuffed pancakes).
Coarse Sea Salt (Optional)
A sprinkle of coarse sea salt on top of the cookies adds a delightful contrast to the sweetness and enhances the chocolate flavor. This is 200% optional, but it’s a great way to elevate your cookies to the next level. Fleur de sel or Maldon salt flakes are perfect for this if you have them on hand.
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities, nutritional info, and detailed cooking directions.
🤯Variations
Vegan Matcha Chocolate Chip Cookies:
Replace 4 teaspoons of the flour with ceremonial grade matcha powder to create a bright green, more nuanced flavor. Made with a gluten-free flour mix, this is 100% my wife Joey’s fave cookie in the galaxy. I actually wrote a standalone soft vegan matcha cookie recipe you might want to check out, made with optional mini marshmallows in it.
Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Tiramisu:
That’s right. You don’t have to make Tiramisu by using vegan ladyfingers! Oh no. This is next level insanity. Just follow the instructions in my vegan tiramisu recipe, and soak these chocolate chip cookies in the coffee syrup, layer with vegan mascarpone and get ready for the BOMB sugar rush.
Vegan Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies:
I mean obviously, right? Just add a generous handful of crushed walnuts to the batter. You can also add dried cranberries, as I sometimes do with my vegan oatmeal cookies. Who’s gonna stop you?
📖 How to make eggless chocolate chip cookies
Nail these precious cookies that will make Chips Ahoy and Famous Amos hold each other in shame in a corner while they cry into each other’s factory-farmed egg-laden arms. These will come out perfectly on your first shot by following these step-by-step photos with helpful tips. Or scroll down to the bottom of this page for the easy-to-print recipe card.
Step One
Whip It Real Good:
In a large mixing bowl (or using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment), beat together the room-temperature softened butter, cornstarch, and both types of sugar for several minutes until the mixture turns light and fluffy. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is well blended.
Step Two
Water You Waiting For?
Slowly add the water and vanilla extract to the buttery-sugar blend, and keep beating on medium-high speed for a few more minutes until the mixture smooths out and no longer looks curdled.
Step Three
Austin Flours:
Sift the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt directly into the wet ingredients, and mix just until everything is combined. Avoid over-mixing to keep the dough from getting too dense.
Step Four
Chip Off the Old Block:
Save a couple of tablespoons of chocolate chips for later, and gently fold the rest into the dough until they're evenly spread throughout. If you're adding any nuts like walnuts or macadamia pieces, now's the time to mix them in.
Chill the dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up. This is essential for them to bake right, so don’t try to skip that chilling time, ok?
✅ Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step Five
Dough and Steady Wins the Race:
Scoop out dough balls that are roughly two tablespoons each, and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Flatten each ball slightly with the palm of your hand, leaving space between them for spreading.
Press the reserved chocolate chips into the tops of the cookies, and if you're feeling fancy, sprinkle a pinch of coarse sea salt on top.
Step Six
Bake the cookies on the center rack for 12-14 minutes, until the edges turn golden brown and begin to lift slightly from the parchment paper. The centers might still look a bit puffy, but don’t worry—they’ll firm up just enough as they cool.
Step Seven
Rack-Ack-Ack-Ack-Ack, You Oughta Know by Now:
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up.
Then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
👉Top tips
- Chill That Dough: If you take only one thing away from this notes section, I pray that it’s this. Letting the dough chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes is non-negotiable. This not only helps the cookies maintain their shape while baking but also allows the flour to become properly hydrated, leading to a richer, more complex cookie.
- Room Temperature Matters: When you are initially mixing the dough, make sure your vegan butter and water are both at room temperature before you start mixing. Cold ingredients can cause the dough to seize up, while overly warm ingredients might make it too runny, leading to inconsistent cookies.
- Don't Overwork the Dough: Once you’ve added the flour, mix only enough for the dough to come together. Over-mixing will develop too much gluten, resulting in tough, dense cookies rather than the soft, chewy texture you’re aiming for.
- Rotate Your Baking Sheet: Halfway through baking, rotate your baking sheet 180 degrees, and if the heat in your oven is super uneven, also swap the shelf each cookie tray is on. This ensures that the cookies bake evenly, especially if your oven has any hot spots, so you get uniform results without a single burnt or underdone eggless cookie.
- Good Things Come to Those Who Wait: I know. The cookies just came out of the oven and you can’t resist. But give them a full 5 minutes on their trays to set before transferring them to a wire rack to cool down. I mean if you have to take one for the team and have a single hot one, I understand. But don’t judge the result by them in that state. They get even better once fully set up!
🤷♀️ Recipe FAQs
The truth is, it’s just not necessary. I did double-blind taste testing, and found that using vegan milk just made the results less consistent and reliable, since there are so many brands that all have different fat, protein, and sugar content. I mean, I checked it out and using sweetened almond milk or unsweetened soy milk are going to give you extremely different cookies!
Water gives the dough all the moisture it needs for soft, chewy cookies without the extra cost or complication of needing to have plant-based milk on hand. Which I thought would be great in this eggless cookie recipe since not everyone making it will be vegan (yet).
Store these eggless chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container at room temperature to keep your cookies soft. (Chilling them hardens the fats making them firmer if that's your thing).
They’ll stay fresh and soft for up to 5 days, as long as it’s not absurdly hot in your kitchen. For longer storage, freeze them—just be sure to thaw them at room temperature for the best texture.
Absolutely! To freeze the dough for this chocolate chip cookie recipe, scoop it into portions and place the balls on a baking sheet. Freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag. When ready to bake, thaw the cookie dough in the refrigerator overnight, and then roll into cookie dough balls to flatten and bake.
Remember to top the cookies with additional chips before baking.
Puffy cookies can happen if the dough was too cold or if you overmixed the flour, which can incorporate too much air into the dough. To avoid this, make sure the dough is slightly softened before baking and mix just until combined.
Yes, you can make these vegan cookies gluten-free! Substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend. Keep in mind that the texture might be slightly different from a traditional chocolate chip cookie, but they’ll still be delicious and chewy.
Yes, I mean, edible cookie dough is one of the biggest benefits of vegan cookie recipes, right? Raw vegan cookie dough is generally safe to eat since it doesn’t contain eggs, which can contain salmonella and other food-borne illnesses.
However, especially if you are immunocompromised, make sure the flour you use has been heat-treated to kill any potential bacteria that can be hanging out in the flour itself. You can do this by spreading the flour on a baking sheet and baking it at 350°F (180°C) for five minutes before using it in your recipe.
The raw cookie dough can be awesome added to the top of pancakes, and as I used to do on our food truck, combined with peanut butter and used as a topping for Korean donuts.
✌️Like vegan chocolate chip cookies? You'll love these other vegan desserts too:
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For just $1: Take a fun vegan dessert cooking class with Cinnamon Snail’s Chef Adam Sobel and Chef Amanda Bankert from Boneshaker, Paris.
Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegan butter room temperature
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup sugar
- ⅔ cup brown sugar coconut sugar, or palm sugar
- ¼ cup water room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt optional
Instructions
- Cream the room-temperature vegan butter, cornstarch, and both sugars, in a mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), beating them together for several minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing.
- Gradually add the water and vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture. Continue to beat the mixture on medium-high speed for a few more minutes, until it no longer appears curdled and becomes smooth.
- Sift in the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix just until combined. Do not over mix to prevent gluten development, which might cause to you have lumpy batter which bakes unevenly.
- Hold aside a couple of tablespoons of chocolate chips to top the cookies with. Fold in the rest of the chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough. If you are adding walnuts, macadamia pieces, or other nuts, you can mix them in now. Cover the dough and chill it in the refrigerator for at least thirty minutes to chill the fat.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Portion the chilled dough into balls approximately 2 tablespoons, using a cookie scoop or spoon. Flatten the dough balls with the palm of your hand onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each to allow for spreading. Distribute the reserved chocolate chips onto the tops of the cookies, pressing them into the surface. If desired, sprinkle a pinch of coarse sea salt on each cookie.
- Bake the cookies on the center rack of the oven for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. The centers may still appear puffy and slightly underdone, but they will set as they cool.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
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D says
Hi
Would monkfruit work as a sweetener substitute?
Adam Sobel says
I honestly sorta can't stand the flavor of monkfruit or stevia, so I haven't tested the recipe with either. If you try it, I would love to hear how it works out for you.
Liat says
Can these be made into one large cookie pie? Can it be frozen and then defrosted to eat?
Adam Sobel says
I've never made it as a cookie pie, but I would imagine it would work. Probably will need more baking time. The dough can be frozen well for sure.
Daisy says
Hands downnnnnn the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe. The cornstarch is a must—it’s gonna get you that chewy center and crispy exterior. The recipe is also as simple as it gets for a great cookie. This recipe is now a family staple. Don’t you dare not try this!!! 🙃
Adam Sobel says
This put such a smile on my face to read today. Thanks for making & loving the recipe, and thanks for your kind words. ❤️
Kelly McLaughlin says
This is a fantastic recipe! It makes a big batch of perfect cookies and I can’t wait to try different combos of add-ins for fun. A keeper, for sure!
dosa princess says
I was lucky to test this recipe. The cookies came out great very buttery and moist. My non vegans friends loved them and the few that remained after a few days were still the same texture as the freshly made. I will definitely be making more of these and trying some other flavor combinations. Thank you Adam great recipe.
Daisy says
So easy, and these are very delicious cookies! No odd ingredients. Perfect flavor and texture.