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. 
Karen
Holy moly these cookies turned out amazing!! (Kids all agreed!). As usual your recipes don’t disappoint & are always delicious. Thankyou for your talents with us.
★★★★★
Kate
I love it! Thank you for sharing, Karen.
Valerie
I’ve made these cookies three times. Not only are they delicious, but the recipe is very forgiving. This last time I forgot to add the water, realizing it during the combine dry-and-wet step. So I added the water then and the cookies didn’t seem to mind! Thank you so much for this super-easy, vegan recipe. My 11-year-old son and cookie aficionado loves the soft chewy inside and crunch outside. Yum!
★★★★★
Necoma
I’m in love with these cookies, never tasted one I like better. Thanks so much
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Necoma!
Richa
Hi Kate!
I’m planning to try this recipe and wanted to know if the water used in the recipe is warm or normal room temperature water?
Also, can I use canola oil in place of coconut/olive oil?
Kate
Hi! It was normal tap or room temperature. I prefer the oils listed, but canola may work too. I hope you enjoy them!
Heather
I’ve made these cookies so many times and they come out perfectly every time!
I sometimes add raisins instead of chocolate chips and they’re still amazing.
Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Heather.
Emilie
This recipe is great!
I used olive oil, brown and cane sugar, swapped a quarter cup of the whole wheat APF for wheat germ and used a 100g Lindt 70% cacao bar chopped in place of chocolate chips.
With all substitutions these turned out crispy (not cake-y or too thin), nutty and rich in flavor. Will keep this recipe bookmarked for future uses!
★★★★★
K
Best vegan chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever made. I usually don’t like chocolate chip cookies, but these ones I devoured! :)
★★★★★
Kate
I’m happy to hear that, K! Thank you for your review.
Kate M
This is our favorite cookie recipe! Any experience making it as a cookie cake, such as in a pie dish?! How do you think I’d need to adjust the oven temp or baking time? Thanks!
★★★★★
Kate
Hi! I haven’t tried it as a cookie cake so I can’t say for certain without trying it. Sorry!