We’re no strangers to chocolate chip cookies (exhibits A, B, C, D, and E), but we were missing a more classic version of this timeless treat. Not anymore! Meet decadent vegan and gluten-free chocolate chip cookies with chewy, tender centers and crispy edges.
Made in 1 bowl with just 8 ingredients and a quick chill time, these buttery, caramelly cookies will satisfy your cookie craving in no time! Let us show you how it’s done!
These cookies begin with the wet ingredients: flax egg for binding, brown sugar and vegan butter for crisp, caramelized edges, and vanilla extract for classic cookie flavor. Creaming the vegan butter and brown sugar with a mixer breaks down the sugar and makes them fluffy.
For the dry ingredients, we’ve got salt for flavor and baking powder for a little lift to mimic what eggs would normally do. And for the flour, we we went for a classic texture with our 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. It works beautifully as a 1:1 swap for all-purpose flour (especially in cookies!).
Fold chocolate chips into the dough and set it in the fridge to chill. Chilling the dough ensures the cookies don’t spread too much and helps the flavors develop. After scooping, there’s no flattening needed (the oven does that for you!). Bake until golden on the edges, and it’s cookie time!
We hope you LOVE these vegan and gluten-free chocolate chip cookies! They’re:
Tender in the centers
Crispy on the edges
Buttery
Perfectly chewy
Classic
& SO delicious!
Pair them with a cold glass of dairy-free milk or a warm mug of hot cocoa, or make a cookie sundae with ice cream and hot fudge (yes, we went there)!
More Gluten-Free Cookie Recipes
- 1-Bowl Cowgirl Cookies (Vegan + Gluten-Free)
- Healthier Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 1-Bowl Ginger Cookies (V/GF)
- Grain-Free Cut Out Sugar Cookies (1 Bowl!)
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Classic Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal (to make a flax egg)
- 2 ½ Tbsp water (to make a flax egg)
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup softened vegan butter (we used Miyoko’s salted)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 heaping cup MB 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend* (1 cup + 2 Tbsp as original recipe is written)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks (ensure vegan-friendly as needed // we like Enjoy Life)
Instructions
- To a medium mixing bowl add flaxseed meal and water. Let the mixture gel for 5 minutes. Next add brown sugar and softened vegan butter. Beat with a hand mixer (or stand mixer) on medium-high for about 1 minute until creamed. Add vanilla and beat again for 20 seconds.
- Next add gluten-free flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir on low until just mixed. Finally, fold in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. When the dough is done chilling, use a cookie scoop to scoop out ~18 cookies, keeping them in mound shapes and spacing 2 inches apart (adjust amount of cookies if altering the default number of servings). Bake for 10-14 minutes — until edges are golden and centers are soft. Option to sprinkle with flaky salt for extra flavor!
- Let them rest on the baking sheet to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to fully cool (or you can eat them right away!). Store in an airtight container for 3-5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Video
Notes
*We tested a chicken egg in place of the flax egg and didn’t prefer it — the texture was more cakey. If you want to use a chicken egg, we suggest replacing the baking powder with half the amount of baking soda, but we haven’t tested it that way.
*Adapted from our Classic Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies (1 Bowl!).
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with Miyoko’s salted vegan butter.
ujwal meka says
Can this be made oil-free? I want to make cookies with a somewhat classic look. Maybe instead of 1/2 cup vegan butter I can use 2/3 cup seed butter and try to compensate for a thicker batter using……oat flour?
Hmm, we think they would be quite dense with that much seed butter. You might try adapting from this recipe instead.
Lyndsay says
So easy to come together and delicious! I used soy milk instead of water to make the flax egg. I used bob’s red mill 1-1 baking mix! Note your cookies will be sweeter based on which type of chocolate you use. Next time I’ll use a less sweet dark chocolate callett or bar, but this recipe is easy and fast! Thank you!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Lyndsay! Thanks so much for sharing. xo
prashanthi atluri says
I was wondering if this one could be made oil-free. I was also wondering what makes the cookies spread so you don’t have to flatten them. Thanks!!
Hi Prashanthi, vegan butter is what makes the cookies spread. Oil-free is going to be tricky here. We’d suggest adapting our chai-spiced oatmeal cookies into a chocolate chip cookie instead!
Gaby says
These came out really good!! This is my first time baking something gluten free and vegan from scratch, and i’m glad I gave it a shot. Only small thing for me is that it’s a tad too salty for my taste. Other than that, super good!!!
Thank you for sharing your experience, Gaby! We’re glad you enjoyed the cookies overall! xo
Stephanie says
This is one of the few recipes of yours that turned out horribly for me. I did not substitute anything, I made your flour blend using the metric weights provided, so it should be accurate, I used exact measurements you provided, used the Miyokos salted butter, even added some extra flour. The cookies still turned out insanely flat and think and taste like there is wayyyyyy too much sugar in them, not sure where I went wrong.
Oh no! We’re so sorry this one didn’t turn out well for you, Stephanie. It sounds like there wasn’t enough flour for some reason.
Denise Fosco says
I have been searching for a really great chocolate chip cookie recipe and I finally found the Ultimate Chocolate chip cookie recipe. Thank you so much for the spectacular recipe!
Yay! We’re so glad you found it and are enjoying the recipe, Denise! Thanks so much for sharing!
Danielle says
These were delicious. I made some substitutes based on what I had and my available time. I used coconut sugar in place of brown sugar and unrefined coconut oil in place of vegan butter. And I chilled in the freezer for 15m versus fridge for 30m. Surprisingly, they were still pretty mounded after cooking. I’ll definitely make again. Yummy!
Amazing! Thank you for sharing, Danielle! xo
Kirthana says
i just made some cookies and omg i am amazed at how good they are ! I tried many other substitute, but i could always taste the substitute. Here i have like an aftertaste of flaxseed but it might be because i put a little more then what’s suggested. Other then that, it’s the best recipe for me ! i can’t wait to make more :) THANKS
Whoop! We’re so glad you love the cookies, Kirthana. Thank you for sharing! The flax shouldn’t contribute any flavor. Is it possible it’s old/rancid or is golden flax (which has a toasty flavor vs. brown which has a neutral flavor)?
Abby says
These turned out awful unfortunately. Usually I love recipes from this site!
We’re so sorry these didn’t work out Abby! What gluten-free flour did you use?
Stephanie says
Y’all. Seriously. This is an excellent cookie, vegan, GF or no. I took some to a pot luck Wednesday and am making another batch for tomorrow. I got tons of compliments, even from those who weren’t necessarily after a cookie like this. AND SO EASY. Mine didn’t flatten as much as I expected, maybe because I hand-mixed? Anyway, I might press down just a tiny bit for this batch and see how it goes. This is a fast favorite for sure!!
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Stephanie. It sounds like your GF blend might be extra absorbent. Using slightly less flour should help!
Beth says
This is a great tasting cookie. I have baked it twice and both times it came out flat and chewy. What could be the problem.
I used the suggested custom flour in the website.
Hi Beth, sorry to hear the texture hasn’t been quite right! It sounds like they need more absorbency/flour. You may want to play around with the amount of cassava flour in the GF blend because some brands are more absorbent than others, or try adding a bit more flour. Hope that helps!
Richard says
Used bobs red mill GF flour, coconut sugar, and dark chocolate chunks.
We followed the recipe and the dough was delicious!
However when we baker it, it came out dry, cakey, salty, and kinda bitter :(
Crazy how the flavors switched in the oven! Not sure what happened but I ended up eating half the batch regardless lol
Hi Richard, we’re so sorry that was your experience. Were you using the Bob’s 1-1 Baking Flour (blue label) or the Bob’s GF All-Purpose Flour (red label)? The red label has bean flours which we don’t recommend for baking as they can be just that – dry and bitter. We also find some brands of coconut sugar have a bitter aftertaste. We would recommend brown sugar in this recipe!
Hannah says
Hey you all. I HIGHLY recommend baking the gluten-free chocolate chip cookies 🍪! I never had so beautiful, gooey, good looking (like bought one) cookies with this typical cookie flavour.
I can imagine that the cookies are still amazing with a bit less sugar in it :)
Thank you @minimalistbaker
Aw, YAY! We’re so glad you enjoy the recipe, Hannah. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Kelly says
I made these cookies using King Arthur gluten-free flour (I’m going to make your gluten-free flour recipe next time) along with Country Crock vegan butter and they turned out great! The only slightly less than positive thing I would say is that I found them just a tiny bit salty (I have reduced my sodium intake over the past year so it’s probably just my taste buds). Otherwise they are completely fantastic – thanks so much, I will be making them again!
Lovely! Thank you for sharing, Kelly! xo
Carol Hoon says
The link for the GF flour blend doesn’t seem to be working. Thank you! ♥
Thank you SO much for letting us know! It should be updated now :)
Carol Hoon says
Thank you so much!! ♥
xoxo!
Céline says
I made these cookies tonight. I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Floor (1 cup, then added 2 more tbsp of same flour)But they came out thin and soft. After getting the cookies baking sheet out of the oven, I let stand for 5 minutes then transferred to wire rack to let them stand for another 10 minutes. They tasted great but I had to put them in the refrigerator as they are chewy soft and thin. They were delicious though. How to make them thicker next time? Thanks.
Hi Céline, we’d suggest adding more flour next time. It’s possible that brand isn’t absorbent enough even with the extra 2 Tbsp flour.
Joy says
I used bob’s red mill 1 to 1 GF flour. Would be that be an even substitute? Also, how long can I refrigerate the dough before using?
Thanks!
Hi Joy! You will probably need a few more tablespoons of Bob’s Red Mill to get the correct texture! We haven’t tried this recipe with Bob’s and aren’t quite sure how much to use. We would suggest checking out the consistency of the dough in the photos! You can refrigerate the dough in an airtight container for a few days!
Jenna says
I love minimalist baker and use their recipes often. However, I made this recipe and it was a complete fail. To be honest, it was probably my fault since I substituted the flour with Bob’s Red Mill gluten free flour and assumed it would work the same. I followed every other step in the recipe, but after I baked them, the cookies all became one glob of sticky, chewy chocolate chip cookie brittle. :(
Hi Jenna, sorry that happened! The flour swap is likely the issue here. Did you use more of the flour per the recommendation in the notes section?
Lori Thomas says
Super yummy and easy cookies! 🍪 Thanks, MB! 😍
Yay! Thanks so much, Lori!
Gabriela Aoun says
These were so so good. I used dark chocolate chips Bob’s Red Mill GF flour and it’s definitely true that you want to make sure that you use enough flour that the consistency gets thick enough. I think I used not quite enough and the cookies really spread out on the pan and ran into each other. They were still delicious though! Sprinkled sea salt on them when they came out of the oven. Will make again.
Thanks so much for the review and for sharing your experience, Gabriela, we’re so glad you enjoyed!
Savannah says
I made these cookies using almond flour and they turned out great! I needed to almost double the amount of almond flour so the cookies wouldn’t spread when baking, but they were so delicious!
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modification, Savannah!
Cindy says
Is the GF flour blend you are selling the same as the recipe you used to link to for your recommended GF flour blend?
Hi Cindy, they are two different formulations!
Sarah Walor says
Hi,
I’ve made these with your packaged GF blend and they are my daughter’s favorite cookie. The flour has been out of stock for awhile and my daughter keeps asking for them! Will this recipe work with the GF blend recipe as a substitute?
Hi Sarah, we’re so glad she enjoys them! If using our DIY Gluten-Free Flour Blend or another gluten-free blend, we suggest adding a bit more of it (1-2 Tbsp more) until the dough resembles the texture of the cookie dough in the photos. The texture should be thick but fluffy! We slightly prefer the other flour, but both ways are delicious.
Sharon says
Hi. Love your recipe as a base recipe for my cookies. I use coconut sugar, egg, bit of cinnamon. Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside. My picky child ate a gluten free cookie! Important to let the dough set and flour soften for hours before baking. I baked at 370 for 10 min. Thank you for the recipe!
Amazing! Thank you for sharing your experience, Sharon! xo
Anne says
Hi MB Team –
Can I use a combo of almond flour and arrowroot flour?
I do not have any pre-mixed four.
I yes, how much of each flour to use?
Thank you.
Anne
Hi Anne, almond flour will contribute to a more oily cookie that spreads (you can see what happens toward the end of this video). Using arrowroot flour will help some, but we don’t think they’d be quite the same. If you have brown rice flour, we’d suggest using that, with a starchier flour like potato starch (best option), tapioca, or arrowroot. 1 part brown rice to 3 parts starchier flour. The video linked to in this comment also has more helpful info about substitutions!
Alma says
Hi There!,
Can I use coconut sugar instead of brown sugar?? I rarely ever use any sugar but do have coconut sugar….
Hi Alma, we haven’t tried using coconut sugar in this recipe, but we think it could work. We suspect the cookies will have a slightly different flavor and will not be as chewy!
Sharon says
I subbed Coconut sugar. Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside. My family will actually eat these cookies!
The Vegan Goddess says
Thank you for sharing this. I will sub with coconut sugar as well.