Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Ensure your oven is fully heated for even baking. While it's warming up, prepare your baking sheet by either spraying it with non-stick spray or lining it with parchment paper or a silicone mat. This will prevent the cookies from sticking and make cleanup a breeze.
- Prepare the flax egg by mixing the ground flaxseed with the water in a small bowl. Stir well to combine and let it sit for about 5 minutes. This allows the mixture to thicken and gel, mimicking the binding properties of an egg.
- In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, add the softened vegan butter, cane sugar, and brown sugar. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the mixture on low speed for about 3 to 5 minutes. Look for a light, fluffy texture—this is key to achieving the perfect cookie consistency.
- Once creamy, add the prepared flax egg and vanilla extract to the bowl. Beat again until everything is well incorporated and smooth. At this point, the mixture should look velvety and unified.
- Gradually add in the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt. Mix with a spatula until a thick, non-sticky dough forms. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure all ingredients are well combined.
- Finally, fold in the dairy-free chocolate chips using a spatula. Be gentle to avoid breaking the chips. Make sure they’re evenly distributed throughout the dough for that delightful chocolatey goodness in every bite.
- Use a cookie scoop or spoon to form about 12 cookies, each with approximately 3 tablespoons of dough. Roll them into smooth balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving adequate space between each cookie to allow for spreading during baking.
- Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for about 10 to 12 minutes. They should look puffy and pale, but the bottom edges will have a golden hue. Keep an eye on them to avoid overbaking!
- Once baked, take them out of the oven. If desired, sprinkle a small pinch of flaky salt on top for that perfect sweet and salty contrast. Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes; they’ll continue to deflate and firm up. Afterward, carefully transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- Enjoy the cookies warm or store them in an airtight container for up to 5 days. If you want to save some for later, freeze the cookie dough balls for up to 2 months. Bake fresh cookies as needed—it’s a game changer!
Notes
Different vegan butters will spread differently during baking. I have had success using Country Crock, Earth Balance, and Violife plant-based butter sticks (not spread). Vegan butter can be replaced with softened coconut oil, but they will be slightly more dry. I recommend using refined coconut oil so there is no coconut flavor. I prefer my cookies to be loaded with chocolate chips, but if you like slightly less, use only 1 cup of chocolate instead of 1 1/2 cups. I also recommend using a mixture of chocolate chips and a chopped chocolate bar for a more varied chocolate flavor in each cookie. The sugar can be swapped for coconut sugar, but the cookies will be darker and color and more dry. I have not tested this cookie with any flour substitutions, but I imagine a gluten-free all-purpose blend would work well!