Sometimes you just need plain, simple, classic comfort food. This is one of those times.
Would you believe I didn’t have a chocolate chip cookie recipe on here? I’m actually more intimidated by simple, well-known recipes. I feel like it has to be *perfect* and I don’t want to post it, until I know I’ve gotten it right.
Chocolate chip cookies with no butter is not an easy feat, my friends. You see, with peanut butter cookies, it’s easy–the fat in the peanut butter works perfectly, and you don’t realize you’re missing the butter, but in a plain ol’ chocolate chip cookie? The flavors I associate are butter, brown sugar and, well, chocolate! But honestly, butter is probably number one.
The secret? It’s the combination of apple butter, which gives the perfect texture (far superior to applesauce or yogurt in cookies) and the tiniest bit of butter extract. That stuff is magical. Using cornstarch in place of an egg not only makes them vegan, but helps keep them thick and chewy, and the massive amount of chocolate chips is 100% necessary. Also, a tiny sprinkle of salt on your dough just before it goes into the oven will take your cookie flavor to the next level! Not quite salted, but it evens out the sweetness.
The result is healthier chocolate chip cookies that taste like the real deal. Thick, chewy, with a slight crunch on the outside, and that perfect soft, gooey, and extra chocolatey inside. I am finally ready to share my chocolate chip cookies with you, because I finally got it right.
Simple, classic, vegan and whole grain chocolate chip cookies that taste just like the real deal.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- dash salt
- 1/2 cup apple butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp butter flavoring (optional, but recommended)
- 1 heaping cup dark chocolate chips
- sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat together apple butter and sugars until combined. Beat in almond milk, vanilla and butter flavoring. Slowly add in dry ingredients, beating until just combined. Beat in chocolate chips. Cover and chill dough for 30 minutes, or up to overnight.
- Preheat oven to 375. Line a large baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper.Use a small cookie scoop, or roll dough into 1" balls. Add a tiny pinch (or more if you want them to have the "salted" taste) of sea salt to the top of each cookie dough ball.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden and just set. Do not over bake. Allow to cool completely on cookie sheet. Store in a loosely covered container for 5-7 days.
Yay- egg free cookies! I have got to make these for my lil’ guy. So true about the butter, but sounds like you made it work!
Nice job keeping these vegan! Not always easy with baking, but they look wonderful!
Mmmm! Looks delicious! I always like to make vegan cookies – you can eat the batter and not worry about salmonella. 😉
Apple butter- what a great idea! Can’t go wrong with chocolate chip cookies, yum!
Yum! Pinned for later!
Vegan cookie recipes are great for when you just can’t bear running out to the store AGAIN. These look great!
i’m pretty sure i say this every post, but your pictures are SO drool-worthy!!
C-O-O-K-I-E-S! Um… yeah… so I like them as you can see by the screaming thing.
These cookies look divine! Definitely bookmarking this recipe for future reference!
Dear Ari
LOVE your cookies!! I will definitely bake them on sunday to have a treat for monday!!! You have a beautiful blog 🙂
xox Amy
vegan chocolate chip cookies = perfection 🙂
These look incredible!!
I want one of these like right now! Cookies are my weakness, they make everything better… and these being healthier, even better! Thanks for sharing your perfect cookie recipe…off to my oven to bake a batch! Cheers~
Great recipe I love that it has sooo many chocolate chips!
Brilliant! It’s recipes like this that will make my shift to a vegan diet that much easier. Thanks so much for your hard work; it is appreciated.
As a novice baker, I was a little nervous about making 3 batches of these for a party. They turned out great though and everyone loved them! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
I made these yesterday… delicious!!! Will definitely incorporate more cornstarch into my vegan recipes ^____^
Can I use turbinado sugar instead of regular sugar?