There is nothing more classic than a chocolate chip cookie. I see recipes for “the best” vegan chocolate chip cookies every time I research recipes on Google. There are about five or six “best” cookies out there that come up in searches time and time again. Really, quantifying what makes a cookie the “best” is not easy because there are so many different preferences. Some prefer a chewy cookie, while some like a little bit of crunch. Some prefer a cookie that domes while others want to sink their teeth into a cookie that spread outs flat. To each their own, right?
Wrong. All of those other people are wrong, and THIS is the best vegan chocolate chip cookie out there. I want a cookie as big as my fist, that is slightly crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and that is hearty enough that I can eat for breakfast.
In my house, these barely make it off the tray!
Yes, sometimes I want a chocolate chip cookie for breakfast! Maybe it’s wrong, but it’s also oh so right.
These cookies, inspired by those found at Levain Bakery in New York City, deliver in a big way. I replace the eggs commonly found in cookies with aquafaba. Aquafaba is the liquid drained from a can of cooked beans. You can use the liquid from most types of beans, but aquafaba most commonly comes from chickpeas. (You can make your own aquafaba if you keep dried beans in your house, but I always drain the liquid when I use chickpeas in cooking and save it in a jar in my refrigerator. That way I always have some on hand.)
These vegan chocolate chip cookies taste anything but simple. They are slightly crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside, and bursting with melted chocolate. Walnuts add a nice crunch, but you can omit them if there are allergy concerns.
Have napkins at the ready. Or not. I don’t judge.
Big, Gooey, Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup vegan butter
- 1/2 cup cane sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons aquafaba chilled in refrigerator for at least 20 minutes
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips*
- 1/2-3/4 cup walnuts roughly chopped
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Remove aquafaba from the refrigerator and whisk until slightly frothy.
- With an electric mixer, cream butter and both kinds of sugar together on high speed until the mixture lightens in color and sugar is fully incorporated.
- Reduce speed to medium-low and add the aquafaba and vanilla.
- Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.
- Stir in the chocolate chips and chopped walnuts.
- Chill the cookie dough for fifteen minutes in the freezer, or for at least thirty minutes in the refrigerator.
- While the dough is chilling, preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
- Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- After the dough has chilled, use a 1/3 cup** measure to portion large balls of dough on the tray, slightly flattening the top of each one with your hands.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the cookies are slightly browned around the edges.
Notes
What makes your perfect chocolate chip cookie? Let me know in the comments below!
I will make these again but will reduce the amount of flour. They came out too cakey/dry, and I followed the recipe to a T. But otherwise, they have great potential!
Everyone has different preferences for their chocolate chip cookies! I definitely like something on the cakier side, vs. the crispy side 🙂