The BEST Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Dairy-Free, Refined Sugar-Free, Soft & Chewy, Freezer Friendly
There is truly nothing better than a warm chocolate chip cookie straight from the oven, and these are everything I want a classic chocolate chip cookie to be. Soft and chewy in the centre, lightly golden around the edges, loaded with melty dark chocolate, and finished with that slightly caramelized flavour you get from coconut sugar. SO good.
I wanted these to taste like a proper classic chocolate chip cookie while keeping them completely dairy-free and refined sugar-free. I use Melt Organic Vegan Butter because it gives them that rich, buttery flavour and soft, chewy texture without any dairy, and coconut sugar adds the perfect amount of sweetness. I love eating one when it’s still slightly warm and the chocolate is melty, but keeping a batch of cookie dough balls in the freezer for whenever the craving hits might be even better!
What You Need
1 cup (227 g) Melt Organic Vegan Butter, softened
2 cups (400 g) coconut sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp fine sea salt
2 cups (340 g) dairy-free, refined-sugar-free dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
Method
Preheat the oven to 375°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt. Set aside.
Add the softened Melt Organic Vegan Butter and coconut sugar to a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, cream together for 2–3 minutes, until thoroughly combined and creamy.
Add the eggs and vanilla and beat for another 1 minute, until lighter and well combined.
Add the dry ingredients and mix just until a thick cookie dough forms. Avoid overmixing.
Fold in the dark chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
Scoop approximately 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie and gently roll into balls. Arrange on the prepared baking sheets, leaving room between each cookie for spreading.
Bake at 375°F for 8–10 minutes, removing the cookies when the edges are just beginning to set and the centres still look slightly underbaked.
Let the cookies sit on the hot baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. They will continue to set as they cool.
Serving Suggestions
These are BEST when they’ve had a few minutes to set but are still slightly warm and the chocolate is super melty. I love finishing them with a little flaky sea salt for that sweet and salty combination and having one with coffee, tea, or a cold glass of almond milk.
You can also keep the portioned cookie dough balls in the freezer and bake a few whenever you want a fresh, warm chocolate chip cookie!
Notes
Make sure the Melt Organic Vegan Butter is softened but still cool and solid rather than melted. Melted vegan butter can cause the cookies to spread too much.
Cream the vegan butter and coconut sugar for the full 2–3 minutes. Coconut sugar has larger, drier crystals than traditional sugar, so giving it enough time to cream with the butter helps create a better soft and chewy texture.
Coconut sugar gives these cookies their slightly deeper colour and caramel-like flavour while keeping them refined sugar-free.
If the cookie dough seems softer than expected, refrigerate it for 20–30 minutes rather than adding additional flour.
Don’t overbake! Remove the cookies when the edges are just set but the centres still look slightly soft. They’ll continue to bake on the hot pan and firm up as they cool.
For thicker cookies, chill the portioned cookie dough for 30–60 minutes before baking.
Make sure your chocolate is both dairy-free and made without refined sugar. If you can’t find suitable chocolate chips, a chopped dark chocolate bar sweetened with coconut sugar works beautifully.
To freeze the cookie dough, portion it into balls and freeze in a single layer. Once frozen, transfer to an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Recipe by Taylor Robinson | Holistic Health & Wellness Chef | Dishing with Tay