As usual I couldn’t resist the siren song of a new chocolate chip cookie recipe and had to try the latest New York Times Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies. They are so good! They're vegan, plus they are way easier than the other New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies. They call for only one kind of flour, there's no mixer required, plus the recipe halves easily since there are no eggs.
Just like the Jacques Torres recipe, the giant vegan chocolate chip cookies have become a staple. They are especially good for bake sales because they are large and easy to wrap. I usually make a batch of the non-vegan cookies and a small batch of these as a vegan alternative.
Vegan Butter
For the vegan butter, I used to use Country Crock Plant Butter, but they discontinued the almond oil type, so I’ve switched to Miyoko’s which is fantastic and actually tastes like real butter. Miyoko’s is a little stiffer than tub margarine, so you'll need to let it soften if you are not using a mixer. Otherwise, you can beat it until creamy with a handheld electric mixer.
Texture and Flavor
These have a dense but soft texture. They come out of the oven a little soft and greasy, but are fine once cooled and set. I sometimes throw them in the freezer to speed up the cooling process because we don't like gooey cookies. As for the flavor, the vegan butter, flax and coconut sugar work together to give the cookies a distinct and slightly more unusual taste. The salt on top also makes the cookies special. I used leftover pretzel salt in the photo below, but now I use whatever salt is around.
Vegan Chocolate Chips or Chunks
These are called chocolate chip cookies, but I should have called them chocolate chunk because they are so much better when made with a dairy-free chocolate. A lot of chocolate bars are dairy free but may have been in contact with milk, so check the label if you are making these for people with dairy allergies or very strict vegans. Peta has a good list. Using a mix of chocolates always makes the cookies a little more interesting.
Recipe
Small Batch Vegan New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (114 grams)
- ⅜ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 5 tablespoons Country Crock Plant Butter, Almond Oil type (70 grams)
- ¼ cup sugar (50 grams)
- ¼ cup coconut sugar (40 grams)
- ½ tablespoon flaxseed meal mixed with 1 T. water
- ¾ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 6 ounces chocolate chips (170 grams)
- Handful of untoasted walnuts broken up
- Sea Salt or pretzel salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 if you plan on baking right away.
- Mix together flour, salt and baking soda. Set aside
- With a spoon, mash together the Country Crock plant butter, cane sugar and coconut sugar until blended.
- In a small bowl, whisk the flaxseed with 1 tablespoon water to combine. Add the flax and the vanilla and stir until blended, then stir in the flour mixture. Add the chocolate chips and chunks last.
- Scoop the dough into 4 large mounds, each weighing a little more than 100 grams. This really depends on how generous you were with the chocolate
- Time to bake! I baked one cookie right away (the one in the photo) and am chilling the rest of the dough. Put the cookie dough mound (or all of them) on a parchment lined baking sheet and press down to around ½ inch thick (like in the picture). Sprinkle with some pretzel salt or sea salt. Bake for 18 to 21 minutes. I think my cookie was done in about 19 minutes. Chilled dough might take a full 21.
- Also, when you suspect the cookies are close to being ready, pull from the oven and squish the edges inward nudging the cookies into neat circle. a
- Allow the cookie (or cookies) to cool, then put in the freeze long enough to set the chocolate. Bring back to room temperature before serving.
Anna says
A mixture of coconut oil and butter might work. I don't know.
Stephanie says
That's a good question Sue. Being a non-vegan, I want the best of both worlds: the ability to use a vegan recipe but use non-vegan ingredients!
I'm curious to try this though. I'll have to wait for my next trip to the supermarket to look up plant-based butter. I do have ground flaxseed that I use in energy bites so that's an ingredient in my freezer.
Anna says
Sue, I'm sure butter would work.
Sue says
These sound great. Are all of the vegan butters made with palm oil? Do you think you could get good non-vegan results with butter?