The Perfect Classic Chocolate Chip Cookie (Gluten-Free & Vegan)

I’ve been on quite a chocolate chip cookie journey lately– some may call it an obsession– and they’d be correct. I’ve been developing gluten-free and vegan cookie recipes for years and I think I’ve finally cracked the code for that classic style CCC– you know– crispy on the outside, slightly chewy and tender on the inside. It’s also one of the simplest fastest cookie recipes I’ve ever made.

I used to have a recipe dubbed ‘The Perfect Gluten-Free & Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie’ (now called Thick & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies) and while those are absolutely amazing cookies, I feel these deserve to takeover the title, because they’re my personal favorite, and what I believe to be the most classic and universally loved variety of chocolate chip cookie.

This cookie dough only requires 8 ingredients, no chill time or chia egg necessary, basically just some flour, sugar, and butter (oh, and many many chocolate chips.) I honestly don’t know how they work so well, but they do. I hope you love them as much as I do— enjoy!

RECIPE

yields about 12 cookies

1 cup + 2 tablespoons oat flour (I recommend using store-bought for baking, as it’s super fine and yields a nicer texture)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/3 cup coconut sugar

1/3 cup cold vegan butter

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla

chocolate chips and/or chunks (to taste)

SUBSTITUTIONS:

you can sub vegan butter for regular butter, I haven’t tried coconut oil but it usually yields a coconut flavor that I don’t love for a classic chocolate chip cookie.

coconut sugar: you can sub with brown sugar

oat flour: if you’re not gluten free, you can sub this with all purpose flour

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

First, mix together your dry ingredients in a bowl, which is just the oat flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

Next, cream together the cold butter, coconut sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla until the consistency of buttercream frosting. I use a handheld mixer for this, but I’m sure you could do it by hand with a little elbow grease. It is key to use chopped up cold butter for the texture— don’t skip this.

Add the dry ingredients into the wet and mix together until a dough forms. Fold in lots of chocolate chips and chunks, then create cookie dough balls with your hands or a scoop and bake on a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet for 10-13 minutes—12 minutes is usually perfect for me.

Sometimes I utilize the pan banging method, and right after they come out of the oven, I give the baking sheet a few smacks on the counter to let the puffed up cookie depress in the middle and get those nice crinkly edges.