Irresistibly Thin & Chewy Vegan Chocolate Chunk Cookies: Your New Favorite Plant-Based Treat

Prepare to discover your new obsession: this recipe for incredibly thin, delightfully chewy, and utterly satisfying vegan chocolate chunk cookies. Honestly, at this moment, they’re my absolute favorite chocolate chunk cookies, period – vegan or otherwise. While tastes can change, I doubt I’ll tire of these anytime soon. What sets them apart? They boast a perfectly thin profile, a wonderfully chewy texture, and generous, melty splotches of rich chocolate distributed throughout each bite. Furthermore, they’re infused with deep flavor from a few “secret ingredients” that elevate them beyond the ordinary. If you’re a fan of Insomnia Cookies’ iconic chocolate chunk cookies, these vegan counterparts will surely evoke that same beloved experience, but entirely plant-based and cruelty-free.

This phenomenal recipe is a delicious evolution, a direct spin-off from a popular egg-free chocolate chip cookie recipe I shared some time ago. Those earlier cookies were already tantalizingly close to being dairy-free, inspiring me to take the final step and transform them completely into a vegan delight by simply swapping in vegan butter. This seemingly minor change, however, necessitated a few more adjustments to the original formula. The result? A cookie that developed its own unique character and earned a new life as a truly standout vegan treat. The journey from egg-free to fully vegan allowed me to refine the texture and flavor, resulting in a cookie that is both familiar and excitingly new.

Choosing the Best Vegan Butter or Margarine for Baking

The choice of vegan butter is absolutely crucial in achieving the signature texture and flavor of these cookies. After extensive testing with various brands and types of vegan butters and margarines, Earth Balance consistently delivered the superior results. Its specific formulation provides the right fat content and moisture balance needed for these cookies to spread beautifully thin and bake to a perfect chewiness. I specifically recommend using the Earth Balance variety that comes in a tub, and for optimal accuracy, measuring it by weight rather than volume. Tub-style vegan butters often have a slightly different consistency and moisture level compared to baking sticks, which can impact the final cookie texture. While I haven’t thoroughly tested the recipe with Earth Balance baking sticks yet, I plan to update this guide with my findings once I do. In the meantime, stick with the tub variety for guaranteed success. If Earth Balance is unavailable, look for another high-quality vegan butter designed for baking, but be prepared for slight variations in spread and texture.

The Magic of Karo Corn Syrup or Lyle’s Golden Syrup

One of the “secret weapons” in this vegan cookie recipe is the inclusion of either Lyle’s Golden Syrup or Karo brand corn syrup. In traditional baking, eggs contribute moisture, bind ingredients, and add to the chewiness. In this vegan adaptation, these syrups effectively stand in for the eggs, acting as a humectant that ensures the cookies remain incredibly soft and delightfully chewy. Golden syrup, with its richer, caramel-like notes, imparts a slightly deeper flavor and a more golden-brown hue to the finished cookies, adding an extra layer of complexity. White Karo corn syrup also produces an excellent cookie, achieving that desired chewiness, though the color may be a bit lighter. For the most consistent and reliable results, it is highly recommended to measure the syrup by weight. Three tablespoons of syrup typically weigh around 54 grams. I find it easiest to place my mixing bowl directly on a digital scale and carefully pour in precisely 54 grams. Be mindful when adding the syrup, as it’s quite viscous and can be easy to accidentally over-pour. Adding it spoonful by spoonful while monitoring the scale can prevent this common baking mishap, ensuring your cookies have the perfect balance of sweetness and chewiness.

Enhancing Flavor with Blackstrap Molasses and Cinnamon

While entirely optional, a tiny dash of blackstrap molasses works wonders in these cookies, adding an extra layer of depth and a subtle, sophisticated undertone to the chocolate flavor. We’re talking about a very small amount – no more than 1 to 2 grams. Its inclusion isn’t meant to make the cookies taste like molasses cookies, but rather to subtly boost the overall complexity and richness of the chocolate. The same principle applies to cinnamon. I adore adding just a whisper of cinnamon to chocolate chip and chunk cookies. The goal is not for the cookies to taste overtly spiced, but for the cinnamon to act as a background note that enhances the chocolate, adding warmth and a hint of intrigue. These minimal additions are truly the “secret ingredients” that elevate these cookies from great to unforgettable, providing a nuanced flavor profile that will have everyone guessing your special touch.

Navigating the World of Vegan Sugar

When delving into vegan baking, the topic of sugar frequently arises due to the use of bone char in the processing of some cane sugars. It’s a valid ethical concern for many. To clarify, my understanding is that while traditional cane sugar is often filtered through bone char (a charcoal made from animal bones) to achieve its white color, the final sugar product itself is chemically free of bone char. For some vegans, however, the process itself, not just the final chemical composition, is the ethical sticking point. Beet sugar, on the other hand, is generally not processed with bone char, making it a reliable vegan option. However, it’s essential to be vigilant, as some brands of beet sugar may be blended with cane sugar, making it crucial to check labels carefully. Thankfully, many mainstream sugar brands are now proudly marketing themselves as vegan-friendly, with companies like Dixie Crystals and Imperial explicitly stating that their sugars are processed without bone char. When in doubt, or if you’re baking for individuals with strict ethical guidelines regarding animal products, opting for certified organic sugar is a safe bet, as organic standards typically prohibit the use of bone char in processing. The bottom line: if you’re presenting these as truly vegan cookies, especially to guests whose dietary preferences you may not fully know, ensure your chosen sugar aligns with strict vegan principles.

Understanding Vegan Chocolate Chunks

Just like with sugar, selecting truly vegan chocolate can sometimes be a little confusing. The first assumption is often that if there’s no dairy listed in the ingredients, the chocolate must be vegan. However, as discussed in the previous section, if the chocolate is made with cane sugar that has been processed using bone char, then from a strict ethical vegan perspective, it may not be considered vegan. Therefore, when in doubt, the safest approach is to choose chocolate that is explicitly certified vegan. This certification guarantees that the product adheres to strict vegan guidelines, including processing methods. That said, the “vegan” definition can vary slightly depending on your audience. Many of my friends who follow a vegan diet primarily focus on avoiding eggs and dairy, and are less concerned with the bone char issue. So, ultimately, your chocolate choice might depend on the specific dietary needs and ethical considerations of the people you’re baking for. I personally love baking these cookies with a mixture of different vegan dark chocolates, cut into rough chunks or using high-quality couverture chocolate. This approach allows the chocolate to melt beautifully into the cookies, creating delicious, gooey pockets and visually appealing stripes of chocolate throughout. Trader Joe’s Pound Plus Dark Chocolate is another excellent and widely accessible option that performs wonderfully in this recipe, and I believe it is generally considered vegan.

Quick Small Batch Vegan Chocolate Chunk Cookies

During the recipe development and testing phase, I experimented with numerous brands of vegan butter and different types of syrup, often making small batches to compare results efficiently. If you’re craving a quick cookie fix or simply want to try out the recipe without committing to a full batch, this scaled-down version is perfect. The measurements are easy to remember, making it convenient for those spontaneous baking moments. This small batch yields approximately 8-10 cookies, depending on size, allowing you to enjoy fresh, warm vegan chocolate chunk cookies whenever the craving strikes.

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour (105 grams)
• ¼ teaspoon plus ⅛ baking soda (3/8 tsp)
• ¼ teaspoon plus ⅛ salt (3/8 tsp)
• 1 tiny pinch of cinnamon
• 4 ½ to 5 tablespoons Earth Balance (63 to 70 grams)
• ¼ cup organic light brown sugar (50 grams)
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons organic granulated sugar (32 grams)
• 1 ½ tablespoon Lyle’s Golden Syrup or corn syrup (27 grams)
• 1 tiny drop blackstrap molasses
• 1 ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract (you can use slightly less, depends on brand of vanilla)
• 1 tablespoon soy milk (scant)
• Somewhere around ½ cup chocolate chunks, but you don’t really need to measure

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Have ready a baking sheet lined with parchment.
2. Mix together the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon) and set aside.
3. Put the mixing bowl on a scale and add the vegan margarine, both sugars (brown and granulated). Beat with a handheld mixer until smooth and creamy.
4. Beat in the corn syrup (or golden syrup), molasses (if using), and vanilla extract until well combined.
5. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir with a heavy-duty scraper or wooden spoon until it’s about halfway blended. Then, add the soy milk and continue stirring just until a soft, cohesive dough forms. Avoid overmixing.
6. Gently stir in the chocolate chunks, distributing them evenly throughout the dough.
7. Using a medium size cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons), form uniform balls of dough and place them onto the parchment-lined baking sheet, spaced about 2 inches apart.
8. Bake for approximately 12 minutes at 350 degrees F, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers are still slightly soft.

Tips for Achieving the Perfect Vegan Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Baking is often a science, and a few key practices can make all the difference in these thin and chewy vegan chocolate chunk cookies. Follow these tips to ensure every batch is as perfect as can be:

• Weigh Your Ingredients: This is arguably the most crucial tip for consistent results, especially in baking. Using a kitchen scale to measure ingredients by weight (grams) is far more accurate than using volume measurements (cups, tablespoons). Flour, in particular, can vary greatly in density depending on how it’s scooped. I have provided all the weights in the recipe for your convenience, and I strongly recommend adhering to them. It simplifies the measuring process and eliminates inconsistencies.
• Chunks Over Chips: While standard chocolate chips will work in a pinch, these cookies truly shine with irregular chocolate chunks. Chunks, whether store-bought or hand-chopped from a bar, melt more beautifully and create those coveted, gooey “splotches” of chocolate that are so visually appealing and delicious. If all you have are chips, I might suggest exploring another recipe designed specifically for chips, as the texture and melt will be different.
• Monitor Spreading: These cookies are designed to spread thin, which contributes to their chewiness. However, oven temperatures can vary significantly, causing cookies to spread too much or not enough. If your first tray of cookies appears too thin, you can gently mix an additional tablespoon or two of all-purpose flour into the remaining dough to firm it up slightly. Conversely, if they’re not spreading enough, ensure your vegan butter is at the correct temperature (slightly softened, not melted) and that your oven temperature is accurate.
• Don’t Forget the Soy Milk: It might seem like a small amount, and because it’s added towards the end of the mixing process, it’s easy to overlook. However, the soy milk is vital for achieving the proper moisture content and ensuring the cookies have that signature chewy texture. I always use full-fat soy milk for its richness; I haven’t tested this recipe with almond milk or other plant milks, so I can’t guarantee the same results.
• Chilling the Dough: While the small batch recipe offers the option to bake immediately, chilling the dough for at least 2 hours (as indicated in the full recipe card) is highly recommended. Chilling allows the flavors to meld, the flour to fully hydrate, and the fat to firm up, which helps prevent excessive spreading and concentrates the flavor. For the best, most uniform cookies, don’t skip the chill time if you have it!
• Proper Cooling: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes after baking. This allows them to firm up slightly before transferring, preventing them from breaking. After 5 minutes, you can gently move them to a wire rack to cool completely. Alternatively, simply slide the entire sheet of parchment paper with the cookies off the hot tray and onto a countertop to cool.
• Storage: Once completely cooled, store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days to maintain their chewiness. For longer storage, they freeze exceptionally well. Place them in a heavy-duty freezer bag, removing as much air as possible, and freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm slightly in the microwave for a fresh-baked taste.

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Recipe Card