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These Dairy Free Chocolate Chip Cookies are so delicious you won’t even miss the dairy! They are gooey on the inside and crispy on the edges. The best part is that you do not have to chill these cookies and they can be ready in less than 30 minutes!
Most cookie recipes from scratch call for dairy ingredients like butter because it creates the structure, texture, and shape in a cookie when used in different ways. For example, if you used melted butter in your cookies the texture is chewy, more fudgy, and gooey than if you use softened butter.
If you have a dairy allergy or other dietary restrictions it can be super frustrating to find a delicious chocolate chip cookie that can taste like the real thing! As a trained pastry chef, I’ve carefully tested this dairy free chocolate chip cookie recipe to be 100% free of dairy, AND have given it out to taste testers who were shocked after eating it that it didn’t have any dairy in it at all!
These cookies are chewy and fudgy in the center and have crispy outer edges, which makes the most perfect cookie in my opinion! They are stuffed with dairy free chocolate chips too so you get that chocolatey goodness you’re craving.
Because we keep a kosher home we don’t mix meat or milk ingredients together, and we don’t serve dairy desserts after eating a meat meal. These dairy free cookies are on frequent rotation!
If you need other types of dairy-free dessert recipes you try out Dairy Free Brownies with Frosting, Dairy Free Cupcakes, or Dairy Free Buttercream Frosting!
The best dairy free baking ingredients to use
Butter- Instead of butter, these cookies use Earth Balance which is a dairy-free butter alternative that acts just like the real thing in baking! It’s my favorite vegan butter to use because it comes in sticks just like dairy butter, and you can use it as a 1:1 substitute.
Chocolate Chips- Dairy-free chocolate chips can be found in most grocery stores and health food stores and are made without milk while keeping their rich chocolate sweetness. My favorite brands are the ones from Trader Joe’s or Enjoy Life.
WHY YOU SHOULD MAKE THIS RECIPE
- Dairy free chocolate lovers will love these!
- You dont have to chill these and they can be ready in 30 minutes!
- They are so fudgy and gooey you won’t know its not dairy!
- Great for someone with a dairy allergy or for people who keep kosher.
- You can customize them by adding in your favorite mix-ins!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
- Dairy Free Butter – Earth Balance is the most popular brand and my favorite to use.
- Brown Sugar & White Sugar– A mix of brown sugar and white sugar is used to create sweetness in the cookies along with a chewy soft texture.
- Egg Yolks – When mixed into cookie dough, egg yolks create moisture and helps the cookies set properly.
- Vanilla Extract – Adds a light and fragrant vanilla flavor that complements the sweetness and notes of chocolate.
- Leavening Agents – You’ll need both baking powder and baking soda to make the cookies rise properly.
- Kosher Salt – Helps contrast the sweetness in the cookies while it balances the other flavors.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips – Gives these cookies their classic dark chocolate flavor in every bite.
HOW TO MAKE DAIRY FREE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 350° F and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
Mix the wet ingredients: Melt the vegan butter in the microwave in a medium bowl, then add both sugars mixing until smooth. Then add the egg yolks and vanilla extract. Mix until fully combined.
Add dry ingredients: To the wet ingredients, slowly add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until a soft dough forms. Then gently stir in the chocolate chips, reserving a handful for the tops.
Scoop and bake: Using a three-tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop out each ball and place on the baking sheet with 1.5 inches between each cookie. Gently press the leftover chocolate on top of the cookies. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the bottom of the cookie is golden brown.
Scoot the cookies: The cookies will spread and may look a little globby. If you want perfectly round cookies, use a cookie cutter or small bowl that is larger than the cookie. Place it over the cookie and move it in a fast circular motion (called scooting!) to make the cookie perfectly round.
Remove and cool: Once finished, let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for three minutes before letting them cool completely on a wire rack. Enjoy!
TIPS FOR RECIPE SUCCESS
- Because the water content is different between dairy and dairy free butter this recipe calls for a little bit more flour than others to make up for it.
- Scooting the cookies will help them form perfectly round shapes and will also help them become gooier.
- Pressing chocolate chips into the top of the cookie gives a beautiful presentation, as well as adding a little extra chocolate in each bite.
- To customize, try mixing in other textured ingredients such as nuts, dried fruit, or shredded coconut.
- Make these cookies gluten free by using a gluten free flour blend that is a 1:1 substitute for regular flour.
STORAGE AND FREEZING
Storing: Once fully cooled, dairy free chocolate chip cookies can be stored in an airtight container on your counter for up to 5 days. They do not need to be refrigerated.
Freezing: These dairy free chocolate chip cookies can also be frozen after baking. Let them cool completely, then place them on a sheet tray and freeze until solid. Transfer to a ziplock bag or airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, let them thaw on the countertop before enjoying them.
You can also freeze the dough by following the recipe up until baking time. Instead freeze the dough balls on a cookie sheet, then after one hour transfer them to a zip top bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake for an extra 1 minute from the freezer!
FAQ
What are popular brands of vegan butter I can use in this recipe?
Earth Balance is the most popular dairy-free butter that can be found in most grocery stores, but there are other brands such as Miyokos and Melt.
What if I can’t find dairy free butter?
Dairy free butter is super easy to find but if you cant, you can use coconut oil in its place. Just make sure it is melted and cooled before adding to the wet ingredients.
MORE DELICIOUS COOKIE RECIPES
- 20 Minute Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Coffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
30 Minute Dairy Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup dairy free butter such as Earth Balance, melted
- ⅔ cup brown sugar packed
- 2 tbsp white sugar
- 2 egg yolks whites discarded
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 1 ½ cup semi sweet dark chocolate chips dairy free
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium sized microwave safe bowl melt the 1/2 cup vegan butter. Add the 2/3 cup brown sugar and 2 tbsp white sugar and mix till smooth.
- Add the 2 egg yolks and 1 tsp vanilla extract and mix again.
- Add in the 1 3/4 cups flour, 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1/4 tsp kosher salt and stir till dough forms.
- Stir in the 1 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Leave out a handful of chocolate on the side and add the rest into the batter. Mix until evenly combined.
- Scoop out the dough using a 3 tbsp cookie scoop, or using two tablespoons for one cookie dough ball. Press the leftover chocolate pieces all over the tops of each cookie. Place on a cookie sheet leaving 1.5 inch space between each one and bake for 12-14 minutes or until the bottom of the cookie is golden brown.
- To make perfectly round cookies- immediately after baking place a cookie cutter or bowl that is larger than the cookie and move your hand in a fast circular motion to round the cookies into perfect circles.
- Cool for 3 minutes on the cookie sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
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