Classic Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

These gluten-free cookies are light, fluffy, gooey and literally the best d*mn vegan cookies you will ever have!

 

Not to brag or anything but I’m pretty sure this is my best recipe to date. Maybe I should practice some humility, but you GUYS, I can’t! This recipe is just too good!

I grew up on fluffy, gooey, buttery chocolate chip cookies that had more chocolate chips than flour. They were bad day savers, memory makers and everything in between. Whenever my children go over to their Mimi’s house they get the same treatment. Cookies, memories, sugar rushes and chocolate kisses. Dairy, eggs, cane sugar and all-purpose flour. The good stuff. Also, things that I try to keep for moments, not for the norm.

I’ve been on the hunt to find a recipe that resembles hers for years! And there have been So. Many. Failed. Attempts. We’re talking 100’s of fails. Not all of them were necessarily bad, some of them were god awful and some were good… if we’re talking of the gluten-free/vegan category.

Because of the extensive list of fails, I was eager to see what my son would think of this recipe. When I made these last week I definitely had my doubts.  He has been the most resistant in our transformation to a healthier lifestyle. And by resistant.. I mean he will talk himself into getting sick just to not eat something.

Good freaking times.

However, when he tried these cookies, he said the most magical thing.

“Did you make Mimi’s recipe Mom?”

CRYING ALL THE HAPPY TEARS. No child, they are just a result of many years trying, failing and trying again.

 

These cookies are magical but there are three things that need to happen!

• You have to create a cylinder shape. *See above picture

Super easy peasy. You literally get the amount of dough you need (in this case it’s 1 1/2 tbsp), use your fingers to mold it into a shape that is about double in length than width. I measured mine to be 3/4th inch x 1 1/2 inch. When placing them on the baking sheet, you want to make sure they are standing tall! You won’t get the gooey texture otherwise.

• The dough needs to be chilled! I don’t start preheating my oven until after the formed dough has been placed in the freezer. I usually let the dough chill for 20-30 minutes. This is crucial! 

In the recipe I call for you to use solid coconut oil. I do this because if the coconut oil is liquid, the dough has a really hard time staying in that cylinder shape that we love so much. Unfortunately, when we are forming that beloved shape, our hands melt the coconut oil. To solve this problem, we chill the dough! Chilling the dough also allows time for the coconut flour to wick up the coconut oil and thicken. These are all good things.

• Smoosh them down! It’s a word, I promise.

After the cookies have been baking for 9-10 minutes, it’s time to pull them out and slightly flatten them. The funny thing about almond flour is that it doesn’t spread. Which is great if you know how to work with it. Not so great if you don’t. Luckily for us, we do!! It is our job to act as the smooshers. You can do this with a spatula or if your brave, your fingers will do the trick. I used my fingers, I like to live on the edge… and also lick the chocolate. Once they are smooshed, we pop them back in the oven for 2-3 minutes to finish cooking.

I bet you are wondering why we need to create the cylinder shape if we’re just going to flatten them! Having the cylinder shape allows the outer edge to get a crust with a gooey inside. Smooshing them down slightly allows the cookies to actually look like… well, cookies. Kind of important you know?

After you finish these three steps you’re done! Viola! Perfect gluten-free, vegan, memory making cookies.

I REALLY hope you love this recipe as much as my family does! If you decide to make them, please share it on Instagram by tagging #ahealthyharmony @ahealthyharmony. Your support means the world and I’d love to show you mine!