Irresistible Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Chunk Cookies: Your Go-To Recipe for Chewy, Flavorful Perfection

Discover the ultimate vegan chocolate chunk cookies, crafted gluten-free with a harmonious blend of almond and oat flour, and generously packed with luscious chocolate chunks. These are more than just cookies; they’re a timeless classic perfected for modern dietary needs.

The air is filled with the sweet aroma of baking, signaling the start of the most wonderful time of the year: cookie exchange season! While the holidays offer a perfect excuse to bake up a storm, the truth is, I believe in sharing homemade goodness all year long. There’s an undeniable joy in seeing others savor something you’ve created, a satisfaction even greater than enjoying it yourself. That’s why my kitchen is almost always bustling, and my partner, M, frequently heads to work with platters of freshly baked treats.

It recently dawned on me that amidst all the inventive and delicious cookie recipes in my collection, I was missing a true cornerstone: the quintessential chocolate chip cookie. Not just any cookie, but the kind that evokes nostalgic memories of childhood—soft, chewy, perfectly fluffy, and absolutely overflowing with substantial pieces of chocolate. For me, that means chocolate *chunks*, not chips. The larger, irregular pieces of chocolate melt into gooey pockets, providing a more intense and satisfying chocolate experience with every bite. More chocolate is, without question, always a good thing!

These Vegan Chocolate Chunk Cookies are designed to be that perfect classic, but with a wholesome, inclusive twist. They are lovingly made gluten-free, using a balanced blend of nutrient-rich almond flour and hearty oat flour, and packed to the brim with generous chocolate chunks. I dare say, they are the epitome of the perfect classic cookie, ready to become your new favorite for any occasion.

Essential Ingredients for the Best Vegan Chocolate Chunk Cookies

When you envision the ideal chocolate chip cookie, what comes to mind? Is it a symphony of textures—crispy edges, a soft, chewy center, and molten chocolate? This recipe brings that vision to life, meticulously crafted with simple yet powerful plant-based ingredients to deliver an unparalleled flavor and texture profile. Each ingredient plays a vital role in achieving that coveted “classic cookie” experience, all while being completely vegan and gluten-free.

Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need to create these irresistible cookies:

• Ground Flaxseed (for Flax Egg): This magical ingredient serves as our plant-based egg substitute, binding the cookies together and providing moisture. When mixed with water, ground flaxseed creates a gelatinous “flax egg” that mimics the function of a traditional egg, ensuring your cookies hold their shape and have a lovely chewiness.
• Vegan Butter: Crucial for that rich, buttery flavor and tender crumb we all love in a chocolate chip cookie. Opt for a high-quality stick vegan butter that softens well at room temperature for the best creaming results. This is where the classic “butteriness” truly shines through, making these cookies feel incredibly indulgent.
• Unrefined Coconut Sugar: A healthier alternative to refined white sugar, coconut sugar provides a wonderful caramel-like sweetness and contributes to the cookies’ beautiful golden-brown color and chewy texture. Its subtle molasses notes complement the chocolate beautifully.
• Oat Flour: Made from finely ground oats, oat flour is a fantastic gluten-free flour that adds a pleasant chewiness and a slightly nutty flavor to the cookies. It also contributes to the soft, fluffy interior texture, making these cookies incredibly satisfying.
• Almond Flour: Super fine almond flour adds a delicate tenderness and rich moisture, preventing the cookies from drying out. It’s naturally gluten-free and provides a lovely richness that balances the oat flour perfectly, creating a balanced and delightful texture.
• Cornstarch: A secret weapon for achieving that desirable soft and chewy texture. Cornstarch helps to tenderize the dough and prevents the cookies from spreading too much, ensuring they remain delightfully thick and substantial.
• Baking Powder: This leavening agent gives the cookies their perfect lift and contributes to their fluffy texture, ensuring they aren’t dense but rather light and airy in the center.
• Endangered Species Chocolate Raspberries + 72% Dark Chocolate Bar: The star of the show! Using a high-quality chocolate bar chopped into chunks provides superior flavor and those irregular, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate pockets. The specific blend of tart raspberries with 72% dark chocolate offers an incredible depth of flavor—bittersweet, fruity, and utterly luxurious.

A little baking secret I’ve learned after five years of food blogging: investing in a good hand mixer can make all the difference! It genuinely helps to cream the butter and sugar thoroughly, resulting in cookies that are extra chewy and wonderfully fluffy. While not strictly mandatory, it’s a tool that elevates the final product significantly.

Baking Perfection: How to Craft Your Vegan Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Creating these delicious vegan and gluten-free chocolate chunk cookies is surprisingly straightforward, proving that you don’t need eggs or dairy to achieve a truly classic taste and texture. Follow these simple steps for cookie success:

1. Prepare Your Baking Sheet: Begin by lining a standard cookie sheet with parchment paper. This step is crucial for preventing sticking and ensures easy removal of your freshly baked cookies. Set it aside for later.

2. Create Your Flax Egg: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the ground flaxseed with the filtered water. Allow this mixture to sit undisturbed for approximately 5 minutes. During this time, the flaxseed will absorb the water and thicken into a gel-like consistency, effectively becoming your vegan egg substitute. This gelling action is key for binding the cookie dough.

3. Cream the Wet Ingredients: To the same bowl containing your flax egg, add the slightly softened vegan butter and the unrefined coconut sugar. Using a hand mixer on high speed, beat these ingredients together until the mixture becomes wonderfully smooth, light, and creamy. This creaming process incorporates air, which contributes to the cookies’ fluffy texture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is thoroughly combined.

4. Combine Dry Ingredients: Now, add the oat flour, almond flour, cornstarch, and baking powder to the wet mixture. Mix everything with a spatula or use your hand mixer on a low speed until the dough is just well combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tougher cookies. The dough should be noticeably thick and sticky. Don’t worry if it seems a bit moist or even slightly runny at this stage; this is perfectly normal and precisely why the next step is so important!

The dough should indeed be thick and quite sticky to the touch. This consistency is ideal for creating that wonderfully chewy cookie. If you find it’s a little too moist or soft, it’s absolutely fine and expected. The chilling process will transform it into a more manageable texture, making it easier to scoop and ensuring the cookies hold their shape beautifully during baking.

Elevate Your Cookies with Ethical Chocolate: Supporting Endangered Species

Once your dough is ready, it’s time to incorporate the star of the show: the chocolate chunks! Gently fold in the chopped chocolate using a spatula, mixing until the chunks are evenly distributed throughout the dough. You want a good amount of chocolate in every bite!

For this recipe, I enthusiastically recommend and used the Endangered Species Chocolate Raspberries + 72% Dark Chocolate Bar, which I chopped into generous pieces. The combination of rich dark chocolate with the bright, tart notes of raspberries is simply divine. This pairing works exceptionally well in cookies, adding a sophisticated depth of flavor that elevates these from a simple treat to something truly special. The 72% cacao provides a satisfying bittersweet foundation, perfectly balanced by the American-grown raspberries, resulting in a complex and utterly delicious bite.

Beyond its exquisite taste, choosing Endangered Species Chocolate is a conscious decision. By purchasing this particular bar, you are directly supporting efforts to protect the majestic Grizzly Bear. It’s a wonderful way to enjoy a decadent treat while also contributing to a meaningful cause, making your cookies not just delicious, but also impactful.

5. Chill the Dough: After incorporating the chocolate, transfer the cookie dough to the refrigerator and chill for 20-30 minutes. This chilling period is crucial for several reasons: it firms up the dough, making it easier to handle; it prevents the cookies from spreading too much during baking, ensuring a thicker, chewier cookie; and it allows the flavors to meld beautifully.

Perfect Cookie Placement and Preparation for Baking

While your delicious cookie dough is chilling and firming up, take a moment to preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). This ensures the oven is at the correct temperature when your dough is ready, promoting even baking and preventing flat cookies.

Once the dough has chilled sufficiently and is cold and pliable, it’s time to shape your cookies. Using a cookie scoop, measure out approximately 1.5 to 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie. This size yields a perfectly substantial, satisfying cookie. If you don’t have a scoop, a regular spoon works just as well; simply eyeball the amount.

Gently roll the scooped dough between your hands to form smooth, uniform balls. This helps create a more consistent shape and ensures even baking. Place each dough ball onto your parchment-lined baking sheet. Remember to leave adequate space between them—I recommend spacing the cookie dough balls 1-2 inches apart. This spacing is vital to allow for slight spreading during baking, preventing your cookies from merging into one giant cookie sheet creation.

Repeat this process until all of your dough is used up, filling your baking sheet with potential cookie perfection!

For an extra touch of decadence and that classic bakery-style look, flatten each dough ball very slightly with your hands. Then, if your heart desires, press a few additional chocolate chunks or chips directly onto the top of each cookie. Because, truly, why not add even more chocolate?

Knowing When Your Vegan Chocolate Chunk Cookies Are Perfectly Baked

With your prepared baking sheet loaded with dough balls, it’s time for the magic to happen in the oven. Carefully transfer the cookie pan to the preheated oven and bake for a short but crucial 8-10 minutes.

Baking times can vary slightly depending on your oven, so it’s important to watch the cookies very closely, especially during the last few minutes. This vigilance will prevent them from over-browning or even burning, ensuring they achieve that ideal chewy texture.

You’ll know your cookies are perfectly done when they show a delicate golden-brown hue around the edges, and the bottoms are lightly browned. The centers should still appear soft and slightly underbaked; they will firm up as they cool. This is the secret to achieving that wonderfully chewy and soft texture. Avoid overbaking, as this can lead to dry and crispy cookies.

Once baked to perfection, carefully remove the cookie pan from the oven. Allow the cookies to rest on the hot pan for a few minutes to set slightly before gently transferring them to a cooling rack. Letting them cool completely on the rack is essential, as this allows their texture to fully develop. Serve them warm for a gooey treat, or cooled for a chewier experience.

Customize Your Treat: Swaps and Substitutions for Vegan Chocolate Chunk Cookies

While I adore the exquisite flavor combination of rich chocolate and tart raspberries found in the Endangered Species Chocolate Raspberries + 72% Dark Chocolate Bar, this recipe is wonderfully adaptable. Feel free to unleash your creativity and tailor these cookies to your personal preferences or what you have on hand.

• Chocolate Choices: You can certainly use any type of chocolate bar that appeals to you. Dark chocolate, semi-sweet, or even a vegan milk chocolate bar would work beautifully. If chopping a chocolate bar isn’t your preference, or if you’re short on time, classic vegan chocolate chips are a perfectly acceptable substitute. However, there’s something truly special about the irregular shapes and varying sizes of chopped chocolate chunks; they create delightful pockets of melted chocolate that enhance the cookie experience, especially when you discover a particularly large, gooey chunk!
• Hand Mixer Alternatives: This recipe was developed with the aid of a hand mixer, primarily for thoroughly creaming the vegan butter and sugar to achieve that airy, fluffy texture. While I haven’t personally tested it without one, you could attempt to replicate the creaming process with a sturdy whisk and a lot of elbow grease. Just be prepared for a bit more effort to reach that smooth, creamy consistency.
• Butter Substitutions: This recipe specifically calls for vegan butter to achieve its rich, classic flavor and tender texture, particularly suitable for the indulgent holiday season. Typically, I lean towards no-added-oil recipes, but sometimes a classic calls for a bit of decadence. I haven’t tested this recipe with oil-free alternatives like mashed avocado or apple sauce, which tend to significantly alter the texture and flavor profile, so I cannot guarantee similar results. For best results and that traditional cookie taste, stick with a good quality vegan butter.
• Flour Alternatives: While oat and almond flours are specifically chosen for their gluten-free properties and ideal texture contributions, substituting other gluten-free flour blends may alter the final result significantly. If you experiment, be aware that you might need to adjust liquid amounts to achieve the correct dough consistency.
• Sweetener Variations: If coconut sugar isn’t available, brown sugar can be used as a 1:1 substitute, offering a similar caramel note and contributing to chewiness. White granulated sugar could also work, but it might result in a slightly crisper cookie and lack the depth of flavor that coconut sugar or brown sugar provides.

Don’t be afraid to experiment, but for your first batch, I recommend sticking as closely to the original recipe as possible to fully appreciate its intended flavor and texture!

The Perfect Pairing: How to Serve and Store Your Vegan Chocolate Chunk Cookies

These Vegan Chocolate Chunk Cookies are designed to be the quintessential classic, and they shine brightest when served simply. There’s truly no better companion than a tall, cold glass of creamy almond milk, which perfectly complements their rich, buttery, and chocolatey goodness. However, their versatility means they can elevate any moment.

Whip up a batch whenever a craving strikes for a quick, comforting cookie that tastes exactly like the ones from your childhood, yet thoughtfully adheres to vegan and gluten-free dietary needs. They are truly an all-occasion treat!

These cookies are absolutely perfect for:

• Holiday Cookie Exchanges: Their festive appeal and irresistible flavor make them a standout contribution.
• Entertaining Guests: An elegant yet approachable dessert that caters to various dietary preferences.
• Thoughtful Gift Giving: Pack them in decorative boxes or bags for a homemade present that everyone will appreciate.
• Leaving Out for Santa: A delightful upgrade from traditional cookies, sure to put a smile on his face (and yours!).

Each cookie is a compact package of delightful flavors: sweet coconut sugar, rich vegan butter, intense chocolate, and a hint of tart raspberry. It’s a symphony of tastes and textures that satisfies completely.

And while they embody the spirit of the holiday season, the joy of these cookies shouldn’t be limited to December. Much like the idea of year-round kindness, these cookies are meant to be enjoyed throughout the entire year, bringing smiles and deliciousness whenever they’re baked.

Storage Guidelines: To keep your cookies fresh and delicious, store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will remain wonderfully fresh for a few days at room temperature. For slightly longer enjoyment, store them in the refrigerator for up to one week. For long-term storage, these cookies freeze beautifully; simply place them in a freezer-safe bag or container, and they will keep for several months. Thaw them at room temperature or gently warm them in the oven for that freshly baked taste.

Enjoy every delightful bite!

Explore More Delicious Vegan Chocolate Chip & Chunk Cookies

If you’ve fallen in love with these Vegan Chocolate Chunk Cookies, you’ll be thrilled to discover other delectable vegan and gluten-free cookie recipes from my archives. Each one offers a unique twist on the classic, guaranteeing more sweet moments:

• Giant Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Almond Butter Avocado Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Dark Chocolate Chunk Muesli Snack Cookies

• Salted Cashew Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

• Pomegranate Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Flourless Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Dark Chocolate Chunk Muesli Snack Cookies

• Giant Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookie

• Tahini Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies

I Want to Hear From You! Share Your Creations

If you embark on the delightful journey of making these Vegan Chocolate Chunk Cookies, please don’t hesitate to let me know how they turn out! Your feedback is incredibly valuable and inspires me to continue creating more delicious and wholesome recipes.

Be sure to leave me a comment below, along with a star rating and a review, so I can use your insights to refine and develop even more “yums” for you to enjoy.

I’d also love to see your beautiful creations! Give me a shout on Instagram and use the hashtag #floraandvino to share your cookie masterpieces with our community.

For more plant-based inspiration and to discover other mouth-watering recipes like this one to make later, check out my Pinterest page.

Love this post and eager for more delicious content delivered straight to your inbox? Head over to my homepage and subscribe to receive regular updates and new recipes!

XO Lauren

Print

This post is brought to you by Endangered Species Chocolate, but all words and eats are my own. Thanks for supporting the sponsors that keep me hungry!