These Crispy Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies are JUST 6 ingredients, made in 1 BOWL, crispy, chewy and buttery thanks to using almond flour and tapioca. The perfect cookie texture. Just 6 ingredients and also gluten-free, grain-free and oil-free!
CRISPY VEGAN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Ok, today I’m sharing with you what I consider to be the perfect cookie texture. Crispy exterior, with a moist and chewy center. Crispy Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies are my favorite kind of cookie. And making vegan cookies is fairly simple. These Best Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies are a huge, huge reader fave. I absolutely love these though, because I love the extra crispy factor.
These are the perfect cookie base to add in anything you like….nuts, dried fruit, obviously chocolate chips, and in today’s case, lots of candied ginger. Since it’s the holidays, here comes ginger overload. These are seriously some of the best cookies I’ve ever had in my entire life. I LOVE GINGER. But if you don’t, simply omit and use any other dried fruit or nuts. Dried cranberries and cherries would be excellent! The base recipe for these chocolate chip cookies is just 6 ingredients (+salt) and any optional add-ins.
CRISPY COOKIE TEXTURE
A perfect cookie to me should entail all of these qualities: Slightly crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, moist, sweet and have chocolate chips. These cookies contain all of that and more. What helps to make these crispy on the outside is the tapioca starch and it also helps to bind the cookies, acting as eggs. The almond flour gives the wonderful, moist and chewy center.
WHERE CAN I BUY VEGAN CHOCOLATE?
Many grocery stores these days sell vegan chocolate, whether intentionally or not. Some brands are naturally vegan or made without milk. Enjoy Life is a great vegan brand and even Nestle now has vegan chocolate chips. Just make sure to always read the ingredients on the package before purchasing.
I’m telling you, the chocolate chips mixed with the bites of candied ginger is a delicious combo! So, definitely try that option!
MORE VEGAN COOKIE RECIPES
- Grain-Free Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Best Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Vegan Gluten-free Snickerdoodles
- Chai Coconut Oatmeal Cookies
- Old-fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies
- Cashew Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 5 Ingredient Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave feedback below and share your pic on Instagram or Facebook and tag me @thevegan8 #thevegan8!
Crispy Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (168g) superfine blanched almond flour
- 1/4 cup (30g) tapioca starch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup (160g) pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (2 tsp provides a strong vanilla flavor, use 1 if prefer a milder flavor)
- 1/2 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
Optional Holiday Ginger Cookie Variation
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger powder
- 2 large tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
NOTE
- Always use a scale for accuracy when baking, following MY gram weights listed. You never need cups, just the scale and bowl. Make sure to zero out before each ingredient.
- I use this scale.
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 350 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Dark metal pan will yield the best crispy exterior texture.
- Add the almond flour, tapioca, baking powder, ground ginger (if using) and salt to a large bowl and whisk well.
- Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the syrup and vanilla. Give the liquid portion a quick stir. Add the chocolate chips and chopped ginger (if using), on top and stir all of the ingredients together until it becomes a very thick batter. If it's not thick enough, add a little more almond flour. This will affect how they bake up.
- Using a cookie scooper, drop large mounds onto the prepared sheet and space them about an inch apart. I fit all the cookies on the pan. For the tops, I gently pressed some extra chocolate chips on top of the cookies and slightly pressed the cookies down, but not fully. If your batter is thick enough and you want perfectly round cookies, then roll them into balls and flatten them about 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Please note that different brands of almond flour will greatly effect how thick or thin your batter is. If it is a looser batter, no need to press the batter down. They will bake up thinner and spread a lot. Bake for 12-13 minutes until beginning to turn golden on top. 13 minutes produced the perfect cookie for me, using a cookie scooper.
- They will firm up a lot while they cool, so don't remove them while warm. Let cool just 5 minutes on the pan, then transfer to cool completely on a rack. Store wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or sealed container.
I literally swooped right over here from your comment on my site. LOVE these cookies. Chocolate and ginger are a gorgeous combination and I love your cookies. They look moist and chewy and chocolatey and spicy. Really lovely combination.
You are so sweet Suzanne, thank you! Such a great combo indeed and these are just the absolute perfect texture, which to me is so crucial for a fantastic cookie!
My idea of a perfect cookie! I’m with you on a slightly crisp outside and chewy middle. And I ADORE ginger!
I think I need a second stomach at this time of year to fit in all the holiday baking I want to make!
Glad to hear you had a relaxing Thanksgiving.
Thank you so much Emma! So good to hear from you! Missed you xo
I KNOW you love your ginger like I do, so I know you would love these…lots of awesome ginger and almond flour. MMMM.
Look at those cuties! I agree with Emma – my idea of the perfect cookie. LOVE the flavors!
Thank you so much Annie! xo
This is probably one of my favorite recipes you’ve posted thus far. I can’t begin to describe my love for chocolate and crystallized ginger. I need these…NEED these.
I know right?! Mine too….it is just an amazing combo! They both compliment each other beautifully! Thanks girl! I hope you try them!
As I told you, ginger is not usually my fave, BUT you put it in a cookie and pair it with chocolate and it sounds awesome! These look really yummy!!
Thanks!
Can you use potato starch instead of tapioca starch?
Hi Nathalie, potato starch will likely make them more dry/crumbly since it is much more used for fluffing up baked goods. If you have cornstarch, that is the closest sub to tapioca starch. If not, you can try potato starch, just not sure how it’d work compared to the tapioca.
Mine turned out PERFECTLY! Wowie. What a lovely zippy punch of ginger! I love these. However, I am such a ginger lover that I might even just omit the chocolate. Either way, chocolate in or out, this is one nifty cookie. Fantastic texture. Crispy and also chewy. You did it again Brandi, Thanks!
You are so awesome Nancy! Thank you so much for making them so quickly and also for sharing your photo on Facebook! I’m so glad you loved them! The texture of both chewy and slightly crispy is what I love so much. The blanched almond flour really drives home the amazing texture combined with the tapioca and chewy ginger pieces. Thank you so much!
Oh girl, I said above that my 3 year old still scarfed them down, so they are spicy in the since of lots of ginger, but not spicy HOT 🙂
Oh and you can’t have almond flour?? These will not work with coconut flour, it will change the cookie completely and make them crumbly and dry as can be. Coconut flour is 10 times more absorbent than almond flour and leaves really dry results, so I wouldn’t do that! Almond flour is what is needed for the moisture, since I use no oil 🙂
These look perfect! Thick and crispy and I love the combination of ginger and chocolate. I’ve not tried tapioca starch yet; adding it to my shopping list for this weekend!
Oh it’s awesome! Tapioca helps give so much moisture and binding and it also helps give rise and browning to baked goods…such an awesome starch! Thank you Linda!
There are so many things I love about these cookies! First off, they’re cookies. Nuf said. I also love that they are made from almond flour, have very little sugar and I love the addition of ginger! So awesome. Oh, and CHOCOLATE CHIPS….my fav!
Oh, they are so good, the combo! Thanks so much Melanie! You would love them…they are sweet, crispy and chewy.
Hey there! 🙂 We stumbled upon your lovely blog from Ceara’s Kitchen. And what a stumble it is! Absolutely LOVE your photos — the nice balance between close-ups and layout shots. Professional, tempting, awesome! Also, Ginger + Chocolate = Awesome. Even Einstein couldn’t come up with a better formula, haha!
Also love your many desserts — especially the ones you featured in your slider. Gorgeous stuff. Okay, it’s official — we’re fans! Heh!
Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful creations. WE WILL BE BACK! Cannot possibly resist. 🙂
Awww Levan, what wonderful, sweet, KIND compliments!!! You made me smile big, so happy to find you on the internet and so glad you are a “fan” of my blog! I really appreciate it!
I’m so happy you enjoyed such a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family and that you took some time after to relax 🙂 Some relaxing after the holidays is definitively needed! I can’t wait to try a few of your recipes to feature at our Christmas dinner! I love the simplicity of your recipes! Keep ’em coming!!
And okay Brandi, these cookies look SERIOUSLY GOOD! I imagine the combo of the ginger and choc. chips is absolutely wonderful! Adding these to the “need to make for Xmas” list!! Have a great weekend 🙂 Pinned!
You are so sweet Ceara! Thank you so much lady! I hope you love them!
Where do I begin in describing how amazing these cookies are?!? So delicious and super easy to make! If you have an event where you need to bring dessert or you are wanting cookies, these will be gone in a flash!! I’m telling you, they are the best homemade cookies, of any kind, that I’ve ever had. Brandi, I think you should rename these to, “life changing cookies ” 😉
You are a doll Melissa! I’m so glad you loved the cookies so much, and I LOVE your suggested name of them, haha!! Thanks for the wonderful feedback!
Love the combo of ginger and chocolate! I don’t think it could get any better!
I agree…nothing better!
What lovely cookies and I just love the candied ginger for added spice! I bet these were so good! 🙂
Thank you so much Shundara! They were really GOOD! 🙂
Mon beau is a ginger fan…seriously, he and you have so much in common when it comes to ingredients like ginger, espresso, etc. Wow, 2 days prepping and cooking, I’m glad you had a long break, you deserve it, Brandi! Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Your cookies look amazing, I can see the crispy exterior…and the moist interior….I want to make this when I get home next month!
Brandi, this is a nifty cookie! I also make them as a regular ole chocolate chip and pecan or walnut cookie. The cookie batter makes a great ‘base recipe’ to add various favors to. The ginger is terrific but today the request from family visiting is chocolate chip pecan. Yours is the recipe I am using. Thank you!
Oh I’m so excited to hear this is your go-to chocolate chip cookie Nancy!! So happy they were a hit and thank you so much for the wonderful feedback! 🙂
OMG! Made the basic dough w/o ginger and added dark chocolate chips and chopped dried cranberries. They are outstanding and could compete with any cookie I’ve ever had! If I hadn’t made them myself I’d never believe there are no eggs, butter, or shortening in them. I love your recipes and have so many in my saved folder. Thank you for sharing!
So happy to hear that Meg, thank you so much for such wonderful feedback! I truly appreciate it!! SO thrilled you are enjoying the recipes!!
These cookies are AMAZE-Zing! I can not tell you how much my wife and I enjoyed these bad boys. They are our new favorite cookie to make and DEVOUR. I don’t even mind keeping them around since they are healthy-ish ? We left the ginger out and followed the rest of the recipe to the T. Perfection in a sweet, cylindrical shape!
Thank you so very much Travis! I’m so happy you loved these so much, thank you very much for leaving such great feedback!
Absolutely amazingly perfect cookies! Brandy you have outdone yourself on this one and you have a very special knack for making healthy, oil-free, vegan food taste amazing and people would never know it’s vegan. These cookies are crisp on the outside and moist on the inside and could fool any SAD eater out there. Please keep your amazing recipes coming!!
You are the sweetest Candy! Thank you so much for your kind words, they really mean so much to me! So happy to hear you love these so much!
What is a white sugar, brown sugar, molasses or other sweetener substitute for maple syrup? I can’t afford maple syrup and am willing to eat the processed sugars. I’d like to try your cookie/dessert recipes but most of them contain maple syrup. Thank you.
Hi Christy! You can sub agave anywhere you see maple syrup. It’s much cheaper. The taste will be slightly less rich, as it doesn’t have the same smoky warm flavor of maple syrup, but it’s the best sub out there. Make sure to use the dark amber agave and not the light and that the only ingredient, is agave.
Thanks. I think I can find agave at a local Winco for a good price.
These are the best cookies I’ve made so far! I’ve been plant based for about 3 years, and gluten free for about 3 months. I did not try it with the ginger yet, but may do that the next time I make these. The only down side was that I couldn’t stop eating them!
Yay! First, so sorry I missed this comment before and 2nd, SO glad you loved these and they are the best you’ve made so far! That makes me so happy, thank you so much for the feedback!
I made these cookies and they were so good! I accidentally used unblanched almond flour but they still came out delicious and crispy!
SO very awesome to hear that Elizabeth! Thank you!
Can walden farms be used for the maple syrup? I am trying to cut down on sugars period and using maple syrup would still make it high in sugar, also is there any thing besides tapioca starch? What is the best substitute for tapioca? I don’t have it at home and do not want to necessary have to buy it..
What is walden farms? The tapioca starch is pretty crucial for the texture and binding of the cookie. There is only 6 ingredients in these cookies, so please understand that if you are wanting to change 2 of those ingredients, I can’t say how exactly they will turn out. You can try cornstarch, but they will not bind as well and may be more crumbly, as tapioca is a key ingredient here. I use it in a TON of my recipes, so my readers definitely get good use out of the ingredient and it doesn’t go to waste.
Wow, more good things I must try. Thanks.
Thank you Marsha!
hi
may i ask what would you substitute for tapioca starch. 1/4 cup tapioca starch
i googled, and found potatoe starch
both of these are dietary restrictions for me.
thanks in advance.
enjoy the holidays ahead.
🙂
Hi there, you can try cornstarch instead. I haven’t tried it using cornstarch, but I think it should work.
We just made these! Kiddo approved times 3! My son kept sneaking more. When I went to put the girls to bed I had to tell him, “I counted the cookies. I’ll know if one is missing.” LOL!! He would have eaten the whole tray. I’m not even going to attempt to post a picture though because mine look nothing like yours. I think I overdid it on the flour. I doubled the recipe and then added a little extra almond flour because the dough was so sticky. That was dumb…I make almond flour/maple syrup cookies all the time and the dough is SUPPOSED to be sticky and they turn out perfect every time. I don’t know why I second guessed myself here – I guess that’s what happens when your sweet tooth is rearing it’s ugly head – you can’t think straight. So, anyway, they didn’t spread out quite like they should have, but they were delicious nonetheless. Even with a double batch, I have a feeling they will be gone by tomorrow! 🙂
Hahaha! You are hilarious! That sounds like something I say to my daughter, lol! Oh yay! I’m so happy they were such a hit! Oh yes, the dough is supposed to be super sticky and thick, but not super stiff, that way it allows them to spread some. Also, different climates sometimes will make my dough stiffer (like in colder weather versus warmer), so that could also affect it. If you make them again and your dough is extra thick, just press them down some before baking. I do that sometimes in the colder weather and they will look like the pics. 🙂 Thanks so much girl for making them!! And yes, we go through them usually the first day, LOL!
These cookies are amazing. Definitely add both gingers! I baked mine for about 15 minutes and they were perfect. Thank you for the great recipes❣
Thank you so much Eydie! So very happy to hear you loved these, thank you!
Can I sub arrowroot powder for tapioca starch? Because I don’t have tapioca starch and in Germany it is hard to find in food stores (or at least none of the stores I usually go to had it)
I really want to make them for my 20th birthday 😀
Hi JT! You can sub with cornstarch and I think that should work fine in place of the tapioca!
They are awesome! Used cornstarch instead of tapioca and they still were wonderful. Thank you for the great recipe Brandi 🙂
Yay! So glad to hear that Cathy! Thank you for letting me know!
Absolutely yummy! Crispy outside and soft chewy on the inside. Thank you for sharing the recipe! And I am so happy that every recipe I’ve tried from your website has been successful everytime! You’re brilliant!
Thank you so much Diana! So happy to hear you loved these and I really appreciate your kind words!
“Perfect” is faint praise for these gems! The texture! The taste! The added oomph of ginger, both dried and crystallized (we have a big bag of it and have a small piece often after a meal. I also have a great recipe for chocolate ice “cream” with crystallized ginger. They’re even easy to make.
I like to try new recipes and rotate them, but they went way too quickly so I will be making these again tomorrow. The rotation is a great idea, but when you find a cookie you could enjoy every day for the rest of your life some “rules” are made to be broken….
Aww, this makes me so happy to hear Ellen, thank you so much for such wonderful feedback! Totally agree about the rule thing, too, haha!
So I just discovered your blog. I’ve never considered anything Vegan before – not sure why, just never tried it. But this website is so intriguing!! And these cookies look fabulous! I have found several recipes that I am excited to try! Thank you!!
So kind Shanna and thank you! I hope you enjoy the recipes, please let me know if you ever have any questions!
Just made these for my family and they turned out great. I subbed corn starch for the tapioca because I didn’t want to go to the store. Really good! I definitely make them again!
So awesome to hear Helen, thank you!
Seriously THE BEST chocolate chips cookies I’ve ever made! And the healthiest, also. I don’t even think about making another cookie when I have a hankering for CC COOKIES!! All of my non vegan friends are blown away eveytime I make these bad boys!
Aww yay! Thank you so much Travis for the amazing review! I also saw your garlic alfredo remake on IG and review, so thank you for making and rating those as well! So glad these are such a hit! Love hearing that!
Hello!
I’d like to make these cookies as well as your pecan chocolate chip cookies, pecan pie cookies, and chocolate espresso cookies for a cookie exchange, and was wondering whether any or all could be made a day in advance and refrigerated until the next day. If so, should I ensure they come to room temp before baking or just adjust the baking time if needed?
Also, I’d like to thank you for all the recipes you’ve developed! This is my first year vegan and I’m very grateful that you’ve been such a resource for delicious, oil free cookie recipes for the holidays.
Hi Allison! You are so sweet and how exciting that you will be making several of my cookie recipes! Yes, they all can be made a day in advance, with maybe the exception of the chocolate espresso cookies. I always find the chocolate espresso cookies, while certainly delicious the next day, they are best the first day. The others are totally fine though! You don’t need to refrigerate them either. Just leave them covered in a sealed container at room temperature. I’m so glad to hear how much my recipes have helped you, thank you so much for a lovely comment!
Oh and fyi, on these specific chocolate chip cookies, they are the crispiest the first day, as they will soften some by the next day. Still delicious, just won’t have that same crisp. But these are literally 20 minutes from star to finish, so you can totally make these the day of easily.
Wow, thank you so much for such a quick response! I realize now that I mistakenly did not clarify that I was wondering whether just the dough could be prepared in advance. On our actual baking day we will have 9 ladies preparing and baking cookies in one kitchen. I am hoping to simplify the process by just doing the baking, and not the prep, there. It’s so kind of you to respond so quickly when I’m sure you are busy with the holidays!
Hi Allison, I do not recommend making all of the batters the day before, that will really affect how they bake up, especially the ones with baking soda. The only batter that I think would be fine made the day before is the pecan pie cookies. There is no leavening agent in that one. What you could do to save time though is to prepare the flours/dry ingredients in their bowls for each recipe and then just add the liquids the day of. I do this ALL the time for parties or events and it saves a lot of time. I just label each bowl and then give the dry ingredients a really good whisk before adding the wet and it works great! Hope this helps!
These were amazing! I don’t know why I hadn’t had ginger and chocolate together in a cookie but that combination was delicious. The girls devoured them during a homeschool activity and asked for more.
I’m so so happy you loved these and so did your friends Elyse, thank you so much for the awesome review!
I made them today and they were a hit. Defenetly a keeper! They are chewy inside and crispy on the edges. I noticed that they taste even better after you let them cool down for a while. Highly recommended!!
Yay Patty! So glad to hear it! Yes, I always let my cookies fully cool because I always prefer their taste and texture once cooled. Thank you so much for the lovely review!
Made these today but omitted ginger as my family doesn’t like it much. My son’s exact words, “These are the best chocolate chip cookies I ate in a long time!” (He is 19) 🙂 Thank you Brandi for yet another delicious recipe!
Wonderful Roza! So awesome to hear that you and your teenage son loved these, yay! What an awesome review! Would you mind star rating it too if you get a chance, really helps me out, thank you so much for making them!
Brandi—all of your recipes are amazing, but I think these MAY just be my favourite retake on the classic cookies!! You are so very talented, and I’m so happy you do what you do—THANK YOU! <3
Thank you so much! So happy you love these so much! Thank you, you are too sweet!
Do you think they get pretty close to the Starbucks chocolate chip cookies? My husband is wanting them but I want the good ingredients and no oil or butter 😀 so far I found no recipe where the outside is has become really crunchy or crispy but rather soft and chewy outside and insight…
I have never had Starbucks cookies so I can’t tell you how they can compare. But I can tell you that if you’re looking for an amazing chocolate chip cookie, I’d make these instead. They are the most popular chocolate chip cookie on my blog and are phenomenal. Slightly crisp outside with a moist chewy center. You can always cook them an extra minute to get them crispier. You will see all the reviews on that post how much readers love them!
https://staging.thevegan8.com/2015/05/23/best-vegan-gluten-free-chocolate-chip-cookies/
Do you ever bake with Quinoa flour? Can I use it here instead of almond?
Hi Deirdre! No, I don’t really use quinoa flour since I find it leaves a strong flavor. It wouldn’t work here to replace almond flour anyways, since almond flour is high in fat and moisture, it’s the base of these cookies being moist and their texture. There isn’t really a replacement unless you used maybe another nut flour like hazelnut meal, but other non-nut flours would make them really dry.
These truly are the best chocolate chip cookies that I have ever had. The texture is perfect. I did not use ginger this time, but will try that option in the future. I subbed almond extract for the vanilla and dark chocolate chunks for the chips. Perfection! Thank you so much. I have been searching for the perfect vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe with no oil or no vegan butter. This is it! So simple and so good.
Wow, that is the best review ever Robin, thank you so much for making them and leaving this lovely feedback!
My favorite cookie EVER! I make these at least 2-3 times a month. (I don’t use ginger and I add walnuts.) Perfect every time. I am SO addicted.
These cookies are amazing. Easy and so delicious. Big hit at a dinner party last night. Thank you for another amazing recipe!