You know in movies there’s this certain kind of idealistic chocolate chip cookies that kids seem to have after school? They look flat and soft and chewy, but also crisp on the outside and perfectly studded with chocolate chips? Well, after many years of trying out different things, I’m happy to have accidentally stumbled on what I was always looking for in chocolate chip cookies. The thing about so many vegan cookies is that they kinda look like what you know and they kinda taste like what you know, so you often settle for too-heavy, too much like cake cookies. This has none of that going on.
The dough didn’t have the texture I was expecting; it was light and airy and really benefited from the refrigeration. They puff up in the oven and promptly become what I was hoping for once they’re out. I’m not going to say it was the addition of molasses that bumped these up, but that is the only thing I really hadn’t tried before. Be careful, it’s strong, so don’t go for more than what I used.
If you’d like to make these with regular all-purpose flour, I think that would work splendidly but I really do recommend adding the xanthan gum, as it’s the most helpful thing I’ve found in getting the right texture for vegan cookies.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes ~4 dozen cookies
Adapted from this recipe on Canadian Living
1 cup non-dairy stick margarine, softened
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon black-strap molasses
1 tablespoon high quality vanilla extract
1 tablespoon boxed egg replacer + 1/4 cup water, mixed well
2 cups all purpose (Gluten-Free one is here; use brown rice or sorghum flour for the rice portion)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
In a large bowl, using a hand or stand mixer on high, beat the non-dairy stick margarine until fluffy. Add the sugar and molasses and beat until fluffy again. Add the vanilla extract and egg replacer and beat until combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Refrigerate for a half an hour. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and drop the dough by the rounded tablespoon onto the baking sheet. Flatten out ever so slightly with the back of the spoon. These will spread out, so don’t crowd them. Bake for 7-9 minutes. Take out from the oven and let continue cooking for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to cool on a baking rack.
