Chewy, buttery, and full of rich chocolaty flavor, these Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies taste like the cookies you know and love without the lactose or dairy! They're easy to make and are a fun baking project for the whole family.
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Table of contents
- The best dairy-free cookie recipe.
- Ingredients:
- How to choose a vegan butter for this dairy free baking recipe:
- Vegan butter alternatives:
- Can you make this recipe with dairy?
- How to make dairy-free chocolate chip cookies:
- Pro-tip: how to most accurately measure flour:
- More recipe pro-tips:
- How to make this cookie recipe gluten-free:
- How to bake these non-dairy cookies at high altitude:
- Storing and freezing directions:
- FAQs:
- Save this recipe for later on Pinterest:
- Tools needed to make this recipe:
- More dairy-free baking recipes:
The best dairy-free cookie recipe.
Pregnancy is an ever-evolving journey and my most recent development is one that has required a bit of a dietary change for me: going lactose-free.
Since I'm such a dairy lover (just weeks ago I declared my love for fresh mozzarella cheese!), this has been quite the transition for me. BUT, in order to feel better, reduce the overwhelming fatigue, and do away with my constant headaches it's a path I'm willing to go down. And one that, so far, has been so worth it!
My first step on this path was -- as you guessed it -- finding cheese substitutes. My second? Finding dairy-free desserts!
Since so many pre-made desserts (and pre-made foods in general!) contain hidden dairy, I've quickly learned that I need to figure this dairy-free baking (and cooking!) game out or food's gonna get real boring, real fast.
After 3 or 4 rounds of testing out and perfecting these cookies, and consulting with my dairy-free baking guru friend, Ai (of Ai Made it for You), I got this lactose and dairy-free chocolate chip cookie recipe in tip-top shape and can't wait to share it with you!
Ingredients:
- Vegan butter - or, a butter made without any dairy fat or animal products. See my notes below on how to choose a vegan butter for this recipe.
- Light brown sugar - adds a light molasses flavor to the cookies and a bit of chew.
- Granulated sugar - balances out the brown sugar.
- Large eggs - binds the cookies together, gives them structure, and provides a nice golden color to the cookies.
- Pure vanilla extract - pure extract is best for this recipe, as it will provide a superior flavor.
- All-purpose flour - keeps the no dairy butter cookies tender and light and is the perfect canvas for the buttery and rich chocolaty flavors.
- Corn starch - adds a bit of softness to the cookies while still preserving the chewiness.
- Salt - just a little bit brings out the sweetness in these cookies.
- Baking soda - helps the cookies rise, giving them a melt-in-your-mouth lightness.
- Dairy-free chocolate chips - most larger grocery store chains carry dairy-free chocolate chips these days. Enjoy Life! chips are completely allergen-free and vegan, as are Simple Truth organic semi-sweet chocolate chips.
How to choose a vegan butter for this dairy free baking recipe:
The percentage of fat in the butter is crucial to the success of these cookies, and getting them nicely buttery and chewy.
To most closely mimic the flavor and texture of baking with dairy-butter, you will want to use a vegan butter that is 80-82% fat (i.e. the closest fat profile to traditional butter), or a brand like Earth Balance or Country Crock Plant Butter.
Vegan butter alternatives:
If you run out or can't find vegan butter at your grocer, the same amount of virgin coconut oil or vegetable shortening can substitute for the vegan butter while keeping this recipe dairy-free.
Can you make this recipe with dairy?
Though I know chances are you are looking at this post because you can't or choose not to eat dairy, it's worth sharing that if you have any dairy-eating friends or family who like these cookies, they can also very easily be made with dairy!
To make them with dairy, just substitute the same amount of unsalted dairy butter (softened to room temperature) for the vegan butter, and traditional semi-sweet chocolate chips for the vegan chocolate chips and follow the recipe directions as listed.
How to make dairy-free chocolate chip cookies:
For the complete recipe and measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Preheat the oven and prepare baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat mats.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until smooth.
- Beat in the eggs and pure vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the salt, baking soda, all-purpose flour, and cornstarch together until combined.
- Slowly add the flour mixture into the creamed butter mixture until no streaks of flour remain, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir the chocolate chips into the cookie dough until combined.
- Scoop large tablespoons of the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the cookies for 11-13 minutes, or until they are no longer shiny and just starting to turn golden, but are still soft.
- Cool the cookies on a wire cooling rack and enjoy when they are cooled to your liking!
Pro-tip: how to most accurately measure flour:
The most precise and accurate way to measure flour is by weighing it on a food scale. Though I know this may seem unnecessary strict, properly weighing flour can make a huge difference in your baking.
Kitchen scales are super affordable (only $10 on Amazon!) and are pretty simple to operate: just place your mixing bowl on the scale, tare it, and then scoop the flour into the bowl until you've reached the amount directed in the recipe.
If you can't get a scale in time to make this recipe, gently scooping the flour into the measuring cups and then leveling off with a knife works as a solid back-up.
More recipe pro-tips:
- Beat the butter and sugar mixture until it is light and fluffy. The more air we can work into the mix, the lighter and softer the cookies will be.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl as you mix the batter. This will help the batter to mix evenly, giving you the best texture cookies.
- Scoop evenly sized cookies by using a cookie scoop.
- Rotate the cookie sheets throughout the baking time. Most ovens do not heat up evenly and/or have hot spots throughout. To evenly bake the cookies, I recommend turning the sheets halfway through the baking time.
- Don't over-bake the cookies. These cookies are done when they are still soft, but no longer shiny and are just starting to turn golden around the edges. If they are baked much longer than this, they aren't as soft and chewy.
How to make this cookie recipe gluten-free:
Thankfully, it is super easy to make gluten-free dairy-free chocolate chip cookies with this recipe. Just substitute the same amount of 1-to-1 or measure-for-measure gluten-free flour (I love King Arthur's blend) for the all-purpose flour and follow the rest of the recipe as directed!
How to bake these non-dairy cookies at high altitude:
To bake these lactose-free cookies at high altitude, just increase the flour to 3 ¼ cups (or 390g) and bake according to recipe directions.
Storing and freezing directions:
- Storing - these cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
- Freezing - you can also freeze the cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
- Defrosting - to defrost the cookies, just leave them on the counter at room temperature for 15-30 minutes, or until they are thawed through.
FAQs:
Though this chocolate chip cookies are made without milk or any milk-based ingredients, almost all traditional chocolate chip cookie recipes contain dairy. To double check that the cookies you are consuming do not contain dairy, make sure they are made without dairy butter, milk, and non-vegan or non-allergen friendly chocolate chips.
Unfortunately, Nestle chocolate chips are not dairy-free.
Save this recipe for later on Pinterest:
Tools needed to make this recipe:
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Food scale
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Whisk
- Cookie sheet
- Cookie scoop
- Wire cooling rack
More dairy-free baking recipes:
- Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie
- Dairy-Free Blueberry Muffins
- Dairy-Free Banana Muffins
- Dairy Free Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
- Vegan Blondies
- Edible Brownie Batter (Easy DF Variations!)
- Edible Peanut Butter Cookie Dough (Easy DF Variations!)
- Oat Protein Cookies (Dairy-Free!)
Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup vegan butter such as Earth Balance, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 14 oz pkg vegan chocolate chips also known as allergen-free or dairy-free chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat mat.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the vegan butter, light brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Beat the eggs and vanilla extract into the creamed butter mixture, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl as needed, or until the mixture is smooth, light, and airy.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the salt, baking soda, all-purpose flour, and cornstarch together until combined.
- Mix the flour into the creamed butter on low speed, until no streaks of flour remain, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir the chocolate chips into the cookie dough until combined.
- Scoop heaping tablespoons of the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving 2-3 inches between each scoop.
- Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 11-13 minutes, rotating the cookie sheets halfway through the baking time so the cookies bake evenly, or until the cookies are no longer shiny and are just beginning to turn golden around the edges.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and cool on a wire rack until the cookies have firmed up or have cooled enough to enjoy.
