Cookies don’t need butter, eggs, or milk to taste rich and chewy. Swap in a few plant-based staples like coconut oil, flax eggs, and dairy-free chocolate, and you get cookies that bake up just as golden and snap just as satisfyingly as the originals.
This collection pulls together 19 vegan cookie recipes that cover the full range of cravings, from fudgy chocolate to bright lemon crinkle to cozy spiced gingerbread. Every recipe below gives you exact ingredients and steps, so you can bake with confidence the first time through.
For the most dependable all-around vegan cookie, start with the classic chocolate chip version, since it uses pantry staples and bakes up chewy in the center with crisp edges every time.
Quick picks:
- Best all-around: Classic Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies, familiar and foolproof
- Best for chocolate lovers: Vegan Double Chocolate Fudge Cookies, rich and brownie-like
- Best for holiday baking: Vegan Gingerbread Cookies, warm spice and good for decorating
- Best for a quick fix: Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies, just a handful of ingredients
1. Classic Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Flax eggs and melted coconut oil give these cookies chewy centers and crackly, golden edges.
Ingredients:
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup coconut oil, melted
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flax + 5 tbsp water)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups dairy-free chocolate chips
Method: Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk dry ingredients. Cream sugars with oil, add flax eggs and vanilla. Combine wet and dry, fold in chips. Scoop onto a lined sheet, bake 10-12 minutes. Makes 24 cookies; prep 15 minutes.
2. Vegan Double Chocolate Fudge Cookies
These taste like a brownie turned into a cookie, dense, glossy, and packed with cocoa.
Ingredients:
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup vegan butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup non-dairy milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup vegan chocolate chunks
Method: Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix dry ingredients. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy, add milk and vanilla. Fold in dry mix and chunks. Bake scooped dough balls 9-11 minutes. Makes 20 cookies; prep 15 minutes, cook 10 minutes.
3. Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
Three ingredients are all you need for a fork-marked peanut butter cookie that tastes rich and salty-sweet.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup natural peanut butter
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 2.5 tbsp water)
Method: Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix all ingredients until smooth dough forms. Roll into balls, press with a fork in a crisscross pattern. Bake 10 minutes on a lined sheet. Makes 14 cookies; prep 10 minutes.
For an even simpler version, this simple 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies recipe skips the mixing bowl fuss entirely.
4. Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Chewy oats and plump raisins make this a lunchbox classic that stays soft for days.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup vegan butter, softened
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 flax egg
- 1 cup raisins
Method: Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine dry ingredients. Cream butter and sugar, mix in flax egg. Fold in dry ingredients and raisins. Bake scooped dough 11-13 minutes. Makes 18 cookies; prep 15 minutes.
5. Vegan Snickerdoodles
Cinnamon sugar coating gives these soft cookies a crackly top and a warm, spiced bite.
Ingredients:
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup vegan butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 2 flax eggs
- 2 tbsp sugar + 2 tsp cinnamon for rolling
Method: Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix dry ingredients. Cream butter and sugar, add flax eggs. Combine, roll balls in cinnamon sugar. Bake 8-10 minutes. Makes 24 cookies; prep 15 minutes.
6. Vegan Sugar Cookies
These hold their shape beautifully, making them a reliable base for icing and decorating.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup vegan butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ cup non-dairy milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Method: Preheat oven to 350°F. Cream butter and sugar, add milk and vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients. Chill dough 30 minutes, roll and cut shapes. Bake 8-10 minutes. Makes 20 cookies; prep 20 minutes, chill 30 minutes.
Try the delicious heart shaped sugar cookies recipe for a sweet twist on this base dough, or keep things minimal with simple 3 ingredient sugar cookies.
7. Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
Molasses and warm spices make these smell like the holidays the moment they hit the oven.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp cloves
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ cup vegan butter, softened
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup molasses
- 1 flax egg
Method: Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk dry ingredients. Cream butter and sugar, add molasses and flax egg. Combine, chill 1 hour, roll and cut shapes. Bake 9-10 minutes. Makes 24 cookies; prep 20 minutes, chill 1 hour.
8. Vegan Shortbread Cookies
Just a handful of ingredients produce a buttery, sandy-textured cookie that melts on the tongue.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup vegan butter, softened
- ¼ tsp salt
Method: Preheat oven to 325°F. Cream butter and sugar, mix in flour and salt until dough forms. Shape into a log, slice into rounds. Bake 15-18 minutes until edges turn light gold. Makes 16 cookies; prep 10 minutes.
For a fuss-free version of this same dough, see the classic 3 ingredient shortbread cookies.
9. Vegan Jam Thumbprint Cookies
A buttery base cradles a jewel of jam, making these look fancy with almost no extra effort.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ cup vegan butter, softened
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup fruit jam
Method: Preheat oven to 350°F. Cream butter and sugar, add vanilla. Mix in flour and salt. Roll balls, press thumbprint into each, fill with jam. Bake 12-14 minutes. Makes 20 cookies; prep 15 minutes.
10. Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cookies
Pumpkin puree keeps these cookies soft and cake-like, with cinnamon and nutmeg in every bite.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup vegan butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Method: Preheat oven to 350°F. Cream butter and sugar, mix in pumpkin and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Bake scooped dough 12-14 minutes. Makes 18 cookies; prep 15 minutes.
Browse more fall bakes in our best pumpkin cookie recipes.
11. Vegan Molasses Cookies
Deep, dark molasses gives these a sticky-sweet flavor and a soft, chewy chew.
Ingredients:
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp cloves
- ½ cup vegan butter, melted
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup molasses
- 1 flax egg
- Sugar, for rolling
Method: Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix wet ingredients, stir in dry ingredients. Roll balls in sugar. Bake 10-11 minutes until cracked on top. Makes 20 cookies; prep 15 minutes.
12. Vegan Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Bright lemon zest and a dusting of powdered sugar make these feel fresh and a little fancy.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ cup vegan butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 flax egg
- ½ cup powdered sugar, for rolling
Method: Preheat oven to 350°F. Cream butter, sugar, and zest. Add juice and flax egg. Mix in dry ingredients. Roll balls in powdered sugar. Bake 10-12 minutes. Makes 18 cookies; prep 15 minutes.
13. Vegan Tahini Cookies
Nutty tahini gives these a flavor close to peanut butter cookies but earthier and a touch bitter.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup tahini
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 flax egg
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- Sesame seeds, for topping
Method: Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix tahini, sugar, and flax egg. Stir in flour, baking soda, salt. Roll balls, top with sesame seeds, flatten slightly. Bake 10-12 minutes. Makes 16 cookies; prep 15 minutes.
14. Vegan Pistachio Rose Cookies
Ground pistachios and a hint of rose water make these taste delicate and a little exotic.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup ground pistachios
- ½ cup vegan butter, softened
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tsp rose water
- Chopped pistachios, for topping
Method: Preheat oven to 350°F. Cream butter and sugar, add rose water. Mix in flour and ground pistachios. Roll balls, top with chopped nuts. Bake 11-13 minutes. Makes 16 cookies; prep 15 minutes.
15. Vegan Coconut Macaroons
Toasted coconut and a chewy center make these naturally gluten-free and quick to mix together.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups shredded coconut
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 3 tbsp coconut flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Melted chocolate, for dipping (optional)
Method: Preheat oven to 325°F. Mix all ingredients until sticky. Scoop into mounds. Bake 18-20 minutes until golden. Cool, then dip bottoms in melted chocolate if desired. Makes 16 cookies; prep 10 minutes.
16. Vegan Chocolate-Dipped Biscotti
Twice-baked and sturdy, these biscotti are built for dunking into coffee or tea.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¾ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup melted coconut oil
- ¼ cup non-dairy milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips, melted
Method: Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix dough, shape into a log on a lined sheet. Bake 25 minutes, cool 10 minutes, slice, bake again 10 minutes per side. Dip one end in melted chocolate. Makes 18 slices; prep 20 minutes.
17. Vegan Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
Two crisp chocolate wafers sandwich a creamy vanilla filling, tasting close to the classic store-bought version.
Ingredients:
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ cup vegan butter, softened
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 flax egg
- ½ cup vegan butter (for filling)
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar (for filling)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Method: Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix cookie dough, roll thin, cut rounds. Bake 9 minutes. Beat filling ingredients, sandwich between cooled cookies. Makes 16 sandwiches; prep 20 minutes.
18. Vegan White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
Buttery macadamia nuts and sweet vegan white chocolate make this a rich, bakery-style cookie.
Ingredients:
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup vegan butter, softened
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 flax egg
- 1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
- 1 cup vegan white chocolate chips
Method: Preheat oven to 350°F. Cream butter and sugars, add flax egg. Mix in dry ingredients, fold in nuts and chips. Bake scooped dough 10-12 minutes. Makes 22 cookies; prep 15 minutes.
19. Vegan Maple Pecan Cookies
Maple syrup replaces most of the refined sugar here, giving these cookies a caramel-like warmth.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup vegan butter, softened
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Method: Preheat oven to 350°F. Cream butter, syrup, and sugar. Mix in dry ingredients and pecans. Bake scooped dough 10-12 minutes until edges turn golden. Makes 18 cookies; prep 15 minutes.
How to Make Reliable Vegan Baking Swaps
Flax eggs replace chicken eggs reliably in most drop cookies. Mix 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 2.5 tablespoons water per egg and let it sit 5 minutes until gel-like.
Vegan butter or melted coconut oil both work in place of dairy butter. Coconut oil gives a slightly crisper edge, while vegan butter sticks (like Earth Balance) bake closer to the texture of traditional butter cookies.
For milk, unsweetened oat milk or soy milk work in nearly any recipe that calls for a splash of dairy milk. Oat milk adds a little natural sweetness, which works well in spiced cookies.
Check your chocolate chips and sugar. Some chocolate chips contain milk fat, so look for a label that says dairy-free. Some granulated sugar is processed with bone char, so choose a brand labeled vegan or organic if that matters to you.
Baking soda and baking powder still work exactly the same in vegan recipes. No substitution needed there, since neither contains animal products.
If a cookie recipe asks for honey, swap in maple syrup or agave at a 1:1 ratio. Both keep the right amount of moisture in the dough.
For more swaps across other treats, our best vegan desserts page covers substitutions for cakes and bars too.
How to Store and Freeze Vegan Cookies
Store baked vegan cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Most vegan cookies stay soft a little longer than dairy versions, since coconut oil and vegan butter hold moisture well.
Separate layers with parchment paper to stop soft cookies like snickerdoodles or molasses cookies from sticking together.
To freeze baked cookies, cool them completely, then stack with parchment between layers in a freezer bag. They keep well for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before eating.
To freeze cookie dough, scoop individual portions onto a tray, freeze until firm, then transfer to a bag. Bake straight from frozen, adding 1 to 2 extra minutes to the bake time.
Shortbread and biscotti hold up the best in storage, since their low moisture content keeps them crisp for over a week in a sealed tin. Soft, cake-like cookies like pumpkin or lemon crinkle taste best within the first 3 days.
For more plant-based sweets worth keeping on hand, check out 30 vegan desserts for options beyond the cookie jar.
