Chocolate Chunk Cookies – How to Make them Perfectly

Chewy chocolate chip cookies with ooey gooey centers, perfectly crispy edges and melty chocolate chunks. Easy vegan recipe from scratch that will have everyone begging for another.

A Cookie without Dairy, Eggs or Nuts

2012 was when this recipe first went live on the blog. It showed 2 pictures, taken with a crappy camera and even worse editing. But….this cookie was DELISH! It just didn’t look like it. Jump to today, 2022 and I’m finally giving this cookie the platform it deserves. It’s beautiful, gooey, loaded with chocolate, sprinkled with a little sea salt and OMG good!

Not to mention, this cookie recipe is dairy free, egg free, nut free and has even been made gluten free a time or two using 1:1 gluten free flour blend.

Gooey Chocolate Chunk Cookie Recipe

With a number of chocolate chip cookie recipes on the blog, it may seem unnecessary to create another, but I truly find a time and a place for each one (kind of like having 10 different pairs or jeans).

There’s the kids’ favorite that I make on repeat- The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies {Gluten free + Vegan}, the one with a twist for the holidays – Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (V,GF+NF), the funky one- Easy Popcorn Chocolate Chip Cookies or The Best Vegan Compost Cookies (gluten free, nut free) and the healthy-ish one- Flourless Chocolate Chip Cookies (Vegan+Gluten free). Honestly the list keeps going, but sometimes I need a recipe designed to suit those instant chocolate cravings without hours of chilling the dough. That’s where this recipe comes in.

Ingredients for Chocolate Chunk Cookies

The ingredients for these Chocolate Chunk Cookies are as close to classic while omitting the allergens. However, you probably already have these in your pantry. Here’s the run-down:

• All-Purpose Flour – It’s easy to use and most of us always have this on hand. Even if you bake gluten free, then you would have your GF version. Easy peasy!
• Cornstarch or Arrowroot – Can be used to thicken puddings, pies and custards but for our cookie recipe, it helps keep them light.
• Baking Soda – This gives the dough a little bit of lift, giving the cookies that soft and tender texture. Be sure to replace your baking soda every few months becuase old baking soda won’t give you the same results as a fresh box. Trust me….. you won’t be happy with the results.
• Light Brown and Granulated Sugar – Those two sugars work together to give the cookies the balance of crisp edges and soft centers. If you like a little crunch, swap out granulated sugar for turbinado.
• Dairy Free Butter – This is a terrific substitute in vegan baking and brands like Earth Balance, make cookies taste sooooo good. It can be purchased in a stick or tub (go with the stick when baking cookies) and also comes in soy-free varities.
• Salt (Kosher & Flaked Sea Salt) – A tiny amount of salt in chocolate chip cookies balances and enhances the flavor of the sugar and chocolate chips. 
• Vanilla Extract – Adding a little is a great way to intensify the flavor. When purchasing, look for “pure” on the label to avoid artificial flavor and chemicals.
• Vegan Chocolate Chunks or Chocolate Chips – Semisweet is a classic choice for cookies and Enjoy Life Foods Mega Chunks are made with high quality non-dairy cocoa butter, unsweetened chocolate, and cane sugar, making them a tasty choice for todays cookie recipe.
• Water – We’re using a little just to ensure our cookie dough is scoop-able and is able to spread in the oven.

How to Make Chewy and Crispy Chocolate Chunk Cookies

1. Soften Butter. I’m usually impatient on this step, so what I like to do is slice it as thin as possible and leave it out while I’m prepping everything else. It’s usually enough time.
2. Preheat Oven. Heat it up to 350° and don’t start baking until it’s at that temp. Placing cookie dough in an oven that hasn’t reached the proper temperature will yield uneven baking results
3. Whisk together dry ingredients. Measure dry ingredients – flour, cornstarch/arrowroot, baking soda, and salt then whisk together. (When measuring flour, gently scoop it out of the bag into a measuring cup so that it doesn’t compress.)
4. Cream butter & sugars. Don’t rush this step! It should take a few minutes (2-3) for the butter and sugar to be light, fluffy and pale in color.
5. Add water and vanilla. Mix into butter–sugar mixture just until incorporated.
6. Add dry ingredients. Slowly beat in flour mixture on low but do not overmix.
7. Add chocolate chunks. I like to add 3/4 of the amount into the cookie dough, reserving the rest to press into the top of cookies right before baking.
8. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Use a cookie scoop for smaller cookies OR 1/4 cup to measure out the cookie dough onto parchment lined baking sheet for large cookies. Bake until the edges are golden then let cool on pan.
9. Enjoy!

Fillings for Chocolate Chunk Cookies

While semisweet chocolate chunks for delicious, here are a few other options to try:

• Chocolate Chips (semisweet, sweet or dark)
• White Chocolate Chips – Enjoy Life also has new white mini chips that bake up perfectly and taste yummy.
• Chopped SunCups (kinda like PB Cup but made with sunflower seeds).
• Dried Fruit or Seeds – I love the tart contrast of cranberry with chocolate, or a little extra crunch sprinkled on top using pumpkin seeds.

How to Freeze Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough

Frozen cookie dough makes life so much easier. You can bake a few cookies at a time or the whole batch if needed. The best way to do this is:

1. Roll cookie dough into balls and line up in a single layer on a cookie sheet.
2. Transfer the cookie dough sheet pan into the freezer until dough is solid, 2-3 hours.
3. Remove dough from pan and place in a freezer-safe bag and seal, removing as much air as possible.
4. Freeze 3-6 months then bake when needed.
5. To bake cookies from frozen: take cookie from freezer, and bake at 325° for 16-19 minutes (less heat than the original recipe to allow for longer baking time to cook through frozen dough).

More Cookies to Make:

Vegan Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies with Coconut Oil

Best Fudgy Brownie Cookies (vegan + nut free)

Crazy Good Chocolate Chunk Cookies (Vegan, Gluten free) with SunButter

The Best Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies|Vegan and Nut free

I hope these chocolate chunk cookies find a way into your heart like they did ours. Let me know in the comment below if you make them or tried any of the ad-ins then be sure to post and share on social so I can see all your creations. Don’t forget to tag me @allergylicous on Instagram or Facebook.

How to Make Chewy Crispy Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies