Skip to Content

30 Easy Vegan Cookie Recipes

People often think you need butter, milk, and eggs to make a great cookie, and there’s no way around it. But this list of vegan cookies proves that you can make a cookie just as delicious with replacements for those ingredients.

30 Easy Vegan Cookie Recipes

Throughout this list, you’ll find new tips and tricks to making delicious vegan cookies. Some of them are even gluten-free!

There is a cookie here for everyone; chocolate chip, oatmeal, sugar cookies, and snickerdoodles, just to name a few. Even if you’re not vegan, if you have a vegan friend, give these cookies a try as a dessert option they can indulge in.

These recipes will also stretch your baking skills by teaching you new methods or vegan ingredient swaps. These recipes give you vegan alternatives to classic cookies and unique, creative cookies as well.

I hope this list provides you with all of the vegan cookie options you need, as well as ones you didn’t even know you wanted!

1. Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

I had to start this list with the most classic of all cookies: chocolate chip. I love a chocolate chip cookie, and it never goes out of style.

They always manage to capture our most fond memories. These vegan versions use applesauce and coconut oil instead of butter and eggs, but you would never know.

Don’t forget to grab vegan chocolate chips that don’t contain dairy! It says the flaky sea salt is optional, but I recommend including it. It gives this cookie a special edge.

2. Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut butter cookies always remind me of the nutter-butter cookies I used to eat when I was a kid!

But instead of those dry, processed peanut butter cookies, these homemade ones are soft, chewy, and thick which a rich peanut butter flavor.

If you’re looking for a no-mess recipe, this is for you! You only need one bowl to throw these cookies together, which means only one bowl to clean. If you’re allergic to peanuts, try almond butter in place of peanut butter.

3. Double Chocolate Cookies

These double chocolate cookies are perfect for serving dessert with any dishes you have in mind. Perfect for the chocolate lovers in your life, these cookies are chocolate-based cookies filled with even more chocolate chunks.

These come out soft and fluffy, and if you serve them warm, the chocolate inside is satisfyingly melty.

I like to use almond milk for the non-dairy milk, but you can use soy, coconut, or milk. Make these for your next get-together!

4. Vegan Lemon Sugar Cookies

This is a fun twist on a traditional sugar cookie. When it comes to cutting sweetness, you often want some acidic flavor.

This recipe utilizes that by pairing tangy lemon and sweet sugar cookies. If you don’t like the flavor of lemon, you can use another citrus like orange or grapefruit instead.

These make me feel like I’m eating lemonade in cookie form, and they are great for the warm summer months when you want that lemonade flavor!

5. Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies

I love to make these cookies as soon as the leaves start turning their fall colors. It fills my home with those lovely pumpkin spice aromas and sets the tone for the coming months.

These cookies are deliciously pumpkin forward thanks to the pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice used.

While chocolate may sound like an odd pairing with pumpkin, don’t let that fool you, the chocolate chips make these cookies stand out and add a richness that makes these perfect.

6. Best Vegan Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles are the cookie to make when you don’t know the crowd you’re serving very well. Everyone loves a snickerdoodle!

You can’t beat the mixture of cinnamon and sugar covering the outside of a cookie, it’s warm and sweet, and the cookies are moist and extra soft thanks to the vegan butter.

Give these a go next time you have an event to bring a snack to, but make a few extra to leave at home because there won’t be any leftover after the party.

7. Easy Vegan Gluten-Free Oatmeal Cookies

Oatmeal cookies will always remind me of my grandma. I love the sweet scents of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove combined with the chewiness of the oats.

This recipe is sweetened with coconut sugar and maple syrup, no refined sugars here.

I like to mix some dried cranberries into this recipe. You can stir in any dried fruit or chocolate chips you like.

If you don’t have almond butter on hand, feel free to swap that out for peanut butter.

8. No Bake Coconut Cookies

These define an easy cookie: only four ingredients, no baking necessary, and only one bowl to wash!

These cookies are great if you’re on a low carb or keto diet and want something sweet. They keep in the refrigerator for two weeks, or you can freeze them and pull one out when you want dessert.

These cookies are filled with coconut flavor and if you want an extra pina colada kick, try adding a little pineapple extract.

9. Vegan Shortbread Cookies

Shortbread cookies are the perfect cookie recipe to have in your home recipe collection.

They are a great base cookie that easily incorporates other mix-ins or flavors, and this version is vegan! Only four simple ingredients in this recipe: flour, sugar, vegan butter, and vanilla.

It’s as straight forward as it sounds! Depending on the season, I’ll add different flavors to this recipe.

In the fall, I’ll add pumpkin spice. In the winter, I’ll add dried cranberries and orange zest. For the spring or summertime, I’ll add lemon zest or strawberries!

10. Almond Butter Blossom Cookies

These almond butter blossoms are paleo and a tad bit healthier than a lot of cookies.

They are gluten-free with almond flour and vegan, thanks to almond milk. There also is no traditional cane sugar. Instead, this recipe uses maple syrup and coconut sugar.

The salty almond butter is a classic pair with the creamy chocolate drop in the center of the cookie.

If you don’t have an aversion or peanut allergy, you can easily swap out the almond butter for peanut butter for that peanut taste.

11. Vegan Sugar Cookies

This recipe for vegan sugar cookies checks off all the boxes for a great sugar cookie: melts in your mouth, soft, sweet but not too sweet, and a delicious icing to top with sprinkles.

The key to the sugar texture is the butter, so it may seem impossible to make a vegan sugar cookie. But vegan butter does just as good of a job making the cookie extra soft and delicious.

This recipe includes an icing recipe, but feel free to use your favorite recipe or pre-made icing.

12. Brown Sugar Chai Cookies

These may be the best vegan cookies I’ve ever made. I love a chai latte, so when I saw this recipe, I knew I had to make it.

The brown sugar gives the cookie a warm, caramelized flavor that is a beautiful backdrop to the chai flavors: cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and star anise.

If you can find vanilla bean paste, use it, it adds a more complex and deep vanilla flavor. It can be hard to find, though, so using vanilla extract is just fine.

13. Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

These chocolate crinkle cookies will please any crowd you make them for!

They are fudgy cookies with a soft texture, and the powdered sugar crackled outside is creative and fun. Ground flax seeds replace the need for eggs, and using coconut oil provides the fat needed for the dough.

These cookies puff up quite a bit, which is what gives them that crinkled look. The outside of the cookie is slightly crisp, while the inside stays soft and moist.

14. Jam Thumbprint Cookies

Thumbprint cookies are my favorite cookies to make with kids! Getting them involved in the mixing is fun, but the added activity of giving each cookie a thumbprint gives them more hands-on stuff to do.

This recipe uses a raspberry jam, but you can use any jam that has a tart flavor.

You want something slightly acidic to play off the sweet, buttery cookie. If it’s wintertime, try sifting some powdered sugar over the top of the cookies, it looks like snow against the red jam filling.

15. Soft Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

Here we have another take on a vegan oatmeal cookie, which has become one of my favorite vegan cookie recipes.

These are similar but use all-purpose flour and flaxseed eggs. These are full of warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, making them the perfect base for any mix-ins you would like to include.

I’ll add nuts like pecans or walnuts, peanut butter chips, or even golden raisins.

This recipe also provides instructions for freezing the dough, so you can easily have a freshly baked cookie on hand!

16. Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you haven’t experimented with adding tahini into desserts, this recipe is the perfect starting point for you! Tahini adds a nutty flavor, but unlike peanut butter, it’s more earthy and savory.

Pairing it with chunks of a chocolate playoff that savory flavor well gives these cookies a special taste.

Like any good chocolate chip cookie, these are soft, and the chocolate chunks are gooey.

These cookies will show you the magical world of tahini-based desserts, and you’ll be thankful!

17. Vegan Coconut Cookies

These vegan coconut cookies are perfect for any summer get-together or beach-themed party! Desiccated coconut, which is finely shredded coconut, adds a strong coconut flavor and a nice texture that is slightly chewy but also fluffy.

Sometimes if I want a richness added, I’ll stir in some white chocolate chips.

If you want to stick with the tropical flavors, try mixing in some candied pineapple. These cookies will make you feel like you’re enjoying fresh coconut on a beach somewhere.

18. Vegan Protein Cookies

These vegan cookies are a great alternative to buying protein bars at the store.

Making them at home makes them more affordable, and you have control over the ingredients and how sweet you like them. Banana adds sweetness instead of cane sugar, and pea protein is used to boost nutrients.

Thanks to the banana, these cookies are a great post-workout snack balanced with carbohydrates and protein.

These are chocolatey and peanut buttery, making them a satisfying afternoon snack.

19. Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies

These shortbread cookies are one of the best recipes on this list. They are creative and impressive to bring to a party.

They have a traditional shortbread base that is delightfully soft and crumbly and are dipped in a sweet glaze.

What makes these cookies so special is the lemon and lavender. Lemon zest brings a brightness that plays off the floral lavender beautifully.

I don’t recommend adding more lavender than the recipe calls for. Lavender can be an overpowering flavor if not used in moderation. These cookies will be a fun addition to any dessert spread!

20. Four Ingredient Power Cookies

This recipe for power cookies is a healthy take on a cookie! High in protein, fiber and with a moderate serving of carbohydrates, these cookies are great for a post-workout snack or an afternoon snack to give you a little boost of energy.

Banana provides the sweetness, and rolled oats and peanut butter add a healthy dose of fiber and protein.

Think of this cookie as a base. You can mix in whatever you choose easily.

I’ve added everything from chocolate chips to dried fruit and nuts. Make these to have around the house as a healthy and balanced sweet treat.

21. Vegan Funfetti Sugar Cookies

There’s just something about a funfetti cookie that brings joy anytime it’s in front of you!

From fond childhood memories to the whimsical colors on top, these cookies are a ton of fun to make and eat.

It’s a straightforward sugar cookie recipe, which may sound boring but having a solid sugar cookie is hard to beat.

You can choose what colors and types of sprinkles you want to use, and this is where you can let your inner child out and have some fun!

22. Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles are on this list a few times, and that’s because snickerdoodles are always a crowd-pleaser.

The important step for a good snickerdoodle is creaming the butter and sugar together.

You don’t want any grittiness from the sugar at the end of this step. It should be creamy and smooth.

After that, these cookies are easy to throw together. This is a great recipe to have on hand because you almost always have the ingredients necessary to make these cookies.

23. Simple Chocolate Chip Cookies

These chocolate chip cookies aren’t just vegan, they’re also gluten-free, so if you have a gluten intolerance, these are the cookies for you!

Even with the ingredient swaps, these still have crisp edges and a gooey soft center. Applesauce serves as the binder for the eggs, and vanilla almond milk is the dairy replacement.

Use your favorite gluten-free baking flour here. Just make sure it’s 1:1. Don’t feel like you must miss out on classic chocolate chip cookies if you have dietary restrictions. These cookies prove they can be just as satisfying and delicious!

24. Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies

This is another take on chocolate crinkle cookies. These contrast the rich, fudgy chocolate with the zing of peppermint!

Both peppermint extract and crushed-up peppermint candies provide a fun minty flavor.

These are perfect for making for any holiday party you have in the winter or any time you’re craving those holiday flavors!

The secret here is the Dutch-processed cocoa powder. This is different from normal cocoa powder, so make sure you get the right type.

25. Vegan Lemon Sugar Cookies

Fun twists on sugar cookies are some of my favorite ideas to look through online.

Sugar cookies make the best base for just about any flavor profile you want to play with.

Here, a vegan sugar cookie is a base for a deliciously bright lemon flavor. The outer edges of the cookie are slightly crispy, but the inside of the cookie is still soft and chewy.

If I’m serving these up on a platter, I like to add some fresh mint and candied lemon slices for a fun presentation!

26. Almond Flour Thumbprint Cookies

These thumbprint cookies are gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free, making them a great option if you have any dietary restrictions.

Almond flour makes a great thumbprint cookie because you want them to be slightly crumbly but still smooth.

Melted coconut oil works great in place of butter, but I don’t recommend using other oils in this instance.

You want the coconut oil’s ability to firm up when chilled to provide a chewy texture to the cookie.

27. Keto Almond Joy Bars

Almond joy bars were always my mom’s favorite candy growing up. She loves coconut and chocolate, so being able to make these healthy vegan cookies for her when she comes to visit is a great treat.

These don’t require any baking, which also makes them easy to put together.

They require a bit of time to set in the refrigerator, but it doesn’t take long. I’m willing to bet these will satisfy any craving you have for an almond joy!

28. No Bake Coconut Cookies

Anytime there’s a good no-bake cookie, I like to save the recipe because sometimes you have an unexpected need to make cookies, and not having time to bake them and let them cool can be difficult.

These coconut cookies use dried coconut and almond flour as the base.

The secret ingredient here is the lime juice added. This adds a surprising tang that pairs great with the coconut and chocolate shell.

You can sub this lime juice for lemon juice or vanilla if you want warmer notes instead of the citrus.

29. Vegan Tahini Cookies

Another tahini cookie! This cookie plays up that tahini flavor and pairs it with the taste of maple syrup, which pairs well!

Maple has a complex profile with notes of caramel and vanilla, and this plays off the nutty and earthy flavors in the tahini.

By topping the cookies with white and black sesame seeds, builds up the tahini flavor more and adds a different texture to the cookie, and makes the cookies look aesthetically pleasing.

30. Chewy Snickerdoodles

These snickerdoodles are everything you want out of a snickerdoodle: a slightly crisp exterior with a soft and puffy interior, sugar and cinnamon coating, and a slight chewiness.

The secret to a good snickerdoodle, vegan or not, is the cream of tartar, so don’t skip that ingredient here! Cream of tartar gives the cookies their notable chew and a tangy flavor.

The tang in the cookie helps balance the sweet outer coating. Make this next time you want a warm, soft cookie!

30 Easy Vegan Cookie Recipes

30 Easy Vegan Cookie Recipes

Yield: 36 cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • ½ c coconut oil
  • 1 c brown sugar
  • ¼ c almond milk
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 2 c all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 c vegan chocolate chips

Instructions

    1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
    2. In a large mixing bowl with a handheld mixer or in the bowl of your stand mixer, cream together coconut oil and brown sugar until completely mixed and sugar is broken down for about 5 minutes. Pour in almond milk and vanilla and mix on low until thoroughly mixed in, about 1-2 minutes.
    3. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and carefully stir until they are just combined, don’t overwork your dough. Fold in your chocolate chips until evenly spread throughout.
    4. Scoop dough with a tablespoon-sized scoop and roll into balls. Place them evenly spaced on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Carefully press down on each ball lightly with your palm to slightly flatten out each cookie.
    5. Bake in your preheated oven for about 8 minutes. Once the edges are golden and the cookies are set, pull them from the oven and set them on the cooling rack.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Skip to Recipe