Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

I found this recipe on Vegweb.com while in search of a vegan version of the classic chocolate chip cookie.  I followed it almost exactly:

2 cups unbleached flour
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp.salt
1 cup vegan chocolate chips
1 cup raw sugar
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup water

Directions:

VERY IMPORTANT-make sure all ingredients are at room temperature. It will work if they’re not at room temp but it works MUCH better if they are. Also while your oven is pre-heating put the cookie sheets you are going to use on top of the oven so they get preheated as well.  Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl mix flour, baking powder and salt. Add chips. Make a well in the center and set aside.

In a medium size bowl mix vegan sugar and oil. Mix it well.  Add the vanilla and then add the water. Mix it well.  Add the wet to the well in the dry. Mix it well but be careful not to overwork it.  Spoon onto ungreased cookie sheets.  Put them in the oven.  Bake for 5 minutes and then flip and rotate the sheets (top to bottom,and 180 degree rotation). Bake another 4 minutes and check them.

The cookies are done when they seem a little bit softer then you want them to be. They will harden up some as they cool.

When they are done, move them to wire cooling racks. If they split or come apart when you try to remove them let them sit on the pan for 2 minutes before transferring them to the racks.

Here’s what I changed:

I used only a 1/2 cup of raw sugar and substituted a 1/2 cup of brown rice syrup to make 1 cup.

I also used a 1/2 cup of melted earth balance instead of oil.

They turned out really well! Slightly golden tops, chewy centres and gooey chocolate chips in every bite.  Make sure to follow the detailed baking instructions as it seemed to make all the difference in the evenness and consistency of the cookies.

~The Vegan Project