There's a charming bakery nearby that serves the most scrumptious chocolate chip cookies. They're enormous, perfectly golden around the edges, and incredibly soft and gooey inside. I need a lot of willpower to resist grabbing one daily!
Sadly, my self-control doesn't extend to home baking, where I whip up cookies with increasing frequency. My husband and I can't eat them all, so we share with many happy friends.
However, I often see friends with disappointed faces saying, "I wish I could enjoy one, but I have dietary restrictions." That really bums me out. Everyone deserves a delicious chocolate chip cookie.
This inspired me to create a vegan and gluten-free chocolate chip cookie that satisfies cravings for the classic version, regardless of dietary needs. I'm thrilled to say I achieved that goal.
Unlike many vegan and gluten-free cookies I've tasted, this one avoids the strange flavors of gluten-free flour, lacks flaxseed, and definitely doesn't leave you thinking, "This is okay." Instead, these cookies will make you believe they're the real thing and likely leave you wanting seconds.
I opted not to use a gluten-free flour blend, as they often have an odd aftertaste. Instead, I chose my go-to flours: almond and oat flour. These require a binding agent, which is why I added cornstarch.
One of my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipes uses brown butter, which adds rich flavor. To mimic that nutty essence, I infused the cooking oil with chopped pecans. When they simmer, the delightful aroma fills the kitchen. It's optional, but I highly recommend this step.
For the butter substitute, I mixed cooking oil with all-vegetable shortening. Using melted butter was essential, and the oil made a perfect replacement. However, I needed something richer, so I included shortening as well.
For the egg substitute, I opted for a blend of applesauce and baking powder. The applesauce mimics the moisture of eggs, while the baking powder ensures the cookies remain light.
I know waiting an hour for cookies can be tough, but freezing the dough before baking is crucial to maintain their shape and prevent excessive spreading. If you skip this step, the cookies will still taste fantastic but may turn out flat. If you're desperate, I completely understand if you don't wait!
These cookies are quick to make with ingredients you'll likely find at any grocery store. Plus, cleanup is easy since you only need two bowls. Enjoy!
Description
Look No Further For The Best Vegan and Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup oat flour
- 1 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/8 cup pecans (roughly chopped)
- 2 tablespoons all-vegetable shortening
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 4 ounces baking chocolate (roughly chopped)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together oat flour, almond flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine vegetable oil and pecans. When the pecans start to bubble and darken, remove from heat.
- Strain the oil through a fine mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl to remove the pecans. Let it cool for 30 seconds to a minute.
- Cut the shortening into small pieces and mix it into the warm oil until melted.
- Stir the sugars into the melted mixture until it resembles wet sand.
- Combine the applesauce with baking powder and mix well.
- Add the applesauce mixture to the sugar-oil blend and whisk until smooth, about 30 seconds.
- Incorporate vanilla into the mixture.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
- Mix in the chopped chocolate.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and freeze for one hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- After an hour, scoop out 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie and place them on a baking sheet. Remember, they'll spread, so keep any remaining dough in the freezer.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy!
