Oil-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies {vegan, grain-free}

With 1 bowl and 5 minutes prep, you can crank out a batch of these mouthwatering oil-free chocolate chip cookies whenever a craving hits! Vegan, grain-free & gluten-free, they are crunchy at the edges and soft at the center. YUM!

Delicious, Nutritious Cookies that Love You Back

As a blogger who focuses on healthy eating, I am proud to say that I spend a considerable amount of time baking cookies.

Many, many cookies.

Because I love cookies, you love cookies, my husband loves cookies, and my 6-foot plus 14-year-old son loves cookies. I also love creating  cookies that are packed with wholesome, nourishing ingredients that make you feel satisfied, energized, and ready for whatever comes next.

My cookie philosophy is make cookies that love you back (can I get a hallelujah?!). 

I make batches of cookies every week for my son’s lunches (umm…and for me…and my husband). Chocolate chip cookies, brownies, and ginger cookies are his favorites, but he is open to my many interpretations on the themes. Inspired by my recent sunflower seed flour experiments, I decided to concoct a new riff on the first favorite:

Oil-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies! (I’ll take his eating of four cookies in rapid succession as a sign of approval.)

Healthy Highlights of these Cookies

• Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
• Grain-free
• Gluten-free
• Rich in healthy fats
• Low-carb
• Paleo

Most importantly, the cookies are free of empty calories and any other added junk. Instead of reserving them for dessert, grab one for a healthy snack, part of a healthy breakfast on the go, or pre- or post-workout fuel.

 Oil-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies Ingredient List

The ingredient list is both short and flexible. Here it is:

• natural nut or seed butter (e.g., peanut, almond, pepita, sunflower seed)
• coconut sugar (or keto substitute sweetener)
• lemon juice or cider vinegar
• vanilla extract
• sunflower seed flour or almond flour
• baking powder
• semisweet chocolate chips (use sugar-free for keto)

You will also need about 2 tablespoons of water. 

I wanted to use sunflower seed flour in this recipe, but any number of other flours will work, including almond flour, chickpea flour, oat flour or coconut flour. Use the same amount (1/4 cup), except in the case of coconut flour (you will use less; see the recipe notes).

How to Make Oil-Free Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

You can make the dough for the cookies in 1 bowl, in under 5 minutes. Fast + easy + minimal cleanup + delectable = cookie perfection.

Combine the wet ingredients first: the nut/seed butter, coconut sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons  water. Stir in the sunflower seed flour and baking powder until blended and then in go the chocolate chips.

I did not add any salt to the cookie dough itself because I used a salted natural peanut butter. If you are using a salt-free nut or seed butter, consider adding about 1/8 teaspoon of salt to the dough.

Regarding the lemon juice in the recipe: The lemon juice prevents the sunflower seed flour from creating any green specks (a natural chemical reaction, and perfectly harmless) in the cookies. If you do not use sunflower seed flour, feel free to leave it out.

Scoop, Roll and Flatten the Dough

Use a cookie scoop, or a tablespoon measure, to scoop out even portions of the dough. 

Roll each dough into a ball and space 2 to 3 inches apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

Flatten the Cookies Before Baking

The cookies do not spread much as they bake, so it is important to get them close to their finished shape as possible before baking.  

Flatten the dough into a circle (about 1/4 thick) using your palm or the bottom of a glass. Or, do as I do and use your fingertips for the flattening, creating an imperfect surface (a few dimples and divots). This results in a more like a traditional-looking cookie once baked,

Bake!

Slide the cookies into a preheated 325F oven (low and slow is good for these untraditional sweets) and bake for 10 to 14 minutes until golden brown and the edges have a few cracks. The centers will still appear slightly underdone. 

Do not worry if your cookies do not match the color of mine! The cookies will vary in color depending on the type of sweetener, nut/seed butter, and flour you use.

Cool Completely on the Baking Sheet

Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Next, do something else (anything; you will need some distraction, the cookies smell so tempting) while the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet.

The cookies will continue to “bake” from the carryover heat of the pan and will firm up as they cool. 

It is worth the wait! Happy baking :).

More Cookie Goodness:

1. Keto Vegan Coconut Flour Cookies {grain-free, gluten-free}
2. Chocolate Chip Banana Quinoa Muffins {vegan, GF, flourless}
3. Chocolate Coconut Flour Cookies {Vegan, Keto Option}
4. 100% Flax Chocolate Cookies {vegan, oil-free, keto option}
5. 3-Ingredient Almond Flour Cookies {Vegan, Oil-Free, Keto}
6. Healthy Chocolate Banana Oat Cookies {vegan, oil-free, GF}