The Softest Vegan Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies (Dairy & Egg Free)
Servings 20 cookies
Equipment
- food scale (optional but highly recommended)
- mixing bowl with lid or reusable cover
- rubber spatula
- cookie scoops (large or at least 1½"- 2" diameter)
- headstand mixer OR electic hand mixer
- whisk
- sifter (sieve)
- baking sheet
- parchment paper
- cooling / wire rack
Ingredients
DRY INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups (280g) unbleached all purpose flour sifted
- 1 tsp pumpkin spice blend
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 2 bars (226g) semi-sweet baker's chocolate chopped (or substitute with any dairy-free chocolate chips)
WET INGREDIENTS
- ½ cup (113g) vegan butter softened to room temperature
- ½ cup (75g) organic brown sugar
- ½ cup (100g) organic granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp (29g) unsweetened plain non-dairy milk soy milk, recommended
- 1 cup (305g) pure pumkin purée (not pumpkin pie mix)
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
FOR THE DRY INGREDIENTS
- Using a large mixing bowl, sift all dry ingredients together starting with the flour. Add pumpkin spice, baking powder, & salt. Whisk all together until well combined.
- Reserve chocolate chunks (or chocolate chips) for later once dry has been mixed with wet ingredients.
FOR THE WET INGREDIENTS
- Prep headstand mixer or electric hand mixer. If you are using an electric hand mixer, you will need a bigger bowl to mix all ingredients together.
- Start with beating room temperature vegan butter at medium high speed. Once butter has spread with mixture, add brown and white sugar. Mix in medium speed until it reaches its soft peak (or it is looking softer and airy).
- Add milk as it continues to mix. Once well combined, add pumpkin purée and mix thoroughly.
- Pour vanilla extract and mix. Consistency should be soft and (slightly) loose. However, it should not look runny.
MAKING THE COOKIE DOUGH
- Gradually combine dry ingredients to the wet and mix in medium high speed. Consistency of the dough will be very soft but should look light and airy.
- Add chocolate chunks and fold into the cookie dough with a rubber spatula until well combined.
- Cover mixing bowl and allow the cookie dough to chill for at least an 1½ hour in the fridge. You may also leave cookie batter overnight (or up to one day) before baking.
BAKING
- Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C.
- Line a parchment paper on baking tray (you will need multiple trays if you are baking the entire batch).
- Remove cookie dough from fridge. Using a cookie scoop (or ice cream scoop / spoon), scoop 1½" - 2" in diameter cookie dough and line on baking tray. Be sure to space each cookie dough away from each other as they will expand in size.
- Bake cookies in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the bottom is golden brown in color. Cookies may still feel slightly soft after removing it from the oven, however, it will firm up once it's cooled.
TO SERVE
- Allow cookies to cool down in a cooling rack before serving.
- Best paired with a glass of non-dairy milk, coffee, or tea. Enjoy!
Notes
- Food Scale - I highly recommend using a food scale for this recipe to get the closest results as shown. Weighing baked goods in grams are much accurate than measuring with cups.
- Baker's Chocolate - I prefer using chocolate bars, chopping it to chunky pieces than chocolate chip cookies. It's much melty when freshly baked and richer in flavor. Most baker's chocolate are non-dairy or contain no animal product but, as a rule of thumb, double check. You can always use chocolate chips, too, if that's what you can find.
- Pumpkin purée - The best brand, in my opinion, is Libby's pumpkin puree. It's smooth and best in flavor. Plus, it is the classic. If you would rather go with organic pumpkin purée, Farmer's Market Organic Pumpkin is your next best bet. However, keep in mind, Farmer's Market is slightly looser in consistency so your cookies might be softer due to higher moisture content. Unfortunately, with the depth of flavor it requires, I do not recommend fresh pumpkin purée. Canned is the best.
- What is in pumpkin spice mix? If you would rather make pumpkin pie spice mix than buying a blend, it includes the following: ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and all spice.