Vegan Chocolate Sugar Cookies
For days I’ve been munching on these delicious Vegan Chocolate Sugar Cookies. They are crunchy on the outside and softer inside.
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN CHOCOLATE CUT OUT COOKIES
Packed with flavor these chocolate cut out cookies are perfect to be enjoyed plain, with a cup coffee, tea or milk. Or you can also make them extra special and decorate them with Vegan Royal Icing. Or dip them in white chocolate.
- TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Ingredients
- Flour Mix
- What kind of cocoa should I use?
- What is aquafaba?
- Make Vegan Cookie Dough
- How to to roll out cookie dough?
- Can I re-roll scraps?
- Bake the cookies?
- Are these cookies soft?
- Can I decorate these vegan chocolate cookies?
INGREDIENTS
You’ll notice that salt is missing from the list of ingredients. Earth Balance vegan butter I’m using already contains salt/sodium. Chickpea brine is also mildly salty as well. And so I didn’t think it was necessary to add more salt.
If you are using other Vegan Butter check the list of ingredient, if sodium is missing or butter is not salty at all, use ¼ tsp salt in the recipe.
- Vegan Butter (Earth Balance)
- Aquafaba (strained chickpea brine)
- Vanilla Extract
- Almond Extract
- Espresso Powder
- Organic Raw Cane Sugar ( I use Florida Crystals brand)
- Brown Sugar
- Cocoa Powder (natural cocoa powder or Dutch-processed)
- All Purpose Flour
- Corn Starch
- Baking Powder
FLOUR MIX
In a medium size bowl whisk together all purpose flour, corn starch and baking power. Set aside.
Tip : I like to use King Arthur Flour.
COCOA POWDER
In this recipe you can use both Natural and Dutch-processed cocoa power. I mostly use natural cocoa powder so that’s what I used in this recipe.
WHY NATURAL COCOA POWDER WORKS ?
Natural Cocoa Powder is acidic. Usually Natural cocoa powder when used in baking is often paired with an alkaline ingredient – most commonly baking soda. However in this recipe I’m not using baking soda (alkaline), I’m using baking power (acidic). What’s great is that Aquafaba/chickpea brine is alkaline and will act as one in this recipe.
WHY DUTCH-PROCESSED COCOA POWDER WORKS?
Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder is treated in a potassium carbonate solution that neutralizes cocoa’s acidity. As a result dutch process cocoa powder is usually also darker than natural cocoa powder. And in baking it is most commonly paired with baking powder (acid). In this recipe there are not 3 acidic ingredients : baking powder, brown sugar and coffee.
If you’d like dig deeper and learn more about natural and dutch process cocoa powder check out Natural versus Dutch Process Cocoa Powder.
Sift cocoa powder through a fine mesh sieve.
AQUAFABA, EXTRACTS AND ESPRESSO POWDER
In this cut out chocolate sugar cookie recipe I use chickpea brine (aquafaba). Drain the beans and strain the brine/liquid through a fine mesh sieve. Chickpea brine can be also used to make Vegan/Eggless Royal Icing or Vanilla Vegan Sugar Cookies.
Tip : Chickpea brine can be frozen for up to 3 months.
In a small dish whisk together , espresso powder, Vanilla Extract and Almond Extract.
VEGAN CHOCOLATE COOKIE DOUGH
Into a large bowl add soften vegan butter (Earth Balance), organic raw cane sugar and brown sugar. Cream for 2-3 minutes. Then gradually in 2 additions beat in aquafaba mixture. Beat for additional 2 minutes, until creamy and pale in color.
Then pour all of the sifted cocoa powder into the vegan butter mixture and beat until well combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. And beat for another minute.
Now in 2 additions beat in flour mixture. Dough is softer when 1st made.
ROLL OUT COOKIE DOUGH
Place the dough onto a parchment paper between 2 rolling guides (1/4inch thick). Roll it out to ¼ inch. Slide the rolled out cookie dough onto a flat tray or baking sheet and refrigerate for an hour.
CUT OUT COOKIES
Slide the chilled and rolled out cookie dough onto a work surface. First peel the top parchment then flip the sheet of rolled out cookie dough and peel the bottom parchment to release the cookie dough.
Cut-out cookies and transfer them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment.
CAN I RE-ROLL SCRAPS?
Absolutely, gather scraps and re-roll the cookie dough.
BAKE THE COOKIES
Bake cookies at 350F for 10 minutes. Don’t over bake or cookies will be too hard. Cookies are soft when you take them out of the oven. They will firm up as they cool. This recipe makes about 20 – 3 inch cookies, ¼ inch thick.
Tip: Don’t over bake, or cookie will be hard.
Allow cookies to cool on a baking sheet to 10 minutes. Then transfer onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
ARE THESE COOKIES SOFT OR CRUNCHY?
These vegan chocolate cookie are crunchy on the outside and soft inside.
CAN I USE THIS RECIPE TO MAKE DECORATED COOKIES ?
Absolutely. I recommend to let the cookies cool and allow them to set for several hours before decorating with Vegan Royal Icing.
TO MAKE VEGAN CHOCOLATE CUT OUT SUGAR COOKIES YOU NEED
- TOOLS
- Get all the tools in my Amazon Shop
- Baking Sheets
- Parchment
- Cooling Rack
- Cookie Cutters
- Video Tutorial with narattion
MORE VEGAN DESSERT RECIPES :
Vegan Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
VEGAN CHOCOLATE SUGAR COOKIES
- 3/4 cup vegan butter (Earth Balance, at room temperature)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 3 tbsp Aquafaba, strained thru a mesh sieve (at room temperature)
- 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 tsp espresso powder/or granulated
- 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp corn starch
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder (natural or dutch-processed)
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional)
Instructions
VEGAN CHOCOLATE SUGAR COOKIES
Flour Mixture and Cocoa Powder
- In a medium bowl whisk together all purposed flour (1cup and 3/4cup), baking powder (1/2tsp) and cinnamon (1/4tsp – optional) Set aside
- Sift cocoa powder into a small bowl. Set aside.
Aquafaba Mixture
- In a small dish whisk together room temperature aquafaba (3 tbsp), espresso powder (1/2tsp), Vanilla Extract (1tbsp) and Almond (1/2tsp).
Vegan Chocolate Cookie Dough
- In a large bowl cream temperature Vegan Butter-Earth Balance (3/4cup), granulated sugar-I used Florida Crystals Vegan Sugar (1/2 cup) and brown sugar (1/3cup). Cream for 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl. Beat until creamy and well blended together.Then gradually in 2 additions beat in aquafaba mixture. Beat for additional 2
minutes, until creamy and pale in color - Then pour all of the sifted cocoa powder into the vegan butter mixture and beat until well combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. And beat for another minute.
- Now in 2 additions beat in flour mixture. Dough is soft when 1st made. Shape it into a disk.
Roll Out Cookie Dough
- Place the cookie dough disk onto a parchment paper between 2 rolling guides (1/4inch thick). Roll it out to ¼ inch thick. Slide the rolled out cookie dough onto a flat tray or baking sheet and refrigerate for an hour.
Cut Out Cookies
- Slide rolled and chilled cookie dough onto a work surface. Peel off both top and bottom parchment to release the cookie dough. Cut out cookies and transfer them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Gather the scraps and re-roll the cookie dough.
Bake
- Bake cookies at 350F for 10 minutes. Allow to cool on a baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
I DON’T LIKE COFFEE CAN I OMIT IT?
Yes, you can omit it.HOW LONG DO THESE VEGAN CHOCOLATE SUGAR COOKIE LAST?
10 to 14 days. Stored in an airtight container.CAN I FREEZE BAKED COOKIES?
Yes, absolutely. How To Freeze Cookies.
This post contains Amazon affiliate links that earn me a small commission, at no cost to you. I only recommend products that I use and love. Learn more about my affiliate policy here.
Are these cookies sturdy enough to use for gingerbread house construction?
Hi Summer,
I haven’t tried using this recipe to make a gingerbread house. I will have to try it sometime.
Happy New Year.
Hi! I don’t have espresso powder, wanted to use leftover coffee from the morning. But the only liquid in the recipe is the aquafaba. I’m worried about replacing some of that because it’s what acts as the egg. Any tips? Thank you!
Hi Lori,
I think I’d just skip the coffee in this case.
Hi! You mention corn starch in the ingredients but don’t incorporate it in the directions. I’m assuming add it with the flour/baking powder step? Thank you so much for your recipes!
HI Mo
yes, exactly, with the flour. Thank you for letting me know.
Another wonderful recipe that I have made, but using gluten free flour instead. That turned out wonderfully!
I don’t suppose you have a gf-v recipe for molasses cookies? Just throwing the idea out there…
Hi Sylvie,
that’s awesome you like the recipe. Did you use any special flour mix to make it gluten free?
I haven’t tried molasses cookies yet, something to explore soon. Thank you.
Hi Haniela,
Nice to meet you. I have a question about your choc cookies. Can I just make a ball instead of rolling it out?
Hello, I don’t think this recipe will work for drop cookies. Some adjustments would have to be made for this to work as drop cookies. However you can make balls and flatten them with a spatula or shape the cookie dough into a log, wrap it in plastic wrap. Freeze and cut out cookies, like when you’d make icebox cookies. Hope that makes sense. Let me know it goes.