Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
These soft and chewy vegan chocolate chip cookie bars are quick and easy to make! They take a bit less effort than classic chocolate chip cookies and don't require a mixer or any dough chilling.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (225g) vegan butter melted and cooled (note 1)
- 1 cup (200g) packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (75g) dairy-free yogurt or same quantity of dairy-free milk, room temperature (note 2)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¾ cups (345g) all-purpose plain flour spooned and leveled (note 3)
- 2 tablespoons (15g) cornstarch or sub with the same quantity of all-purpose flour (note 4)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon if using unsalted butter
- 1 cup (170g) roughly chopped vegan chocolate or chocolate chips plus more for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F). Line a 9" (23cm) square baking pan with parchment paper overhanging.
- Add the butter, both sugars, yogurt and vanilla to a large bowl. Mix until combined and some of the sugar has dissolved.
- Add the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, raising agents, and salt and mix until just combined. The dough should be very soft and tacky. Add all the chocolate and mix through.
- Scoop the cookie dough into your prepared pan and smooth the top. If desired, top with additional chocolate chunks/chips.
- Bake the cookie bars for 25-28 minutes or until they're evenly golden brown on top. For softer cookie bars, bake for less time. Place the baking pan on a wire rack and let the cookie bars in the pan cool for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- When the cookie bars are room temperature, remove them from the pan, cut into bars and enjoy!
- Store leftover cookie bars in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. The bars also freeze well for up to 1 month.
Notes
- These cookies will work with a vegan spreadable butter but your cookie bars will be slightly less rich.
- Alternatively, you can use the same amount in unsweetened applesauce. Cookie bars made with milk, yogurt or applesauce all taste the same on the day of baking. However, if you make them with yogurt or applesauce, they'll stay softer for a few extra days.
- Measure the flour accurately: If you're using measuring cups, ensure you spoon and level your flour otherwise your cookie bars will be drier. To do this, fluff up the flour in the bag, use a spoon to add flour to your measuring cup, then level it off with a knife. For the best results, use an electric kitchen scale and measure in grams.
Gluten-free version: This recipe works well with King Arthur's measure for measure gluten-free flour without any other changes. Other gluten-free flours may have different results. - Cornstarch helps these cookies stay soft, especially the edges! Alternatively, you can just use more flour.