Some nights, I just want my whole house to smell like cookies, and I want it to take no time at all. This is the recipe for lazy nights when you want cookies and you want them fast--and as a plus, they are vegan! They whip up in about a half hour, and are the quintessential chocolate chip cookies of your childhood--chewy in the middle and crunchy on the edges. So whether you are lactose intolerant (like me) or just out of eggs, you can make these cookies with just a handful of ingredients you may already have on hand and customize them however you want. Today I'm sharing my favorite variant of these cookies, stuffed with cookie butter!
Makes about 1 dozen medium-sized cookies
125g or 9 TBS vegan butter (I like Miyoko's or Country Crock Plant Butterwith Almond Oil)
3 TBS light corn syrup (honey also works in a pinch if you eat honey)
1 TBS vanilla extract
100g or 1/2c white sugar
50g or 1/4c light brown sugar
200g or 1 2/3c all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 oz dark chocolate chips
optional: 1 tsp cinnamon
optional: 12 tsp cookie butter, 1 tsp for each cookie
Prepare your baking sheets by lining with parchment paper and greasing with vegan butter or a neutral oil (like vegetable oil). Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Farenheit and make sure your oven rack is in the middle of the oven. I also like to bake my cookies on top on an inverted baking sheet, so I put that on the middle rack as the oven preheats.
In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter until liquid. Add that to a mixing bowl with both sugars, corn syrup, and vanilla extract, and whisk vigorously. In a separate bowl (or the same bowl if you haven't done dishes in a while...), combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon if using. Mix with a spatula until just combined, then add in the chocolate chips.
Scoop about 2 heaping tablespoons of dough into your hands and form a ball. Using your thumb, press an indent into the middle of the ball and stuff a teaspoon of cookie butter into the indent. Pinch the dough around the cookie butter so it is completely covered, and very gently roll into a ball. Place the cookies at least 3 inches apart--I can usually fit about 6 cookies on a standard baking sheet. Bake each baking sheet one at a time for about 12 minutes, until golden brown on the edges. I typically turn my baking sheet halfway through baking (about minute 5 or 6) to ensure an even bake. For a crispier bottom, cool on the baking sheet. For a slightly softer cookie, transfer to a cooling rack (or slide the parchment paper directly onto a counter or table if you don't have a cooling rack). Cool for at least 15 minutes before eating.
This cookie dough also refrigerates well--in an airtight container or ziploc bag, it will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. If refrigerating, take dough out to rest on counter for about 20-30 minutes before baking.
