This post may contain affiliate links. These help support this website.
Speaking personally for my husband, the biggest thing he misses from not getting to eat dairy, is my chocolate chip cookies! He was by far my biggest fan and could eat an entire batch in a short time. Now that he can’t eat dairy at all, without getting very sick, he is always dreaming about those cookies!
This past year it has been my mission to recreate this favorite desserts in a dairy-free way he can enjoy. I’ve completed his favorite pumpkin pie, his favorite brownies, and his favorite cake!
The trickiest one to recreate and still keep it as close to original as possible, is those chocolate chip cookies!
Last month, I created and studied some gluten-free baking tips for cookies, and they turned out really well! I have had some readers let me know that they tried out the tips and were so excited how the cookies turned out for them!
Thanks to chemistry, I have been working on some dairy-free options for my cookie recipe. Obviously, a huge component in baking is butter! Butter is a great binder and adds that unmistakable flavor to baked goods. In all chemical honesty, there isn’t much of a replacement for butter as far as texture and flavor.
The first experiment I tried was to use a vegan butter substitute. I did NOT like how the cookies looked or the texture. They tasted okay, but it wasn’t like my normal cookie, so I chose not to go with that anymore.
Coconut oil was my next ingredient to work with. I really like coconut oil for baking because (1) it doesn’t have a flavor (if it’s refined, which I use) when it is baked (2) it is a saturated fat, so it is solid at cooler temperatures. These are key points to baking.
The result was a pretty close to a normal cookie! The texture is slightly different, BUT the flavor is almost exact with the use of a little butter extract. P.s – extracts are the best chemist options for flavor! I love them 🙂
So, if you have to eat dairy-free, here is a cookie for you! Even if you don’t have to, these cookies are delicious for all!!
- 1 1/3 cup flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup coconut oil NOT MELTED, just soft
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp butter extract
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup coconut oil MAY be needed, optional
- 1-2 cups dairy-free chocolate chips mini
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In a mixer, combine the soft, but not melted coconut oil, white sugar, brown sugar, and extracts. Cream until just combined.
- Add in the egg, and mix until just combined.
- Meanwhile, combine all the dry ingredients in a small bowl until well incorporated.
- Add dry ingredients to the wet slowly until JUST combined.
- Now, check out the batter. Depending on the temperature of your coconut oil, it could be too dry (crumbly). If that is the case, add in the additional coconut oil to make sure the dough is like normal cookie dough in texture (slightly wet). If the dough seems to be too wet, you can add in a touch of flour. Just make sure the dough looks like your usual cookie dough.
- Next, Add in chocolate chips and stir until evenly distributed. I use close too 2 cups, but that is a lot! You may just want to use 1 cup 🙂
- Add rounded tbsp full to a cookie sheet. These will not spread like butter cookies, so slightly press them done before baking.
- Bake about 10 minutes, or until edges are golden brown.
- Cool Completely on wire rack.
- **Chemist Note: These cookies may seem like they are still too soft on the inside, but that is normal. They will harden as they cool. This is important so they don't dry out!
Out of all the dairy-free chocolate chips we have tried, I like these Enjoy Life Semi Sweet Chocolate Mini Chips 
I hope you enjoy these as much as my husband did. I must say, these are definitely going to be made at least every other week at my house!
Have a great week! P.s newsletter comes out at the end of this week!
Follow on Facebook | Bloglovin | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Hometalk
Linking with Met Monday and these link parties!
I’ve been waiting for this recipe! So interesting.. I can’t wait to try it out!
Christina :: http://www.simpleanddelish.com
I think you will like these Christina! My husband was seriously blown away by how much they resembled my regular cookies. He almost had tears in his eyes since he hasn’t had them in years lol. Let me know if you get to make them and what you think 🙂
These look so amazing! I really need to give these a try since they turned out so well for you! I’m not the best baker but these seem easy enough! <3, Pamela Sequins & Sea Breezes
They are actually pretty easy to make! And honestly…they are pretty hard to mess up, so I think you will do just fine! Let me know if you get to make them!
God bless you my daughter, for making my son in law able to still enjoy the sweet things in spite of his affliction. Love mom
You’re sweet mom! I love getting to help him enjoy life 🙂
What could I use for the egg? My grandson is allergic to dairy, eggs, nuts, seafood. I could bake these for him if I could substitute something for the egg.
Hi Shirley! I have done some egg free baking and had luck with the “flax egg” I actually have a great post coming up on this soon, but basically you will mix 1 tablespoon of ground flax seed (I buy it in the baking section of my grocery store) with 3 tablespoons of water. Stir really good, then pop it in the fridge for 15 minutes. It should be pretty sticky once it has been there and you can place it in dough instead of the egg. Other than that, this cookie definitely needs a sticky egg like texture to make it look like a real cookie once it’s baked. Let me know if you have any other questions about the flax egg and I will be happy to help you!! Have a great day!
Oh yum who wouldn’t love these?!
They are really good!
Happy Monday Alexis! Wow – these look so good! I was wondering about the choc chips – thought maybe you would use carob. I love your mom’s comment… You’re a wonderful woman – and chemist – to experiment/make these for your hubby and those who need to be dairy free. Enjoy your day!
These Enjoy Life Chocolate chips are really good! My hubby loves them and they taste just like regular semi-sweet ones! Thanks so much Laurie 🙂 I am so grateful to be able to help my husband still enjoy life, despite his health issues. I hope you have a wonderful day!!!
These look so delicious! I will definitely have to give this recipe a try!
Thanks Jessica…I think you will really love them!
These cookies sound amazing and I try to use coconut oil in my cooking whenever it makes sense! Need to get back on the baking train.
I love it for baking too! It is a great substitute for dairy!
YUM! So glad you found a way for your husband to enjoy this treat!
I am too! He was so excited about these and he just loved them 🙂
I have several friends who can’t have dairy, so I’m going to send this recipe to them! 🙂
Oh, awesome!! Let me know what they think!
I haven’t used coconut oil for baking, but these sound like a great dairy free option. Awesome you found a way for your husband to enjoy them!
Thanks girl! I love how great of a substitute is is for butter in most baked goods…and my hubby sure loved them 🙂
Can’t wait to try these! I’m all for it in terms of being a little healthier 🙂
They are so good Angelica! Let me know if you get to try them!
Coconut oil is a staple in ALL of my cookie recipes- I just love it so so so much! 🙂
It is so good! It really is the best dairy-free option! 🙂
These literally look like the perfect chocolate chip cookie! Ughs… now I’m craving one haha
Thanks Amanda! It is really delicious, I think you will love it 🙂
YUM! Can I come over for a cup of coffee and cookies? These look delicious, my friend, and while I don’t have to eat gluten-free I think I will whip up a batch of these just because 🙂
Thanks for sharing with Roses of Inspiration. Hugs!
Stephanie, I would LOVE if you could come have some coffee and cookies! Why can’t we live closer ?? 🙂 These are delicious for everyone! I think you will enjoy them 🙂
Where do you find butter extract? I have never heard of it. These sound so good. I use coconut oil in a lot of cooking lately.
I find in the baking section right next to the vanilla extract! Usually it will be called butter imitation or something like that. I always buy the watkins brand! I used to not be able to find it in the store, so I just bought it on amazon. If you can’t find it, you can definitely make these without it 🙂
This is awesome! After my son was born, I couldn’t have soy or dairy for a year. These would have been a life saver!
Thanks Morgan! Oh man, these would have definitely come in handy! I hope you get to make them soon, they are soo good!
These look so good! I am always looking for new ways to use coconut oil & i LOVE anything dairy free. I will definitely have to give this recipe a shot!
Thanks Kylie! I think you will really love these. Let me know if you get to make them!!!
I have recently started using coconut oil and can’t wait to try this cookie recipe – thank you for sharing with Pin Worthy Wednesday Alexis
You will really enjoy these! Plus, they are really easy to make 🙂
Wow I can’t wait to try these. I love the texture coconut oil adds to baked goods.
Thanks Diana! I love the texture too. It is such a great substitute for butter!
These look delicious!! I love coconut oil but haven’t used it in much baking yet… hmmmm….
Found you via the Charm of Home linkup 🙂
So glad you stopped by! Coconut oil is really awesome in baking! My hubby really enjoys it 🙂
Yum! This looks great 🙂 I am addicted to sweets so I love finding healthier recipes. Thanks for sharing!
Xo Raina
http://www.themamaqueen.com
Thanks Raina! I love doing healthier/dietary substitutes for baking! It is nice to have a sweet treat and not feel too guilty 🙂
These look awesome! I had 10 months where couldn’t eat dairy — I wish I knew about this recipe then! Since I have a fair amount of coconut oil on hand, though, I’d still like to try these. And your husband sounds like he’s one lucky man that you’re recreating some of his favorite recipes for him so that he can eat them! Thanks for sharing, stopping by from SITS.
Thanks so much Bev! Oh, I wish you had known about these during that time too! You will still enjoy these though, they really don’t taste or feel like a cookie without butter, so you hardly miss it 🙂 Thanks for coming by to check out my recipe, have a wonderful weekend!
I’m happy to know that the coconut oil is flavor free (not being a fan of coconut 🙂 ). I’ve made dairy-free cookies before (and egg-free too!), but I look forward to trying the coconut oil. Thanks for sharing at the Blogger’s Pit Stop!
That was a big factor for my husband…he absolutely hates the taste and smell of coconut, but can’t have even a drop of dairy! So, I started buying the refined coconut oil which has no coconut taste or smell which works out great for him 🙂
Your hubby is lucky to have a wife that takes such good care of him! These cookies look absolutely delicious and it looks like you’ve already helped a lot more people that just your hubby! Thanks so much for sharing your recipe with us at Share The Wealth Sunday!!! xoxo
Thanks so much Lisa! I just love getting to help others enjoy their favorite treats even with health limitations. Thanks for hosting your party!