Salted Caramel Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
These Salted Caramel Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies are chewy, deeply caramel-flavored, and finished with flaky sea salt for a dramatic sweet-salty finish. Made with Medjool date paste and coconut sugar, they are entirely plant-based and naturally rich without any dairy or eggs. Perfect for sharing, gifting, or eating warm straight from the pan.
Equipment
- Food processor
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Cookie scoop
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 12 whole Medjool dates pitted, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes and drained
- 1/2 cup refined coconut oil melted and cooled slightly
- 3/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tbsp water, rested 5 minutes to form flax egg
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup oat flour use certified gluten-free if needed
- 1 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled, or substitute gluten-free 1:1 baking flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
Mix-ins and Finishing
- 1 1/2 cups vegan dark chocolate chips 60% cacao or higher, plus extra for topping
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt for finishing
Instructions
- Make the flax egg: Stir together 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Set aside for at least 5 minutes until the mixture becomes thick and gel-like.
- Prepare the date paste: Drain the soaked Medjool dates and add them to a food processor. Blend on high until completely smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. The paste should be silky with no large chunks remaining.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted coconut oil, coconut sugar, date paste, prepared flax egg, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and glossy, about 2 minutes.
- Combine the dry ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the oat flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, and fine sea salt until evenly combined.
- Make the dough: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix. Gently fold in the vegan dark chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Chill the dough: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This step is essential for thick, chewy cookies that do not spread too thin.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop and bake: Use a cookie scoop or rounded tablespoon to portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing cookies about 2 inches apart. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden but the centers still appear slightly underdone.
- Finish and cool: Immediately after removing from the oven, press a few extra chocolate chips into the top of each cookie and sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. They will firm up as they cool.
Notes
For gluten-free cookies, substitute both flours with a certified gluten-free 1:1 baking flour or use all certified gluten-free oat flour. Do not skip chilling the dough as it is critical for texture and flavor development. Cookies will look underdone when pulled from the oven but firm up perfectly on the pan. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months. Raw dough balls can also be frozen and baked directly from frozen, adding 2 to 3 extra minutes to the bake time.