Vegan
Dairy Free
Gluten Free
Chocolate chunk cookies with peppermint are gluten free, egg free and vegan Christmas cookies that will wow everyone! These vegan chocolate cookies are so fudgy and delicious, nobody will be able to tell that they’re allergy friendly!
Well… Hey there almost December! I’m about to bombard you with a week of christmas cookies. Don’t run, don’t hide! These are the best of the best gluten free christmas cookies that are (for the most part) refined sugar free with vegan options. GASP! I may be bias, but please believe me when I say I have had them tried and tested 3x! My kitchen basically exploded with holiday baking ever since these thumbprint cookies. Anyways…. let’s kick it off with a little peppermint and chocolate chunk magic. Mmmm k?
Chocolate chunk cookies with peppermint! Yep, a favorite holiday cookie of nearly everyone, but when you bake a batch that is vegan, gluten free, and egg free? Well, that just makes these vegan Christmas cookies downright addictive!
Commonly Asked Questions …. about gluten free (and egg free) cookies!
Questions that inquiring minds need to know. Also known as, give me the low down on these vegan chocolate cookies, Cotter.
What’s in a vegan cookie?
I think it may be easier to explain what isn’t in vegan cookies than to explain what is in a vegan cookie. You know what I mean?
Vegan cookies (and for that matter, all other vegan recipes) have no animal products or byproducts in them.
Here’s the thing, though. This recipe for Peppermint Chocolate Chunk Cookies is also egg free and gluten free, you will find NO eggs, wheat, bulgur, or rye flour in the recipe, either.
Some of my favorite cookie recipes are vegan. Have you tried these vegan cookie recipes of mine yet?
Now that you know what isn’t in the Vegan Peppermint Chocolate Chunk Cookie recipe, let’s talk about what is in them. I know what you’re thinking, if all that is missing from a cookie, then what good stuff is left? It’s all good stuff YO! And no, they don’t taste like cardboard. Pinky promise!
What’s in a vegan chocolate chip cookie?
Technically chocolate chunk cookies are chocolate chip cookies, with more chocolate. Right? And since we know that chocolate has anti-inflammatory properties, it only makes sense to use MORE chocolate. Hence, the chocolate chunks.
In addition to the chocolate chunks (which, by the way I buy from Enjoy Life Foods), this chocolate chunk cookie recipe also calls for a few other simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry!
- Cocoa Powder
- Dairy free milk
- Vegan butter (you have got to try this one!!)
- Peppermint Candies
- Gluten Free Flour (Gluten Free 1:1 Flour works best or a flour with xanthan gum added)
- Unrefined Sugar (with sugar-free options)
- And of course… SPRINKLES!
How to Bake Allergy Friendly Cookies EASILY:
You can use dairy free chocolate chips OR chocolate chunks in the cookies – you can get either/both from Enjoy Life Foods. Using a gluten free flour mix like Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 GF flour does wonders, too. I also used a vegan butter that actually tastes like butter. But if you don’t have vegan butter, don’t worry, coconut oil works just fine. Or real butter if you are not vegan.
TIP– Chilling cookie dough controls spread as it solidifies the fat (butter or oil) in the cookies. So as the cookies bake, the fat in the refrigerated dough takes longer to melt than room-temperature fat. Which prevents too much spread.
Need some tips for making that peppermint shine?
I love using real peppermint extract with a touch of vanilla, OR 2 drops of peppermint essential oil for a more soothing aftertaste. This is the combo that makes Christmas shine.
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Vegan Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Peppermint
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 14
- Total Time: 29 minutes
- Yield: 14 1x
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Delicious Vegan Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Peppermint! Gluten Free and easy to make Christmas cookies!
Ingredients
recipe updated 12/2019
- 1 stick (around 110 g) vegan butter (see notes for substitute)
- 3/4 cup raw sugar or xylitol for sugar free substitute
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1.25 c heaping cup 1:1 gluten free flour (Bob’s Red Mill) or GF multipurpose flour- see notes.
- 1 tbsp potato starch or 1.25 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine kosher salt
- 1/4 c cup non dairy milk
- 1/2 to 1 tsp peppermint extract or 2 drops peppermint essential oil
- 1 cup vegan chocolate chunks or chips
- 1 tsp distilled vinegar
- 1/2c crushed Peppermint (extra for topping)
- Optional red/white sprinkles to coat (dye free sprinkles can be used)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven 350F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or silicon mat
- In a small bowl, beat the butter and the sugar together and beat with electric mixer until creamed together. Around 2 minutes. Add the optional vanilla if desired. vanilla and mix in.
- In another large mixing bowl, Sift the gluten free flour and cocoa powder together then add in your baking soda and seasalt.
- Combine your wet ingredients with the sifted flours (dry mix). Beat or mix thoroughly. Batter will be thick.
- Add your milk and peppermint extract and mix again.
- Gently mix in your vinegar (do not overstir), then fold in your chocolate chunks and crushed peppermint (around 1/4 -1/3 c).
- Once the batter is mixed, chill in freezer for 30 minutes or fridge for 90 minutes up to 24 hours.
- Once the batter has chilled, remove from fridge or freezer then roll batter into golf ball size balls.
- Coat eat cookie dough ball in sugar crystals or sprinkles (optional), then place on baking sheet. (see notes)
- Place any extra peppermint chips on top of each cookie ball. Place in oven in center wrack for 12-14 minutes depending on the thickness of your cookies.
- Remove from oven and let the cookie cool on tray before touching them. They will set and hardened as they cool.
- Store in ziplock bag or container. Best kept in fridge but room temp will be fine for 5-7 days. Freezer friendly.
Notes
- Vegan Butter Substitute – coconut oil (naturally refined and not melted) may be used in place of butter, but this may cause cookies to spread too much, so be sure to chill the batter for longer.
- Note – Chilling cookie dough controls spread. They will flatten a bit during baking. If you prefer flatter cookies, you may press the dough balls down a little bit before baking. Each type of flour will vary with how they spread.
- FLOURS – Gluten Free 1:1 Flour works best or a flour with xanthan gum added. This will prevent cookies from spreading.
- Category: dessert
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: american
Keywords: vegan cookies, christmas cookies, chocolate cookies, gluten free, dairy free, egg free, chocolate peppermint
Preheat the oven, let’s do this!
To conclude –> Making Christmas cookies without eggs isn’t hard at all. The best part is, no one will ever know they are VEGAN Christmas cookies!
Okay friends, that’s all I can reveal for now. I have 2 more cookie exchange posts/recipe coming up next week that will go into more vegan baking detail. Sound good?
For now, save this recipe or give it a whirl this weekend. You might be surprised at how easy they are to make (and eat). Obviously. Tis the season! Let’s just make sure the season is balanced with oh say… some nourishment.
Cheers!
LC
Hi, I’m Lindsay! Gluten Free Nutrition Specialist, food photographer and author of 
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These are the most festive cookies ever!
These cookies look soooo good! Perfect for Christmas!
★★★★★
THanks Natalie! I agree, but a little bias. 🙂
Now these would make the perfect gift for my GF friends! They look absolutely delish. Thanks for all the tips!
Anything with chocolate and peppermint is a WIN!
★★★★★
Chocolate peppermint cookies are perfect for the holidays! These are so festive!
★★★★★
I would NOT be complaining if someone gave me these for Christmas!
★★★★★
I could eat a whole sheet of these! Thank sweet baby Jesus for cookie season!
amen bro! Haha!
Nothing better than peppermint and chocolate together – and it cookie form, how could it be wrong?
★★★★★
right? So agree!
These cookies turned COMPLETELY flat in the oven and didn’t turn out AT ALL! I followed the recipe exactly and let the dough chill in the fridge overnight. The dough is delicious and I was so excited to enter them in the Cookie competition I have tomorrow. Now I’m screwed!
Oh no! I’m so sorry that happened. Did you use 1:1 flour with xanthan? You could roll them in a ball and cover with chocolate. I do that with edible cookie dough or brownie batter all the time. 😉 https://www.cottercrunch.com/strawberry-dark-chocolate-gluten-free-brownie-bites/
I just made them again (check out my instagram stories), and they worked great! so let me know what flour you used. I updated the notes again in the recip.e
You are the vegan cookie Goddess. I bow before you.
I love the Enjoy Life brand. It’s what I use for all my City Hippie granola flavors too.
Bob’s Red Mill flour is the best! I love how you colored these a peppermintyy color. 🙂 Bookmarking to try next week. 🙂
aren’t they the best? Truly a blessing to have wonderful products!
Can I use regular flour and regular sugar if I’m. If I’m not going for gluten/sugar free?
Sure, that should work!
Can’t wait to try these !!! Can I swap out gf flour for almond flour?
i don’t think that would work with these, but try my almond flour cookies and maybe add cocoa powder 😉 https://www.cottercrunch.com/almond-flour-cookies-vegan-paleo/
These cookies tasted great but mine spread out and looked so ugly. The only difference I made to this recipe was using regular flour instead of GF flour. So if I was to make these again, I’d use about a 1/4 to 1/2 a cup more AP flour than GF.
★★★
Oh no, that’s not good. Gluten free flour adds in extra xanthan gum and a protein rich flour (like garbanzo bean flour) to get them to rise and stick. That’s probably why yours didn’t work. You could try adding in xanthan to AP flour. 🙂 Maybe 1/2 tsp. Just a thought. Check your ingredient list first.
did you use butter or coconut oil?
The cookies melted into one giant flat sheet cookie. I did the (hard) coconut oil substitution and followed all directions to a tee. I doubled everything to make two batches.
At least they taste good!
★★
oh no! what type of oil, refined coconut oil or unrefined? Vegan butter works best. Maybe try chilling the batter if you use coconut oil. Thanks for your feedback.
The “1:1” type of gluten-free flour is crucial. Don’t use regular GF flour.
I don’t usually cook vegan (was making these for a friend) and didn’t know that 1:1 is a special blend of GF flour. I made these with regular GF flour and they didn’t hold their shape and were sticky to the touch. My vegan friend explained the 1:1 type of GF flour contains xanthan gum which helps with binding the dough (adding structure). And yes, I did refrigerate the dough before cooking (almost an hour) and they still didn’t hold their shape when baked.
Even though the resulting cookies were sticky and super-soft (fall to pieces when picked up), the flavor was still good. I would definitely try these again with the right type of GF flour.
Also, I did 1 tsp of peppermint extract and they were very strongly flavored. Next time I will try the suggested 1/2 peppermint and 1/2 vanilla.
★★★★
Thanks for sharing your experience! It will be helpful for others who are wanting to make these cookies.
These cookies are very tasty and I’ve now made them twice. However mine spread out way more then the photos. I followed the instructions to a T (I even have an oven thermometer)
Oh no! That is so strange. Did you use 1:1 flour?