Tofu Cookies with Chocolate Chips

Just like the classic chocolate chip cookies you know and love... without any eggs or butter! These vegan cookies feature soft tofu and coconut oil. You'd never know these cookies are completely plant based!

By Maryanne Cabrera

Jul 25, 2011 • Updated Aug 22, 2024

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Vegan chocolate chip cookies made with soft tofu and coconut oil. You’ve never guess these cookies are planted based!

vegan chocolate chip walnut cookies on wire rack.

Note: I first shared this recipe the summer of 2011. It gained major traction in 2013 when BuzzFeed shared these tofu based cookies as “foods that should be wiped off the planet.”

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
Hand Mix Vegan Cookie Dough
Vegan Chocolate Options
How to Portion Cookie Dough
Related Vegan Dessert Recipes
Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cookies made with tofu. Disgusting? Absolutely not! Don’t judge tofu before you’ve tried it!

Using tofu in desserts is nothing new. It a common ingredient in Asian desserts- like taho (Filipino sweet tofu in brown sugar syrup).

four vegan cookies stacked plus vegan chocolate chip cookie with maldon salt slanted.

Ingredients

These vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe uses standard everyday ingredients you probably already have in the pantry!

There are two types of coconut oil: refined and unrefined. You can use either one.

Refined coconut oil is flavorless, making it a neutral base for baking and cooking.
Unrefined coconut oil, also called virgin coconut oil, will have a mild coconut flavor and coconut aroma.

Sugar can be a controversial ingredient. Strict vegans abstain for refined cane sugar. Why?

Sugar derived from sugarcane is processed with animal bones to remove impurities. This process also whitens the product, resulting in granulated white sugar.
However, sugar derived from beets does not require the same filtration through animal bones. Thus, beet sugar is considered vegan.
If you are concerned, make sure you use vegan raw cane sugar or sugar made exclusively from beets.

Soft Tofu as Vegan Egg Replacement

Tofu has very little flavor and aroma on its own. Thus, making it a versatile ingredient! Eggs serve several different purposes in baking. The lecithin in egg yolks act as a binder or emulsifier. Whipped egg whites add volume and protein.

There are several plant-based options for egg replacement depending on it’s purpose:

ground flaxseed (to make “flaxseed eggs”)
chia seeds
mashed bananas
silken tofu

two slices of soft tofu in bowl. — soft tofu blocks.

blended soft tofu in bowl. — puree soft tofu in food processor or blender.

This recipe uses silken tofu in place of eggs. Tofu is sold in various levels of firmness. They range from soft to extra firm. For best results, use soft tofu (also called silken tofu or silk tofu).

As mentioned before, tofu has very little flavor. It is able to absorb the flavors of the other ingredients.

Soft tofu is packaged with water to keep it moist. Drain the liquid. Then, puree tofu in a food processor until smooth and creamy. It is now ready for mixing with other ingredients.

blend together sugar, tofu, coconut oil, and vanilla. — **STEP 1:** Place solid coconut oil, sugars, pureed tofu, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl.

creaming together sugar, coconut oil, and tofu. — **STEP 2:** Beat together wet ingredients until smooth. It will look creamy like smooth peanut butter.

fold flour into vegan cookie dough wet ingredients. — **STEP 3:** Add in flour, baking soda, and salt to wet ingredients. Fold to combine, or use a mixer.

vegan cookie dough has same texture as standard sugar cookie dough. — **STEP 4:** Resulting cookie dough will be soft and moist. It will look like standard cookie dough!

add chocolate and toasted nuts to vegan cookie dough batter. — **STEP 5**: Fold in chocolate and walnuts until evenly distributed.

Vegan Chocolate Options

Vegan chocolate does not contain any animal product. That means no butter, milk, or milk fat. Check the ingredients list label if you are not sure.

Here are some vegan chocolate bars and chips I recommend:

No need to rest or chill the vegan cookie dough. Scoop and portion out cookie dough immediately after mixing together!

This serving amount and baking time listed in this recipe is for size 24 scoops of cookie dough.

A cookie scooper is also referred to as a disher scoop. #24 scoop holds 1.5 oz portion or 3 tablespoons of cookie dough. Adjust baking time if you choose to portion out smaller or large cookie scoops.

Place cookie dough balls at least 2-inches apart on parchment lined baking sheet (or reusable silicone baking mat lined baking sheet).

Here you have two options: flat cookies or mound cookies.

Flat cookies: Use the palm of your hand or the flat bottom of a drinking glass to gently flatten cookie dough ball into a disk with a thickness of about 0.5-inch (or 1.5 centimeters).
Mound cookies: Place cookie ball on parchment. The dough will not spread much during baking. You will end up with thick cookies with a giant mound in the center.