Every year around Christmas, I remember waking up after midnight and sneaking down to try and steal Santa’s cookies before he got to the house. It probably put me on the naughty list, but I didn’t care.
To me, the cookies were just as good as the presents. It didn’t stop when I was a kid either. I’m still obsessed with cookies.
After going vegan, though, I realized that most of my favorite brands of cookies (and most of the fresh-baked cookies I would buy in bakeries) simply weren’t vegan.
Almost all of them contained some random animal ingredient that meant I had to cross them off of my list.
That’s when I discovered vegan cookies. Not only do they taste just as good as any non-vegan cookie I’ve tried, but they’re WAY healthier, so I don’t feel as bad when I’m stuffing my face.
If you haven’t guessed, today’s post is all about cookies! Not just any old crumbly, sugar-laden, preservative-filled, milk-filled, palm oil-containing cookies either; I’m about to show you the best vegan cookies brands that are guaranteed to have you drooling!
How Are Vegan Cookies Different From Regular Cookies?
Vegan cookies may look and taste very close to non-vegan cookies, but the recipe used to make them is quite different. Non-vegan cookies typically include animal-derived ingredients like eggs, milk derivatives, butter, palm oil, and refined sugar; all of which aren’t vegan-friendly.
Here’s a quick table showing you some of the key differences between non-vegan and vegan cookies:
| Non-Vegan Cookies | Vegan Cookies |
| Often use dairy products or by-products to add flavor. | Are 100% dairy-free |
| Often uses butter as the primary source of fat for the recipe. | Uses vegan-friendly oils, such as sunflower oil, coconut oil, olive oil, etc. |
| Often uses refined white sugar, which is refined by filtering it through animal bone char. | Uses organic, unprocessed sugar like natural cane sugar, molasses, or turbinado sugar. May also use corn syrup, brown rice syrup, or other naturally-derived sweetening syrups. |
| May contain unhealthy dyes and chemical additives. | Usually contain more wholesome, organic, simple ingredients. |
Vegan baking really isn’t all that different from traditional non-vegan baking. Most of the animal-derived ingredients used in old-fashioned baking are easily replaced by natural vegan alternatives.
While the resulting flavor may taste a little bit different, it still tastes just as sweet and delicious!
If you’d like to learn more about vegan baking, check out this cool video by the vegan baker, Natalia Lima:
Are Vegan Cookies Healthier Than Non-Vegan Cookies?
In most cases, the best vegan cookies are better than their non-vegan counterparts. In general, they tend to contain fewer preservatives and artificial ingredients.
Instead, they typically feature more organic ingredients, non-GMO ingredients, and use natural sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup or refined white sugar.
That being said, vegan cookies should still be treated as a “treat.” Just because they’re “healthier” than non-vegan cookies doesn’t mean that they don’t have calories, fat, or extra sugar.
In fact, many vegan cookies have the same amount of sugar per serving than non-vegan cookies have. So, while the ingredients may be more wholesome, be sure to check the nutrition label and make sure that you’re not over-eating.
… Or, if it’s your cheat day, go ahead and stuff yourself!
How Do Vegan Cookies Taste?
Okay, so I’ll be the first person to tell you that vegan alternatives don’t always taste as good as their non-vegan counterparts. So, I don’t exactly look for vegan food that tastes “just like” my favorite non-vegan version. I accept that the vegan alternative will taste slightly different, and I’m okay with that.
Vegan cookies are healthier, more natural, and 100% cruelty-free, which more than satisfied me.
With that in mind, you’re probably wondering, “Okay Emma, but how do they REALLY taste?”
To be honest, the vegan cookies I’ve mentioned in this article are very similar to non-vegan cookies. They’re still just as crunchy, crumbly, and delicious.
The main difference you’ll notice is the slightly oily aftertaste. Instead of the familiar flavor of salted butter, you may notice an aftertaste of coconut oil, olive oil, or sunflower oil. It’s not that it tastes any worse than butter; it’s just a bit different.
Outside of that, they actually taste a bit better than non-vegan cookies. Most of the vegan cookies I eat are made with natural, unprocessed sugar, which has a lot more flavor than white sugar or high-fructose corn syrup!
The 5 Best Vegan Cookies Brands I’ve Ever Tried
So, now that you have a better idea of what to expect from a high-quality vegan cookie, it’s time to spill the cookies! As I mentioned earlier, I’m still just as much of a cookie fanatic today as I was when I was a kid, so I’ve had the chance to try a LOT of different vegan cookie brands.
Over the past few years, I’ve consistently found that the following are, hands down, the best vegan cookies brands EVER. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, then you’re going to love these…
1) Lenny & Larry’s The Complete Cookie, Birthday Cake (link)
Flavor Rating: 9/10
If you’re looking for the healthiest vegan cookie on the market, then Lenny & Larry’s The Complete Cookie is easily my favorite vegan cookie brand on the market!
Each cookie is slightly larger than the size of your palm, so it’s more than enough to satisfy your cravings. Although one serving is technically just half of the cookie, I usually end up eating the whole thing.
So, what makes these vegan cookies so healthy?
Well, for starters, each cookie features 16 grams of nutritious plant-based protein, thanks to Larry & Lenny’s protein blend that consists of wheat gluten, pea protein, and rice protein.
To top it off, each cookie has 10 grams of dietary fiber, which not only makes the cookie more filling but helps you digest it as well.
Larry & Lenny’s cookies are available in several different flavors, including:
- Apple Pie
- Birthday Cake (my favorite)
- Choco-Mint
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip
- Salted Caramel
- … and More!
Simply put, this is one of the best vegan cookies that money can buy, and it’s a cookie that you won’t feel all that guilty about! That’s why it’s at the top of my list.
What I Love About Them:
- They’re high-protein cookies, and each cookie has 16 grams of vegan protein.
- They’re 100% vegan and contain no dairy, eggs, butter, etc.
- These use natural cane sugar and inverted sugar instead of refined white sugar.
- Each cookie features 10 grams of dietary fiber from chickory root.
- They’re available in multiple different flavors. ‘
- The ingredients are simple and mostly natural.
What’s Not-So-Great:
- These cookies do contain palm fruit oil, which is debatable in the vegan community. Although some palm oil is sustainably harvested, others are not. It’s unclear where this company sources its palm oil from.
2) Lotus Biscoff Cookies (link)
Flavor Rating: 10/10
If you’ve ever flown on Delta Airlines, then you’ve no doubt been offered a small package of Lotus Biscoff Cookies at some point during your flight. It’s kind of their “thing.” At first, I would have never imagined that these were vegan-friendly cookies, and at one point I refused them on a flight.
Then I got curious, double-checked the ingredients, and discovered that they were, in fact, vegan! These delicious Belgium biscoffs are made using wheat flour, natural sugar, vegetable oil, brown sugar syrup, baking soda, soy flour, salt, and cinnamon.
Although these cookies may contain palm oil, Lotus only uses RSPO-certified palm oil that’s sustainably harvested and doesn’t contribute to rainforest deforestation.
Lotus biscoffs go great with my morning coffee. A quick five-second dip is all it takes to soften these otherwise crunchy cookies into a soft, warm coffee-flavored biscoff.
Another thing I like is that each cookie is individually wrapped. This helps with portion control, makes them easier to take on the go, and ensures that each cookie is always fresh so you’ll never have to worry about a stale bite.
What I Love About Them:
- Lotus Biscoff Cookies are well known across Europe and have been made in small-town Belgium since 1932.
- They have a wonderfully crispy, crunchy texture.
- They have a slightly sweet biscotti flavor that goes perfectly with coffee.
- These are the same delicious cookies that are served on Delta Airlines flights.
- Lotus only uses RSPO-certified palm oil for their vegan cookies.
- Each cookie is individually wrapped.
What’s Not-So-Great:
- They don’t have protein or other healthy additives like some of the other vegan cookies I’ve tried.
3) Tate’s Bake Shop Vegan Cookie Variety Pack (link)
Flavor Rating: 10/10
Tate’s Bake Shop is a small bakery located in Southampton, New York. As the story goes, the recipe was refined and developed by founder Kathleen King.
She started selling fresh homemade cookies out of the front yard of her parent’s farm and eventually became so successful that she opened her own bakery. Cheers to female entrepreneurs!
Cute story aside, though, Tate’s Bake Shop’s Vegan Cookies are some seriously delicious cookies! Although Tate’s is best known for its non-vegan cookies that include butter, sugar, and eggs, their vegan cookies taste remarkably similar.
The main reason why I love these cookies so much is for how crispy they are. I’ve never had a vegan cooky that’s this crispy unless it’s something that’s been burnt (yes, I’m one of those weirdos who enjoys a slightly burnt cookie).
Tate’s Bake Shop makes their crispy cookies with a premium blend of unbleached wheat flour (which is 100% vegan), chocolate chips, plant butter, cane sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, unsulfured molasses, baking powder, sunflower lecithin, and natural flavoring.
As you can see, the ingredients are pretty much all-natural, with the exception of sunflower lecithin, which is used to preserve the flavor and color of the cookies.
What I Love About Them:
- They’re 100% vegan cookies made with plant butter and unrefined sugar.
- They’re extra-thin and super-crispy.
- They’re made with all-natural ingredients.
- They’re made by a small New York bakery.
What’s Not-So-Great:
- If you don’t like crunchy cookies and prefer something soft, then these aren’t for you.
4) Bakeology Gluten-Free Vegan Cookies (link)
Flavor Rating: 8/10
If you’re looking for vegan mini cookies, then Bakeology’s gluten-free vegan cookie brand should be your go-to source! Like Tate’s Bake Shop, Bakeology is another small family-owned company based out of Torrence, California.
Mother-and-daughter team Sasha and Dawn wanted to create a line of healthy, low-calorie, vegan-friendly cookies that everyone could enjoy.
I’d say that they succeeded.
Bakeology makes their vegan mini cookies using a blend of rice flour, coconut oil, cane sugar, tapioca starch, water, sunflower oil, almond meal, flax, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon, sea salt, guar gum, sunflower lecithin, and nutmeg.
Bakeology also ensures that at least 93% of their ingredients are organic and come from sustainable farms, which is another great reason to love this company.
Another thing I love about these cookies is that they’re relatively low fat and don’t have a lot of calories. A single serving of five mini cookies only has around 130 calories, depending on the flavor that you have.
Bakeology offers the following flavors:
- Chocolate
- Chocolate Chip
- Lemon
- Vanilla Chai
- Snickerdoodle
They also offer a variety pack if you want to try them all, so that’s where I’d recommend you start!
What I Love About Them:
- They’re made with at least 93% organic ingredients.
- They’re 100% vegan and contain no GMOs.
- They’re a low-calorie snack.
- They’re made by a small California bakery.
What’s Not-So-Great:
- They’re a little on the expensive side, as far as cookies go.
5) Heavenly Hunks Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Vegan Cookies (link)
Flavor Rating: 8/10
If you’re looking for something that’s a little bit more filling and healthy than a traditional vegan cookie, then Heavenly Hunks Vegan Cookies make for a great snack!
They’re not your traditional thin, circle-shaped cookies. Instead, they’re thick brownie-like squares, so if you’re the type who likes soft gooey cookies, then these are perfect for you.
They’re made with a mostly natural blend of organic gluten-free ancient grain oats, dark chocolate chips, brown rice syrup, palm shortening, coconut shreds, cane sugar, brown sugar, sorghum flour, tapioca flour, potato starch, and sea salt.
Oh, and lest I forget to mention, all of the ingredients are certified organic!
Heavenly Hunks offers seven different flavors, including:
- Oatmeal White Chip
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip
- Peanut Butter Chocolate
- Cranberry White Chip
- Almond Butter Chocolate
- Birthday Cake
- Oatmeal Dark Chocolate
So, no matter what your preference for cookies is, you’ll find a flavor that’s right for you.
Pro Tip: If you enjoy really soft cookies, put one in the microwave for 10 seconds. They’ll be ooey-gooey and super delicious.
What I Love About Them:
- They’re made with mostly natural ingredients.
- They’re available in seven different flavors.
- They’re gluten-free and made with ancient grains (healthier than traditional wheat flour).
- They’re 100% vegan and don’t contain any animal by-products.
- They’re extra-thick, so if you like soft cookies, these are great!
What’s Not-So-Great:
- If you like thin, crunchy cookies, then these probably aren’t for you.
6) YES Bar – Dark Chocolate Chip – Plant-Based, Decadent Snack Bar (link)
Flavor Rating: 9/10
If you’re looking for a clean, all-natural, mostly-healthy snack, then YES Bar’s Plant-Based Snack Bars are some of the best vegan cookies you’ll find. They’re not too thin, and not too thick, so if you like a semi-soft cookie that’s just right, then you’ll love the texture of these.
YES Bars Dark Chocolate Chip vegan cookies are made with a mostly-organic blend of almonds, maple syrup, dark chocolate, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, cashews, coconut butter, macadamia nuts, coconut nectar, pecans, sesame seed butter, white chia seeds, ground flax, sea salt, cinnamon, and real vanilla extract.
Since they contain a lot of seeds, nuts, and natural oils, these are relatively high-fat cookies. Unlike traditional cookies, which mostly contain unhealthy fats, these contain healthy unsaturated fats.
This means that they’re high in Omega-3 fatty acids, a compound that’s great for joint health. The added fat also makes them a lot more filling, so you won’t need to eat as many to get full.
They’re available in the following flavors:
- Black Sesame Sea Salt
- Coffee Chocolate
- Dark Chocolate
- Salted Maple Pecan
- Macadamia Chocolate
- Strawberry Coconut
What I Love About Them:
- They’re made with all-natural, mostly organic ingredients.
- They’re available in several different awesome flavors.
- Made with organic seeds and nuts that contain healthy fats and Omega-3 fatty acids.
- They don’t use any refined white sugar.
What’s Not-So-Great:
- They’re not very crunchy.
- They’re rather expensive.
Conclusion -Where To Buy The Best Vegan Cookies Brands
There you have it! These are my favorite vegan cookies brands that I always recommend to my friends and family. Whether you’re looking for something soft and gooey, thin and crunchy, or somewhere in between, I tried to include something for everybody!
The best place to find vegan cookies is Amazon. They have a huge variety of vegan cookie brands and you can compare and contrast each cookie by reading the reviews. Plus, if you have Prime, you can get free two-day shipping on most cookies.
While you’re at it, don’t forget the milk! No cookie is complete without a nice full glass of oat milk or almond milk. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out my list of the best vegan milk brands of 2022 here!
