If you’re looking for a soft-baked chocolate chip cookie with crisp edges, a gooey center, and a dough that stays soft and scoopable -- even straight from the fridge -- this is your recipe. These Scoopable Chocolate Chip Cookies remind me slightly of Otis Spunkmeyer cookies, though they’re not clones. They’re rich, chewy, and just happen to be dairy-free when made with the right ingredients.
The Secret to the Texture
These cookies get their signature texture from a blend of tub spread and Spectrum shortening. The shortening gives the cookies their crisp-chewy edges, while the tub spread keeps the centers soft, even days later.
- You can use any vegan buttery spread or margarine that comes in a tub, but here’s the catch: check the fat content.
- Look for spreads with at least 78% vegetable oil, or 90–100 calories per tablespoon.
- Brands I’ve tested include Olivio, Earth Balance, and Melt.
- Avoid spreads like Country Crock tub style, which only contains 38% vegetable oil and will give you overly cakey cookies.
Cartons of Cookie Dough
Because the dough stays soft and scoopable, it’s perfect for packaging in little white ice cream cartons -- the same ones you'd use for homemade ice cream. Add a label, tie it with string, and boom: hostess gift. Or just bake the cookies and bring those instead, especially if you have a friend who you know will just eat that dough straight. This dough is for baking since the flour isn't heat treated and it has raw eggs.
Dairy Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
Another bonus to this recipe is that it's dairy-free. Just be sure to use chocolate chips that are non-dairy.
- I like Guittard’s dairy-free baking chips, which have a rich flavor and smooth melt.
- You can also chop up a favorite dairy-free chocolate bar for chunkier bites.
The Perfect Scoop
Lastly, if you don't own a cookie scoop then treat yourself to one! A cookie scoop changed my life. For years I went without one thinking I could get by with a tablespoon. However, a good cookie scoop helps with portion control and gives the cookies a prettier shape. If you're gifting the dough, you might consider attaching a brand new cookie scoop for the recipient.
Recipe
Scoopable Cookie Dough Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup vegetable shortening (128 grams)
- ⅔ cup Earth Balance, Melt or Olivio spread (150 grams)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed (210 grams)
- 2 teaspoons teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 ½ cups carefully measured or weighed all-purpose flour (440 grams)
- 3 cups dairy free chocolate chips (like Guittard)
Instructions
- Set your mixing bowl on a scale and add 128 grams of shortening, 150 grams of spread, 200 grams sugar, 210 grams brown sugar, and vanilla. Using the paddle attachment of an electric mixer, beat until light and fluffy.
- Stop the mixer and scrape the side of the bowl. Beat again for 30 seconds. Add the eggs and stir by hand until they are just barely mixed in, then stir in the baking soda and the salt. Return to mixer stand and beat on medium high for 1 ½ minutes or until very light.
- Remove mixer from stand and stir in the 440 grams flour. You can do it by hand or using low speed of the mixer. Scrape sides of bowl and stir in the chocolate chips.
- At this point you can pack your cookie dough into little cartons OR you can scoop it ahead of time and refrigerate the pre-scooped dough.
- On a plate lined with plastic wrap, foil or wax paper, drop medium size cookie scoops (or large tablespoons) of dough. Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours but ideally a day or two. The longer you chill the dough, the browner your cookies will be.
Baking
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. If using a Breville Smart Oven, choose the "Cookies" setting.
- Arrange chilled balls of dough on parchment lined baking sheets (or just use one sheet and bake as many balls of dough as you plan to eat).
- Bake on center rack for about 12 to 14 minutes or until cookies are brown around the edges.
- Let cool for 3 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool slightly before serving.
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