These Vegan Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies are infused with fresh orange juice, chocolate chips and are also oil-free and gluten-free! They have wonderful crispy edges with soft and puffy centers.
3tablespoons (45g)fresh orange juice (do not use bottled!) + zest of 1 orange
3tablespoons (60g)pure maple syrup
NOTE
Always use a scale for accuracy when baking, following MY gram weights listed. You never need cups, just the scale and bowl and make sure to zero out in between each ingredient.
I love using this cookie scoop for the perfectly round cookies, since the dough is a bit too sticky to roll into balls.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. If you only have 1 sheet, just cook the first batch, let them cool and repeat. It is ok to let the batter sit.
To a large bowl, add the almond flour, oat flour, tapioca, coconut sugar, baking powder and salt and whisk very well to make sure no lumps remain. Add the chocolate chips.
To a small bowl, zest the orange and squeeze the fresh orange juice and add the syrup. Pour over the dry ingredients and stir until it comes together into a thick, sticky batter. Taste the batter, it's kind of amazing, right? I debated on not baking it.
But I went ahead and baked them. Use the cookie scoop to place 9 mounds on the first pan, spaced 2 inches apart, as they will spread and puff up beautifully. I did not flatten them at all. Due to different brands of almond flour being more fine or not, this can affect how they spread. Also, in addition, I live in a warm, humid climate, which also helps them spread well. If you are in a drier climate or want yours spread out more, slightly flatten the cookies before baking, not too much, just a bit. Bake for 12 minutes, or until they are getting golden brown along the edges. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Cool 10 minutes on the pan and then transfer to a cooling rack. Eat one and come back and leave feedback because they are so yummy, right?! These will stay crispy around the edges for a couple of hours and will then turn super soft. Still yummy and fabulous, but these aren't meant to be crispy cookies except when just freshly made. Store cooled cookies in a sealed container or on a plate covered with foil. The tighter the seal, the softer they will be.
Notes
Use certified gluten-free oat flour if needed. I use Bob's Red Mill, as well as Bob's Red Mill "superfine" flour.Tapioca starch is the same as tapioca flour.Can sub the maple syrup with agave if desired.