These Vegan Rainbow Cookies are bakery style cookies loaded with chocolate chips and chocolate candy drops. They’re crispy on the edges, soft and chewy in the center, with plenty of chocolate throughout. No chill time required — just make and bake.
For me, the perfect cookie has to be soft and chewy but crispy around the edges with just the right texture.
Using chocolate chips in addition to chocolate candy drops gives it more smooth chocolatey goodness, with the look and crunch of the chocolate vegan chocolate candies on top.
Tips for making Vegan Rainbow Cookies
The way you make and bake these Vegan Rainbow cookies will determine the final product. Everyone likes their cookies a certain way. Here are some general tips:
- Use soft, yet firm vegan butter. The vegan butter should be cold, and give a little when touched. Melted vegan butter, or vegan butter that is too soft, will make the cookies spread too thin. You can refrigerate the dough if your butter is too soft to help combat this.
- For soft cookies: Bake cookies until the edges are barely starting to brown and the centers look just slightly under-baked. Let the cookies rest on the pan for a few minutes, to finish baking, for a soft-baked cookie.
- For crispy cookies: Bake cookies until golden brown on the top and edges; baking an additional 2-3 minutes past the recommended time.
- Use a cookie dough scoop. This helps the cookies bake evenly and look uniform.
- Gently place a generous amount of chocolate candy drops on the top of the cookie dough balls before baking. Only mix a small portion of the chocolate candy drops into the chocolate chip cookie dough and press the majority of the candy drops into the tops. Be generous because the cookies spread, and you want some in each bite.
- Keep dough cold: It’s best to keep unused cookie dough in the refrigerator as the batches are baking.
- Use baking parchment: I always like to use baking parchment to be sure the cookies don’t stick and it also makes cleaning up easy.
- Space cookie dough 3-inches apart. You don’t want your cookies melting into each other. Secondly, the more cookies on the tray, the thinner the cookies bake because the heat is trying to distribute evenly across all of the cookies.
There are a few tricks to make these Vegan Rainbow cookies thicker or thinner.
- For thick cookies: Use more cookie dough, about 2 tablespoons per cookie. And shape the cookie dough balls tall and round. You can also press the edges of the cookie inward just after the tray comes out of the oven. For the thickest cookies, refrigerate the dough for 30-60 minutes before baking.
- For thin cookies: Use a smaller portion of dough, about 1.5 tablespoons per cookie. Other options include using slightly softer butter, or slightly pressing the dough 1/3 of the way down after it is scooped.
Ingredients
Below are the ingredients need to make this easy Vegan Rainbow cookie recipe. Many of these ingredients are pantry staples that you already have on hand.
- Flour: use all-purpose flour in these cookies.
- Baking Soda: this gives the cookies the perfect rise
- Salt: a flavor enhancer and a must in all baking recipes.
- Vegan Butter: you can use salted or unsalted vegan butter in this Vegan Rainbow cookie recipe. If you use salted butter, reduce the salt by 1/4 teaspoon. You can also use margarine if you prefer.
- Granulated white sugar: Sugar does more than sweeten the cookies. The granulated sugar helps them spread and the brown sugar keeps them soft. For extra soft and tender cookies, I use brown sugar and white granulated sugar.
- Light brown sugar: I love mixing brown sugar into my cookies for the perfect flavor. If you do not have brown sugar it’s easy to make your own! Here’s how: https://www.aveggiecooks.com/how-to-make-brown-sugar/
- Cornflour: this is what gives the cookies the extra soft texture.
- Vegan Milk: dairy free milk of choice, I used oat milk.
- Vanilla: I like to use a pure vanilla extract to bring out the flavor.
- Chocolate chips: Dark chocolate chips are my personal favorite for this recipe.
- Vegan Chocolate Candy drops: these are candy covered chocolate drops. I used Doisy and Dam vegan chocolate drops which are perfect in this recipe but use any brand you like.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, sift together dry flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate large bowl, cream together sugar, brown sugars and softened margarine. Dissolve the cornstarch in the milk and add to sugar mixtures along with vanilla. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture in batches, then stir in chocolate chips and pecans.
Using a cookie dropper or tablespoon, drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges are slightly golden. Remove cookies from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet pan for 5 minutes, then remove to cool on transfer to a cooling rack. Store cooled cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature.
This recipe makes about twenty four to thirty cookies depending on what size you make them.
Why you should make Vegan Rainbow Cookies
- Easy to make. This is a simple mix, scoop, and bake situation, all done in one bowl. Perfect for baking with kids.
- Versatile: These delicious cookies can be made with any other mix-in you like. They are really versatile. If you don’t want to use chocolate candy drops then just use chocolate chips instead for chocolate chip cookies. You can also change up the color of the chocolate candy drops for an easy seasonal cookie. You can also add nuts if you want.
- Fresh cookies: You can freeze the cookie batter after you scoop it and pop them in the oven straight from the freezer anytime you want fresh cookies, just cook for an extra minute.
- Long-lasting. These stay super soft for days, so you can make them a few days before you need them without worry.
Storage and Freezing:
Storage: These cookies stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days if they last that long!
Freezing: These freeze so well. I suggest scooping the cookies and then freezing them, placing them in a freezer safe bag and freezing for up to 3 months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months.
Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Allow to come to room temperature and continue with the rest of the recipe. Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months.
Did you make this recipe? Take a pic and share it on Instagram with the hashtag #aveggiecooks and tag @aveggiecooks__. I would love to see it!
Vegan Rainbow Cookies
Equipment
- 2 Baking Tray or Cookie Sheet
Ingredients
- 240 Grams Plain Flour
- 1 Teaspoon Bread Soda
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
- 227 Grams Vegan Butter or Margarine
- 100 Grams Granulated White Sugar
- 110 Grams Brown Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 Teaspoon Cornflour
- 2 Tablespoons Dairy Free Milk
- 150 Grams Chocolate Chips
- 150 Grams Candy covered Chocolate drops
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, sift together dry flour, baking soda and salt.
- In a separate large bowl, cream together sugar, brown sugar and softened margarine.
- Dissolve the cornflour in the milk and add to sugar mixtures along with vanilla.
- Add flour mixture to sugar mixture in batches, then stir in chocolate chips and chocolate drops.
- Using a cookie dropper or tablespoon, drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 8–-10 minutes, or until edges are slightly golden. Remove cookies from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet pan for 5 minutes, then remove to cool on transfer to a cooling rack. Store cooled cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature.
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