My mom makes the most amazing chocolate chip cookies. Or I should say she used to make the most amazing chocolate chip cookies. Ever since we found out my dad has a gluten allergy and I went vegan, the beloved cookies are no longer family friendly. In a particularly cookie-craving induced bake session recently, I tried to re-create mom’s cookies.

I failed. I thought about not even bothering to blog about them, but then that wouldn’t be real right? No one ever hits the mark 100% of the time, especially in cooking. And when I took them into the office, they were gone in no time. (and they went great with a glass of almond milk!) So while they didn’t turn out like mom’s chewy cookies, I ended up with some moist and tasty treats nonetheless. And I’ll continue to try to figure out how to veganize mom’s cookies and hopefully I’ll hit the mark eventually.

What you’ll need:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup apple sauce
• 1/2 cup vegan butter, softened
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup vegan chocolate chips
• 1 tsp vanilla

Preheat the oven to 375. So here’s the thing. I only have one big mixing bowl. I’m pretty sure you’re supposed to mix the salt, baking soda and flour in one bowl, and then the sugar, butter and apple sauce in another. I started with the sugar butter and apple sauce and then added the flour and salt to that. It didn’t seem that big of a deal. I just had to stir a while longer (because I also don’t have a mixer). Add the vanilla, mix and then add the chips.  Make sure everything is well mixed.

Place about a spoon’s worth of dough onto a greased cookie pan and place in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until cookies start to brown.

The cookies were a little more moist and almost cake-like than my mom’s. My coworkers said they were the consistency of those big black and white cookies. Which gave me the idea I should try to also veganize that recipe. (The black and white cookie was even featured in a Seinfeld episode. Remember that? Look to the cookie Elaine!) In any event, try it out if that’s your style and I’ll get cracking on another more chewy version and if I can figure it out, you’ll find it here.