8 Best Vegan, Dairy-Free Cookies That Taste As Good As the Real Thing

The Cookie Monster gets the final say on everything cookie-related. So, when the Sesame Street character endorsed Partake Foods’ plant-based cookies, the entire cookie world shifted. For years, tons of beloved baked goods have been off-limits for vegans, but now, shoppers can find vegan versions of all their favorite sweets. Once rare, vegan cookies now line the shelves of grocery stores nationwide, so instead of just resorting to the accidentally plant-based Oreos, you can pick up a far more nutritious box of cookies.

Plant-based cookies cater to the vegan sweet tooth, but it is important to remember that a cookie is still a cookie. While some vegan cookie brands ensure that their products contain a hefty dose of vitamins and nutrients, you should still check out the nutritional label. Many vegan cookies are still loaded with sugar, excess calories, and saturated fat.

When you shop for vegan cookies, there are a few statistics that you should keep in mind. Nutritionist and author of The Small Change Diet claim that every cookie should not surpass 150 calories. Amanda A. Kostro Miller – a member of the Smart Healthy Living Board – suggests that each cookie should contain less than 8 grams of sugar. Miller also suggests that a high fiber content can signify a healthier cookie choice.

Vegan Cookie Craze

The Cookie Monster is not the only one crazy about vegan cookies. A shopper looking for an egg-less, dairy-free, and nutrient-packed alternative has turned to the vegan aisles looking for an alternative sweet treat. The vegan cookies market is experiencing a growth rate of around 9 percent year-over-year. Fact.MR notes that consumers are increasingly looking for plant-based sweets to prevent the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

The prepackaged cookies also coincide with a general interest in vegan baked goods. The vegan baking ingredient market is expected to reach $1.6 billion by 2025. But not everyone is an expert baker. Most shoppers need a sweet treat with low effort. That is where the vegan cookies brands step in. These vegan cookies also cater to customers avoiding certain allergens.

What Makes a Cookie Non-Vegan?

Traditional packaged and homecooked cookies contain a couple of main animal-based ingredients. Typically, cookie recipes use egg yolks and some milk fats to help congeal the flour. However, several cookie brands today have proven that these proteins and congealing agents are unnecessary. Now, your favorite chocolate chip or snickerdoodles can be served up without any animal-based ingredients.

Your favorite vegan cookie is not guaranteed to be healthy just because it avoids milk fats and egg yolks, but trimming down on your dairy and egg consumption can lead to long-lasting health benefits. Although the American diet swears by eggs, there are several reasons why you should avoid them in every meal. For example, eggs raise your cholesterol and increase your risk of heart disease.

Cutting eggs out of your diet can actually prolong your lifespan. Using plant-based alternatives instead of eggs was associated with a 24 percent lower risk of death for men, and a 21 percent lower risk of death for women, according to the study in JAMA Internal Medicine.

The Best Vegan Cookies on the Market

You no longer need to worry about cutting out your favorite food items when shifting to a plant-based diet. Even though eating vegan once meant sacrificing traditional non-vegan foods such as cookies, brands have rolled out tasty plant-based alternatives nationwide. So, we decided we needed to taste what the hype was about – especially since it caught the attention of the Cookie Monster. We taste-tested the best vegan cookies on the market to pick out the best choices before your next trip to the grocery store.

Alternative Baking Company Colossal Chocolate Chip

Alternative Baking Company’s Colossal Chocolate Chip Cookie is a treat worth the 230 calories. This enormous, chewy pre-packaged vegan cookie provides cookie lovers with an environmentally-conscious snack that tastes just like homemade. However, health-conscious shoppers should take note that this vegan cookie contains 8 grams of fat, 17 grams of sugar, and 4.5 grams of saturated fat, making it one of the least healthy on the market. Reserve this cookie for special occasions!

Calories 230

Total Fat 7g, Saturated Fat 3g

Protein 3g

Back to Nature Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Back to Nature’s Chocolate Chunk Cookies will satisfy shoppers looking for a plant-based dairy-free cookie as an alternative to the class Famous Amos cookies. For crunchy cookie lovers, Back to Nature’s vegan cookies deliver a tasty, super crunchy treat. But shoppers who prefer soft-baked, it’s probably best to avoid these. The recipe is free from high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils – two ingredients featured in most conventional cookie brands. With only 1.5 grams of saturated fat, Back to Nature’s chocolate chunk is a heart-healthy snack to be enjoyed.

Calories 120

Total Fat 6g, Saturated Fat 1.5g

Protein 1g

Cybele’s Free to Eat Oatmeal Raisin

These soft-baked vegan cookies taste and chew just like a homemade batch of oatmeal raisin cookies. Without soy or gluten, these vegan treats cater to all cookie lovers with or without allergies. These dairy-free cookies are filled with superfoods including oats, brown rice flour, and raisins. Cybele’s oatmeal cookies only cost your diet 110 calories per two cookies, making this product the most diet-friendly vegan cookie on the list.

Calories 110

Total Fat 4g, Saturated Fat 1.5g

Protein 1g

Enjoy Life Soft Baked Chocolate Chip Cookies

Finding a tasty cookie that’s not loaded with sugar is actually difficult, but this one is it! Enjoy Life’s soft-baked vegan cookie selection delivers a healthier sweet treat than most store-bought cookies. Many other non-vegan cookie brands load their cookies with 12 grams of sugar, whereas Enjoy Life contains just 6 grams of sugar per cookie. While not exceptionally nutritious, this vegan cookie is a soft, delectable treat that ranks as one of the most allergy-friendly options on the market.

Calories 130

Total Fat 5g, Saturated Fat 1g

Protein 1g

Maxine’s Heavenly Chocolate Chip Cookies

With Tabitha Brown’s seal of approval, Maxine’s Heavenly’s low-sugar, chocolate chip cookies caught the attention of vegan sweet tooths everywhere. These tasty vegan, gluten-free cookies get their sweetness from dates and coconut sugar instead of refined sugars. The bite-sized cookies taste just like your grandma’s but without the egg or dairy. The only drawback to these delectable cookies is the 6 grams of saturated fat, so heart-health-conscious shoppers would be better choosing another option.

Calories 150

Total Fat 8g, Saturated Fat 6g

Protein 2g

Partake Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies

With the Cookie Monster as its official ambassador, Partake has an edge with the Moms out there who need an allergen-free choice for lactose intolerant kids. You can’t go wrong with Partake’s classic chocolate chip dairy-free, vegan cookies. These crunchy, sweet snacks taste as good as any rival on the shelf and reminded us of Chips Ahoy! Made from a blend of cassava, buckwheat, and oat flour, these cookies deliver a gluten-free option for any cookie lovers. With only 140 calories per three cookies, this organic treat will satisfy even the pickiest sweet tooth.

Calories 140

Total Fat 7g, Saturated Fat 1g

Protein 1g

Partake Soft Baked Double Fudge

Not a fan of crunchy cookies? Partake’s Soft Baked Double Fudge cookies cater to you. Despite being slightly dry tasting, these vegan cookies provide an ultra-chocolately fudge flavor that will have you coming back for more. But you can, since these cookies have low calories and low saturated fat content making them a (mostly) guilt-free option when you get a chocolate craving.

Calories 150

Total Fat 8g, Saturated Fat 1.5g

Protein 1g

Tate’s Vegan Soft Baked Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you have never had Tate’s, you need to. These cookies are addictive. If you have a sweet tooth, it's game over. Each cookie is extremely thin and crispy, exactly what fans of Tate’s have learned to expect from the brand. The vegan dairy-free ones are even crispier and somewhat reminiscent of a Chips Ahoy cookie, but much lighter, flatter, and larger. These are almost like a sweet cracker. Good news for anyone avoiding dairy: The vegan cookies taste almost identical to the original classic version.

Calories 140

Total Fat 7g, Saturated Fat 4g

Protein 2g

For more plant-based recommendations, visit The Beet's Product Reviews.