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A Vegan Recipe Translated for Non-Vegans, by a Non-Vegan

The perfect Pinterest Cookie recipe, featuring chaotic, real human being notes you wish you had before baking anything new.

STOP: If you don’t care about anything but a delicious cookie recipe, I hear you. Skip the next few paragraphs and enjoy! The original recipe is linked at the bottom on the page, with all credit to the creator.


Though if you want to hop on the vegan train but wish you had someone to be a guinea pig for you, or just want to know if a recipe actually works, look no further.

My Pre-Baking Expectations:


I’m a little nervous about finding 100% vegan ingredients, but I’m due for a grocery trip anyway, so it’s time for an essential outing.


When finding a recipe, I expect there to be the same long backstory that every Pinterest recipe seems to have, explaining that the baker’s eleven children have been eating these since the womb, and how they perfected their great grandmother’s recipe after leaving their husband.


My biggest concerns for the cookies themselves are that they will either fall apart/be very dry due to lack of dairy and eggs, or that they’ll be fine but include a vegetable as a substitute for non-vegan ingredients. I will not put a vegetable in cookies, even for content.

The Ingredients








All from Stop & Shop or my pantry. No veggies!

  • 1/2 cup coconut oil, solid but scoop-able

  • 1 and 1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 1/4 cup coconut milk (I like to use the thicker Thai variety, but any coconut milk will work)

Tip: it’s hard to find anything smaller than an 8-ounce can of coconut milk, so you’ll have some leftover for use in your coffee. Or cereal, if you’re into that.

  • 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

Dangerously close to a vegetable, but I’ll allow it.

  • 2 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (be sure not to pack your flour)

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 2 cups chocolate chips (use vegan chocolate chips if vegan)

These were easier than expected to find! Thank you to the “organic and free-from” section of the baking aisle. I used dark chocolate because it’s supposed to be better for you (right?). Also, it felt fancier.

  • Flaky sea salt, optional

The Instructions


1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

Okay, easy enough. We’ve done this before.

2. In a large bowl whisk together the coconut oil, brown sugar, and vanilla, beating until well combined.

Why didn’t anyone tell me solid coconut oil felt like squishy kinetic sand? I understand why people use it for everything, now. I want to play with it.





Add in the coconut milk and applesauce and whisk until well combined; set aside. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; whisk well to combine.

The mixture is starting to resemble regular dough, which is promising. I taste-test the coconut milk; it tastes okay, but does not transport me to a tropical island.

3. Add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture

Dear god this is a lot of dry ingredients. Did I measure everything right?

and, using a wooden spoon or very sturdy spatula, stir until ingredients are combined