Do you ever feel like your life is really just a series of events that lead you from one snack to the next? Have you ever rationalized to yourself that standing in line for 40 minutes at Shake Shack is basically like going to the gym? Onion rings are healthy because they’re vegetables, right? Do you often find yourself months deep into a food blog at 2 am, taking screenshots alone in the dark and wondering how you even got there?

Yes hi hello, same! Me too! Nice to meet you, I’m Sophie! I’d like to get something out of the way as we embark on our very first recipe journey together: I have been eating-disorder free for just about six weeks. My personal journey has certainly been fraught with its ups and downs, its complications, and its derailments, but I can honestly say that I have never felt so ~blessed~ to be inside of my own body. My particular struggle may seem like a highly personal thing to broadcast in a public forum, but I am telling you about it for a number of reasons: 1. It’s really too important of a topic to me not to share. 2. I think that talking about it makes it much harder for me to revert to my worst behaviors. 3. I like to eat deliciously, but not get crazy with it, so my cooking tends to strike a balance between healthy and indulgent. 4. I really want any and all of you to know that I am always here to lend an ear or a hand. Seriously.

So now, let’s get down to business. I appreciate dessert as much as the next person but don’t want to break the bank (or my bod) every time I want something sweet. I hesitate to ever make claims that something is “the best,” because that’s a pretty subjective sentiment, but these cookies are right up there with the best cookies I’ve ever made, vegan or not. I think part of that has to do with the fact that as opposed to using vegan “versions” of non-vegan products (see: egg replacers, butter, milk, etc.), these babies have a perfect balance of flavor that simply excludes dairy products, making it feel more like they kinda just happen to be vegan. Oh, and to clarify, I am not myself vegan!

This is a decent-sized batch, so be ready to share! Since I live with just one other person, it is v-e-r-y important that I have people to share the finished product with. When I made these the other day, I pawned them off on a bunch of Boston Hassle friends. If you didn’t get one, I’m sorry! Next time!

Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies (Vegan)
(Makes approximately 18 cookies)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 ¼ cup dark chocolate chips (I like chocolate with 60% cocoa content or higher, because I am a chocolate monster)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp. water
• Coarse-grained sea salt or flaky sea salt like Maldon, for garnish

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the chocolate chips to the mixture and make sure they’re tossed and coated.
2. In a separate large bowl, whisk the sugars with the canola oil and water until smooth and incorporated, which will take you about 2 minutes. (Note: Brown sugar gets hard easily, so make sure you use fresh, soft light brown sugar. If there are clumps, break them up first.)
3. Combine the contents of your two bowls, and then stir it all together with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula until just combined and no flour is visible. Do not overmix.
4. Cover with plastic wrap. Or if you’re me and didn’t have any, use a couple of plastic bags—it works just fine.
5. Refrigerate the dough for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours. Do not skip this step, even though you will definitely want to. Baking involves some real freaky science, and you shouldn’t mess with it.
6. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper, or use a baking spray if you prefer. Parchment paper stresses me out and seems like a waste of paper, so I always opt for the spray instead!
7. Remove dough from the refrigerator and portion out 2-inch mounds.
8. Sprinkle the balls of dough with coarse-grained sea salt and bake for 12 to 13 minutes, or until the edges are just golden. Do not overbake. Even though they might not look done, vegan baking has its own set of quirks, and I have found this to be one of them. (I once baked a batch of vegan peanut-butter cookies for like, 25 minutes because they didn’t “look” done, even though the recipe told me to take them out after 10. The cookies somehow turned out totally fine, but very hard. Whoops!)
9. Let cool completely before serving.

At the end of the day, a cookie is a cookie, but it’s pretty great that in a lot of ways, these are a healthier option than others. Today was hard, you deserve a cookie! Or two! Whatever!