These vegan rocky road cookies are everything you love about the classic rocky road flavor in soft, chewy cookie form! Loaded with rich chocolate, gooey vegan marshmallows, and salty almonds, they're an easy vegan dessert that's guaranteed to satisfy any chocolate lover's sweet tooth.
My family loves this recipe! I've made it 4 times and they come out perfect every time. I use a mix of walnuts and pecans instead of almonds because they are my preferred nuts. The only other change I made was using 5 mini marshmallows per cookie because we love marshmallows. The cookies are wonderfully soft and moist. -Emily
Rocky road is such a classic, nostalgic ice cream flavor. That said, I feel like I don't see it out in the wild anymore. A true tragedy!
I love it so much that I created a homemade, no-churn vegan rocky road ice cream and a recipe for vegan rocky road bars. These rocky road brownies are also incredible!
That said, these vegan rocky road cookies might just be my favorite variation yet. The chocolate? Fudgy. The gooeyness? Unmatched. Pure cookie perfection! The best part? They can be made using only one bowl and are ready in under an hour.
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ingredients
Here is everything you'll need to make these cookies!
- Vegan Butter: Adds rich, buttery flavor and moisture while creating a soft, chewy cookie with lightly crisp edges.
- Light Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and moisture while giving the cookies a chewy texture.
- Granulated Sugar: Provides sweetness and helps the cookies spread and develop lightly crisp edges as they bake.
- Nondairy Milk: Adds moisture to the dough.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the chocolate flavor and adds warm, sweet notes to the cookies.
- Instant Espresso Powder: Intensifies the chocolate flavor without making the cookies taste strongly like coffee.
- Baking Soda: Helps the cookies spread and rise slightly while contributing to their tender texture and golden-brown edges.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness.
- Cocoa Powder: Creates the rich, deeply chocolatey base that makes these cookies taste like a classic rocky road dessert.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure and helps create the soft, chewy texture of the cookies.
- Nondairy Chocolate Chips: Add pockets of melty chocolate throughout the cookies for extra richness and texture.
- Salted Almonds: Provide the signature nutty crunch of rocky road.
- Vegan Marshmallows: Create gooey, melty pockets throughout the cookies and provide the classic marshmallow flavor!
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why you'll love these cookies
- Rich and chocolatey: Seriously satisfying for any chocolate lover!
- Gooey marshmallow pockets: Vegan marshmallows melt into the cookies as they bake, creating deliciously soft and gooey bites.
- Perfectly crunchy: Salty nuts add a satisfying contrast to the soft cookie and melted chocolate.
- Classic rocky road flavor: Chocolate, marshmallows, and nuts come together in one irresistible cookie!
- Easy to make: No complicated techniques or fancy equipment are required.
- Completely vegan: You get all the indulgent flavor of classic rocky road cookies without dairy or eggs.
how to make vegan rocky road cookies (with pictures!)
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of the page for full instructions and ingredient measurements.
Begin by creaming together the vegan butter and sugars with an electric hand mixer. Add in the remaining dough ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and almonds.
Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes.
Scoop the cookie dough and press a marshmallow half into the center of each cookies. Place cookies about 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake cookies on the center rack of an oven that has been preheated to 350 degrees F (175 C) for 12-13 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
recipe tips and tricks
Here are a few tips to help make sure your vegan rocky road cookies turn out perfectly:
- Measure the flour carefully: Too much flour can make these chocolate cookies dry and cakey. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off rather than scooping directly from the bag.
- Don't skip the espresso powder: You won't taste a strong coffee flavor. It simply deepens and intensifies the chocolate.
- Chop the almonds evenly: Smaller pieces distribute the crunchy, salty flavor throughout the cookies without making them difficult to bite into. Toss chopped almonds in a colander to eliminate any "nut dust."
- Save some chocolate and almonds for the tops: Press a few extra chocolate chips and almond pieces onto the dough balls before baking for bakery-style cookies.
- Don't over-mix the dough: Once the flour is incorporated, stop mixing. Over-mixing can lead to tougher cookies.
- Give the cookies plenty of space: The dough and marshmallows will spread as they bake, so leave a couple of inches between each cookie on the baking sheet.
- Don't over-bake: The centers should look slightly soft when you take the cookies out of the oven. They'll continue to set as they cool, leaving you with a soft, chewy center.
- Use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat: Melted marshmallow can get sticky, so lining the baking sheet makes cleanup much easier.
best vegan marshmallow options
For these vegan Rocky Road cookies, I'd stick with classic vanilla vegan marshmallows rather than flavored varieties so the chocolate and almonds stay the stars.
best vegan marshmallow options
- Dandies Classic Vanilla Mini Marshmallows (Best Overall): This would be my first choice for your cookies. They're vegan, gluten-free, and made without gelatin.
- GoodMallow Vanilla Marshmallows (Great Alternative): These have a soft, fluffy texture and classic vanilla flavor, making them a good choice if you want slightly larger marshmallow pockets in the cookies.
- Trader Joes Marshmallows (Budget-Friendly): A widely available option that's made without gelatin and corn syrup. They're a good choice if you want something inexpensive and easy to find.
frequently asked questions
Absolutely! Mini vegan marshmallows are a great option and can be pressed directly into scoops of cookie dough.
Dandies vegan marshmallows are a great choice because they have a classic vanilla flavor and work well in baked desserts. Other vegan marshmallow brands can also be used as long as they are suitable for baking.
Yes! Walnuts, pecans, or cashews would all be delicious. You can also use unsalted nuts and add an extra pinch of salt to the dough.
Definitely. The espresso powder is there to intensify the chocolate flavor, not to make the cookies taste like coffee. You can omit it if you don't have any.
Vegan marshmallows can melt differently depending on the brand. For larger gooey pockets, keep the marshmallows tucked inside the dough rather than placing them directly on top of the cookies.
The vegan butter may have been too warm or melted. Make sure it is softened but not liquid, and if the dough feels particularly soft, chill it for 20-30 minutes before baking.
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recipe variations
Here are a few ways you can switch up this recipe to suit your tastes:
- Peanut Butter Rocky Road: Replace the almonds with chopped peanuts and add ½ cup of vegan peanut butter chips for a delicious chocolate-peanut butter combination.
- Pecan Rocky Road: Swap the almonds for chopped pecans for a buttery, slightly sweeter nutty flavor.
- Double Chocolate: Use a combination of vegan chocolate chips and chopped dairy-free dark chocolate for extra melty chocolate throughout.
- Salted Rocky Road: Sprinkle the baked cookies with a small pinch of flaky sea salt while they're still warm for a sweet-and-salty finish.
- Espresso Rocky Road: Increase the instant espresso powder to 1 tablespoon for an even more intense chocolate flavor.
- Coconut Rocky Road: Add ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut along with the almonds for a fun twist on the classic combination.
- White Chocolate Rocky Road: Replace half of the chocolate chips with vegan white chocolate chips for a sweeter, creamy contrast.
- Hazelnut Rocky Road: Swap the almonds for chopped toasted hazelnuts and use dairy-free chocolate hazelnut spread for an extra-indulgent version.
storage
Room Temperature: Once completely cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. Place parchment paper between layers if needed to prevent the marshmallow from sticking.
Freezer: Freeze completely cooled cookies in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 1 month. Place parchment paper between layers to keep them from sticking together.
To Thaw: Let frozen cookies thaw at room temperature for about 30-60 minutes.
To Reheat: For that fresh-from-the-oven texture, microwave a cookie for 10-15 seconds. The chocolate and marshmallow will become soft and gooey again.
If you make this recipe please tag @censoredbaker on Instagram!
PrintVegan Rocky Road Cookies
Rich, fudgy cookies loaded with salty almonds and gooey marshmallows. All vegan!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Chill Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 57 minutes
- Yield: 20 3-inch Cookies 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
1 cup vegan butter
¾ cup light brown sugar
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup nondairy milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
½ cup cocoa powder
2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
1 cup nondairy chocolate chips
⅔ cup salted almonds, chopped
10 vegan marshmallows, cut in half*
Instructions
- Mix: In a large bowl, cream together vegan butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer. This should take about 1 minute. Add the nondairy milk, vanilla, espresso powder, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder to the bowl. Beat until ingredients are well-distributed. Add in the flour and beat until cookie dough comes together. Do not over-mix! Fold in the chocolate chips and the almonds.
- Chill: Once the cookie dough is prepared, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes. When the chilling time is nearly over, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Bake: Scoop about 3 tablespoons of cookie dough into your hands and press 1 marshmallow half into the center of the cookie. Try and wrap the cookie dough around the marshmallow. Place on prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remainder of the dough. Set cookies at least 2 inches apart on the sheet. Place sheet on center rack of preheated oven and bake for 12-13 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on the sheet for at least 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
*Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or can be frozen for up to 1 month.
*Marshmallows contain gelatin, meaning they are not naturally vegan. Vegan brands do exist though! I love Dandies and Trader Joe's brand.
more rocky road desserts
more vegan cookie recipes
- Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies (only 8 ingredients + 1 bowl!)
- vegan sugar cookies
- Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Vegan Double Chocolate Cookies
My family loves this recipe! I’ve made it 4 times and they come out perfect every time. I use a mix of walnuts and pecans instead of almonds because they are my preferred nuts. The only other change I made was using 5 mini marshmallows per cookie because we love marshmallows. The cookies are wonderfully soft and moist.
Emily! This is so wonderful to hear! I am definitely going to try them with the mix of walnuts and almonds that is such a good idea!!