Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• For the oat slurry:
• 1 1/2 ounces old fashioned rolled oats, not quick-cooking or instant
• 3 ounces water
• For the dough:
• 8 ounces refined coconut oil, solid but creamy, about 70°F/21°C
• 12 ounces light brown sugar, see note
• 3 1/2 ounces white sugar, see note
• 1/2 ounce vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling; for table salt, use about half as much by volume or the same weight
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 2 ounces prepared oat slurry
• 12 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour, such as Gold Medal
• 1 1/4 ounces dry malt extract, such as Briess sparkling amber
• 10 ounces dark chocolate, about 72% cocoa solids, see note, roughly chopped

Directions

1. Make the oat slurry first: place the rolled oats and water in a tall, slim container that fits the head of an immersion blender. Blend until the mixture is smooth and thick, then pass it through a fine mesh strainer, using a flexible spatula to press out as much liquid as possible. Throw away the fibrous oat pulp, and set aside 2 ounces of the sticky purée for the dough. Do not make this ahead; it keeps thickening as it sits and can become impossible to work with.
2. Set an oven rack in the center and heat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Add the refined coconut oil, brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and nutmeg to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle. Start on low speed until everything is dampened, then turn the mixer to medium and beat until the mixture looks pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes, stopping as needed to scrape down the bowl and paddle.
3. While the mixer runs, slowly stream in the prepared oat slurry and beat until the mixture is even and smooth. Turn the mixer off, then scrape the bowl and paddle well. In the meantime, sift the flour into a medium bowl, add the dry malt extract, and whisk thoroughly to combine, about 1 minute. Take the time to make it uniform, since any streaks here can lead to uneven flavor and texture in the cookies.
4. Turn the mixer back on low, add the malt-flour mixture in one go, then add the chopped chocolate. Mix just until everything is incorporated. Since coconut oil stays firm below 76 degrees F, the dough may look dry and crumbly; if your kitchen is warm, it may look softer or a little oily instead.
5. Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the dough into about 32 pieces, packing each one firmly into the scoop with your palm or against the side of the bowl. Place them on a parchment-lined aluminum baking sheet with 2 inches of space between them. Press each mound lightly with your palm, just enough to tame the dome and make the top a bit more even, not to flatten it. Finish each one with chopped chocolate and a small pinch of salt.
6. Bake until the cookies are risen and golden, while the centers still look soft and steamy, about 12 minutes. Because of how coconut oil melts, they may seem underbaked in the middle at first, but they will firm up as they cool. Leave them on the baking sheet until the crumb sets, about 5 minutes. These are at their best fresh, or within 12 hours of baking, though leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.