Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking sheet.
Place 1 1/4 cup flour, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1/4 tsp salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.
Place 1/4 cup coconut oil, and 1 cup brown sugar in large bowl. Beat until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup applesauce and mix. *Add 2 tbsp oil (this is optional, it will make the cookies more chewy) and 3/4 tsp vanilla extract, beat until blended.
Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix until the flour is mixed in. Add 3/4 cup chocolate chips, beat on high speed for a few seconds.
Drop the dough by large spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet. Leave in ball shape (don’t flatten). Bake for 10 to 11 minutes. They will continue to cook on the pan. Leave on pan for 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
