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    Home » Recipes » Easy Vegan Cookies

    Vegan Levain Cookies

    Published: Apr 17, 2021 · Modified: Dec 3, 2023 by Megan Calipari · This post may contain affiliate links · 8 Comments

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    These Vegan Levain Style Chocolate Chip Cookies bake up just like the original: Thick, decadent, chewy, soft, and filled to the brim with chocolate chips. But, these chocolate chip cookies are completely vegan and they're made without brown sugar!

    Chocolate chip cookies are my all time favorite dessert. Which is why I have so may recipes for them. But, each one of them is so different from the others. This particular recipe is a vegan version of Levain Bakery’s ICONIC chocolate chip cookie. And it is my favorite cookie recipe to date.

    Cookie dough in a marble bowl
    This Cookie dough is thick and LOADED with chocolate chips.

    Ingredients for Making Vegan Levain Cookies

    Vegan Butter: I recommend Soy-Free Earth Balance Buttery Sticks. I prefer the soy free version to the original. A close second are the country crock plant butter sticks.

    Granulated Sugar: For sweetness and structure.

    Molasses: I use molasses because I don't buy brown sugar. So if you dont have molasses, substitute brown sugar for the granulated sugar.

    Flax + Water: Ground flax is combined with water to make a flax egg.

    Vanilla: 2 whole teaspoons of vanilla to give these cookies a nice background flavor.

    Flour: Regular AP flour. Any brand will work, but I love King Arthur.

    Leavener: A combo of baking powder and baking soda to help these cookies spread, brown and become thick and chewy.

    Salt: For Balance.

    Cornstarch: To avoid any toughness.

    Chocolate: These Vegan Levain Cookies are absolutely LOADED with chocolate.

    cookie dough balls on a parchment lined sheet tray
    I like to top them with a bit of flakey sea salt before popping them in the oven.

    How to Make the Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

    This recipe for Levain Style Cookies is pretty fool-proof. But as always, I have some helpful tips to make sure these cookies are absolutely perfect.

    First, don't overmix. The more the batter is mixed, the more gluten develops. And developing gluten means a tough cookie.

    Second, the rest time is important, so don’t shortchange it. The flour needs time to absorb the liquid to ensure the cookies say nice and thick through baking.

    Third, bake the dough when the dough is still cold from the fridge.

    Wait until your oven has preheated, place the dough balls right from the fridge onto the baking tray. Then put them straight into the oven. This will also help keep these Levain Chocolate Chip Cookies nice and thick.

    Levain Style Chocolate Chip Cookies on a baking tray that is lined with parchment
    They bake up thick and chewy.

    Can You Make Cookies without Brown Sugar?

    This recipe for Vegan Levain Style Chocolate Chip Cookies may seem weird upon first glance because there is no brown sugar. And every cookie recipe NEEDS brown sugar, right?

    I kind of agree. Brown sugar is simply a combination of white sugar and molasses. And, while this may seem like a chocolate chip cookie recipe without brown sugar, we make brown sugar right in the cookie dough by combining those two ingredients.

    Making my own brown sugar in each individual recipe is something I do all the time. My kitchen is tiny, so its more efficient space-wise for me to keep a jar of molasses on hand to add into recipes when I want that brown sugar flavor.

    Thick Vegan Levain Cookies on a white cloth
    The interior is soft and gooey and they have a slight crisp edge.

    How to Store the Cookies

    To store these vegan levain cookies, place them in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature for up to 3 days.

    Or freeze for up to a month.

    Three Vegan Levain cookies stacked on top of each other on a white cloth
    These cookies are my all time favorite.

    Looking for More Cookie Recipes?

    Soft and Chewy Double Chocolate Cookies

    Soft Batch Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Vegan Funfetti Sugar Cookies

    📖 Recipe

    A cookie broken in half to show the interior

    Vegan Levain Cookies

    Megan Calipari
    These Vegan Levain Chocolate Chip Cookies bake up just like the original: Thick, decadent, chewy, soft, and filled to the brim with chocolate chips.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 2 hours hrs
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 2 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 11 Massive Cookies
    Calories 464 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 Mixing Bowl
    • 1 Wooden Spoon
    • Measuring Cups and Spoons
    • 2 Baking Sheets
    • Parchment Paper

    Ingredients
      

    • 8 tablespoon Non-Dairy Butter, room temperature
    • 1 Cup Light Brown Sugar
    • 2 tablespoon Ground Flax Seed
    • 5 tablespoon Water
    • 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
    • 2 ¼ Cups Flour
    • 1 ¾ teaspoon Baking Powder
    • ¾ teaspoon Baking Soda
    • ¾ teaspoon Kosher Salt
    • 2 ¼ Cup Chocolate Chips

    To Top

    • Flakey Sea Salt (optional)

    Instructions
     

    • In a small bowl, combine flax, water and vanilla. Stir and set aside.
      2 tablespoon Ground Flax Seed, 5 tablespoon Water, 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
    • In a large bowl with a wooden spoon, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the non-dairy butter, sugar and molasses.
      8 tablespoon Non-Dairy Butter, room temperature, 1 Cup Light Brown Sugar
    • Add the flax mixture and stir well.
    • Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into the bowl and combine. The cookie dough will be really thick!
      2 ¼ Cups Flour, ¾ teaspoon Kosher Salt, 1 ¾ teaspoon Baking Powder, ¾ teaspoon Baking Soda
    • Add chocolate chips, stir to distribute.
      2 ¼ Cup Chocolate Chips
    • Spray a ⅓ cup measure with nonstick spray and pack the dough into the measuring cup. Use a spoon to help remove the dough. Then, roll into a ball using the palm of your hands.
    • Cover and refrigerate dough for 2 hours.
    • Preheat oven to 350* F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
    • Arrange 6 dough balls onto a parchment lined baking tray, evenly spaced, placing the other 6 back into the refrigerator until they are going to be baked.
    • Sprinkle the cookies with a bit of sea salt.
      Flakey Sea Salt (optional)
    • Bake at 350* on the middle rack of your oven for a total of 17-19 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through
    • Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then move to a wire rack to continue cooling.

    Notes

    These cookies have a ton of chocolate chips in them, just like the real Levain Chocolate Chip Cookies. But, if you prefer fewer, reduce the amount to 1 ½ cups of chocolate chips.
    To store: place the cookies into an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 3 days. Or freeze for up to 2 months.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1CookieCalories: 464kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 6gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 378mgPotassium: 274mgFiber: 4gSugar: 33gVitamin A: 19IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 85mgIron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    More Easy Vegan Cookies

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      Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
    • Orange Cardamom Cookies drizzled with orange glaze on a wire cooling rack.
      Orange Cardamom Cookies
    • Gluten-Free Vegan Oatmeal Cookie with a bite taken out of it on a linen cloth.
      Gluten-Free Oatmeal Cookies
    • Vegan Millionaires Shortbread with a bite taken out of it.
      Vegan Millionaires Shortbread

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Irma

      August 12, 2019 at 4:15 am

      These look great. I will definitely try them. What kind of sugar did you use? Would coconut sugar work well or is white better?

      Reply
      • Megan Calipari

        August 13, 2019 at 11:10 am

        I just used regular granulated sugar. If you use coconut sugar maybe leave the molasses out as coconut sugar already has a molasses-y flavor. But then add 1 1/2 tsp more water to the flax egg mix to account for moisture. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Cristine McCarthy

      April 12, 2020 at 3:13 am

      5 stars
      Megan - your chocolate chip cookies are out of this world!!! This time ever making a soft chewy cookie. Great teacher with very simple instructions. Happy Easter 🐣

      Reply
      • Megan Calipari

        April 12, 2020 at 11:55 am

        Thank you so much Cristine! So happy you enjoyed them 🙂

        Reply
      • Tanga

        September 10, 2020 at 3:19 am

        5 stars
        I made your cookies for my vegan husband for our Anniversary. He loved them. They were delicious!

        Reply
        • Megan Calipari

          September 11, 2020 at 3:06 pm

          So happy you enjoyed them. Happy Anniversary!

          Reply
    3. Sue

      September 05, 2023 at 8:17 pm

      5 stars
      I have made these too many times to count! They are so good!!

      Reply
      • Megan Calipari

        September 05, 2023 at 9:57 pm

        These are my FAVORITE!

        Reply
    5 from 3 votes

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    Hi, I'm Megan! I'm a trained pastry chef who is passionate about creating vegan desserts and meals for everyone. My recipes use simple ingredients and methods to create delicious results.

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