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!
This is my third chocolate chip cookie recipe here on EP. And that may seem ridiculous to you, 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.
This cookie is absolutely LOADED with chocolate chips. Its soft and gooey on the inside with golden exterior and a crisp edge. So, basically, the ideal vegan chocolate chip cookie.
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 its is still cold from the fridge. Wait until your oven has preheated, place the dough balls right from the fridge onto the baking tray and then put them straight into the oven. This will also help keep these Levain Chocolate Chip Cookies nice and thick.
Can You Make Cookies without Brown Sugar?
This recipe for Levain 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.
Looking for More Cookie Recipes?
Soft and Chewy Double Chocolate Cookies
Soft Batch Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
You are about to be blown away by the most delicious chocolate chip cookies that taste like you went all the way to New York to get the real deal. But, these are even better because these babies are VEGAN!
Vegan Levain Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Spoon
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 1 Stick Non-Dairy Butter I used Earth Balance Soy Free Buttery Sticks
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Molasses bot blackstrap
- 2 tablespoon Ground Flax Seed
- 5 tablespoon Water
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 ¼ Cups Flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ¾ teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
- 2 ¼ Cup Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine flax, water and vanilla. Stir and set aside.
- 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 until well combined and creamy.
- Add the flax mixture and stir well to combine.
- Add the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cornstarch into the bowl and combine. This dough is really thick so if you are mixing with a bowl and spoon you will be using some elbow grease.
- Add chocolate chips, stir to distribute.
- Cover and refrigerate dough for 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350* F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- 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.
- 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.
- Bake at 350* on the middle rack of your oven for a total of 17-20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet after 12 and then baking for 5-8 minutes longer.
- Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then move to a wire rack to continue cooling.
Let me know how you liked this recipe and if there is anything you’d like to see me veganize next!
Irma
These look great. I will definitely try them. What kind of sugar did you use? Would coconut sugar work well or is white better?
Megan Calipari
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. 🙂
Cristine McCarthy
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 🐣
Megan Calipari
Thank you so much Cristine! So happy you enjoyed them 🙂
Tanga
I made your cookies for my vegan husband for our Anniversary. He loved them. They were delicious!
Megan Calipari
So happy you enjoyed them. Happy Anniversary!