Levain Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies (Eggless)

These Levain-style vegan chocolate chip cookies are the perfect indulgence—whether you’re baking for yourself, your family, or a crowd. They’re thick, gooey, and absolutely loaded with chocolate. Plus, they’re completely egg-free and could be made dairy-free, proving that plant-based baking can be just as decadent as the classic version.
Recipe
Two Levain Bakery-Style chocolate chip cookies rest on a gray surface, one broken in half. These thick, eggless delights boast gooey chocolate chunks and a golden-brown hue, suggesting they are freshly baked and irresistibly soft.

About this recipe

If you’re a fan of thick, gooey, bakery-style cookies, this is the recipe you’ve been waiting for. Inspired by the legendary Levain Bakery cookies but completely eggless and vegan, these cookies have the perfect crisp exterior, a soft and melty center, and chocolate and walnuts in every bite.

The Secret to Perfect Levain-Style Cookies

Levain ( a very well-known bakery in NY) cookies are known for their extra thickness and soft interior, and we’re making sure this vegan version doesn’t miss a beat. Here’s what makes them so special:

  • Aquafaba as the egg replacer: Using 6 tablespoons of aquafaba (the liquid from canned chickpeas) gives these cookies structure while keeping them soft and chewy.
  • Cornstarch for tenderness: A teaspoon helps create a slightly lighter texture, preventing the cookies from becoming too dense.
  • High baking temperature (400°F): This allows the outside to set quickly while the center remains gooey.
  • Freezing the dough before baking: Essential for thick cookies that hold their shape. A least the cookies should be in the freezer for an hour.

Tips for the Best Eggless Levain-Style Cookies

  • Use high-quality butter. If you use vegan butter, use a rich, creamy butter alternative like Miyoko’s, it will make a difference. If you use regular butter, choose very high-quality and few ingredients.
  • For an ultra-gooey center, slightly underbake the cookies. Trust me; they will continue to set as they cool.
  • Customize with add-ins. Swap walnuts for pecans, or mix in peanut butter chips for a fun twist!
  • Chocolate: I’ve made this chocolate chip cookie with regular chocolate chips and high-quality semisweet chocolate, and they both turn out amazing. I do prefer high-quality chocolate like Guittard, Valrhona, or Callebaut.
  • Flour. You can use all-purpose flour or 1 1/4 cups all-purpose + 1 1/4 cups cake flour for a more tender texture
  • Sugar: If you don’t have brown sugar, use granulated sugar. The taste and texture will be slightly different but still delicious.
  • Make the cookies the same size. To ensure your cookies are the same size, measuring them consistently is important. You can use a baking scale or a half-cup measuring cup for accuracy. I prefer to place all the formed cookies on a quarter-sheet pan and freeze them together. Once they’re frozen, I can remove the number of cookies I want to bake.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Two Levain Bakery-Style chocolate chip cookies rest on a gray surface, one broken in half. These thick, eggless delights boast gooey chocolate chunks and a golden-brown hue, suggesting they are freshly baked and irresistibly soft.

Levain Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies (Eggless)

Alejandra Graf
These Levain-style vegan chocolate chip cookies are the perfect indulgence—whether you’re baking for yourself, your family, or a crowd. They’re thick, gooey, and absolutely loaded with chocolate. Plus, they’re completely egg-free and could be made dairy-free, proving that plant-based baking can be just as decadent as the classic version.
No ratings yet
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
freezing time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Course baking goods
Cuisine American
Servings 12 cookies
Calories 550 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour Or 1 1/4 cups all-purpose + 1 1/4 cups cake flour for a more tender texture
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 cup butter, slightly softened use vegan butter if needed
  • 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons aquafaba (90ml chickpea brine, replaces 2 eggs)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or chocholate chopped into chunc
  • 1 cup walnuts, chopped

Instructions
 

  • Mix the Dry Ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside.
  • Cream the Butter and Sugars. In a large mixing bowl, beat the vegan butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. This step is key to getting that soft texture.
  • Add the Aquafaba and Vanilla. Mix in 6 tablespoons of aquafaba and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract until fully incorporated. No need to whip the aquafaba beforehand!
  • Combine the Dry and Wet Ingredients. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix—this keeps the cookies thick and tender.
  • Fold in Chocolate and Walnuts. Gently stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts. The dough will be thick and chunky, which is exactly what we want!
  • Shape and Freeze the Dough. Divide the dough into 10-12 large portions (each about 4 to 4.5 ounces). Keep them tall and rough—don’t flatten them! Place the cookie dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze for at least 1 hour (or up to overnight for even better texture and flavor).
  • Preheat the Oven. Once the dough is frozen, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Bake to Perfection. Bake the cookies for 15-20 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through for even baking. The edges should be golden brown while the centers remain soft and slightly underbaked.
  • Cool and Enjoy. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10-15 minutes before digging in. This resting time allows the centers to set while staying gooey.

Notes

How to Store

  • Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
  • Refrigerator: Keep in an airtight container for up to a week. Warm them slightly before eating.
  • Freezer (Baked Cookies): Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or reheat in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5 minutes.
  • Freezer (Unbaked Dough): Keep pre-formed frozen cookie dough balls in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding an extra 1-2 minutes to the baking time.

Nutrition

Calories: 550kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 8gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 249mgPotassium: 337mgFiber: 4gSugar: 29gVitamin A: 532IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 81mgIron: 4mg
Keyword chocolate, chocolate chip, cookies

information

Nutritional information of this recipe is only an estimate, the accuracy for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Did you make this recipe?Tag @piloncilloyvainilla on Instagram and hashtag it #alecooks so we can all see your creations.
Alejandra Graf
Latest posts by Alejandra Graf (see all)
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
Recipe Rating




0 Comments
Oldest
Newest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments