Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Levain Cookies
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Indulge your taste buds in the ultimate chocolate and peanut butter experience with this mouth-watering Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Levain Cookies recipe. Imagine biting into a thick and rich chocolate-stuffed cookie, only to be met with a delectable surprise – a soft and creamy peanut butter filling. It tastes just like a Reese’s peanut butter cup, transformed to cookie form!
More chocolate and peanut butter treats? You’ll wanna devour these Chocolate Peanut Butter Quinoa Cups, these Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars and these Vegan Peanut Butter Swirled Chocolate Banana Muffins!
Why You’ll Love These Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Stuffed Levain Cookies
- Two classic flavors of our favorites! Chocolate and peanut butter is sure to satisfy any sweet tooth and leave you craving more.
- These super thick Levain chocolate peanut butter cookies aren’t just a tasty treat, they also come with a guilt-free twist – they are completely vegan! Made with all plant-based ingredients, these cookies are not only delicious but also align with a plant-based lifestyle.
- The combination of the gooey chocolate and the smooth peanut butter is like a match made in heaven. It’s like biting into a Reese’s peanut butter cup, except in cookie form. And with the added crunch of the cookie’s outer layer, it’s the perfect texture combination.
- And if you’re worried about the complexity of this recipe, fear not. It’s surprisingly easy to make, with simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry.
- No cake flour needed, the cornstarch works perfectly with the flour to make a tender, delicious cookie! The hardest part is waiting for the cookies to chill before baking and for them to set up after they’ve baked!
- If you’ve never had a Levain cookie, let alone a vegan Levain cookie, you’re in for a real treat! Share them with friends and family or keep them all to yourself. Either way, these cookies are sure to be a hit and you can customize them to your liking!
- Perfect vegan levain cookies recipe for gifting, birthdays, holidays and baking fun!
About Levain Cookies
What makes these cookies truly unique is the Levain-style baking method we used. This method, popularized by the iconic Levain Bakery in New York City, involves using cold dough to create a thick and chewy cookie with a slightly crispy exterior. This technique is what makes the cookie exterior stand up to the rich and creamy peanut butter filling, creating the ultimate indulgent experience.
With just a few extra steps, you can transform your regular chocolate cookies into a decadent chocolate and peanut butter delight that will impress your taste buds and anyone lucky enough to try them.
So why wait? Get your apron on and try this Vegan Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Levain Cookies copycarecipe today. Trust us, you won’t regret it. But be warned – once you start, it’s hard to stop!
Ingredients You Need
Peanut Butter Stuffed Filling Recipe
- 1 cup peanut butter
- ½ cup organic powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Levain Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies copycat Recipe
- 1 cup COLD unsalted vegan butter, cut into cubes
- 1½ cups organic sugar
- 2 tablespoons flaxseed, plus 6 tablespoons water, let set for 5-10 minutes to thicken
- 1/2 cup dark cocoa powder, we used Hershey’s Special Dark
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups dairy-free dark chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions How to Make Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Stuffed Levain Cookies
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners; set aside.
Peanut Butter Stuffed Filling
- Prepare your peanut butter filling first by combining peanut butter, sugar, and vanilla in a medium-sized bowl and stirring until all ingredients are well-combined.
- Drop peanut butter mixture by 2 teaspoon-sized scoops onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Place in freezer to chill while you prepare your cookie dough.
Making The Levain Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the dry ingredients of dark cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and all-purpose flour and whisk together, set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, using a mixer, cream together cold cubed butter, and sugar for about 3-4 minutes.
- Add in the flax eggs and vanilla and continue mixing until well combined.
- Next, add in the dark cocoa powder/flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Mix in the chocolate chips until fully incorporated.
Making the Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies
- Remove the peanut butter scoops from freezer and roll into balls, if needed.
- Using a ¼ cup cookie scoop, scoop cookie dough and place one of the peanut butter balls into the center of the dough, then place another cookie dough scoop of the chocolate cookie dough on top. If you need to flatten the cookie dough some to better spread the cookie dough around the peanut butter filling, then do what works best for you, but make sure the peanut butter filling is completely covered and roughly form the dough into a ball shape. Add more chocolate chips on top if you desire. Place each of the cookie dough balls on your parchment lined cookie sheet and place in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes. You should get 9-10 cookies.
- Once the dough is chilled, place cookies 3″ apart on a lined baking sheet. I did 5 cookies per sheet.
- When baking cookies, put one sheet in the middle of the oven and bake for 8-12 minutes, checking at 8 minutes. The cookies should look dry on top and almost done with a little bit of gooeyness in the middle. Add even more chocolate chips on top, once they’ve baked if you want. If they need more time, bake them longer. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 30 minutes before eating. They will finish cooking and firm up while they cool, and they can break easily when they are hot.
Storing Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Stuffed Levain Cookies
- You can keep these Levain Bakery cookies fresh for one week by storing them in a sealed container or in the fridge. To save them for later, wrap each cookie separately and store them in the freezer until you want to eat them.
Baking Tips for Chocolate Peanut Butter Stuffed Levain Cookies
- Using all-purpose flour and cornstarch together creates a light and tender crumb for these thick and huge cookies, they are surprisingly light and delicate with a tender crumb texture
- By briefly refrigerating the dough for 15 minutes, this allows the cookies to firm up and prevents the cookies from spreading too much, along with the dark chocolate chips and the peanut butter filling.
- To make the best cookies, put them in the oven one sheet at a time, in the middle part of the oven. Only put 5 cookies on each sheet. This will make sure they bake evenly and don’t stick together. And don’t leave them in the oven for too long! They might seem dry and done on the outside, but they will be gooey and underbaked in the middle, just like the cookies from Levain Bakery.
More Variations
- If you just want to leave out the peanut butter filling, these are delicious chocolate cookies all by themselves!
- Drizzle chocolate or peanut butter on tops of cookies.
- Add your favorite nuts, like walnuts, almonds or pistachios, when you want some crunch.
Indulge your taste buds in the ultimate chocolate and peanut butter experience with this delectable treat that will satisfy all your cravings. Whether you’re baking for fun or for someone special, this Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Stuffed Levain Cookies recipe is one you’re going to want to hang on to!
More Cookies & Treats!
- Perfect Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Best Vegan Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
- Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Vegan Halloween Lofthouse Cookies
- Easy Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
- Peanut Butter Banana Cookies
- Vegan Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Banana Cookies
- Easy Vegan Cake Mix Cookies
Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Stuffed Levain Cookies
These Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Stuffed Levain Cookies are thick, gooey, and packed with flavor. Imagine a rich, chocolatey cookie stuffed with a creamy peanut butter center. It’s like a Reese’s cup in cookie form, with a slightly crispy exterior and soft, melty interior. These plant-based treats are easy to make and perfect for gifting, holidays, or simply satisfying your sweet tooth.
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Filling:
- 1 cup peanut butter 240 g
- ½ cup organic powdered sugar 60 g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 ml
Levain Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies:
- 1 cup cold vegan butter cubed – 226 g
- 1½ cups organic sugar 300 g
- 2 tablespoons flaxseed 14 g
- 6 tablespoons water 90 ml
- ½ cup dark cocoa powder 50 g
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup or vanilla extract 10 ml
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch 5 g
- 1 teaspoon baking soda 5 g
- ½ teaspoon salt 3 g
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour 300 g
- 2 cups dairy-free dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips 340 g
Instructions
Prepare Baking Sheets:
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners; set aside.
Make Peanut Butter Filling:
- Mix peanut butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl until well combined.1 cup peanut butter, ½ cup organic powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Scoop mixture into 2-teaspoon-sized balls and place on a parchment-lined sheet.
- Freeze while you prepare the cookie dough.
Prepare Dry Ingredients:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and flour.½ cup dark cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 2½ cups all-purpose flour
Cream Butter and Sugar:
- In a large mixing bowl, cream cold vegan butter and sugar with a mixer for 3-4 minutes until fluffy.1 cup cold vegan butter, 1½ cups organic sugar
Add Flax Eggs and Vanilla:
- Stir together flaxseed and water; let sit for 5-10 minutes to thicken.2 tablespoons flaxseed, 6 tablespoons water
- Add the flax mixture and vanilla extract to the creamed butter and sugar, mixing until combined.2 teaspoons maple syrup or vanilla extract
Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients:
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix on low until just combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.2 cups dairy-free dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
Assemble Cookies:
- Scoop ¼ cup of cookie dough and flatten slightly. Place a frozen peanut butter ball in the center, then top with another ¼ cup of cookie dough.
- Shape into a ball, ensuring the peanut butter filling is fully covered.
- Add extra chocolate chips on top, if desired.
Chill Dough:
- Place assembled cookies on a sheet and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes to prevent spreading.
Bake Cookies:
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Arrange 5 cookies per sheet, spaced 3 inches apart.
- Bake in the center of the oven for 8-12 minutes, checking at 8 minutes. Cookies should look dry on top but still soft in the center.
Cool Cookies:
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 30 minutes to firm up before serving.
Notes
-
Chilling the Dough:
Chilling the cookie dough is crucial to prevent the cookies from spreading too much during baking. Make sure to freeze the assembled cookies for at least 15-20 minutes before baking. -
Don’t Overbake:
These cookies should look slightly underbaked in the center when you take them out. They will continue to set as they cool, giving them that perfect gooey texture inside. -
Cookie Size Matters:
This recipe makes large Levain-style cookies. If you prefer smaller cookies, you can divide the dough into smaller portions, but be sure to adjust the baking time accordingly (start checking at 6-8 minutes).