Irresistible Chunky Vegan Chocolate Pecan Cookies: The Ultimate Recipe for Thick, Chewy, Plant-Based Indulgence

Prepare yourself for pure indulgence with these chunky vegan chocolate pecan cookies. Each cookie is a generously proportioned delight, featuring a wonderfully thick and soft texture with just the right amount of chew, all while being absolutely loaded with rich chocolate chips and crunchy pecans. These aren’t just any vegan cookies; they are designed to be utterly satisfying and deeply delicious, proving that plant-based baking can reach new heights of decadence without relying on any “weird” or hard-to-find ingredients.

Inspired by the legendary cookies from New York’s famous Levain Bakery, renowned for their monstrously thick and chocolate-packed creations, this recipe aims to capture that same spirit of indulgent, oversized perfection. While I haven’t had the pleasure of tasting an original Levain cookie myself, this recipe delivers an incredibly delicious, robust cookie experience, bursting with mix-ins. If you crave a thick, substantial cookie that’s rich in flavor and texture, then you’ve found your new go-to recipe.

Why You’ll Fall in Love with These Vegan Cookies

• Unrivaled Texture: Say goodbye to flat, crumbly vegan cookies. These boast an ideal combination of a thick, soft interior and a slightly crisp edge, with a delightful chewiness that satisfies every bite.
• Rich Flavor Profile: The blend of high-quality dark chocolate and toasted pecans creates a deeply satisfying flavor that’s perfectly balanced – not too sweet, but wonderfully rich.
• Effortlessly Vegan: No eggs, no dairy, no problem! This recipe uses readily available plant-based ingredients to achieve a classic cookie taste and texture.
• Simple & Straightforward: Despite their impressive appearance, these cookies are surprisingly easy to make, even for novice bakers.
• Perfect for Any Occasion: Whether you’re treating yourself, sharing with friends, or impressing guests, these chunky cookies are always a crowd-pleaser.

Essential Ingredients for Your Chunky Vegan Cookies:

Crafting the perfect chunky vegan cookie relies on a thoughtful selection of ingredients. Each component plays a crucial role in achieving that coveted texture and rich flavor. Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll need and why:

Chocolate Chips: The Melty Heart of the Cookie

While I often lean towards chopped chocolate for a more artisan look in many recipes, for these chunky cookies, dark chocolate chips are truly superior. Their robust structure helps them maintain their shape during baking, which is key to preventing the cookies from spreading too thinly and instead encourages them to stay gloriously chunky. With a high proportion of chocolate in this recipe, it’s essential to use good quality dark chocolate chips that aren’t overly sweet. Look for brands that are explicitly labeled vegan (most dark chocolate is, but always check) and aim for a cocoa percentage of 60-75% for optimal flavor balance.

Cornflour (Cornstarch): The Secret to Perfect Structure

The addition of a small amount of cornflour (cornstarch) is a game-changer in this recipe. It works wonders by binding the dough and providing extra structure. This helps create that desirable thick, slightly chewy texture and prevents the cookies from spreading out too much, ensuring they remain wonderfully plump and satisfying.

Plain Flour: The Foundation of Your Bake

For these cookies, simple plain (all-purpose) flour is exactly what you need. It provides the necessary gluten structure for a cohesive dough and a tender crumb. I haven’t experimented with gluten-free alternatives for this particular recipe, so for best results, stick with regular plain flour.

Vegan Butter: The Key to Richness (Choose Wisely!)

This is arguably the most critical ingredient for texture. Please, for the love of holy baking, use a block vegan butter or margarine – not the spreadable kind that comes in a tub. Block butters have a higher fat content and lower water content, mimicking traditional dairy butter much more closely. The spreadable varieties contain too much water, which can lead to a dough that’s too soft, causing your cookies to spread excessively and end up cakey rather than chewy. Brands like Naturli Vegan Block (mentioned in the recipe card) are excellent choices for achieving that perfect cookie consistency.

Sugar Blend: For the Best of Both Worlds

Achieving the ideal cookie texture often comes down to the sugar blend. White sugar (caster or granulated) contributes to crisp edges and a flatter, wider cookie. Conversely, brown sugar (specifically light brown soft sugar for this recipe) adds moisture, chewiness, and helps the cookies stay taller. By using a mix of both, you get the absolute best of both worlds: chewy centers, slightly crispy edges, and a rich, deep flavor. I recommend light brown soft sugar over dark brown for a milder molasses flavor that doesn’t overpower the chocolate and pecans.

Baking Powder & Bicarbonate of Soda (Baking Soda): The Leavening Dream Team

Just like with the sugars, a combination of leavening agents provides the best results. Baking powder typically creates a taller, slightly cakier lift, while bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) reacts with acidic ingredients (like brown sugar or cocoa powder if present) to produce a craggier, denser, and often browner cookie. Using both ensures a balanced rise and that perfect thick, chewy texture.

Vanilla Extract: The Flavor Enhancer

A good quality vanilla extract is non-negotiable for superior flavor. It enhances all the other ingredients, adding warmth and depth. If you’re feeling fancy or have it on hand, vanilla bean paste would be an even more amazing substitute, providing tiny flecks of vanilla bean for an extra gourmet touch.

Nuts: Crunchy Goodness

While I particularly love the buttery, slightly sweet flavor of pecans in these cookies, walnuts would also be an excellent alternative, offering a slightly more bitter, earthy note. Feel free to experiment with other nuts like chopped almonds or even a blend. For a different twist, you could even swap some or all of the nuts for dried fruits like raisins, dried cranberries, or chopped dried cherries.

Non-Dairy Milk: The Egg Replacer

In this vegan recipe, unsweetened non-dairy milk provides the necessary moisture that would traditionally come from eggs. While most unsweetened varieties will work (avoid coconut milk, as its strong flavor and high fat content can alter the cookie’s profile), I highly recommend using soy milk if possible. Soy milk has a higher protein content than many other plant milks, making it the closest functional swap for eggs in terms of binding and moisture contribution.

Salt: The Flavor Balancer

Never underestimate the power of a pinch of salt in sweet baking. It doesn’t just make things salty; it expertly tames the sweetness, preventing the cookies from being cloyingly sweet, and crucially, it brings out and enhances all the other wonderful flavors of the chocolate and pecans.

How to Bake the Perfect Chunky Vegan Chocolate Pecan Cookies:

(Detailed measurements and step-by-step instructions are available in the comprehensive recipe card located at the bottom of this page.)

1. Cream the Wet Ingredients: Begin by creaming together your slightly softened (but still cool) vegan block butter, both sugars (light brown soft and caster/granulated), and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer on medium speed and beat until the mixture is light, pale, and fluffy. This step is crucial as it incorporates air, which contributes to the cookies’ final texture.
2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the plain flour, cornflour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt. Sifting helps to remove any lumps and ensures these leavening agents and flavorings are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
3. Form the Dough: Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients to the creamed butter mixture, alternating with the non-dairy milk. Mix on low speed, or by hand with a sturdy spoon, until a stiff, cohesive dough forms. Be careful not to overmix; over-developing the gluten can lead to tough cookies.
4. Add Your Mix-Ins: Gently fold in the dark chocolate chips and chopped pecans. Stir just until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough. You want a good amount of chocolate and nuts in every bite!







5. Chill the Dough: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough. This chilling period is vital for several reasons: it allows the flavors to meld and deepen, prevents excessive spreading during baking, and ensures a superior texture. Chill the dough overnight, or for a minimum of 12 hours, and it can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
6. Portion and Prepare for Baking: The following day (or when ready to bake), preheat your oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/gas mark 4. Divide the chilled dough into 12 even portions, aiming for approximately 95g (about 3.35 oz) each. Roll each portion into a smooth ball. This ensures consistent baking and cookie size.
7. Pre-Freeze for Optimal Shape: Arrange the dough balls well-spaced apart on two baking sheets lined with baking parchment. Pop them into the freezer for about 15 minutes while your oven finishes preheating. This extra chill helps the cookies hold their shape even better, encouraging that desired thickness.



8. Bake to Perfection: Bake the chilled cookies for 20-25 minutes. They should be golden brown around the edges but still appear slightly soft in the center. For precise doneness, use a probe thermometer; the internal temperature should register between 80-85°C (175-185°F). This internal temperature is a reliable indicator that your cookies are perfectly cooked through without being overbaked.



9. Cool and Enjoy: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking tray for at least 10 minutes. They will continue to set during this time. After 10 minutes, carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. While they are incredibly tempting to eat warm, allowing them to cool fully helps them develop their final chewy texture.

Expert Tips for Vegan Cookie Perfection:

Baking can sometimes be an exact science, and while cookies may seem simple, a few expert tips can elevate your chunky chocolate pecan cookies from good to absolutely outstanding:

• Embrace the Digital Scale: My recipes, especially for baking, are meticulously developed using grams. I cannot stress enough the importance of using metric measurements with a digital kitchen scale over volumetric cup conversions. Cups are notoriously inaccurate due to variations in how ingredients are packed, leading to inconsistent results. A digital scale ensures precision, better consistency, and often makes the baking process cleaner and easier!
• The Power of Chilling: The overnight (or extended) chilling of the dough is a non-negotiable step. It significantly helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven, ensuring they maintain their thick, chunky shape. Beyond structure, chilling allows the flour to fully hydrate and the flavors to deepen and meld, resulting in a much richer, more complex, and tastier cookie. Patience truly pays off here.
• Adhere to the Recipe: Cookies, particularly thick ones, can be quite temperamental. Even minor deviations in ingredients or method can drastically alter the final outcome. For the best possible results – cookies that are thick, chewy, and perfectly textured – follow the recipe instructions precisely as written. Resist the urge to make substitutions unless explicitly suggested.
• Nut Substitutions: While pecans offer a wonderful buttery flavor, feel free to get creative with your nuts! Walnuts are a fantastic alternative, providing a slightly more robust and earthy flavor. You could also try chopped almonds, hazelnuts, or even a mix. For a unique twist, consider adding some shredded coconut or dried cranberries.
• Achieving Perfect Doneness: Due to their impressive thickness, judging when these cookies are perfectly baked can be a little tricky. The most reliable method is to use a probe thermometer. Insert it into the center of a cookie; once it registers between 80-85°C (175-185°F), they are done. They will continue to bake slightly from residual heat once removed from the oven. Don’t worry if they seem a bit soft when you first take them out; they will firm up as they cool.
• Controlling Cookie Thickness: If you desire truly chunky cookies, do not flatten the dough balls at all before baking. They will naturally spread just enough. If you prefer a slightly thinner, chewier cookie with a crinkly top, you can gently flatten the dough balls a bit before baking. For an extra crinkly texture, give the hot baking sheet a firm bash on the counter immediately after removing it from the oven – this causes the cookies to deflate slightly and create those desirable cracks.
• The Right Baking Surface: Always bake these cookies on a metal baking sheet, preferably light-colored ones. Avoid using glass dishes or silicone baking mats if you want the best texture. Metal baking sheets conduct heat efficiently and evenly, promoting proper browning on the bottom and uniform baking throughout. Glass and silicone distribute heat differently, which can lead to uneven baking and a less ideal texture.
• Don’t Overcrowd the Pan: Give your cookies plenty of space on the baking sheet to spread a little and bake evenly. Overcrowding can lead to uneven baking and can cause the cookies to stick together.

Storage and Freezing Instructions:

These chunky vegan chocolate pecan cookies are so delicious, you’ll want to ensure you can enjoy them for as long as possible! Here’s how to store them effectively:

• Storing Cookie Dough (Fridge): The prepared cookie dough is wonderfully versatile. It will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. This means you can bake a fresh cookie (or two!) whenever the craving strikes, enjoying warm, gooey cookies on demand.
• Freezing Cookie Dough (Unbaked): For longer storage, you can easily freeze the dough. Roll the dough into individual balls as per the recipe, then place them spaced apart on a baking tray. Freeze until solid, typically a couple of hours. Once frozen solid, transfer the dough balls to a freezer-safe bag or an airtight container. They can be stored in the freezer for up to three months. When you’re ready to bake, you can bake them directly from frozen; just add a couple of extra minutes to the baking time, monitoring for doneness with your probe thermometer.
• Storing Baked Cookies (Room Temperature): While these baked cookies are truly at their peak on the day they are made, they will remain delicious. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. Due to their vegan nature (absence of eggs and dairy), they tend to go stale a little faster than traditional cookies.
• Reheating Baked Cookies: To revive day-old cookies or simply enjoy them warm and gooey as if they were freshly baked, briefly rewarm them in a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F for 5-7 minutes. This will melt the chocolate and soften the centers beautifully.

Discover More Delicious Vegan Cookie Recipes:

If you’ve loved these chunky chocolate pecan cookies, you’ll be thrilled to explore other incredible plant-based cookie creations. Here are some more irresistible vegan cookie recipes to add to your baking repertoire:

• Indulgent Double Chocolate Almond Cookies (Vegan)
• Light & Flavorful Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies (Vegan)
• Classic Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
• Simple & Satisfying Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
• Decadent Chocolate Raspberry Skillet Cookie for Two (Vegan)
• Seasonal Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Quick & Easy Chocolate Chip Cookie for One (Vegan)
• Ultimate Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
• The Best Classic Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

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