This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies
The BEST Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies. The Famous Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe that everyone goes crazy over!
I’ve got issues.
I am a cookie junkie of epic proportions.
There’s probably a support group somewhere for people like me.
When I was a teenager, I would go to the library and thumb through cookbooks to find every single chocolate chip cookie recipe and would beg my Mom to try out the recipe creations almost daily. Issues, I tell you.
I started off by following recipes and then I thought….let’s take a walk on the wild side and start experimenting by throwing stuff in and see what happens. What’s the worst that can happen? Well, that’s another story. Little tweaks here and there were the difference makers – browning the butter, raising or lowering the temperature of the oven, and trying out some interesting ingredients.
When I won a trip to NYC to film a perfect cookie segment for the Cooking Channel’s Perfect 3 Show in the Food Network studios, I went online to seek out the best bakeries in Manhattan. The highest rated cookie was awarded to Levain Bakery and I knew that it had to be mine. Pronto.
Oh, and it was legit. Legit and different. Unique in such a way that I had to figure out how in the world they did it. I became a mad scientist in the kitchen to figure out the how to make the Famous Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies.
I developed a massive crush on a cookie.
I have never, ever worked on a recipe as much as this one. Another trip had to be made to NYC in the name of food science to do some more investigative research. A trip to the Truvia Baking Star competition in NYC meant multiple trips to buy my favorite cookie. We rode our bikes in the freezing cold just for that one bite. By the time we arrived, my feet were frozen, but sacrifices have to be made, right?
I came home and tweaked some more and then it happened…. that glorious batch was perfection and I finally had it.
I was taught in kindergarten that it’s nice to share so that’s what I am doing. Sharing my years of experimenting so we can all have Levain at home. It’s just the right thing to do.
Let’s start with the basics.
Use cold butter. Cut into small cubes. Since you are collecting it straight out of the fridge, you need to cut it into small pieces so the butter and sugar can become friends and make a creamy masterpiece. It takes about 4 minutes for them to warm up and become besties.
This is where it’s all over for me….cookie dough. It’s my kryptonite, unfortunately, and I blame my hips on this goodness. Who else loves this stuff?
Now, these aren’t some ordinary bite-size cookies. No these are a full-on meal. Well maybe for some people. Here’s the deal – you make them big. Really big. Like only four can fit on a cookie sheet, BIG. These are the BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES EVER. Yep, I said it.
Usually, with thick cookies, they turn out like hockey pucks – cakey messes that hardly resemble a gooey cookie.
This is where these are different. We are going to crank up the heat in the oven to cook the outside quickly and leave that center nice, warm and gooey. As a cookie should be.
There are a few ingredients and techniques that set these cookies apart. First, you use cornstarch to add thickness without making the cookie dry. It does wonders in these cookies! Using cake flour also lends to a more tender cookie but you can also substitute all-purpose flour. Here’s one of my favorite cake flours — King Arthur Cake Flour
I am a huge fan of using nonstick silicone baking mats (Silpat) placed on top of the cookie sheets, which allows the cookies to be easily removed from the pan and to bake nicely. My cousin gave me a set as a gift years ago and I had no idea what I was missing out on! These are ones I have loved —Silicone Baking Sheets – 2 pack
You may want to eat these Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies the second they come out of the oven, but patience is a virtue and you must exercise some with these cookies. They need to “set up” so give them at least 10-15 minutes before you devour them. The amazing part of these cookies is that they are the only cookies I have ever made that are still cookie perfection even after a few days.
If you LOVE these cookies, you will love these other Levain Bakery copycat recipes:
- Levain Bakery Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies
- Levain Bakery Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Levain Bakery Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Crush Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup Cold Butter cut into small cubes
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 1 1/2 cups Cake Flour*
- 1 1/2 cups Flour
- 1 teaspoon Cornstarch
- 3/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 3/4 teaspoon Salt
- 2 cups Chocolate Chips
- 2 cups Walnuts roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 410 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together cold cubed butter, brown sugar, and sugar for 4 minutes or until creamy.
- Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each one.
- Stir in flours, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined to avoid overmixing. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.
- Separate dough into large balls and place on lightly colored cookie sheet. They are bigger than you think! You will fit 4 cookies on one large cookie sheet. The dough makes 8 extra large cookies.
- Bake for 9-12 minutes or until golden brown on the top. Let them rest for at least 10 minutes to set.
Video
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Pin on Pinterest:
Now go make some Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies! You need one (or two or three….no judging here) of these warm, gooey cookies, a big glass of cold milk and a to-do list with nothing on it except catching up on Netflix or those cheesy Holiday Hallmark movies that somehow keep playing on my TV.
If you are a huge fan of Levain Bakery cookies or just eating the best chocolate chip cookies, you will love my other copycat recipes — Levain Bakery Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies and Levain Bakery Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Come follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
Happy Baking!
I just made them but had cut down on the sugar & added some oats too.
Still tasted great but I was wondering why don’t my choc chips melt like the ones in the picture?
Mine were pretty much still intact…
Thanks!
This came out amazing! like i cant believe how good these are, and they truly taste like Levain cookies! i dont loooove walnuts so i only did 3/4 cup of walnuts and the cookies were perfection. Also, I used a “1/3 cup” measuring cup to scoop up the cookie dough and they came out a great size, so i highly recommend that. 🙂 Thanks so much for doing the hard investigative journalism to recreate this cookie and share it with the masses 🙂
This version is completely indistinguishable from the original! Following advice in another comment, I left another cookie sheet on the bottom rack in the oven and my cookies didn’t burn on the bottom at all. Just perfect.
These are great! I made about 12 cookies instead of 8 and used parchment paper on the baking sheet. They cooked perfectly and were so thick and delicious. Awesome recipe!
Hi! Do I have to chill de dough in the fridge before baking it? It doesnt specify in the recipe.
My cookies burnt at 9minutes. I think 410 is way too high
if your cookies burnt you probably made them too small… this recipe makes 8 HUGE cookies
Hello Modern Honey, love this recipe. Tried it once and plan to do it again.
Question though, is ut okay to leave the dough in the freezer overnight? Or is the refrigerator better?
Appreciate ur response
Gluten free flour worked perfectly with this recipe! I subbed gluten free flour for the AP and cake flour and it worked great. I used one stick of salted and one stick of unsalted for the butter and added a teaspoon of vanilla (it just seems like the right to do for all cookie recipes.) Love NYC and Levain, so this is such a fun treat to reminisce. Thanks for a great recipe!
I’ve tried this recipe a few times and with the help of other comments found what worked for me (and my finicky oven). Smaller cookies, at 410F, baked on a regular baking sheet with parchment paper with another baking pan flipped upside down underneath. Made 33 cookies. Very good. Great recipe!
I’ve made these quite a few times, and it’s a HUGE hit in my house. I’ve recently developed a gluten allergy, so I’m going to try these with gluten free flour.
Thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to come up with the recipe and share it with us! It’s very easy to follow and the outcome is amazing!! You have really made my day. I’ve never written any comments in any blog before but would like you to know how much I (and I’m sure many others) appreciate your kind effort. Will definitely try making your other recipes!