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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
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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.
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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.
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Happy Baking!
Hi what are the macros for this?
Ok I don’t know where to start. I live at 5000 feet and have been trying to find the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe that doesn’t spread and stays gooey and thick!!!! This is it. Holy cow. I used chopped up almond butter filled pretzels instead of the nuts and also used the chocolate chips and OMG. OOOOOOOMMMMMMGGGGG.
I wish I could post a pic to show you. Thanks!
Lord have mercy — are these cookies good! I used salted butter, so I added a small amount Then sprinkled a bit of kosher salt to each cookie top before baking.
I made these the other day. They are sooo good! I made them smaller, added vanilla and used an alternative sweetener. I had to hide them so I will have enough to take on my vacation. Thank you for sharing!!
My boyfriends all-time favorite dessert I’ve made. I think they taste better than the real-deal.
These are amazing! I have never had a Levain cookie- but loved the look and description- had to try these. I use almonds for the substitute of the walnuts since im out of stock of walnut. And definitely be my favorite cookie recipe!.
Oh. My. Word. My house if full of nut fanatics, so I had to try these. I chopped up Walnuts and toasted them in the oven before adding, and WOW. Absolute favorite new cookie recipe. These will be a staple in my home. The hardest part was creaming the butter with a hand mixer, but I used a deep bowl so the butter wouldn’t go flying everywhere. I also measured total dough weight, which minus a few greedy nibbles from me, came to about 55 oz. I made each cookie 6.9oz. They turned out perfect! The toasted walnut flavor with the gooey centers are to die for.
These are amazing! I have never had a Levain cookie- but loved the look and description- had to try these. I added 1/3 cup ground almond flour in lieu of walnuts as my boys don’t like nuts in cookies (the almond flour simply adds depth). Also had to sub arrowroot flour for cornstarch as didn’t have any. Made 16 3oz cookies. These are really fabulous – thank you for all of the diligence to create perception! Definitely new favorite CC cookie recipe.
Game Changer!!!! i LOVE these cookies and so does EVERYONE i make them for! they are always being requested now. i thank you so much for sharing!
Made these cookies and we love them. I made two changes to reduce the sugar content. I did not add the white sugar and I used dark chocolate. Removing this much sugar will prevent your cookie from spreading nicely. So after taking a scoop using the ice cream scoop I press lightly with my hand to flatten it.
Also I like a cookie that shows chocolate chip at the top. So I don’t add all the chocolate chips when mixing. After I press the cookies I add a few pieces at the top. Looks amazing!
I also make twice the batch and after making the balls I freeze them. That way I take some out every time I want some.
Hi Ella, Can you please share your instructions for baking them after freezing? I’m a newbie and have burnt four frozen cookie balls 🙁 Be as specific as possible? Thank you in advance!
Yo can put them in the ovem from the freezer, the only thing is turn on the oven and put them inside, don’t preheat the oven. It will take a few mome minutes to cook, but they are not gonna get burned.
Hi Dee, try baking them for longer at a lower temperature straight from the freezer. I found a recipe on Youtube (the Crumbs and Doilies Channel) where they bake them straight from the freezer at 325 degrees for around 20 mins. I tried it and they come out perfect.
Thank you for your tip! I will try it out 🙂