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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!
Yummy. I do not have any issue with the taste. Ours flattened out instead of the nice solid high chunk. What gives? What you think went wrong? Any suggestions? The taste was super though! Thanks.
Try refrigerating the raw cookie dough for 25-30min this will keep it from spreading when baking
Did you use margarine or “enhanced” soft butter? I found only pure butter prevents them from going flat
Yes I always refrigerate the dough for no less than three hours and I think it helps. Also, make sure you are using fresh corn starch!
Did you use cold butter or softened? Cold butter will keep the dough firmer, so the cookies won’t spread out like softened butter.
Should I use table salt or kosher salt? Thanks!
definitely don’t use kosher salt. You have to use table salt. I used kosher salt and it was so horrible, I took a bite of the raw batter, and I literally couldn’t get the taste of salt out of my mouth for a whole day. It was horrific. I had to throw all the batter away. I made these before and it works great with table salt.
But I don’t have a mixer like that… what do you suggest?
i’ve never tried to make this recipe with a regular handheld mixer. The dough is way too thick for a handheld mixer.
The recipe is spot on. I’ve made them twice, my only issue is that the edges become thin and brown. On the second batch I tried to rethink the creaming of batter and sugar, because I too, needed to use a hand held mixer. I added more time and got it creamier. I’m thinking that my oven is too hot and causing the edges to cook while the inside the ball is cold. Will go for a third try and see if I can get them to remain round-ish. Any thoughts?
Should the eggs be room temperature or cold?
Kosher salt is the best. I use it for this recipe which I’ve made literally about 100 times
I think my problem was the fact that I used coarse kosher salt instead of the consistency of regular table salt.
Do you lightly lack the brown sugar or tightly pack?
I think I might have a problem. I can’t stop eating these cookies!! Do you mind sharing what kind of chips you use? Mini, chunk, semi, dark, milk? Also, have you ever made these with 1:1 Gluten free flour?
Thank you 🙂
Can’t wait to try these for Christmas eve – would you mind sharing what type of chocolate chip variety you prefer?
Thanks so much!
Can’t wait to try these for Christmas eve – would you mind sharing what type of chocolate chip variety you prefer?
Thanks so much!
Can you make these a smaller version?
I’m not a person that leaves reviews, but I had to. These are quite possibly the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever had! I feel like I try a new recipe every time I want to make chocolate chip because I can’t find one I love. I can’t imagine ever needing one other that this. These are AMAZING!.
I did make smaller cookies. Using a pamered chef cookie scoop. I baked at 400 degrees for 8 minutes. Literal perfection. Thank you SO much for this recipe.
Do you know how many ounces your cookies were or what size scoop you used? Thank you
Currently in the oven after my boyfriend brought me back a Levain from NYC 🙂
If there are some lest (if!!), how would you store them ? Would you reheat them to eat?
Excellent recipe and I’m a cookie snob. Taste just like Levain’s! Thanks for a great recipe!