Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Thick and Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookies are a copycat recipe for the famous Levain Bakery chocolate chip cookies. Their cookies are one of the world’s greatest chocolate chip cookies. A homemade chocolate chip cookie recipe that is loaded with semi-sweet chocolate chip morsels in every single bite.
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The Levain Bakery is located in New York City and is famous for its cookies. If you get a chance to stop in, you should. The aroma alone is a dream come true.
What Are Levain Bakey Chocolate Chip Cookies?
The Levain Bakery is located in New York City, and it is a bakery that sells fresh cookies each day. What sets this bakery apart is it sells gigantic or monstrous cookies that are larger cookies.
This bakery is known for its extra thick and fully loaded cookies. They keep their recipes a secret so it is hard to replicate the exact flavor. This recipe here is close to what you will find when you buy a cookie in their shop.
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Ingredients You Will Need
Here is a quick overview of what you will need when baking these chocolate chip cookies.
Butter – For this cookie recipe you will use cold butter that is cubed up. This is different than a softened butter in a typical chocolate chip cookie recipe.
Sugar – Light brown sugar and granulated sugar are both used for this recipe. It is going to create some great dimension of flavor.
Eggs – Large eggs that are at room temperature are recommended. If they are cold that is okay, I just find room-temperature eggs mix better in the cookie dough.
Vanilla – You will use some vanilla extract to add more flavor to your cookies. You can use extract or real vanilla if you would prefer.
Flour – All-purpose flour is the base of the cookies. Make sure to measure the flour properly so you don’t get the cookie batter too dry.
Cornstarch – The secret ingredient that truly transforms the texture of the cookie!
Salt – Salt is a must when it comes to baking. You will find it helps to enhance all the flavors in the cookie recipe. Without the salt, your dessert would lack flavor.
Semi-Sweet Chocolate – I used semi-sweet chocolate chunks so each bite is bursting with that super sweet chocolate flavor.
Variations
- Size of Cookie – So depending on the size of the cookie scoop will depend on how large or small your cookies are. We love bigger cookies so using an ice cream scoop gives you those super-large cookies. Or if you want a more traditional-sized cookie use a tablespoon or two tablespoon-sized scoop.
- Chocolate – I used semi-sweet chocolate but feel free to mix two types of chocolate or swap the semi-sweet with a different type of chocolate. Milk, white, or even dark chocolate all are great options.
- Mix In – Mix in crushed cookies, chopped nuts, shredded coconut, dried fruit, or any other type of item. Even candy M&M’s would be delicious. Have fun and load up your cookie with more flavor if you want.
NOTE: This recipe has not been tested with other variations
Tips for Making Chocolate Chip Cookies
Here are some helpful tips for success when it comes to baking up these copycat Levain cookies.
- Make sure to preheat your oven for at least 5-10 minutes before you put your cookies in the oven to bake.
- Do not overmix the cookie dough, or it can leave the cookies dense and heavy.
- Fold in the chocolate at the end of mixing up the cookie dough. That way you have a lighter hand and the chocolate mixes well without breaking.
- Use a prepared pan with parchment paper, cooking spray, or a silicone baking mat. This will prevent the cookies from sticking to the pan.
- Make sure to use cold butter for this recipe. If you use melted butter it will cause the cookies to fall too much as they bake, and you will have flat cookies.
- Adding a few additional pieces of chocolate on top of the cookie dough before baking gives you that bakery-style look.
Storing
You can store the Levain cookies in an airtight container on the counter for 4-5 days. You will find the cookies do dry out a bit with each day. So it is best to eat the cookies within the first few days of them being baked.
Or you can freeze the cookies in a freezer-friendly bag or container. Freeze for 3-4 months. Then thaw on the counter or eat the cookies straight from the freezer.
Can you freeze raw cookie dough?
Yes, you sure can. Go ahead and make the cookie dough the same and then scoop into balls and place on a parchment-lined tray. Flash freeze for 1-2 hours until the dough balls are fully frozen. Then place in a freezer container for 5-6 months.
Then when you want to bake them, preheat the oven, and add a few additional minutes to the baking time to ensure the cookies are fully baked.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course! Simply use a smaller cookie scoop and then bake for less time, that way you don’t overbake the cookies.
Make sure to use a large cookie scoop, and slightly underbake the cookies so they are a bit softer in texture.
You won’t be able to fully replicate the recipe for the Levain chocolate chip cookies, but you can come close with this recipe. Their famous cookies use a secret recipe they keep hidden from the public.
If you try this recipe, be sure to leave a rating below and also share it on Instagram, and tag me! You can also find me on Facebook and stay up to date on recipe releases by joining the Newsletter!
Levain Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Ingredients
- 1 cup butter cold and cubed
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chunks
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Using a hand mixer on medium speed, beat until any butter chunks are no bigger than a pea size and creamed, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add in the eggs and vanilla extract. Beat until the eggs are worked into the batter.
- Add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Beat on low until most of the flour is worked into the batter and then turn the mixer to medium and continue beating until well incorporated.
- Add in the chocolate chunks and fold in with a spatula until evenly distributed.
- Scoop the cookie dough into 4 tablespoon balls. I use an extra large pampered chef ice cream/cookie scoop to scoop mine.
- Scoop the cookie dough and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet that has sides.
- Place in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F while the cookie dough is chilling.
- Place the chilled cookie dough 2 inches apart on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Place in the oven (I like to place these cookies the second height from the top of my oven and I have have 5 heights so just above the middle rack) and bake for 12 minutes or until the edges of the cookie are golden and the top of the cookie is no longer shiny. It will appear dull like the rest of the cookie.
- Remove from the cookie sheet immediately and place on a paper towel or wire rack to cool.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
(Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.)
