Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
You can now enjoy the taste of New York's most famous bakery at home with the BEST Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe! This is a copycat recipe for homemade thick chocolate chip cookies that have the same great texture and flavor as the popular original Chocolate Chip Walnut cookies from Levain Bakery in New York. They are super thick with that signature large size and golden crusty exterior with soft slightly gooey interior. Be sure to read down below in the post to learn about cookie science and see my expert baking tips for achieving the best NYC-style chocolate chip cookies. If you love these, then be sure to also try my Levain Bakery Limited Edition Coffee Toffee Cookies.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Easy to make - the recipe is simple and I actually find the best results come from when you mix it by hand with a wide spatula.
- Big bakery-style chocolate chip cookies - just like Levain Bakery, these cookies are huge at 4 ½ oz each, which is actually less than their original 6 oz cookie. I just can't always commit to that much cookie at once and I think 4 ½ oz is a good size for an at-home version.
- Vanilla butterscotch flavor - these cookies have a clean buttery brown sugar flavor that is not overly sweet with underlying notes of natural vanilla.
- Crunchy outside - like the original cookies, these have a thick crusty exterior that is so satisfying to bite into.
- Soft gooey middles - beneath the crunchy surface is a soft doughy cookie that is perfectly set - not raw, but also not dry. It's the perfect amount of softness.
- Dark chocolate chips - lots of dark chocolate is studded throughout and if you want that melty look, be sure to use couverture chocolate. These are my go-to semisweet chocolate chips.
WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT LEVAIN BAKERY COOKIES?
These bakery-style cookies are known for there huge size - a whopping 6 oz each! People often cut the cookie into quarters to share with friends since they are so large. They are very thick and chunky with a crunchy surface and soft, gooey centers. They are also loaded with chocolate chips.
COOKIE SCIENCE: HOW TO MAKE LEVAIN BAKERY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES AT HOME
You can certainly expect some secret tips from me since I am a Food Scientist after all. The secret to making Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies comes down to chemistry. Firstly it is about ingredient ratios. The amount of butter, sugar, flour and egg is very important.
- Ratio of Butter: Getting the right amount of butter to egg and flour ratio is very important to achieve the crunchy crusty exterior and tall, thick size for a cookie that doesn't spread too thin. Too much butter and not enough flour in this recipe make them spread out more and be too crisp while too much flour can make them dry and bland.
- Sugar ratio: This recipe has less sugar compared to my Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies since they are meant to be thick and crusty, but not caramelized. Less sugar means less spread, and a blend of light brown sugar (instead of dark brown) and granulated white sugar will provide just enough flavor without making the color of the dough too dark. Levain Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies have a rustic appearance with peaks and valleys of contrasting golden brown and golden yellow.
- Egg ratio: The liquid in egg serves to help dissolve sugar in the dough and this recipe has more egg compared to my Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies to keep them soft and puffy.
- Amount of Flour: This recipe has a higher ratio of flour:butter to make thick cookies that set quickly on the outside. It is so important to either weigh your ingredients using a scale, or measure your flour correctly without packing it into your measuring cup. Too much flour will lead to thick cookies, but they will be more crumbly and less gooey inside. Too little flour will make a very soft dough that will spread too much.
- Baking soda: Not only is baking soda important to help the cookies spread, but it also gives them color. Baking soda is an alkaline ingredient (the opposite of an acid), and the Maillard Browning reaction is encouraged in an alkaline environment. Too much baking soda means the cookies will spread too much and may burn too quickly, while not enough means the cookies will not spread much at all and will be pale in color.
- Baking powder: Although I don't prefer baking powder in chocolate chip cookies (read about it here), it has a function in Levain-style cookies. Baking powder will help the cookies puff up for taller cookies and delay browning so we can bake at a higher temperature and for longer so they aren't still raw inside by the time the surface is browned.
- No chill cookie dough: Refrigerating the cookie dough is not necessary for this recipe since the texture is meant to be crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle instead of chewy all the way through. The higher flour:butter ratio and the addition of baking powder to keep the dough more acidic means that the cookie dough will set fast enough so that chilling isn't necessary to control the spread.
THE SECRET TO MAKING LEVAIN BAKERY COOKIES
Levain cookies get their shape and size from a low ratio of butter compared to egg. That means there is more egg in this recipe compared to most other chocolate chip cookie recipes. There is also a bit of baking powder to help them puff up instead of spread out. They are also baked at a high temperature to set the outside and create a crusty exterior with soft centers.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BAKING POWDER AND BAKING SODA?
Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate, which is an alkaline (basic - high pH) compound that will react with acids when when dissolved in liquid to react rapidly and create carbon dioxide gas bubbles. In generally creates a more coarse, open texture.
Baking powder is a mixture of baking soda and powdered acids so it does not need additional acid ingredients to react. Once it comes into contact with a liquid, the powdered acid and base dissolve and react with each other to create carbon dioxide bubbles. Most retail baking powder products are double acting, which means that they contain two different powdered acids that react at different speeds and with different stimulants. One reacts immediately upon mixing with water while another only reacts after exposure to heat during baking. Baking powder generally creates a finer, more crumbly texture.
WHAT IS MAILLARD BROWNING?
Maillard Browning or the "Maillard Reaction" is a delicious chemical reaction between the amino acids in proteins and certain sugars (called reducing sugars) that creates the beautiful brown color and flavor of chocolate chip cookies. When the proteins from egg and flour react with these sugars, they form brown compounds that taste like caramel, toffee, roasted nuts and toasty bread. YUM! This is the same reaction that happens when you sear a steak or bake bread.
INGREDIENTS FOR LEVAIN BAKERY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE
- Butter - there is no substitute for butter in chocolate chip cookies in my opinion! It is the foundation of the rich flavor after all. In this recipe, you can use salted or unsalted butter, but if you choose salted then I recommend reducing the added salt by about ⅛ teaspoon.
- Granulated sugar - this recipe uses a combination of simple white granulated sugar and brown sugar. White sugar helps create the crunchy exterior. I wouldn't recommend reducing the sugar because it will compromise the texture and browning.
- Brown sugar - I prefer light brown sugar for this recipe since Levain cookies don't have a rich molasses flavor. The addition of baking powder means that the acidity of dark brown sugar isn't as necessary to react with baking soda.
- Egg - you'll need one whole egg for this recipe. You can easily double or triple the batch to make more.
- Pure vanilla extract - good vanilla is absolutely essential to making delicious chocolate chip cookies. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
- Salt - don't leave out the salt! It really elevates the rich buttery flavors! It also enhances the chocolate taste and balances the sweetness. I also love to top cookies with flaky sea salt after they're baked.
- All purpose flour - regular unbleached all-purpose flour makes the best chocolate chip cookies in my opinion.
- Dark chocolate chips - Levain cookies use chips instead of chunks, and I highly recommend these couverture chocolate chips that hold their shape but still melt so nicely.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
- STEP 1). Mix together butter and sugar. Combine soft butter with both sugars and vanilla extract in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix by hand using the "creaming method" with a wide rubber spatula to smear the butter and sugar together and mix vigorously until smooth, pale and fluffy. You can also use a handheld mixer. If you use a stand mixer, secure the paddle attachment and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- STEP 2). Mix in egg. Add the egg and mix until well incorporated and smooth.
- STEP 3). Combine dry ingredients. Blend flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl and whisk it to blend evenly. Then, add it to the butter mixture and mix it in until evenly combined.
- STEP 4). Fold in chocolate. Add chocolate chips and walnuts and fold them through the dough.
- STEP 5). Portion dough. Use a 2-oz cookie scoop to portion dough so you get 4 ¼ oz portions. You will need two scoops per cookie. Alternatively you can divide the dough into 5 portions. Leave the dough balls rustic and don't roll into smooth balls.
- STEP 6). Bake. Place them onto prepared baking sheets spacing them 3 inches apart and bake for 10 minutes, then reduce oven to 350°F and bake for another 5-7 minutes until golden brown on the surface and still soft in the middle. Transfer baking tray to a rack and let cool for 3 minutes before transferring to the rack to finish cooling.
EXPERT TIPS FOR BAKERY-STYLE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
- Don't skip the salt. The right amount of salt is so important to deepen the flavor of these Levain Bakery-inspired cookies.
- Use regular large size eggs. Large eggs weigh 57g. Using an extra large egg will add up to 2 teaspoons more liquid to the cookie dough which can throw off the moisture balance and make the cookies spread too much.
- Mix the egg in thoroughly. There is a high ratio of egg to butter and sugar compared to most other chocolate chip cookie recipes which means there is more moisture compared to fat and sugar. This means that it will take a bit more effort to emulsify the ingredients, so be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl several times during mixing until the mixture looks creamy and smooth.
- Use couverture chocolate. Couverture chocolate is chocolate that is designed for enrobing, coating and dipping. It is the chocolate used by professional chocolatiers because it has a high cocoa butter content to make it more fluid. This extra cocoa butter gives chocolate excellent meltability so it will melt into the cookie dough during baking which helps it to stay ooey gooey. Couverture chocolate bakes into the cookie rather than holds its shape so you get glistening puddles of chocolate all the way through. These couverture dark chocolate chips are incredible, or you can also chop chocolate from a couverture block.
- Use a kitchen scale. For best results, weigh your ingredients according to the measurements in the recipe card below using a kitchen scale.
- Use a cookie scoop to portion dough evenly so each cookie bakes at the same rate. You can also use a scale and weigh out 125g of cookie dough.
HOW TO MAKE THICK CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
- Creaming the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Mix the butter with sugar vigorously until lightened in color and fluffy. This incorporates air to build structure in the dough to hold gases produced by baking powder and baking soda.
- Use baking soda AND baking powder - Baking soda is alkaline and promotes browning through Maillard reactions (delicious flavor reactions) to produce a nice rich flavor. Baking powder is more acidic and creates a cakier texture as well as a more pale color.
- Measure flour accurately. Too much flour will leave you with dry and crumbly cookies that will taste more doughy than butterscotch-y and caramel-like, and not enough flour will mean the cookies will spread out flat.
- Bake at a high temperature. Since these cookies are so large, baking at a lower temperature might lead to very dry edges before the center is cooked. Baking at a high temperature helps control the spread and also cooks them quickly for browning on the outside yet still soft in the middle.
- Cool on the baking tray. The residual heat of the hot baking sheet will continue to gently cook the cookies so that they are not completely raw inside. Cooling slowly like this will help them set so that you don't have to bake them longer and risk over-cooking the edges.
- Do not over-bake. Cookies will continue to cook on the hot baking tray, so don't wait for them to get completely golden all over in the oven. Once they are golden brown around the edges and on the points on top, they are ready. They should still be soft in the middle and will continue to set as they cool.
RECIPE FAQ
You do not need to chill this cookie dough since this style of cookie is meant to be crusty instead of caramelized.
If your cookies spread a lot, then it could be that there was too much baking soda or you did not add the right amount of flour. Too little flour will mean the cookies will not have enough structure to hold their shape and the dough will be too wet. The best way to measure the flour is using a scale to ensure you use the right amount. Too much will make the cookies thick and less chewy, but too little will mean they will be crispy and thin.
For the best results use dark chocolate with over 50% cocoa solids and use high quality couverture chocolate with a high cocoa butter content.
STORAGE AND FREEZING
These cookies are best stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Just place the cooled cookies in a resealable freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. They just need 5-10 minutes to thaw.
You can freeze the cookie dough two ways:
1) Wrap all of the dough (or any leftover dough) in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw the dough and bake as directed.
2) Scoop and portion the dough into balls, then place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze individually. Once frozen, place them in a freezer bag and keep frozen for up to 3 months.
With nothing more than a tall glass of cold milk!
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Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoon (84g) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- ½ cup (110g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon (25g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup (35g) chopped walnuts
- 1 cup (170g) semisweet chocolate chips
For best results, use a kitchen scale to weigh the ingredients.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly.
- Combine soft butter with both sugars and vanilla extract in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix by hand using the "creaming method" with a wide rubber spatula to smear the butter and sugar together and mix vigorously until smooth, pale and fluffy. You can also use a handheld mixer. If you use a stand mixer, secure the paddle attachment and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the egg and mix until well incorporated.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture all at once and fold it in. Add chocolate chips and chopped walnuts and fold them in until evenly distributed.
- Use a 2-oz cookie scoop to portion dough so you get 4 ¼ oz portions. You will need two scoops per cookie. Alternatively you can divide the dough into 5 portions. Leave the dough balls rustic and don't roll into smooth balls. Place them onto prepared baking sheets spacing them 3 inches apart and bake for 10 minutes, then reduce oven to 350°F and bake for another 5-7 minutes until golden brown on the surface and still soft in the middle.
- Transfer baking tray to a rack and let cool for 3 minutes before transferring to the rack to finish cooling.
You don't mention having to put the cookie dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or so before baking, so I take it they will come out like the picture and not spread too much.
That's right Glenda.
I made these today and the were a hit! Only change I' ve made, I doubled chopped walnuts (70g instead of 35g). Easy and fast recipe, made by hand! You should try it.
Thank you Thodoris!
Just made these with the kids, and made about 30 little cookies. Needless to say, kids loved it! Thanks for another perfect recipe!
You are welcome Suzana! I'm so glad you and your kids enjoyed the cookies 🙂
Hi Christina! I only have monk fruit “brown”sweetener. Do you think it would be a good same ratio and same flavor replacement? Thank you!
Hi Gabi! What are you asking to replace with that ingredient?
Can I replace the light brown sugar with light brown monkfruit sweetener? Would it be the same measure?
Hi Gabi! This recipe has only been tested with the light brown sugar, so I am not sure of the impact to the texture and taste (if any). Other readers have reported success with it in some of my cake recipes, but not yet in any cookie recipes.
If you wanted to make 4 colossal cookies instead of 5 from this recipe, would you still bake as instructed (temp and time)? Or, if the temp/time needs to change, could you recommend what that should be?
So excited to try this recipe!
Hi Sabrina! I would just increase baking time by around 2min.
I've made this recipe 3 times now and I am thoroughly convinced it is the BEST chocolate chip cookie recipe ever. All 3 times it had turned out as the pictures look. This is the first CCC recipe that this has ever happened to me. Most other recipes leave me with sad lumps that sorts resemble cookies. This recipe is the real deal. I will never use a different recipe again!
Thank you so much for the feedback Emma! I'm so glad you enjoy this recipe 🙂
These cookies were easy to make and had a definite WOW factor! Delicious and would certainly make again. Thank you!
You are welcome Linda! I'm so glad you found the recipe easy and delicious 🙂
Hi. These look fantastic! Would I be able to use this dough as a base dough to make white chocolate, cranberry, macadamia nut cookies and still achieve the same size and texture?
Hi Sabrina! I think it could work. I recommend not to add more than 1/2 cup of overall additional inclusions to the dough recipe.
For sure, the best chocolate chip cookie recipe I've ever tried! The aesthetics and above all the flavor are simply wonderful. Thank u so much for the recipe💕
You are welcome Judith! Glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
These thicc cookies are the best. Recipe is easy to follow and the cookies come out looking gorgeous.
10/10 Christina does not miss!
Thanks for the feedback Danielle! Glad you enjoyed the cookies!
These are Ah-mazing! I highly recommend making these. They are so fun to break apart into pieces and devour!
Question! I read the FAQ and saw how to freeze the dough and I have done so in individual portions. What would you recommend for baking them off? 375 for 15minutes and 350 for 10-15?
Thanks Cassandra! Thaw the dough balls and bake as directed in the instructions (375F for 10min and reduce to 350F 5-7min).
Question. Can you make these a day ahead and get the same results with baking? I wonder if taking the dough out of the refrigerator prior and getting the dough to room temp prior to baking would help?
Hi Autumn! Although not necessary, you can chill the dough. I would advise letting them come to room temp before baking.
These are soooo great! Made them according to recipe but had to bake longer to get final color and consistency. Probably my oven but I could tell they needed more time by just looking at them compared to recipe photos. Give them a try. You won’t regret it; maybe a little because you’re going to devour these!
Thank you Sandy! Yes, I have found that ovens are quite variable between makes and models. Glad you enjoyed the cookies!
I want to try this recipe. Should I make any changes for high altitude baking?
Hi Jennifer! I think this recipe would perform well at high altitude. I'd maybe suggest adding another tablespoon of flour.
Can this recipe be doubled??
Hi Belinda! Yes it can.
I have made and loved these cookies! Any chance they can be made with gluten free flour?
Thanks Kelly! I have not tested it so I can't speak to my own experience, but many readers have had success with King Arthurs gluten free flour in some of my other recipes. Longer baking times will likely be required.
I always try out your recipes as they are very detailed, easy to make and turn out perfectly once baked. Delicious too.👍👌💯
Thank you English!
Hi it’s me again! I love this recipe I just for some reason cannot get the outside texture to look like yours. Crumbly and crackly you know? I’m doing 3 oz balls. I really want to achieve that look and texture on top. Not sure what I need to adjust! Help! 😁😁😁😁
Thanks April! Don't roll them into a smooth ball, so that the surface looks a bit rough before it bakes. Or it could be that your oven is not hot enough and they spread.
Also, how could I store these to where they will taste almost the same the next day? Soft and gooey in center and crispy outside.
If I were to make these into 2 1/2 to 3 ounce dough balls what temperature and time should I use and also if I freeze them do they need to come back to room temp or slightly chilled?
Hi April! I would keep the temperatures the same, but reduce overall baking time by 3-5min. You want to make sure the middle is still soft. As for freezing the dough, please see my FAQ section above the recipe card.
These are fantastic! So simple to make, and with great flavor and texture. Highly recommend to anyone!
Thank you Carolyn!
Can i omit walnuts? Do i need to increase the flour? My doesn’t come out very puffy. Also, if I reduce the size, will it remain chunky/puffy? I have made it like 7 times but it doesn’t give me levain appearance. Also, i have table top oven. Please do let me know.
Hi Misha! You can omit the walnuts and just replace with more chocolate chips. Are you using a scale to measure the flour? If it is spreading too much it could also be that your oven runs a bit cold. The high temperature is needed to set the outside for a thick crusty exterior. If you make them smaller you will want to bake them at a slightly higher temp but for less time.
Yes i measured the flour accurately. Also, can i use chocolate chunks instead of chips?
Hi Misha! Then it is likely that the spread is related to your table top oven is running cold. I would use an oven thermometer to check. Yes, you can use chunks.
Just made these with dark chocolate and they were so good!!
Thank you Paige!
About a year ago my oven died and was replaced. I've discovered that this new one HATES to change temps mid bake. It switches to preheat mode and overbakes everything. Could this recipe work at 350 the entire name time?
Hi Lance! Since these cookies are so large, baking at a lower temperature might lead to very dry edges before the center is cooked. Baking at a high temperature helps control the spread and also cooks them quickly for browning on the outside yet still soft in the middle.
Have you tried hitting the cancel button and then inputting 350 degrees?
Can i convert this into a regular cookie recipe by making smaller cookies and chilling the dough before baking?
Hi Malak! Yes you can. I would chill for at least 2 hours or overnight. Bake at a higher temp and for less time if you want to keep the center soft.