Levain Chocolate Chip Cookies
This copycat recipe for Levain Chocolate Chip Cookies turns out enormous thick and chewy cookies, loaded with chocolate chips and walnuts, just like the cookies you’ll find at the famous Levain Bakery.
The first time I heard about the Levain Bakery cookies was on an episode of Throwdown with Bobby Flay eons ago… I bet it was at least eight years ago. I never quite got the picture of those massive cookies out of my mind. I still have never been to Levain Bakery, which also means I haven’t had one of their cookies. Still, they tempted me. I kept seeing copycat recipes for the Levain chocolate chip cookies show up on blogs and Pinterest, and I couldn’t escape them.
I finally decided to go all-in and tackle the massive cookies that I couldn’t stop thinking about. I sifted through the mountain of copycat recipes floating around online and settled on this final recipe. If you like huge, chewy cookies packed with chocolate, then these are your heaven.
In case you can’t tell from the photos, these cookies are absolutely, positively enormous. As is, humongous.
Even my husband, who loves super-sized desserts as much as I do, couldn’t believe how big these cookies were. The last time I made them, I gave one to him, and he said, “whoa, this is like a massive scone!” Yes, they are big cookies. Yes, they are meant to be massive cookies.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from the cookies, but I totally loved them. Aside from being huge, these cookies really deliver in the thick and chewy department. They have slightly crisp edges that give way to a sky-high chewy cookie loaded with dark chocolate and walnuts.
These cookies remind me of a slightly less amped-up version of The New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Big, thick, chewy cookies with tons of chocolate and add-ins are just my speed. Since I’ve never had the real Levain chocolate chip cookies, I can’t tell you how they compare, but I can tell you that these are utterly fantastic cookies that will make you swoon.
Make them and don’t think twice!
One year ago: Rustic Italian Bread
Five years ago: Blueberry Jam
Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups (375 g) bread flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon (0.75 teaspoon) kosher salt
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
- ¾ cup (165 g) + 4 teaspoons light or dark brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, cold, lightly beaten in a separate bowl
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups (270 g) dark chocolate chips
- 1 cup (117 g) toasted and coarsely chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until it comes together in one cohesive mass, about 1 minute. Add both sugars and continue to beat for another 1 to 2 minutes, until all of the sugar has been incorporated into the butter. Gradually add the eggs and vanilla and continue beating on medium speed until combined, scraping the sides of bowl once (the batter will appear lumpy). Reduce the speed to medium-low and gradually add the flour mixture until just a little bit of flour still remains. Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts with a rubber spatula.
- Divide the dough into 12 even pieces, roughly shaping them into balls (it should not be smooth). Place them,evenly spaced, on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Bake for 18 to 24 minutes, or until light golden brown on top. Let cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet, then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Notes
- While dark chocolate chips mimic the original recipe, you could also use semisweet chocolate chips.
- You can omit the walnuts for allergy purposes or personal preference.
- To get cookies all the same size, I recommend using a scale for weighing out the dough.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
This recipe was originally published on July 17, 2013.
How can you claim they’re “copycat Levian cookies” when you clearly state you’ve never had Levian cookies???
Thanks for the recipe. http://www.fooddoz.com
I did the recipe once and it turned out well. I followed the directions exactly and appreciate the weights included. My son te abut 6 in one sitting. They rose beautifully and were moist and chewy. Thanks for sharing!
These are so good! Usually, the recipe I use makes 5 dozen cookies and this makes 12. My son could eat just 3 in one day.
I omitted the nuts and used a large ice cream scoop in order to achieve uniformity. Worked out so well. I followed the recipe exactly and baked for 18 min. I rotated them halfway, front to back and top to bottom. Thanks so much. I saw the episode of Bobby Flay where the owners were featured and I was thrilled to hear that they are Ironman triathletes. This was what they used to fuel their long training sessions. These taste so much better than Clif bars, Shot Blocks and Gu.
When you eliminated the nuts, did you add more chocolate chips in its place?
No, I did not.
HI! I have been sifting through copycat Levain Cookie recipes and all of the other ones I have come across use a mix of AP and cake flour. I am wondering why you chose to go with bread flour?
These were absolutely delicious! I followed directions exactly except I froze them for 30 minutes instead of refrigerated ( by accident). I gave them 2 extra minutes in the oven. Very chocolatey, not dry…we both love them.
Thy came out soooo good! Thank you so much 🙏🏻
where do you find the bread flour,or can you use regular all purpose flour
Hi Barbara, You can find bread flour at most any grocery store. Hope that helps!
I baked these cookies last night with all the ingredients- using Strong White Flour instead which is the UK’s version of bread flour if i’m not wrong? good texture and flavour- but most of my cookies spread out on the baking sheet and were definitely not tall like the ones seen in your photos. what could I have done better?
Hi Natalie, I don’t think the flour would be the issue… did you make any other substitutions or alterations to the recipe? Was the butter cold and did you chill the dough?
Hi! I wanted to make this cookie but make it into a chocolate cookie with peanut butter chips, should I just add cocoa to it?
Hi Shannon, Hmmm I’m not at all sure how that would work. I’ve never tried to convert it to a chocolate cookie.
As a NY’er I can tell you while these may be a good chocolate chip cookie…they are not even close to a Levain Cookie. The chocolate in a cookie from Levain is still gooey and melty. They are moist and not dry like the pictures. Levain posts their recipe on their website actually.
Hey Kristin where did you find their recipe on their site? I can’t seem to find it.
I made these cookies this week. I’ve been wanting to make them for awhile and finally got around to it. I really liked the cold ingredients in this recipe – I didn’t have to worry about planning ahead to leave extra time for butter to soften. I could just put them together very quickly. A few things I learned: First, I didn’t think these cookies were very chewy. They certainly weren’t crunchy or dry, but as far as super chewy, no. Second, since the recipe uses bread flour which is higher in gluten than all purpose flour, it is really important to not overwork the dough. I let the dough rest in the fridge before I divided it. The dough was a bit sticky and I found myself working it too much before dividing it. So I stopped and just let it rest. Third, I divided it into 8 cookies instead of 12. That went over very well. I gave a few of them as presents and everyone loved the size of the cookies. I simply rounded the dough like a small pizza, cut them into 8 pieces and very gently rolled them into imperfect balls. I let them rest again in the fridge then I baked them on 2 cookie sheets with Silpat liners. The cookies do not spread much. This recipe is wonderful in that you do not have to plan ahead and take the time to bring ingredients to room temperature. But I would prefer a chewier texture. I’m curious how all purpose or even cake flour would change the texture.
Michelle,
I just have to tell you…these cookies – sometimes I follow the recipe exactly, sometimes I change it for the nutty people who don’t like nuts, or when I need to make 24 not 12 cookies – is universally loved by all! Whether they like crispy flat cookies or “toll house” style, everyone gets so excited when I bring these amazing cookies to a pot luck or as a thank you or just a treat for friends. Thank you for re-posting this one. It is a keeper.
Hi Michelle,
I made these the other day and LOVED them! The toasted nuts added such a great flavor, and I loved the thickness of the cookie. I made ‘small’ versions of these, using an overflowing TBSP cookie scoop (these were for friends and didn’t want them super-huge), and just baked for a shorter time. Everyone loved them , and they’re my new favorite choc. chip cookie! Thanks so much!!!
Hi Michelle,
I have tried your earlier recipe on Levain chocolate chip cookies and we all love it. Is this recipe better than that?
Thanks
Juby
Hi Juby, This is the same recipe! So glad you love it! :)
I love the precision of weighing the balls of dough to ensure consistent sizing but I often forget to weigh my bowl first. How much did each of your dough balls weigh?
Ugh, I can’t remember and I didn’t write it down! I weighed them in grams and I have no idea now! I’m sorry that’s not helpful :(
I made these yesterday pretty much immediately after reading this post :D They are INSANE. I haven’t had a Levain cookie in years but this recipe is about as good as it gets! I’ll be making them regularly.
Happy to send you a couple of these from Levain! I’m in the neighborhood. :)
Could really use one (or a dozen) of these babies right now! They look absolutely perfect- so soft and light! Cannot wait to try this recipe!
This chocolate chip cookies looks dangerously addictive…can’t wait to try it!
I tried this cookie recipe yesterday and it was mind blowing.. Somehow I was looking forward to my chocolate chip to be melted and gooey as in your picture..but it wasn’t so.. Any particular reason.
I used the toll house Nestlé semi sweet chocolate chip
Simple and easy! That’s my two favorite words when it comes to cookies! :D
Dear baker,
I love your site and recipes and mean you no offense when I tell you these taste nothing like Levain bakery cookies. I followed your recipe exactly and unless I did something very wrong, these cookies are very different. I used to work 5 blocks from Levain then moved so I was hoping to find a replica recipe. Levain ships! Or hopefully you make a trip to NYC soon to enjoy such a beast of a cookie
Respectfully yours,
Justina
I have had this page bookmarked for years and visit every time I make cookies. Please don’t ever take it down! I used to visit Levain regularly when I lived in the City and these take me right back there. There is nothing like these huge delicious cookies!! Thank you!!
Hi,
First off, love your recipes! Thick and chewy chocolate chip cookies is a favorite of mine, so I thought I would try something new and different with these. Unfortunately mine came out pretty Cakey. I didn’t overtake and I followed directions and proportions precisely. I consider myself a fairly regular baker, so didn’t think I should have any problems. Any suggestions as to what might have caused the cakiness ?
Hi Clemmie, These are huge, thick cookies and cake-like isn’t totally wrong.
Have made this recipe multiple times and every time I make them, everyone goes bananas for the cookies. They are THE BEST chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever made and I’ve tried many recipes. You will get tons of compliments from people if you make these. One note – I normally just us AP Flour when making them – I don’t see much of a difference over Bread Flour.
Ok, wow, these are amazing. Mine had this super fluffy, light texture that I’ve never tasted before in a CCC. I’m wondering what would happen if I cut the butter & sugar together with a food processor, like I do with pie crust. Have you tried that? What do you think it would do to the texture of the cookie? Also, I think next time I will try incorporating some chopped oats into the dough!
Hi Annie, I’ve never tried to do the cutting of butter and sugar for a cookie – if you try it let me know how it turns out!
The cookies did not reach a “light golden brown” outside, so I left them in for an extra minute or two until they reached this description. They were as hard as hockey pucks, and about as dry as one too.
I made these and they turned out perfect! I love them after a long 2hr session of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu
Awesome looking cookies !!
Noob questions:-
1. how long can i keep the dough in the fridge before baking it?
2. after baking – how long can I keep the cookies before i eat it?
Hi Jason, You can keep the dough in the refrigerator up to 3 days before baking. After baking, let them cool completely and then store in an airtight container to keep them fresh for up to about 4 days.
I love to bake! My mother taught me how to bake cookies, brownies, etc. when I was young, and now that I am retired, I am constantly baking for family and friends.
These were so good, and came out perfect the first time.
I quickly learned that mixing the butter with an electric mixer was not a good choice-it clogged the beaters, so I switched to my KitcheAid.
The bread flour is what really sets it apart from the other recioes I’ve seen.
Thanks!
Good recipe.. The most important thing is the following .. And I hope it helps.. If this was noted before sorry..
This is the flour they use. I was just there yesterday line was half a block long waited an 1hr.. We’ll worth it.
They use he following flour if it helps
http://www.generalmillscf.com/products/flour/all-trumps/all-trumps/enriched-malted-50-lb
They let their cookies set out on racks wrapped in plastic wrap prior to cooking..
Have made these a couple of times now but tonight I used white chocolate and macadamia nuts. Absolutely amazing. My children love you now!
Do you pack the brown sugar? Do you scoop and level the flour or loosely add it with a spoon to the measuring cup and then level it? Quite a bit of difference in technique and just didn’t know what baking method was correct? I’m not a baker.
Yes, you should always pack the brown sugar unless stated otherwise. And yes, if you don’t weigh your flour, you should spoon it into a measuring cup and then level it off.
It okay if i omit the walnuts?
Yep!
I have tried your NY Times & your “Favorite chocolate chip cookies”, but this recipe is hands down the best chocolate chip cookie recipe on your site! TY!!
My son works in NYC and has tried the Levain Bakery cookie. He also became a fan of this cookie after having it several times. As adventurous as he is, he came home and found a copycat recipe. While entering his kitchen one day for a holiday get together the aroma permeating from his kitchen was amazing. My eyes popped out of my head when I saw the size of the cookies. And the taste was so good. Chewy, chocolate chunks in every bite, and amazingly tasty. I shared mine because it was too much.
I later made them myself and gained a pound or two..LOL!!
I am ready to try your recipe. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing! These are fantastic and my new, favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe.
Looked into shipping my fav cookies from Levain in New York, but $150 for four cookies is a bit steep, so imagine finding the recipe.
A question for all you baking gurus—I have found when baking on the West Coast that everything I could shine with in NYC, now tastes dry and flat. In particular, when making old fashioned Nestle’s Toll House CCC, where they would be flat, lacy and crisp on the East Coast, here they are puffy, dry and never crisp. No one has been able to tell me why or what to do.
These look fantastic and I’d like to make them but before I do, I wanted to ask what you meant when you say to have some flour left during the part where you’re mixing the flour mixture into the egg/butter mixture? Are you saying not to use up all the flour, or do you mean to mix in chips and nuts and then the rest of the flour, or to leave some flour still visible in the batter before mixing in the chips and nuts? Thanking you ahead of time for the clarification. : )
Hi Alex, You want to leave some flour still visible in the batter before mixing in the chips and nuts. It’s just to ensure you don’t over mix the batter :) Enjoy!
How about a copycat recipe for Levain’s To-die-for Chocolate Chip Banana Bread? Other internet posts that I’ve seen have not got it right.
What’s up everybody, here every person is sharing these kinds of know-how,
therefore it’s nice to read this blog, and I used to
pay a quick visit this webpage every day.
Hello I would like to bake them and after reading the comments is it 1 1/2 cups of Bread Flour=13.4 ounces? Or is it 3 1/2 cups of bread flour =24.5 ounces? thanks
Hi Jackie, It’s 3 cups of bread flour; the weight is determined by the brand you use. According to King Arthur Flour, their bread flour weighs 4.25 ounces per cup.
Thank you so much I really appreciate it. I’m going to jump in the kitchen now and bake them. :-)
These are amazing. Simply the best cookie I’ve ever made. No crazy ingredients or crazy steps to make these – just a darn good and easy chocolate chip cookie – as it should be!
Hmm, these tasted good, but they’re the most hideous cookies i’ve ever baked – they look like melted coasters. Perhaps i didn’t refrigerate long enough? I can’t imagine my hand-mixing is the culprit.
Michelle, I just baked these and my choco chips did not turn out nice and melting like yours in the picture. Might be a stupid question but are the chips still supposed to do that after the cookie has cooled down?
Hi Jolene, These cookies were not completely cool when I photographed them, which is why the chocolate is still a little melty when the cookie is broken apart.
I cannot wait to try these this weekend! I’ve always wanted to buy some of their cookies from their website, but it’s so expensive. I’m so glad I found this copy cat recipe and especially from you!
Can’t wait for my cookies…sending them off to my cousin in the Marine Corp while he is stilll state side! Hoping they trvel well!
Can the cookie dough be kept in the frig for a few days or they need to be baked right away (after the 30 minutes)?
I think that would be okay, I would use it within 3 days.
I made these! and the dough did keep very well in the frig for a few days. The cookies were very good but i found it to be less sweet than levain’s. also i believe levain’s uses way more butter or shortening or something because whenever i get it from them, the paper bag is always soaked thru with oil (butter). I baked mine for around 15 min. The outer area was brown but inside seemed still to be a little under cooked. For my next batch, I will flatten it a bit to get the center cooked thru. Anyway, it was delish! thanks so much for the recipe!
Hi, Michelle.
Is it ok if I divide the dough into 24 smaller cookies, instead of doing 12 big ones? Does it work?
Thanks
Hi Felipe, Yes, definitely! Just be sure to reduce the baking time so they don’t burn.
Hello. Can you please tell me why and where you need to add the extra 4 teaspoons of brown sugar?
This recipe was scaled down from a commercial version, and that is the measurement that was necessary.
Hi, I love these cookies and I tried your recipe but my cookies didn’t really grow, but just remained flat and it turned into one huge cookie. Any idea what might have happened?
Hi Felipe, You said they didn’t grow, but it sounds like they spread? Did you refrigerate the cookies before baking? (this is an important step) Did you grease your baking sheet instead of using parchment paper? This can definitely cause cookies to spread.
Hi, Michelle. thanks for your answer. This is what my cookies look like (that’s only 6 of them):
http://i558.photobucket.com/albums/ss22/felipenor/1977151_10202607691667571_1898770286_n.jpg
I did refrigerate them before baking and used the parchment paper. I did however substitute the brown sugar for granulated, can that be the reason why they spread?
Hi Felipe, Ahh I see what you mean! That is so strange, I wonder if your oven temperature is not calibrated correctly? Subbing granulated sugar for brown sugar might have contributed to it, as it creates crisper cookies (vs chewy).
I have tried making these twice, and each time they did not spread at all when they baked. I followed the recipe exactly, except that I made the cookies smaller (used a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop). I tried both my air-bake sheets and shiny aluminum, tried 375 degrees and 350 degrees changing baking times accordingly, but still no spread. I even checked the temperature of the oven with this laser thing my husband has, and it was very close. I bake often, so I know my baking powder and soda are good. Anyone have any ideas what I am doing wrong? The only test I have yet to try is to not put them in the refrigerator and instead cook when the dough is at room temperature.
I had the same thing happen – they tasted yummy, but were a dome. I just finished making them again but used approx 1/3c less flour and a teaspoon more brown sugar. Now they look much more like the pictures. I made 21 cookies instead and baked for 15 min @ 375.
Thanks! I’m willing to try one more time, and I’ll make your changes. Too much flour was one of my thoughts, since the dough portion seemed more like a shortbread in texture.
Hi Michelle! I have a quick question–Under the instructions, it says to “gradually add the flour mixture until just a little bit of flour still remains.” Do we incorporate the leftover flour mixture later on, or do we not use it at all? If so, how much of the flour mixture should we be leaving out? Thank you! Can’t wait to try these! :)
Hi Hira, You should actually add all of the flour but mix it until there is a bit of flour left in the dough, and finish all of the mixing with a rubber spatula (this ensures that the dough is not over mixed).
umm i will like to ask if i subtitute the brown sugar into the white sugar will it affect anything? and can i omit the walnut?
Hi Vanessa, Yes, the type of sugar used will affect the texture of the cookies. You can omit the walnuts without a problem, however.
I have made these a lot and my husband just loves them. the only thing I do different is that I make smaller cookies. thank you for sharing!
Michelle, again a quesition to the amount of flour that is added to the receipt. Bread flour is defined as 3 cups (13½ ounces). In your conversion list it states that 1 cup bread flour = 4¼ ounces. Now which one is correct? If you multiply the conversion list figures you end up with 12¾ ounces flour, which is ¾ cups less than the receipt calls for. Am I missing something?
Not ¾ cups but ¾ ounces less.Typo there.
Hi Andreas, You are correct, that is a typo on my part.
o.k, so i tried the copy cat recipe. It made a good cookie! To my utter disappointment it was not a Le vain equivalent. It looked sort of like one, but didn’t taste like one at all. The first thing you notice about a Le vain is the sheer weight of the cookie. These had a slightly “hollow” sort of quality about them once baked. I loved the sugar content of the copy cat – not too sweet. Le Vain’s is waaay sweet., which is not really my preference, but I do feel that the sugar content kind of makes the cookie the way it is. Le Vains also have a moist almost “cakey” quality to the inside, but they are also sort of chewy and have a crispy exterior. The LeVain is just a totally awesome cookie. I tried to scope out the recipe in the Manhattan store while i waited in line, while they were making a batch and they were not mixing up any when I went to the Hamptons store – which I just happened upon during my one and only visit to the Hamptons a week ago. I didn’t even know there was a Hamptons location and eagerly made a left turn, screeching tires and all, into the parking lot once I spied them. So, for now, I am going to keep looking.
well….what did I do wrong?
I followed directions EXACTLY as they were written – went out to buy bread flour. They came our crumbly dough – i did as was direction and they burned on the bottom? So next time I put them in at 370 and lessened the time. They are still dark on the bottom.
I re-read recipe and I cannot figure out what I did wrong. Brown Eyed Baker NEVER stears me wrong! I love your site.
Hi Amber, I’m so sorry to hear that these cookies did not turn out for you. Are you using parchment paper vs greasing a cookie sheet? Are you using aluminum or light-colored cookie sheets, not dark or non-stick ones? Those would be the two contributing factors to burnt bottoms. Other than that, I can’t imagine what would cause it if you use an oven thermometer and are confident that your oven temperature is accurate.
While tasty, this recipe does not come close to Leavin Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies. Sorry…hate to be a Debbie Cake Downer, but…. Let the search continue for the Holy Grail of Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Never heard of Levain Bakery, and have never traveled to the east cost. Since your copycat CCC looked fabulous, I baked a batch asap. My family and friends loved the cookies as did I. I made 15 cookies, not 12, just because I didn’t want to be tempted to devour a whole cookie that is close to 500 calories. I know my weakness, after all. They turned out great but were a little overcooked at 18 minutes. I should have adjusted the cooking time since I adjusted the size of the cookie. Next time I will try 14 minutes, and hopefully mine will turn out as chewey as yours look. Thank you for your copycat recipe and the CCC adult education for this long time cook and baker. We’re never too old to add another new and utterly delicious CCC recipe to our collection!!!!
I made these about two days ago and they were perfect! I followed the recipe to the letter but I didn’t have bread flour so I used zero flour ( not really sure what kind of difference if any It made) and they were heavenly. Thanks for an awesome cookie recipe!
I have to admit that I am not a baker, but the photo was so delicious looking, I made two batches. The first batch was sent to our son in North Carolina. He is going to love them. The second batch was made to share. It was even better. I threw in some Marra Bros Coconut and organic cranberries..Oh my. Maybe I should keep them for myself. smile..
Can someone please write the recipe in grams?
These were so delicious!! All my sisters loved them! We don’t like nuts so we added a little heath bar chunks instead. Yumm! I especially love the texture, because they were soft, but not raw — therefore after a few days the texture was the same not stale like under cooked cookies get.
The first time I went to NYC, my aunt said she’d heard about this bakery we needed to find…Levain Bakery. Being the lifelong CCC nut that I am, I was blown away by these cookies. Seriously. Whoa. Totally worth the time to seek out the actual bakery. I think each one actually weighs 1/4 pound, no kidding. I found the bakery again on a return trip to NYC and I have ordered packages of these over the years to be sent to very special people through the mail. They are that good. I can’t wait to try this recipe so I can have them at home whenever I want!
It’s a good shot but this recipe doesn’t even come close to the real deal! No recipe has for that matter!! As a NYer I say you should really get there to try one before posting a copycat recipe on a cookie you never had!
I have been looking for a cookie recipe that would give me nice chewy thick cookies. This recipe definitely did the job. They were chewy and cooked to perfection. The one thing that I wasn’t a big fan of was they were not sweet enough for me. I am a huge fan of dark chocolate, but I think it made the cookies less sweet then they could have been. If I make these again I may try using semi sweet to add more sweetness. But if you aren’t huge on sweet cookies these would be the perfect cookies for you:)
I made these awhile back because I was looking for a giant chocolate chip cookie and they came out perfect the way I was expecting. Big cookie that was the size of my palm and thick too. They were soft in the middle and would be a good size to give as gifts around the holidays. I would definitely make these again.
I made these last night and made mine a lot smaller since well, more of a portion control thing. I love them. I am tempted to try them again once I get more dark chocolate chips and subbing in like 1/2 cup of barley flour since that is my current new baking love. I realize it will change the texture of the cookies but am willing and curious about it now.
I love Levain Bakery’s Chocolate Chip cookies! They are so yummy and humongous! Me and my friend refer to them as the “one pound cookie” because it seems as though that’s how much just one of them weighs! I can’t wait to try out this receipe. In the pictures they look delicious!
I have several recipes that call for kosher salt. The only type of kosher salt I have is coarse. Does kosher salt come in any other variety besides coarse??
No, kosher salt is coarse and that is exactly what you want.
No, kosher is coarse.
Had to try these today! Made everything exact to the recipe, but probably dumped twice as much chocolate it called for, then I realized they only made 12 cookies :(. So I made 24 instead of 12 in order to have more for a large family. Set he baking to 14 minutes and they were perfect! You must be right if you made only 12, the cookies are massive!
just made them and they are delicious. have to figure out if i like the New York Times recipes more. both are fabulous!
This is just how I like my chocolate chip cookies!
Made these last night – they were delicious! I’ve heard about these cookies forever and tI’m sooooo glad I tried this! I used all-purpose flour because that was all I had, but other than that followed the recipe exactly – thanks for the recipe!
Those are not cookies, sweetheart. Those are some precious jewels :) How adorable they look !
I’ll have to make these soon! Yum :)
I first heard of them through Throwdown, too! I mentally bookmarked them and made a beeline to Levain when I went to NYC a bit later. They blew my mind! The chocolate chip and the chocolate chocolate chip are pure heaven. I think they have a PB and oatmeal version too. You can order them online, but wowza are they pricey. I’ll have to try your version, they look incredible!
I ordered the Oatmeal Raisin ones straight from Levain and didn’t love them. I don’t know quite why but they didn’t live up to the hype. Maybe I need to try a different kind and make them myself. I do love huge cookies!
Levain Bakery is hands-down my favorite bakery in NYC. Nothing beats their fresh cookies. Just walking into their little shop is like heaven!!! So glad you were able to enjoy these cookies in the comfort of your kitchen!
Hello Michelle
I am excited to try this recipe; however, I’m not sure if this flour would be appropriate. This is a standard brand of flour in Canada
http://www.robinhood.ca/product-details.aspx?pid=189&prodcid=44
Thanks in advance for your response!
teeseey
Hi Teeseey, I’m not familiar with that flour, but on the surface it looks like it would work. Just be sure that there is nothing else in the flour… that it’s just flour.
I made a half batch of these yesterday afternoon… I should have made a double batch! They are so good – the texture is perfect and they are just right in the sweetness department. I got 9 big cookies out of the 1/2 batch – didn’t make the huge ones, have little people around here that don’t need giant cookies (I would have been quite happy to eat 1 or 2 of ’em though!). Thanks for the recipe, this is my new go-to chocolate chip cookie!!
I need these in my life ASAP! Your description is my idea of the perfect chocolate chip cookie and I absolutely love how thick and chewy these look!
I might be the only person who thinks that the Levain cookie is over-rated. It’s a ginormous cookie (with a ginormous price, I might add :$4.00? if I recall correctly All right, maybe it was $3.75, but that was a while ago). The middle of it is pretty much unbaked, gooey cookie dough, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but, I don’t know, it just didn’t do it for me. I tried the chocolate chip walnut, which they told me was their best seller, so I anticipated Nirvana, which it wasn’t. I went to the bakery and got a fresh one, so no excuse, Levain. Am I just a freak, or does anyone else share my opinion?
do you think i can use all purpose flavor instead of bread flour??? here in Brazil i can’t find the bread flour!!!
i love your recipes so much!!!
Hi Anna, You won’t get as thick or chewy of a cookie with all-purpose flour. If you have another type of flour in Brazil that has a higher protein content, I would use that.
my husband just begged me to make these based on the photos!!!!!
These look amazing.. great photos!!!
Johlene
Flavours & Frosting
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I’ve tried this before from cookie madness and it was awesome. I’d like to bake your adapted recipe soon. You should also try the peanut butter one from the same blog. It’s to die for.
I saw your picture of these on FoodGawker and even though I just made yet ANOTHER chocolate chip cookie recipe two days ago (The NY Times one -so good!), I had to click. It’s a compulsion. And now I need to make them. These have just been placed at the top of my To Bake List. I have a problem!
Just made these tonight and they not only look gorgeous, but taste amazing! I would add just a pinch more salt, but that’s more of a personal preference. Thanks for another great recipe!
mmm I love the look of these cookies. I live in CA so Levain Bakery isn’t anywhere near me but I hear they are quite good. I’d probably swap out the walnuts for pecans though.
Made these today and they baked up like a dream. Really! I, too, have never been to Levain Bakery but have been on the search for a Levain clone because I adore the tall, chunky, moist cookie as opposed to the flat and crunchy kind. I didn’t have bread flour so I used all-purpose flour and replaced 1T of flour from each cup with 1 T. wheat gluten. I omitted the walnuts for allergy reasons. I baked on a plain dark pan (not air bake type) with parchment paper and they were done and even a bit dark at the 18 minute mark (ovens may vary). I baked one large, full size cookie to test and it was PERFECT and I kept it all for myself. Because humongous cookies aren’t as practical in a house full of toddlers I opted to split each large cookie into two smaller ones (yield 2 dozen instead of the original 1 dozen). I reduced baking time to 13-14 minutes and they were still plenty large and beautiful!
THANK YOU for a fabulous recipe!!
Oh wow, totally craving cookies now! These look amazing!!
I first read your post at 6 am this morning and I seriously haven’t been able to stop thinking about chocolate chip cookies since. I think you’ve inspired me to turn on the oven tonight to make them in spite of the 90+ degree temps!
Levain cookies are insanely amazing! You have got to go there next time you are in NYC! I plan trips to NYC just to go there and I bring a huge bag of them home with me to freeze so I can fulfill my cravings until I can go again. Your copycat version looks pretty amazing so I’ll definitely give them a try!
I just baked and ate one (or two!) of these and they are perfect! The crisp on the outside and the chewy chocolate inside makes me feel like I’m sitting on the sidewalk in front of Levain Bakery enjoying one of their fresh baked cookies. This is a great recipe! Well done!
All I can say is YUM! Will have to try these, and very very soon!
I’ve never been to Levain Bakery, really because it takes me alot of energy to go anywhere above 23rd St, but I might have to try to get there now! Or maybe I will just stay inside with my air conditioner and make your version, I think I will go for that one.. I know yours will be yummy!
Michelle, knowing how much you love chocolate chip cookies, I’ve often wondered whether you knew about the Levain clones! I’ve made several batches of Levain copycats, the chocolate PB chip, chocolate chocolate chip and of course, the walnut chocolate chip. I make sure all my ingredients are super cold, then let a tray sit in the freezer for maybe an hour before popping into 350 degree oven for 16 minutes. They come out sooo gooey inside, with a great crisp edge. Have never used bread flour tho. Must try your version this weekend!
I was just thinking about this episode! It’s been a while since I saw the throwdown, but if I remember correctly the bakery owners needed to come up with a cookie to carb-load for triathlons. I have one coming up so I guess I’m going to have to try this recipe out. Can’t wait.
You should order Levain’s cookies online! I did this immediately after seeing the Throwdown episode several years ago and they were great! They come frozen (you can get a variety) and you just pop them in the oven to bring them back to their fresh, melty state :)
Delicious! A good chocolate chip cookie is always the best.
I have been making these cookies since I saw them made on an episode of Throwdown with Bobby Flay. I search and searched until I could find the recipe, or something close to it, and these are our absolute favorite. Although the original recipe doesn’t call for vanilla extract, I do use it, along with the seeds from 2 vanilla beans. Wonderful! I usually substitute half of the chocolate chips with white chocolate chips. If I have them in my pantry, I may also sub macadamia nuts for half the walnuts.
i LOVE levain cookies – positively, my favorite cookies ever. Cannot wait to try these!!
Hi Michelle, I can’t resist a “copycat” recipe, either! I just a friend of mine post a comment on FB about visiting Levain and enjoying the famous cookies. I have to go one day soon. Sounds good…
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! That episode of Bobby Flays throw down has haunted me for years! haha I was SO upset when the recipe wasn’t in the book! I LOVE a really good chocolate chip cookie and am always trying new recipes but mostly find them “lacking”. I can’t wait to try this one!!!
Everytime I used to see pics of these cookies they always seemed oddly bread-y looking to me but your pics just look gooey and delicious!
Oh my goodness. I can never resist trying out new chocolate chip cookie recipes. I’m always looking for one even better than the last! I love how thick these are!
When I made a Levain Bakery ccc clone, it changed my ccc-baking-life forever! To.die.for!! As you know, we bloggers have been trying to duplicate the Levain chocolate chip cookie for several years now. A lot of us suspect that they use pastry flour to make theirs. My recipe calls for ap flour as well as cake flour and a tablespoon of corn starch which is supposed to replicate pastry flour. I finally dug down deep and ordered a 4-cookie sampling of the actual Levain Bakery cookies that have become so famous. I’ve made clones of all four (3 are posted with the 4th due to post shortly). My husband and I both agreed that each of my clones tasted better than the mail-ordered Levain’s. I don’t think it was a fair fight since I don’t know how old the Levain’s cookies were when they arrived. They were mighty good for sure, but the freshly baked clones were better. Love your photos and they make me realize that I need to redo mine–my photography skills were in their infancy when I posted mine!
Wowww.. Mouthwatering cookies.. Yummy !!!!!
Now these are my kind of cookies!
These look fabulous. I have tried so many different CCC recipes and have narrowed it down to 2 favorites, however I may have to give this recipe a try. The cookies look so thick and so chewy and you can’t ever have too many recipes for CCC.
I have been on a quest to find the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe. You see, I cannot bake to save my life. Ask me to prepare a 12 course dinner blindfolded..no problem, but a chocolate chip cookie will send me into complete and utter panic mode. I used to blame my oven, the weather, or the “inferior” ingredients… but since then, I’ve admitted that the problem is me. It is truly me.
I am going to give these cookies a try, maybe next week, when the temperature goes down (ha, blaming the weather again!)… I will let you know how they turn out. I have a slight feeling of hope, maybe these will be the ones to help me turn my baking reputation around! Thank you for sharing this!!
what is the reason for bread flour and I don’t understand the measurements 3 cups and in parenthesis ( 13 1/2)) what is that or is it typ-o
I might be wrong, but I suspect the 13 1/2 refers to amount of protein in the flour. All purpose flour has around 10-12%, while bread flour has around 14-16%. Protein content has a lot to do with gluten production within a baked product. See here for more detailed explanations. http://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-difference-cake-flou-74565
As Michelle mentioned in one of the comments above, it was a typo that has since been corrected. It refers to the weight of the flour in ounces.
My husband and I made the long trek across Manhattan to Levain Bakery last year! As we stood in line to get one of each of their 4 cookies (that’s 24 oz of cookie!), I heard a girl behind us tell her friend that she usually finishes her ONE cookie over the course of a few days because she just can’t each that much. Weakling.
We then proceeded to grab a stool and devour all of ours! Being so big, they had a great mix of textures that I’m excited to be able to recreate now with your recipe!
Oh my, these look awesome! A few years ago I was on the hunt for the best chocolate chip cookie recipe and I tried so many recipes…gained a few extra pounds in the process ;-) I ended up with the one that has pretzels, white choc chips and milk choc chips…but after seeing these, it might be time to try a new recipe! Thanks
AWESOME Chocolate Chip Cookies!! So Moist, Flavorful and Chocolaty ..YUM :-)
In the recipe after the three cups of bread flour there is a (13 1/2). What does this refer to? It wouldn’t be 13 and half ounces?
The cookies look wonderful and I am going to make them!
It might refer to the protein content in the flour. Protein affects gluten production. This site does a better job explaining. http://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-difference-cake-flou-74565
Yes, it’s 13.5 ounces. My apologies for the typo; I have corrected it above.
Ohhhh I’ve been wanting to make these forever! They look amazing!
OMG I love these… I must make them ASAP!
These look like dang big, delicious, cookies! Yum!
Oh, goodness! I remember that episode of Throwdown with Bobby Flay. And, you did a CCC throwdown? I must read your archives, Michelle. Something fun to look forward to reading. Your Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies ROCK! Love how moist and chewy they look with all those chips studded in there!
I have been searching lately for a copycat recipe!! I think I am going to try yours. I live in NYC and LOVE Levain. I have to refrain from going there though because the cookies are so enormous and delicious that I end up eating the whole thing and making myself sick!! They also have a chocolate cookie with PB chips that is to die for!!
Wow. They look so perfectly good! One for chocolate chip cookie recipe to try. Thanks!
Mmmm…love this cookies! Big, thick and chewy…just how I like them!
How many WW points are these? lol. I will have to make a batch for my son who is home for the summer.
yummy! cant wait to hop in the kitchen and make them! chocolate chip cookies and maple cookies are the only ones I love, but of the two chocolate’s number one.
Jenna,
I am intrigued… Maple Cookies? Can you send a recipe?
Navar, here’s where I got the recipe from
http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/maple_cookies/
I’ve only had the recipe since last year, but made them so many times cause my family members are maple lovers! :)
Holy moly! These are my kind of cookie – big, thick, and chewy. They’re so big, you only need one. This recipe’s a keeper!
These look so dreamy! Wish I had one now for a late night snack. Chocolate chip cookies are the best and I love starting with cold butter in chocolate chip cookies. Mine never look this perfect though :).
These look delicious!
These look incredible! I have actually never heard of these, but I read the instructions and it sounds perfect!! I must try these!
These look incredible, I love how studded with chocolate they are!
I loved your CCC throwdown last fall! I actually re-read those posts sometimes because I love cookie talk. Yes, I admit to really loving dissecting the why’s and why not’s of cookies. I have tried both C.I. recipes, the NYTimes recipe, and am currently crusting on cornstarch in cookies for the past 9 mos or so. It’s become my default but I’ve never made Levain because I always worry they will be cakey. Yours are super chewy looking and not at all cakey, which some photos I see of them on other sites they look dry and cakey. Yours are cookie heaven! You’re the first blog who’s ever inspired me to actually make them! Pinned!
These look really good. I love thick and chewy cookies.
This recipe is a new family tradition, “THANK YOU” for sharing! Best cookies I ever baked! Loved by all my family & friends.-Southern California
They look very nice :P