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.
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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.
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!