Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies
The BEST Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies. The Famous Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe that everyone goes crazy over!
I've got issues.
I am a cookie junkie of epic proportions.
There's probably a support group somewhere for people like me.
When I was a teenager, I would go to the library and thumb through cookbooks to find every single chocolate chip cookie recipe and would beg my Mom to try out the recipe creations almost daily. Issues, I tell you.
I started off by following recipes and then I thought....let's take a walk on the wild side and start experimenting by throwing stuff in and see what happens. What's the worst that can happen? Well, that's another story. Little tweaks here and there were the difference makers - browning the butter, raising or lowering the temperature of the oven, and trying out some interesting ingredients.
When I won a trip to NYC to film a perfect cookie segment for the Cooking Channel's Perfect 3 Show in the Food Network studios, I went online to seek out the best bakeries in Manhattan. The highest rated cookie was awarded to Levain Bakery and I knew that it had to be mine. Pronto.
Oh, and it was legit. Legit and different. Unique in such a way that I had to figure out how in the world they did it. I became a mad scientist in the kitchen to figure out the how to make the Famous Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies.
I developed a massive crush on a cookie.
I have never, ever worked on a recipe as much as this one. Another trip had to be made to NYC in the name of food science to do some more investigative research. A trip to the Truvia Baking Star competition in NYC meant multiple trips to buy my favorite cookie. We rode our bikes in the freezing cold just for that one bite. By the time we arrived, my feet were frozen, but sacrifices have to be made, right?
I came home and tweaked some more and then it happened.... that glorious batch was perfection and I finally had it.
I was taught in kindergarten that it's nice to share so that's what I am doing. Sharing my years of experimenting so we can all have Levain at home. It's just the right thing to do.
Let's start with the basics.
Use cold butter. Cut into small cubes. Since you are collecting it straight out of the fridge, you need to cut it into small pieces so the butter and sugar can become friends and make a creamy masterpiece. It takes about 4 minutes for them to warm up and become besties.
This is where it's all over for me....cookie dough. It's my kryptonite, unfortunately, and I blame my hips on this goodness. Who else loves this stuff?
Now, these aren't some ordinary bite-size cookies. No these are a full-on meal. Well maybe for some people. Here's the deal - you make them big. Really big. Like only four can fit on a cookie sheet, BIG. These are the BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES EVER. Yep, I said it.
Usually, with thick cookies, they turn out like hockey pucks - cakey messes that hardly resemble a gooey cookie.
This is where these are different. We are going to crank up the heat in the oven to cook the outside quickly and leave that center nice, warm and gooey. As a cookie should be.
There are a few ingredients and techniques that set these cookies apart. First, you use cornstarch to add thickness without making the cookie dry. It does wonders in these cookies! Using cake flour also lends to a more tender cookie but you can also substitute all-purpose flour. Here's one of my favorite cake flours -- King Arthur Cake Flour
I am a huge fan of using nonstick silicone baking mats (Silpat) placed on top of the cookie sheets, which allows the cookies to be easily removed from the pan and to bake nicely. My cousin gave me a set as a gift years ago and I had no idea what I was missing out on! These are ones I have loved --Silicone Baking Sheets - 2 pack
You may want to eat these Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies the second they come out of the oven, but patience is a virtue and you must exercise some with these cookies. They need to "set up" so give them at least 10-15 minutes before you devour them. The amazing part of these cookies is that they are the only cookies I have ever made that are still cookie perfection even after a few days.
If you LOVE these cookies, you will love these other Levain Bakery copycat recipes:
- Levain Bakery Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies
- Levain Bakery Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Levain Bakery Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Pin on Pinterest:
Now go make some Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies! You need one (or two or three....no judging here) of these warm, gooey cookies, a big glass of cold milk and a to-do list with nothing on it except catching up on Netflix or those cheesy Holiday Hallmark movies that somehow keep playing on my TV.
If you are a huge fan of Levain Bakery cookies or just eating the best chocolate chip cookies, you will love my other copycat recipes -- Levain Bakery Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies and Levain Bakery Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies.
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Happy Baking!
Erika
Should I use table salt or kosher salt? Thanks!
Gina Marie
definitely don’t use kosher salt. You have to use table salt. I used kosher salt and it was so horrible, I took a bite of the raw batter, and I literally couldn’t get the taste of salt out of my mouth for a whole day. It was horrific. I had to throw all the batter away. I made these before and it works great with table salt.
Marcy
But I don’t have a mixer like that… what do you suggest?
Gina Marie
i’ve never tried to make this recipe with a regular handheld mixer. The dough is way too thick for a handheld mixer.
Nbk
Kosher salt is the best. I use it for this recipe which I’ve made literally about 100 times
Gina Marie
I think my problem was the fact that I used coarse kosher salt instead of the consistency of regular table salt.
Charu Sharma
Yummy. I do not have any issue with the taste. Ours flattened out instead of the nice solid high chunk. What gives? What you think went wrong? Any suggestions? The taste was super though! Thanks.
Nedah
Try refrigerating the raw cookie dough for 25-30min this will keep it from spreading when baking
Debby
Did you use margarine or "enhanced" soft butter? I found only pure butter prevents them from going flat
Heidi Jackson
Yes I always refrigerate the dough for no less than three hours and I think it helps. Also, make sure you are using fresh corn starch!
Jenna
Can you make these without the walnuts?
Tor
I always have. I actually have never made them with the walnuts.
These are my go-to recipe
Carol
Making these today. Make huge beautiful cookies and no flattening here. They hold their shape really well and are so very welcome on this cold weather day.
I wish I could see this famous bakery sometime.I would love to know how my cookies stack up.I think this recipe is awesome 🤩.
Amy
These are simply fabulous. Thank you!
Annie
It was pretty good! I baked for almost 10 minutes but I should have left them in another 2 min OR made the balls smaller. Rather than 5.5 oz make them more like 4-4.5 oz because this things are massive anyway.
Sarah Shephard
These cookies are delicious! I am in high altitude in a snow storm so 98% humidity, I didn't use the vanilla to avoid adding extra moisture. Cooked them for 12:30 and they were perfect. Thank you so much for this amazing recipe. The cornstarch makes all the difference.
Kylah
I followed the directions exactly, even refrigerated the dough for 30 min and the cookies were completely raw in the middle & spread out. I was really looking forward to these……