Levain Bakery Cookie Recipe: If you’ve ever been to New York City and waited in line outside a tiny bakery with a heavenly aroma wafting down the street, you’ve probably met the cult favorite: Levain Bakery cookies. These aren’t your ordinary cookies. They’re massive, gooey on the inside, crispy on the outside, and packed with chocolate chips and walnuts. One bite is all it takes to understand the obsession.
But here’s the best part—you don’t have to fly to NYC to enjoy them. With the right ingredients, technique, and a sprinkle of patience, you can whip up your own batch of Levain-style cookies right in your kitchen. Let’s get baking!
A Brief History of Levain Bakery and Its Legendary Cookies
Levain Bakery was founded in 1995 by Connie McDonald and Pam Weekes, two friends who were also competitive triathletes. While training for an Ironman, they craved something high in calories that was also indulgent. The result? The now-iconic 6-ounce chocolate chip walnut cookie.
It didn’t take long for these cookies to take on a life of their own. Word spread fast. Tourists and locals alike started lining up just to get their hands on the rich, decadent cookies that defined indulgence. Today, Levain has several locations, but the magic of that first cookie remains untouched.
What’s Unique About Levain’s Cookies?
So what really sets these cookies apart? Size is the most obvious difference. Each cookie is nearly half a pound! But that’s not all:
- Texture: Thick and crisp outside, gooey and soft inside.
- Flavor: Rich, buttery, not overly sweet, with balance from the toasted walnuts.
- Technique: Minimal mixing to prevent overworking the dough.
- Bake time: High temperature, shorter duration for a barely-baked center.
They’ve mastered the art of controlled chaos—chunky, craggy, imperfect cookies that somehow look and taste perfect.
Choosing the Right Ingredients: Quality Matters
Before you even preheat your oven, understand this: ingredient quality matters. With such a simple recipe, each item pulls more weight in terms of flavor and texture. Don’t skimp—use the good butter, fresh eggs, and high-quality chocolate.
- Butter: European-style butter adds richness.
- Eggs: Use large eggs at room temperature for even mixing.
- Flour: All-purpose is great, but a blend with bread flour gives a chewier bite.
- Sugar: A mix of brown and white sugars creates caramel notes and a balanced sweetness.
Think of baking as chemistry. Using the right materials ensures the right reaction.
List of Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s everything you need to make your own Levain-style cookies:
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cake flour (for tenderness)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, cold
Add-ins:
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 ½ cups toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
These proportions are designed to make about 8 large, bakery-style cookies. You can double the recipe for a crowd—or just for yourself, we won’t judge!
Kitchen Equipment Needed
You don’t need fancy gadgets, but a few tools will make life easier:
- Stand mixer or hand mixer (for creaming butter)
- Large mixing bowls
- Digital kitchen scale (optional but ideal for portioning)
- Cookie scoop or your hands
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
- Baking sheets
- Wire rack for cooling
Trust us—investing in the right tools will help you nail the perfect texture every time.
How to Measure Ingredients Properly
Accurate measuring can be the difference between a cookie and a catastrophe. Flour should always be spooned into the measuring cup and leveled off—not scooped directly from the bag. Better yet, use a digital scale:
- Flour: 120g per cup
- Sugar: 200g per cup of granulated, 220g for brown
Too much flour? Dry, cakey cookies. Too little? Spreading disasters. Be precise—it’s worth the effort.
The Secret to the Thick, Gooey Center
Levain’s signature cookie isn’t fully baked inside, and that’s by design. Here’s the secret:
- Use cold ingredients. Cold butter and eggs prevent over-spreading.
- Shape tall dough mounds. Think mini hockey pucks.
- Bake at 400°F (205°C). A higher temp quickly cooks the outside while keeping the inside underbaked.
The result? That magical contrast between crispy and gooey that’s totally addictive.
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Levain-Style Cookies
Step 1: Creaming the Butter and Sugars
Cream the cold, cubed butter with both sugars on medium speed for about 3-4 minutes. It won’t look fluffy like traditional cookie dough—it should look chunky. This step builds structure and creates pockets of air.
Step 2: Adding Eggs One at a Time
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing just until incorporated. Overmixing will lead to flat cookies. You want to preserve the air you just whipped in during creaming.
Step 3: Combining Dry Ingredients Separately
In another bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Don’t skip sifting if your flour is lumpy. Proper mixing of dry ingredients ensures even leavening.
Step 4: Mixing Dry and Wet Together
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed. Stop when it’s just combined. You’re not kneading bread—gentle mixing keeps the cookie tender yet thick.
Step 5: Folding in the Chocolate and Nuts
Add in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Use a spatula or your hands to mix—hands work best to avoid overworking the dough. Make sure everything is evenly distributed.
Step 6: Shaping the Dough – Why Size Matters
Divide the dough into 6–8 large portions. Each ball should weigh about 6 ounces (170g). Shape them tall, not wide—this helps keep the inside gooey during baking.
Step 7: The Chill Factor – Refrigerate or Freeze?
For best results, chill the dough for at least 90 minutes, or even overnight. This solidifies the fat and intensifies flavor. Want to bake later? Freeze the dough balls and bake from frozen—just add 1-2 minutes to the bake time.
Step 8: Baking Time and Temperature Tips
Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment or silicone mat. Space cookies well apart (they spread slightly). Bake for 11-13 minutes, until the edges are golden but the center looks underbaked.
Let them rest on the pan for 10 minutes—they’ll continue to cook from residual heat.
Step 9: Letting Them Rest Before Serving
Let the cookies cool for 15-20 minutes. This rest time firms up the gooey center just enough to hold together when you break it apart. Trust the process. You’ll thank yourself when you take that first bite.
Pro Tips for the Best Copycat Levain Cookies
Want to elevate your cookie game to the next level? Here are some pro baking tips straight from seasoned bakers who’ve cracked the Levain code:
- Use cold butter and eggs. Seriously, this isn’t a suggestion—it’s a necessity. Cold ingredients keep the dough dense, ensuring the cookie doesn’t flatten out like a pancake.
- Weigh your cookie dough. If you want bakery-style cookies, use a digital scale and make each dough ball exactly 6 ounces. Uniform size means even baking.
- Underbake. Always. The center should look slightly raw when you pull them out. They’ll finish baking on the hot tray while cooling.
- Use a mix of flours. Combining all-purpose flour with a little bread or cake flour improves structure without making them tough.
- Rest the dough. Letting your dough rest in the fridge for 24–48 hours allows the flavors to deepen, similar to how a stew tastes better the next day.
- Toast your nuts. Toasting walnuts enhances their flavor and adds a bit of crunch that balances out the gooey chocolate chips.
These aren’t your average Toll House cookies, so treat them with a bit more care—and you’ll be rewarded with perfection.
Mistakes to Avoid While Making Levain Cookies
Even experienced bakers slip up sometimes. Avoid these common pitfalls when aiming for the Levain bakery experience:
- Overmixing the dough: This develops gluten, which leads to a cakier, less tender cookie.
- Using room-temperature butter: While most cookie recipes call for it, Levain’s secret is in using cold butter to prevent spreading.
- Using only one type of sugar: Brown sugar adds moisture and flavor. Don’t substitute it entirely with granulated sugar.
- Not chilling the dough: If you skip chilling, your cookies may spread too much and lose that signature thick texture.
- Baking too long: They’re supposed to look a little raw in the middle. Don’t wait for the tops to turn golden—you’ll overbake them.
It’s a fine line between chewy perfection and dry disappointment. Trust the process and resist the urge to tweak it too much.
How to Store and Freeze for Later
So you’ve made the cookies—now how do you keep them fresh (if they even last that long)?
Storing:
- Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 4–5 days.
- Reheating tip: Pop them in the microwave for 10–12 seconds to bring back the gooey center.
Freezing:
- Before baking: Freeze shaped dough balls on a tray. Once solid, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 400°F and add 1–2 extra minutes.
- After baking: Let cookies cool completely, then freeze in an airtight container. Thaw at room temp or reheat in the oven at 300°F for 5 minutes.
Make a big batch and stash them for cookie cravings on demand—future you will thank you.
Variations of the Classic Levain Cookie
Once you’ve nailed the original, it’s time to get creative. Levain Bakery is known for several incredible cookie flavors, and you can easily replicate them at home.
Popular Variations:
- Double Chocolate Chip: Replace ½ cup flour with cocoa powder and use dark chocolate chips.
- Oatmeal Raisin: Swap in rolled oats and golden raisins for a chewy, old-school flavor.
- Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip: Use dark cocoa powder and peanut butter chips instead of semi-sweet chocolate.
- Chocolate Chip with Pretzel & Sea Salt: Add crushed pretzels and a sprinkle of flaky salt before baking.
- S’mores Style: Fold in mini marshmallows, graham cracker bits, and chocolate chunks.
Baking is your playground. Once you’ve got the base recipe, the variations are limitless.
Nutritional Breakdown (Approximate Values)
Let’s be real—Levain cookies are indulgent, and that’s the whole point. But if you’re curious, here’s an approximate nutritional breakdown for one 6-ounce cookie:
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | ~600–700 kcal |
| Total Fat | ~35g |
| Saturated Fat | ~15g |
| Carbohydrates | ~70g |
| Sugars | ~35g |
| Protein | ~8g |
| Fiber | ~3g |
| Sodium | ~200mg |
These numbers can vary slightly depending on your exact ingredients. But hey, it’s a cookie—not a salad.
FAQs about Levain Bakery Cookie Recipe
1. Can I make Levain cookies without walnuts?
Absolutely! Just replace them with more chocolate chips, or swap in pecans, macadamia nuts, or leave the nuts out altogether if you prefer.
2. Why do I need to use cold butter in this recipe?
Cold butter prevents the cookies from spreading too much during baking, helping to achieve that thick, bakery-style center.
3. Can I make these cookies smaller?
You can, but keep in mind the texture and gooey center may not be quite the same. Reduce the baking time if you go smaller.
4. Can I freeze the cookie dough for later?
Yes! Freeze shaped dough balls for up to 3 months. You can bake them straight from frozen—just add 1–2 minutes to your bake time.
5. How do I know when the cookies are done?
Look for golden edges and a slightly underbaked center. The cookies will continue to bake as they cool on the tray.
Conclusion
There you have it—a foolproof, step-by-step guide to making Levain Bakery-style cookies at home. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just getting started, this recipe delivers everything you love about those legendary NYC cookies: crispy edges, gooey centers, and mouthfuls of chocolate and nuts in every bite.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with flavors once you’ve mastered the base. And remember—cookies are best shared (but we won’t blame you if you keep them all to yourself).
So preheat that oven, grab your favorite chocolate chips, and let the smell of fresh-baked cookies fill your kitchen. Happy baking!
