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Ultimate Copycat Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

A giant, thick homemade levain bakery chocolate chip cookie loaded with dark chocolate chunks and walnuts on a white plate.
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Recreate the famous giant, thick chocolate chip cookies from New York City’s Levain Bakery at home. These cookies feature crispy edges and a perfectly gooey, slightly underbaked center, loaded with chocolate and walnuts.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, cold
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks
  • 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips or chunks
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional, but recommended for authenticity)

Instructions

  1. Combine the cold, cubed butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is creamy, about 2 minutes. Do not overmix; the butter should remain somewhat cool.
  2. Add the cold eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
  4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not develop the gluten too much.
  5. Fold in the chocolate chips and chopped walnuts by hand using a spatula.
  6. Portion the dough into very large balls, about 6 ounces (or 3/4 cup) each. You should get about 8 large cookies.
  7. Place the dough balls onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, leaving plenty of space between them. Chill the dough balls in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours. This step is crucial for thickness.
  8. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius).
  9. Place the chilled dough balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 3 inches apart.
  10. Bake for 13 to 16 minutes. The edges should look set and lightly golden, but the centers should still look soft and slightly raw.
  11. Remove the cookies from the oven. Immediately shape them by gently pressing the edges inward to create a thick, rounded dome shape.
  12. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. The residual heat will finish cooking the center to a gooey texture.

Notes

  • For the best bakery-style thickness, ensure your butter and eggs are cold before mixing.
  • Do not flatten the dough balls before baking; they need to hold their shape to bake tall.
  • If you prefer a fudgier center, slightly underbake by 1-2 minutes.
  • These cookies freeze well before baking; store frozen dough balls and bake directly from frozen, adding 2-4 minutes to the bake time.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://gourmetgaze.com/levain-bakery-chocolate-chip-cookies/