Perfect levain bakery chocolate chip cookies 17

Okay, let’s talk about the cookie everyone tries to replicate but rarely nails: the levain bakery chocolate chip cookies. That giant, slightly underbaked, incredibly thick wonder you find in New York? Forget waiting for a trip to the city! I spent months perfecting the technique to bring that bakery magic right into your regular kitchen. My goal with all my comfort food recipes, honed after years of testing dinner solutions after long workdays, is honesty. This recipe gives you those ridiculously thick, gooey centers and those perfect crispy edges, exactly like the OG bakery ones. Trust me, after eating version 17, I finally nailed it!

Why This Copycat Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe Works

When you’re aiming for true levain bakery chocolate chip cookies, you aren’t just making a cookie; you’re building a miniature chocolate skyscraper! We need three things to happen perfectly: maximum thickness, wonderfully crispy edge soft center cookies texture, and a chocolate explosion in every single bite. That’s why this recipe focuses so heavily on technique, not just ingredients. If you’ve ever been disappointed by a cookie that spreads into a flat disk, don’t worry. We tackle the thickness head-on. These aren’t just good cookies; they are genuinely thick gooey chocolate chip cookies built for indulgence. You’re going to love how soft the inside stays!

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Achieving the Signature Thickness in Your levain bakery chocolate chip cookies

The New York magic relies on not letting the dough spread out while baking. My biggest tip? Do not chill this dough! Seriously, don’t even think about it. We want the butter warm enough to cream properly but cold enough not to melt instantly when it hits the oven. You have to scoop huge amounts—we’re talking half-cup scoops, maybe 6 ounces each—and drop them right onto the pan. They need to look almost ridiculously tall going in, because that’s how you guarantee a real giant bakery cookies recipe result!

The Secret to the Gooey Center

Okay, about the gooeyness—this is non-negotiable. Standard chocolate chips just don’t melt right; they hold their shape too much. I insist you use high-quality chocolate chunks for these levain style soft cookies. The second secret is the bake time. We are intentionally pulling these slightly early. The edges should look set and golden brown, but that center? It should look just a little wet. Don’t panic! Those few extra minutes cooling on the hot pan finish the process, leaving you with that signature soft, melty core.

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Essential Ingredients for Authentic levain bakery chocolate chip cookies

Getting these levain bakery chocolate chip cookies right starts before the oven even gets warm. I swear, the ingredients list looks simple, but the difference between using okay stuff and *great* stuff is huge here. We need that classic New York richness!

Here is what you need to gather:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened—and I mean properly softened, not melted!
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs—freshness matters here!
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips or chunks
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional, but if you skip these, is it really Levain?!)

I really stress the chocolate part because this is where many copycat levain chocolate chip cookies fall short. Use chunks if you can find them; they melt beautifully. Everything here is tried and tested in my own kitchen, bringing that comforting, honest flavor you expect from my recipes.

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Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Your levain bakery chocolate chip cookies

Let’s talk about the sticking points. First, the butter temperature! If your butter is too cold, it won’t cream properly and your cookies will be dense in a bad way. If it’s too warm and greasy, they spread instantly! Aim for that perfect “soft enough to leave an indent” texture. Also, about those walnuts—they are classic for a reason, giving you that great crunch against the soft interior. If you or your family have allergies, you can definitely replace them with more chocolate chunks or even some chopped pecans, but know you are deviating slightly from the New York City cookie recipe standard.

If you absolutely cannot find chocolate chunks, use good quality chocolate bars that you chop yourself. Do not use tiny standard chips if you want that gooey look. Chunk size is everything for these bakery style chocolate chunk cookies!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Ultimate levain bakery chocolate chip cookies

Alright, let’s get down to business! Making these levain bakery chocolate chip cookies is the most rewarding part, but you have to follow the order. Don’t rush this, but don’t dawdle either! Preheat your oven right away to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. That high heat is key. Then line two big baking sheets with parchment paper—I know I’ve told you about my homemade baking shortcuts, but for these giants, parchment is safer!

First step is always mixing the butter and sugars until they are perfectly fluffy—this might take longer than you think, but it’s worth the mixer running time. Then we add the wet stuff, followed by the dry ingredients slowly. Remember, we are building density here, not cake lightness. Once everything is just combined, fold in those glorious chocolate chunks and walnuts. You are making some of the best indulgent dessert recipes ever, so feel free to admire your work!

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Mixing the Dough for Giant Bakery Cookies Recipe

This is where you build the structure for your extra large chocolate chip cookies. We are creaming the softened butter with both sugars—the brown and the white—for a full 3 minutes if you are using an electric mixer. I want it much lighter and fluffier than you might expect. When you start adding the flour, salt, and baking soda, mix on low speed, and stop the second it disappears into the dough. Overmixing here is what gives you tough cookies, and we want soft centers!

Scooping and Baking Your levain style soft cookies

Now for the fun part—making them massive! Scoop out your dough balls using your heart, or better yet, a 1/2 cup measuring cup. We are aiming for 6 ounces of dough per cookie, which will look enormous. Place them far apart on that parchment paper, because they will spread a tiny bit. Bake them for 13 to 15 minutes at 400°F. Look closely when they come out: the edges should look set and golden, but the middle absolutely needs to look slightly soft or even a little gooey—that’s the sign of perfect levain style soft cookies! Leave them right on that baking sheet for a full 10 minutes before you even think about moving them. That resting time finishes the baking process beautifully.

Tips for Success Making levain bakery chocolate chip cookies

Making these world-famous levain bakery chocolate chip cookies is definitely an effort, and look, I get it—sometimes you just need a quick weeknight dinner solution, not a huge baking project! But I promise you, the effort is worth it for this texture. Remember that big scoop rule? That’s priority one. Do not flatten the dough balls; they need that volume to stay so thick.

Also, let’s circle back to the chocolate. If you can find chocolate *callets* or real baking chunks instead of standard chips, please use those. We want massive pockets of melted chocolate, not just little speckles! And really, really commit to not chilling the dough. When I first tried chilling the dough for these best chocolate chip cookie copycat treats, they came out dense and flat. These gorgeous gooey chocolate chunk desserts thrive when they go straight from the bowl to the oven!

Storage and Reheating for Your Homemade levain bakery chocolate chip cookies

Because these levain bakery chocolate chip cookies are so tall and wonderfully gooey, they can sometimes feel a little softer the next day, and that’s okay! If you have leftovers—which might be tough since they vanish so fast—store them simply in an airtight container at room temperature. Do not refrigerate them unless you absolutely must, because the cold tends to firm up that soft center we worked so hard to achieve.

When you need a fresh-baked moment later, reheating is the key. Pop one of these giants in the microwave for about 10 to 15 seconds. Trust me, that little burst of heat melts the chocolate right back into that melty river we love, bringing back that perfect crispy edge soft center cookie feel instantly!

Serving Suggestions for These Indulgent Dessert Recipes

Now that you’ve baked the best levain bakery chocolate chip cookies, you need the perfect partner for them! These are seriously rich, so you can’t just eat them standing over the sink, no way. They practically scream for a glass of really cold milk. I always recommend making a fresh batch of homemade chocolate milk when I make these; you can check out my recipe for the ultimate homemade chocolate milk recipe.

If you’re serving them after dinner, try pairing one of these New York City cookie recipe marvels with a strong, dark roast coffee. That bitterness cuts right through the sweetness of all that chocolate. Honestly, they are amazing warm with just a drizzle of sea salt, too!

Frequently Asked Questions About levain bakery chocolate chip cookies

Since these levain bakery chocolate chip cookies require a specific technique to get that perfect texture, folks always have questions! I want to make sure you succeed on your first try, so I gathered the ones I hear most often:

Can I use different nuts or skip them completely in my copycat levain chocolate chip cookies?

You absolutely can! While walnuts are traditional for that classic taste, if you aren’t a fan, feel free to skip them. If you want another crunch, pecans work beautifully in these thick gooey chocolate chip cookies. Just remember that removing them means you have a bit more room for more chocolate! I’d load up on an extra half-cup of chocolate chunks if you omit the nuts.

How can I make these Levain style soft cookies flatter? I like them crispy all the way through.

That’s the opposite of what we’re going for here, but I understand wanting variety! To make them flatter, you need to let the dough warm up more before scooping, and you must gently press the dough balls down with the bottom of a glass before they go into the oven. Also, chilling the dough for 20 minutes slightly helps minimize the rise. Know that flattening them a lot means they might bake faster and won’t have that super gooey center we are famous for!

Can I freeze the dough for these giant bakery cookies recipe?

Yes, freezing the dough works really well for these, so you can always have a giant cookie ready to go! Scoop the dough into those large 6-ounce balls first, place them on a parchment-lined tray, and freeze them solid. Once they are hard disks, transfer them to a freezer bag. When you bake from frozen, just add about 3 to 4 minutes onto the baking time stated in the recipe. They still turn out fantastic!

What’s the best kind of chocolate for achieving that melty pocket effect?

This is crucial for the truly gooey chocolate chunk desserts experience. Skip anything labeled ‘mini’ or ‘morsel’ if you can. I highly recommend using high-quality chocolate bars (like Ghirardelli or Guittard bars) and chopping them roughly into varied sizes. Those larger chunks create those pockets of molten chocolate that truly define the best chocolate chip cookie copycat!

Estimated Nutritional Outline for levain bakery chocolate chip cookies

Now listen, because these are giant, they are super indulgent, and we need to be real about that! This information below is my best estimate for one massive cookie, based on the recipe details, and should be treated as such. If you manage to eat just one of these phenomenal levain bakery chocolate chip cookies, you’re looking at significant richness!

• Calories: Around 550
• Fat: About 35g
• Carbohydrates: Roughly 55g
• Protein: About 7g

Since these ultimate homemade cookies rely on lots of butter and chocolate chunks, they definitely fall into the “treat” category, not the everyday snack category! Enjoy every single bite!

Share Your Ultimate Homemade Cookies Experience

Well, you made them! You’ve conquered the world of levain bakery chocolate chip cookies, and now I’m dying to know how they turned out. Did they reach that perfect mountain-like thickness? Did you get those beautiful crispy edges that melt into that warm, gooey center? Please don’t leave me hanging!

Jump down into the comments below and tell me everything! Did this recipe truly deliver the best chocolate chip cookie copycat result you were hoping for? If you tried the walnut addition or stuck to pure chocolate chunk chaos, let me know which way you went!

If you loved these giant, indulgent treats, please snap a photo and share it on Instagram or Facebook. Tag me so I can see your amazing work! And if you want to send me a quick note or suggest another comfort food I should try to recreate next, you can always reach out via my contact page. Happy baking, my friend!

Ultimate Copycat Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

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Make thick, giant bakery-style chocolate chip cookies at home that are crispy outside and gooey inside, loaded with chocolate chunks and walnuts.

• Author: Carla Davis
• Prep Time: 20 min
• Cook Time: 15 min
• Total Time: 35 min
• Yield: 12 large cookies 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

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

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Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. This takes about 3 minutes with an electric mixer.
3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
4. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
6. Fold in the chocolate chips/chunks and walnuts using a spatula.
7. Scoop the dough into very large balls, about 6 ounces each (roughly 1/2 cup of dough per cookie). You should get about 12 large cookies.
8. Place the dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving plenty of space between them. Do not flatten the dough.
9. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes. The edges should look set and golden brown, but the centers should still look slightly underbaked and soft.
10. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely. This allows the centers to set properly.

Notes

• For the best texture, use high-quality chocolate chunks instead of standard chips.
• If you are short on time and need quick dinner ideas, consider looking into meal planning services, though these cookies are worth the effort.
• To achieve the signature thickness, do not chill the dough; use it right away.
• If you prefer a slightly crispier edge, bake for an extra minute or two.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cookie
• Calories: 550
• Sugar: 45g
• Sodium: 250mg
• Fat: 35g
• Saturated Fat: 20g
• Unsaturated Fat: 15g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 55g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 7g
• Cholesterol: 100mg