Thick Bakery Levain Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you’ve ever stood in line outside Levain Bakery in New York, you know what the hype is about. Their legendary chocolate chip walnut cookies are thick, chunky, and almost cake-like inside, with a crisp, golden crust that shatters when you break them apart. The center? Soft, gooey, and packed with molten chocolate and crunchy walnuts.
Bake the famous Levain Bakery–style chocolate chip walnut cookies right at home! These cookies are thick, chunky, crisp on the outside, and gooey in the center — loaded with rich chocolate and crunchy walnuts. Perfect for cookie lovers and bakery-style dessert fans. Easy to freeze so you can have fresh cookies anytime!
This is my version of the famous Levain cookie — big, bold, and bakery-worthy. Perfect for when you want to wow your family or impress guests, or simply treat yourself to the ultimate cookie indulgence. I hope you will try it and let me know what you think in the comments below.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Bakery-style indulgence at home – Thick, chunky, and loaded with flavor.
- Crisp outside, gooey inside – Just like the original.
- Packed with mix-ins – Rich chocolate and crunchy walnuts in every bite.
- Easy to make – No complicated techniques, just simple steps for a big reward.
- Freezer-friendly – Keep dough balls ready to bake anytime.
Ingredients and Substitutes
- All-purpose flour – Spoon and level for accuracy; too much flour will make cookies dry.
- Cornstarch – Adds tenderness and helps keep the center soft.
- Baking powder – Helps the cookies rise tall.
- Baking soda – Controls spread while creating chewy edges.
- Salt – Enhances flavor and balances sweetness.
- Cold unsalted butter – Keeps the dough firm; if using salted butter, reduce the added salt.
- Dark brown sugar – Gives a deep, rich flavor; light brown sugar will make the flavor milder.
- Granulated sugar – Adds crispness and sweetness.
- Cold eggs – Keep the dough cool and prevent over-spreading.
- Vanilla extract – Adds a layer of flavor.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips – For that classic Levain taste.
- Dark chocolate chips – For a richer chocolate flavor.
- Walnuts – Add crunch and nutty flavor; omit for a nut-free version.
Step-by-Step: Levain Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Preheat oven to 400°F / 200°C. Line baking trays with parchment paper.
- Mix dry ingredients – Whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Cream – In a stand mixer, beat the cold butter with brown and granulated sugars just until combined (do not overcream). Mix in one egg at a time, followed by the vanilla.
- Combine – Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture; mix until just combined.
- Fold in chocolate and walnuts – Use a spatula to evenly distribute the mix-ins.
- Shape dough balls – Keep them tall and chunky; do not flatten.
- Chill – Refrigerate the dough balls for at least 1 hour to help them hold their shape.
- Bake – Large cookies: 9–11 minutes; medium cookies: 8–10 minutes, until edges are golden but centers are still slightly underbaked.
- Cool – Let cookies rest on the baking tray for 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack.
Levain Chocolate Chip Cookies
Bake thick, gooey Levain Bakery–style chocolate chip cookies at home – no cake flour needed! My walnut-free copycat comes in both jumbo 6 oz and medium 4 oz sizes, with crisp edges and soft, melty centers.
Video
Ingredients
Makes 10 large cookies (about 6 oz each) or 15 medium cookies (about 4 oz each)
- 360 g (3 cups) All-purpose flour
- 24 g (2 tbsp) Cornstarch
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- 1 tsp Salt
- 225 g (1 cup) Cold unsalted butter cut into cubes
- 150 g (¾ cup) Dark brown sugar packed
- 50 g (¼ cup) Granulated sugar
- 2 large Cold eggs
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 400 g (2 cup) Chocolate chips Semi-sweet and Dark mixed
- 200 g (2 cups) Walnuts roughly chopped
Method
- Oven & pan – Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C. Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
- Mix dry ingredients – In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.360 g All-purpose flour, 24 g Cornstarch, 1 tsp Baking powder, 1 tsp Baking soda, 1 tsp Salt
- Cream – In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cold butter with both sugars just until combined. Do not overcream. Mix in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla.225 g Cold unsalted butter, 150 g Dark brown sugar, 50 g Granulated sugar, 2 large Cold eggs, 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- Combine – Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until just combined.
- Fold in mix-ins – Gently stir in both types of chocolate chips and the walnuts until evenly distributed.400 g Chocolate chips, 200 g Walnuts
- Shape dough balls – For large cookies, portion at 170 g (6 oz); for medium cookies, portion at 113 g (4 oz). Keep the dough balls tall and chunky; do not flatten.
- Chill – Refrigerate the shaped dough balls for at least 1 hour.
- Bake – Place the dough balls on prepared trays, spacing them apart. Large cookies: Bake for 9–11 minutes. Medium cookies: Bake for 8–10 minutes.Edges should be golden while centers remain slightly underbaked.
- Cool – Let cookies rest on the baking tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
- If omitting walnuts, replace with more chocolate chips.
- Freeze shaped dough balls for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to bake time.
- Do not skip chilling — it keeps the cookies thick and prevents spreading.
Tips for Success
- Use cold butter and eggs to prevent the dough from spreading.
- Weigh your dough for even baking and a consistent size.
- Do not overbake – They should look slightly underdone in the center.
- Chill the dough balls before baking to keep the cookies thick.
- Use a mix of semi-sweet and dark chocolate for depth of flavor.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
Mention @veenaazmanov_kitchen or tag #veenaazmanovkitchen!Tips for Success
- Use cold butter and eggs to prevent the dough from spreading.
- Weigh your dough for even baking and a consistent size.
- Do not overbake – They should look slightly underdone in the center.
- Chill the dough balls before baking to keep the cookies thick.
- Use a mix of semi-sweet and dark chocolate for depth of flavor.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Possible Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| The oven not hot enough | Butter too soft or dough not chilled | Use cold butter, chill longer before baking |
| Cookies too dry | Overbaked or too much flour | Bake until just set; measure flour correctly |
| Flat cookies | Not enough flour or leavening | Weigh ingredients; check baking soda/powder freshness |
| Pale tops | Fully preheat the oven before baking | Fully preheat oven before baking |
more chocolate chip cookies
- No Chill Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Classic Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Thin and Crisp Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Eggless chocolate chip cookies
- Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies
Frequently asked questions
Can I make these without walnuts?
Yes — just replace the walnuts with more chocolate chips or another mix-in.
Can I freeze the dough?
Absolutely. Shape the dough into balls, freeze on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time.
How do I get the gooey center?
The trick is to bake at a high temperature and pull the cookies out while the centers are still slightly underbaked. They’ll finish cooking on the tray.
Can I make them smaller?
Yes — reduce the size of the dough balls and adjust the bake time accordingly.
more cookies to explore
- Lemon Curd Cookies
- Soft Amish Cookies
- Coconut Macaroons (5 Ingredients)
- Alfajores Cookies
- Perfect Vanilla Biscuits
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Tried these over the weekend and they were gone the same day. My kids kept coming back for “just one more” 😄 Definitely keeping this recipe.
That’s the best kind of feedback! These cookies do have a way of disappearing fast — so glad they were a hit with the kids.