You know those cookies that make you cancel plans just to stay home and bake? These are them. I’ve spent years trying to crack the code on Levain Bakery’s legendary chocolate chip cookies, and I’m convinced this is it. We’re talking about cookies the size of your palm, with crispy golden edges that give way to an almost gooey center loaded with melty chocolate. They’re the kind of cookies that make you close your eyes on the first bite.
What makes these different from your average chocolate chip cookie? Three things: cold butter (not softened!), massive portions, and a hot oven. The result is a cookie that’s tall, thick, and has that signature crackly top that Levain is famous for. Trust me, once you make these, regular cookies just won’t cut it anymore.
Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 10 minutes
Makes: About 8 giant cookies
What You’ll Need
For the dough:
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter (straight from the fridge, cut into cubes)
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs (room temperature works best)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or regular table salt)
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped walnuts (totally optional, but they add great texture)
How to Make Them
Get your oven ready: Crank it up to 400°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Yes, 400°F is hot, but that’s the secret to getting crispy outsides while keeping the centers soft.
Start with cold butter: This is crucial. Toss your cold butter cubes, white sugar, and brown sugar into a large bowl. Beat them together with a mixer on medium speed for about 2-3 minutes. It won’t get super fluffy like traditional cookies—it’ll look more crumbly and combined, and that’s exactly what you want.
Add the wet stuff: Crack in your eggs one at a time, mixing well after each one. Pour in the vanilla and give it another quick mix.
Mix your dry ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This just makes sure everything gets distributed evenly.
Bring it together: Gradually add your flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed just until you don’t see dry flour anymore. The dough will be thick and heavy—that’s perfect. Whatever you do, don’t overmix or you’ll end up with tough cookies.
Load it up: Fold in those chocolate chips and walnuts (if you’re using them) until they’re spread throughout the dough. I like to save a few chocolate chips to press into the tops before baking—it makes them look bakery-perfect.
Shape them big: Here’s where these cookies really set themselves apart. Scoop out about 1/2 cup of dough for each cookie. Roll each portion into a rough, tall ball—think more like a small snowball than a flat disc. Don’t flatten them! That height is what gives you the signature tall, thick cookie.
Give them space: Place your dough balls on the baking sheets with at least 3 inches between them. These cookies spread a bit, and you don’t want them merging into one giant cookie monster.
Bake them right: Pop them in the oven for 9-12 minutes. You’re looking for golden brown tops with centers that still look slightly underdone. They might seem too soft when you pull them out, but they’ll continue cooking on the pan.
The hardest part: Let them cool on the baking sheet for 10-15 minutes. I know it’s torture, but this cooling time is essential. The cookies firm up and set during this time. If you try to move them too early, they’ll fall apart.
Tips for Perfect Cookies Every Time
- Cold butter is non-negotiable. It creates a different texture than softened butter—more cakey and substantial rather than flat and crispy.
- Make them uniform. Try to keep your cookie balls roughly the same size so they all bake evenly.
- Don’t overbake. These cookies are meant to be soft and slightly underdone in the middle. They’ll look a little puffy when you take them out, and that’s good.
- Play with the chocolate. Try mixing dark chocolate and milk chocolate chips, or throw in some chocolate chunks for extra melty pockets.
- Skip the nuts? No problem. They’re totally optional. Or swap them for pecans if that’s more your style.
Storing Your Cookies
Keep these in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days (though let’s be real, they never last that long). You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months—just thaw at room temperature when you’re ready for a cookie fix.
Want to freeze the dough? Shape the balls, freeze them on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake straight from frozen, adding a minute or two to the bake time.
