𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐞𝐬

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Levain Bakery’s cookies are legendary: thick, crisp on the outside, gooey on the inside, and packed with melty chocolate chips. This recipe recreates that perfect balance using simple ingredients and a few essential baking tricks.

⏱ Prep Time & Yield

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Chill Time (optional): 30–60 minutes
Bake Time: 10–12 minutes
Total Time: ~45 minutes (with chilling)
Yield: 8 jumbo cookies

🧰 Equipment Needed

Mixing bowls
Electric mixer (hand or stand)
Kitchen scale (recommended)
Cookie sheet
Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
Ice cream scoop (large, ¼ cup size)

📝 Ingredients

1 cup (226g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
¾ cup (150g) light brown sugar
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 ½ cups (190g) cake flour
1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups (340g) semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
1 cup (100g) chopped walnuts or pecans (optional but authentic)

🔍 Ingredient Notes

Cold butter: Crucial for thickness and texture—do not soften.
Cake flour: Adds tenderness and lightness to balance the dense dough.
Chocolate chips: Use high-quality chunks or a mix of chips and chopped bars.
Nuts: Levain’s original recipe includes walnuts. You can omit or swap them.

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. Preheat Oven

Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Cream Butter & Sugars

In a large bowl, beat cold cubed butter with both sugars until just combined (about 1–2 minutes). It should be slightly creamy but still firm.

3. Add Eggs

Mix in eggs one at a time, just until incorporated. Avoid overmixing.

4. Add Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk flours, baking soda, and salt. Gradually mix into the wet ingredients. Dough will be very thick.

5. Fold in Chocolate & Nuts

Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts. You may need to use your hands or a sturdy spatula.

6. Form Dough Balls

Divide dough into 8 large mounds (about 6 oz or ¾ cup each). Do not flatten—keep them rough and tall for the signature Levain look.

Optional: Chill for 30–60 minutes for thicker cookies.

7. Bake

Place 4 cookies per sheet (they’re huge!). Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown but centers still look slightly underbaked.

8. Cool & Serve

Let cookies rest on the sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a rack. Enjoy warm, gooey, and glorious!

🍽 Nutrition (Per Jumbo Cookie – Approx.)

Nutrient	Amount
Calories	~550
Fat	30g
Carbs	60g
Sugar	35g
Protein	7g

Values vary by chocolate and nut choice.

💡 Tips

Don’t overbake. The gooey center is what makes these cookies famous.
Weigh your flour for accuracy—too much will make them cakey.
Use cold dough for taller cookies with thick centers.
Reheat leftover cookies in the microwave for 10–15 seconds to get that gooey texture back.

🔄 Variations

Flavor Twist	How to Do It
Double Chocolate	Replace ½ cup flour with cocoa powder
Peanut Butter Swirl	Add ½ cup peanut butter and reduce butter slightly
Sea Salt Top	Sprinkle flaky salt on top before baking
S’mores	Add mini marshmallows and graham cracker chunks