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The Ultimate Copycat Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies: Giant, Gooey Centers, Crispy Edges

Close-up of a levain bakery chocolate chip cookie broken in half, showing gooey melted chocolate and nuts.
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Recreate the famous New York City bakery experience with this recipe for giant, thick chocolate chip walnut cookies. You will achieve the signature crispy edges and soft, underbaked, gooey centers.

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
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional, but recommended for authentic flavor)

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 the mixture is light and fluffy. This takes about 3 minutes.
  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 and chopped walnuts by hand.
  7. For the iconic size, scoop the dough into very large balls, about 6 ounces each (use a large ice cream scoop or measure about 1/3 cup of dough per cookie). You should get 8 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 soft and underbaked. This is key for the gooey center.
  10. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. The residual heat will finish setting the center.

Notes

  • To replicate the bakery look, gently press a few extra chocolate chips onto the top of each dough ball before baking.
  • For the best texture, chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before scooping, although this recipe is designed to work without extensive chilling.
  • If you prefer a slightly crispier edge, bake for an additional 1 to 2 minutes, watching carefully to prevent the center from fully setting.

Nutrition

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