If you’ve ever dreamed of biting into one of those legendary, gooey, thick chocolate chip cookies from Levain Bakery in New York, you’re not alone. I’ve had countless requests to remake these world-famous cookies, and I finally took the plunge. After a trip to the Upper West Side to taste the original, I cracked the code on this tasty recipe so you can enjoy it right at home.
This cooking recipe is all about capturing that signature thick, almost underbaked center with a crisp exterior, loaded with dark chocolate and toasted walnuts. Whether you’re a cookie connoisseur or just someone who loves a great American recipe, this guide will walk you through every step to get as close to Levain’s masterpiece as possible.
Step 1: Taste Test the Original Levain Cookie
Before diving into the kitchen, I had to experience the real deal. Levain cookies are basically a warm ball of cookie dough with a vaguely crispy exterior and a thick, gooey center. The texture is what sets them apart — they maintain liquidy chocolate chunks inside rather than a fully baked, dry cookie.
After tasting, it was clear that Levain’s secret might involve using less baking soda or powder, more egg yolks, and a careful balance of rich ingredients to keep the cookie thick and gooey.
Step 2: Gather the Right Ingredients
The secret to nailing this American recipe starts with ingredient quality and precision. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Butter: 1¼ cups (280g) unsalted, melted and cooled
- Chocolate: 1 lb (450g) dark chocolate, 60-70% cacao, roughly chopped
- Flours: 1½ cups (230g) cake flour and 2 cups (275g) all-purpose flour
- Sugars: 1¼ cups (285g) light brown sugar and ½ cup (115g) granulated white sugar
- Eggs: 2 whole eggs plus 3 egg yolks
- Leavening & Thickening: ½ tsp (6g) baking soda, 2 tsp (8g) cornstarch
- Salt: 1½ tsp (5g) kosher salt
- Walnuts: 2 cups (165g) toasted and roughly chopped
Two key notes: use dark chocolate (no milk chocolate allowed) and cake flour instead of all-purpose flour. Yes, cake flour is essential for that tender crumb and thick texture.
Step 3: Mixing the Dough
Start by melting your butter and letting it cool slightly. In a medium bowl, whisk together your cake flour, all-purpose flour, kosher salt, cornstarch, and baking soda.
Next, in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the brown and white sugars. Slowly stream in the melted butter while whisking on medium speed until the mixture becomes creamy.
Now, add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly between each addition. Follow with the egg yolks, making sure everything is smooth and homogeneous.
Switch to the paddle attachment and carefully mix in the flour mixture. Be prepared for a little flour flying everywhere — it’s just part of the process!
Step 4: Fold in Chocolate and Walnuts
Once your dough is smooth, gently fold in the chopped toasted walnuts and dark chocolate pieces. I recommend doing this by hand rather than in the mixer to avoid damaging your machine and to ensure even distribution.
At this point, your dough should look thick and luscious — ready to become those iconic tall cookies.
Step 5: Chill Your Dough for Thick, Tall Cookies
This is the number one tip for replicating Levain’s cookies: chill your dough. Wrap it tightly and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes. The longer you chill, the taller your cookies will be once baked.
Cold dough holds its shape better, preventing your cookies from spreading too thin in the oven.
Step 6: Perfect Scooping for Big Cookie Balls
Levain cookies are famously hefty — averaging about six ounces each. For best results, use a six-ounce scoop or a 4-ounce stainless steel disher stuffed tightly to form tall dough balls.
Place your dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them out well. If you want extra tall cookies, refrigerate the scooped dough for another 20-25 minutes before baking.
Step 7: Bake at High Heat for Gooey Centers
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) — yes, that’s hot! Bake the cookies for 10-13 minutes until the edges are lightly browned but the centers remain slightly underdone.
This high-temperature, short bake time locks in that gooey, melty chocolate center while giving you a crisp exterior.
Step 8: Enjoy Your Homemade Levain Cookies
When you pull your cookies out, they should be thick, tall, and irresistibly gooey inside. While my first attempt was about 85-90% similar to the original, chilling the dough longer will only improve your results.
These cookies are perfect for American recipe lovers craving that iconic Levain experience without the travel fees.
Thanks to the inspiration and collaboration with Binging with Babish, I’m thrilled to share this recipe with you. If you want to dive deeper, there’s a collab bread video over on Babish’s channel — link in the description below.
If you enjoyed this cooking recipe and learned something new, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and try it out yourself. Your kitchen deserves this kind of deliciousness!
This article was created from the video Recreating Levain Chocolate Chip Cookies Feat. Binging with Babish with the help of AI.
Recreating Levain Bakery’s Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies: A Step-by-Step Cooking Recipe. There are any Recreating Levain Bakery’s Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies: A Step-by-Step Cooking Recipe in here.
