For anyone who’s read my NYC cookie guide, or at the very least been to NYC and had a penchant for excellent baked goods, Levain Bakery has surely been top of mind. Their larger-than-life, ooey-gooey in the center cookies are pure baked good heaven. In my own kitchen, I’ve baked a lot of cookies, especially of the chocolate chip variety, over the years, but when I stumbled upon this take on Levain’s, I knew that I had found a worthy new recipe to try. Needless to say, this recipe did not disappoint. Read on for Brown Eyed Baker’s take on Levain’s chocolate chip cookies (no trip to the upper west side required).

 

Copycat Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: 12 cookies

 

INGREDIENTS

3 cups (13½ ounces) bread flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes

¾ cup + 4 teaspoons (6 ounces) light or dark brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

2 eggs, cold, lightly beaten in a separate bowl

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1½ cups dark chocolate chips

1 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped (I skipped these)

 

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until it comes together in one cohesive mass, about 1 minute. Add both sugars and continue to beat for another 1 to 2 minutes, until all of the sugar has been incorporated into the butter. Gradually add the eggs and vanilla and continue beating on medium speed until mixed, scraping the sides of bowl once (the batter will appear lumpy). Reduce the speed to medium-low and gradually add the flour mixture until just a little bit of flour still remains. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts with a rubber spatula.

Divide the dough into 12 even pieces, just grabbing it by the handful and roughly shaping it into a ball (it should not be smooth). Place them (evenly spaced) on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Bake for 18 to 24 minutes, or until light golden brown on top. Let cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet, then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

 

Original recipe can be found here.