Copycat New York’s Famous Levain Bakery’s Chocolate Chip Cookies
This recipe for New York’s Famous Levain Bakery’s Chocolate Chip Cookies are chewy, crunchy and gooey. Just the way a chocolate chip cookie should be. Just like the ones from my favorite bakery in New York City. A must to bake a batch soon and enjoy!
If you live in New York, you probably have heard of the famous Levain Bakery. They have a few locations around Manhattan. A hot spot so to speak.
Even if you live upstate or on Long Island like I do, you have heard of Levain Bakery.
The locations of the bakery’s is where you will find the most outrageous cookies.
If you don’t live in New York and planning a visit, be sure to check out one of their locations.
Well, I do live on Long Island, way out in Suffolk County, which is a little over an hour or more away by car to Manhattan.
It’s not a hop skip and a jump to get there.
So, whenever my family goes into the city for a show or just to shop and walk around, I am sure to head on over to Levain Bakery for one or more of their amazing cookies.
Especially their original New York’s Famous Levain Bakery’s Chocolate Chip Cookies.
The last time we were in the city, I knew it was going to be awhile until the next time we would get a chance to drive or take a train in again even for some shopping and walking around because of work and other things we had scheduled.
But, that didn’t stop me from thinking about my favorite cookies from my favorite bakery.
I was seriously craving the thick and I mean thick chocolate chip cookies that I adored.
Now, being a food blogger, I make up recipes all the time. If I wanted this cookie so badly I would have to make it myself. Easier said than done. This one recipe was a real challenge for me like no other. The ingredients are basic and easy to find in your local market. You probably already have the ingredients in your pantry and fridge.
It took four tries until I got the texture and chewiness I wanted. Happily, the fourth try was the charm. My husband and kids loved them, and so did I.
You will see the secret to get the texture. It was an A-ha moment!
Just a note, for my friends that don’t eat dairy, you can swap out the butter and use vegan margarine. Really! The cookies will still turn out delicious. I promise. Don’t miss out on these special cookies because you don’t eat butter. When you buy the good quality vegan butters, you have a great baked good. Dairy peeps, get ready for the most outrageous cookie!
So, there you have it, my story on why I had to make these incredible cookies and why I think they are the best cookie ever.
Just want to say, I do have other delicious cookie recipes on my blog. I enjoy them, they are all great recipes but, this is and will always be my favorite cookie and I think I speak for my family, it’s their favorite cookie too.
When I say a whole batch of these are gone in a blink of an eye, I’m not exaggerating. When these are made in the late morning by the evening they are gone.
This is why I always hide three for myself. In my own time, I savor them and eat them up with such enjoyment.
Check out the recipe, you will love these, I know you will!!
Copycat New York’s Famous Levain Bakery’s Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yields 15 to 18 large cookies
Here’s what you’ll need to make a batch of Copycat New York’s Famous Levain Bakery’s Chocolate Chip Cookies…
Ingredients:
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter or vegan butter cut into cubes
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large cold eggs
- 3 cups cake flour
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, Levain’s does not put vanilla in their recipe but, I put vanilla in most of my baked goods
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea or kosher salt
- 1 cup dark chocolate chunks or large chocolate chips
- 1 cup good quality bittersweet chocolate chips, you can use all semisweet too
- optional chopped walnuts, I didn’t include them in my recipe but, the original Levain’s chocolate chip cookies do have the walnuts in them
*The secret to making these amazing: butter and eggs have to be cold. Right out of the fridge. If you have time before baking, place the flour and sugars in the fridge too.
Here’s how to make these amazing cookies…
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees, line a cookie sheet with a Silpat (highly recommended) or parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, using a hand held mixer or stand mixer, (I use these two all the time! ) cream together cold butter or margarine with sugars until combined and creamy. Don’t over mix. We still want to keep the butter mixture on the cold side.
- Add in eggs one at a time along with vanilla extract.
-
In another large mixing bowl, combine flours, corn starch, salt and baking soda with a whisk to make sure there’s no lumps. Slowly add to butter mixture.
- Mix just until combined. Try not to over mix the batter.
- Finish mixing with a sturdy rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Dig down deep to incorporate all dry mixture from the bottom of bowl.
- Add in chips and chunks and walnuts if using. Mix gently yet firm to get all the yummy chocolate well incorporated.
- Using a large cookie or ice-cream scoop, make large balls. If batter is too soft to roll in your hands. Scoop and place on cookie sheet. I only put 4 on a sheet.
- Place cookie sheet in freezer for up to 30 minutes. Take out and shape balls so that they are all the same size and uniform. This step is very important no matter if the batter is soft or firm for the cookies to come out the way they should. They can be in the freezer up to 1 hour if needed but minimum 3o minutes.
- Bake for 11-13 minutes on upper rack. After 5 minutes, turn pan around. Check after 11 minutes. Cookies should still be a little soft in the middle. Take out and let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes or so. Transfer over to a cooling rack. Let set up for another 10 minutes. Now it’s time to take a big gooey bite!
***Enjoy the chewy, chunky, chocolate deliciousness!
Copycat Trader Joe’s Pancake Bread
Copycat New York's Famous Levain Bakery's Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter or vegan margarine. cut into chunks
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup cane or granulated sugar
- 2 large cold eggs
- 3 cups cake flour
- 1 tsp corn starch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp vanilla extract Levain’s original recipe does not have vanilla but, I put vanilla in all my baked goods
- 1/2 tsp fine sea or kosher salt
- 1 cup dark chocolate chunks or large chocolate chips
- 1 cup good quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
- •chopped walnuts, optional, this is in their original recipe. I did not add them in my recipe
Instructions
-
1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees, line a cookie sheet with a Silpat (highly recommended) or parchment paper. Set aside.
2.In a large mixing bowl, using a hand held mixer or stand mixer, cream together cold butter or margarine with sugars until combined and creamy. Don’t over mix. We still want to keep the butter mixture on the cold side.
3.Add in eggs one at a time along with vanilla extract.
4.In another large mixing bowl, combine flours, corn starch, salt and baking soda with a whisk to make sure there’s no lumps. Slowly add to butter mixture.
5.Mix just until combined. Try not to over mix the batter.
6.Finish mixing with a sturdy rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Dig down deep to incorporate all dry mixture from the bottom of bowl.
7.Add in chips and chunks and walnuts if using. Mix gently yet firm to get all the yummy chocolate well incorporated.
8.Using a large cookie or ice-cream scoop, make large balls. If batter is too soft to roll in your hands. Scoop and place on cookie sheet. I only put 4 on a sheet.
9.Place cookie sheet in freezer for up to 30 minutes. Take out and shape balls so that they are all the same size and uniform. This step is very important no matter if the batter is soft or firm for the cookies to come out the way they should. They can be in the freezer up to 1 hour if needed but minimum 3o minutes.
10.Bake for 11-13 minutes on upper rack. After 5 minutes, turn pan around. Check after 11 minutes. Cookies should still be a little soft in the middle. Take out and let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes or so. Transfer over to a cooling rack. Let set up for another 10 minutes. Now it’s time to take a big gooey bite!
Sit down and have a few cookies with a big glass of milk
Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed this very special chocolate chip cookie recipe. Please stop back again soon. There are so many more recipes to see. Don’t forget to scroll up so you can print out the recipe.
Bye for now…
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