Description
Levain Bakery NYC Cookies are famously thick, gooey, and packed with chocolate chips and walnuts. This recipe creates large, bakery-style cookies with a crisp outside and a soft, almost underbaked center for an irresistible indulgence that can be enjoyed fresh from your oven.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Mix-Ins
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (or a mix of semisweet and milk chocolate)
- 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional, or substitute with pecans)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 410°F (210°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside to prepare for baking.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This mixture ensures even distribution throughout the dough.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer on medium speed to cream the cold cubed butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until the mixture is fluffy and smooth, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs one at a time into the creamed butter and sugar, mixing well after each addition to incorporate fully, followed by the vanilla extract.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain the desired cookie texture.
- Fold in Chocolate and Nuts: Using a spatula, gently fold in the chocolate chips and chopped walnuts (if using), ensuring even distribution without deflating the dough.
- Shape Cookies: Use your hands or a cookie scoop to portion the dough into large balls, about 1/4 cup each, and place them on the prepared baking sheets without flattening; leaving them as mounds is key to the Levain cookie look and texture.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, until the edges are golden brown but the centers remain soft and slightly underbaked for maximum gooeyness.
- Cool and Serve: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. For the best experience, enjoy them warm.
Notes
- Cold butter is crucial for the texture; do not soften it before mixing.
- Do not flatten cookie dough balls to preserve the characteristic thick and gooey center.
- Walnuts are optional and can be substituted with pecans or omitted altogether for a nut-free cookie.
- Cookies are best enjoyed warm to fully appreciate their gooey interior.
- For even baking, rotate baking sheets halfway through baking time if needed.
