Levain Bakery Cookie Copycat Recipe

These cookies are my flaky, glorious rebellion against dainty bakery cookies — big, thick, crackly on the outside, molten and gooey inside, studded with big chunks of chocolate and walnuts. It’s my best attempt at the legendary Levain Bakery cookie (you know the one), and honestly, it’s the sort of cookie that ruins store-bought treats for you forever. If you love overstuffed, underbaked centers and a little grit from browned butter, this is your jam.

My husband will sprint from another room if he hears the oven timer. He’ll stand with one foot in the kitchen and one foot in the living room like it’s a hostage negotiation: “Can I have one now?” We started making these on a rainy Sunday, both hungry and lazy, and they’ve become our weekend ritual — sometimes a midweek emergency. Once I forgot to chill the dough and we ate the flatter, greasier batch anyway; still got compliments. That’s the level of forgiving this recipe is.

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This dough is shaggy and a little ugly — that’s okay. I learned the hard way that overmixing makes dense bricks, so I mix until just combined and embrace the rough look. Browning the butter gives depth, but it happens quickly, so don’t wander off scrolling your phone. I sometimes swap half bread flour for all-purpose for more chew; sometimes I don’t and blame the moon. Cookies bake differently depending on sheet color and oven quirks, so rotate trays if yours are suspiciously golden on one side.

Shopping Tips

– Baking Basics: Use fresh flour and real brown sugar (not that dry-packaged nonsense) — it makes a noticeably chewier cookie.
– Fats & Oils: Get unsalted butter so you control the salt; browned butter is worth the five extra seconds of attention.
– Chocolate: Go for a mix of chopped chocolate bars and chips — bars melt into pockets, chips keep their shape.
– Nuts & Seeds: Use toasted walnuts or pecans for crunch; buy them raw and toast at home for better flavor.
– Flavor Boosts: Real vanilla extract and a tiny pinch of flaky salt on top turns these from “nice” to “memorable.”

Prep Ahead Ideas

– Make the dough a day or two ahead and keep it tightly wrapped in the fridge — firm dough makes those tall, bakery-style mounds.
– Portion dough into balls and freeze them on a tray; toss frozen balls straight onto the sheet when you want fresh cookies.
– Store pre-portioned dough in an airtight container with parchment between layers so they don’t stick together.
– Chilling overnight deepens flavor and makes the texture more reliable on busy weeknights.

✔Time-Saving Tricks

– Use chopped chocolate and a handful of chips instead of chopping bars for the fastest prep.
– Freeze portioned dough so you can bake a few fresh cookies in minutes without making a full batch.
– Line baking sheets with parchment or a silicone mat for quicker cleanup and more even browning.
– Don’t skip resting the dough if you can help it, but if you must bake same-day, pop the dough in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up.

✔Common Mistakes

– Overmixing: I once mixed until perfect-looking dough — ended up with dense, cakey cookies. Mix until just combined.
– Too-hot butter: Burned butter gives a bitter edge; watch for nutty aroma and brown flecks, then remove from heat.
– Skipping chill time: Cookies spread too much without it. If you forget, briefly freeze dough balls to save the shape.
– Oven lies: One oven’s 12 minutes is another oven’s 8; check early and look for golden edges while centers stay soft.

What to Serve It With

– A tall glass of cold milk (classic and correct).
– Vanilla ice cream and a warm cookie for a quick skillet sundae.
– Cheap coffee or a strong espresso — they cut the sweetness and make you feel sophisticated.
– Salted caramel drizzle if you’re trying to impress someone on short notice.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Use parchment/silicone — they save your life and your sheet pans.
– If cookies look flat mid-bake, check your flour measurement and chill time next batch.
– Sprinkle flaky sea salt right as they come out of the oven for that bakery pop.
– Don’t be afraid to underbake by a minute or two for molten centers.

✔Storage Tips

Keep leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days; they soften as they sit, which is actually delightful for many of us. For longer storage, freeze baked cookies in a single layer in a zip bag for up to a month. Cold cookie? Totally acceptable for breakfast — microwave for 10–12 seconds to recapture that fresh-baked warmth.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Chocolate: Swap semisweet for bittersweet or a mix of milk and dark for different melting behavior and sweetness.
– Nuts: Omit nuts for nut-free or replace with chopped pretzel pieces for a salty crunch.
– Flour: Bread flour yields chewier cookies; all-purpose makes them a touch more tender.
– Sweeteners: I don’t recommend replacing brown sugar entirely, but a mix of brown and a little maple syrup works in a pinch — expect a slightly different texture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Levain Bakery Cookie Copycat Recipe

Thick, gooey chocolate chip walnut cookies with crisp edges and soft, melty centers. Big bakery-style scoops bake up tall in minutes.

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes

Total Time: 32 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 9 oz unsalted butter cold, cut into cubes
• ▢ 0.8 cup light brown sugar packed
• ▢ 0.6 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 3.5 oz eggs lightly beaten
• ▢ 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 2.2 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 cup cake flour
• ▢ 1 tbsp cornstarch
• ▢ 1 tsp baking powder
• ▢ 0.75 tsp baking soda
• ▢ 0.75 tsp fine sea salt
• ▢ 2 cup semisweet chocolate chunks or chips
• ▢ 2 cup walnuts toasted, roughly chopped

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Preheat oven to 410°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
• Toast walnuts on a sheet for 6 minutes until fragrant; cool, then chop.
• Whisk all-purpose flour, cake flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Beat cold butter with both sugars until just creamy, about 60 seconds.
• Mix in eggs and vanilla on low until combined; do not overbeat.
• Add dry ingredients. Blend on low until a thick dough forms.
• Fold in chocolate and walnuts until evenly distributed.
• Scoop eight large mounds, about 4 ounces each, stacking them tall.
• Chill the scooped dough 10 minutes to reduce spread, if kitchen is warm.
• Bake 11–13 minutes until tops are set and edges browned; rest 10 minutes.

Notes

Variation: Swap walnuts for pecans, or use half milk chocolate for a sweeter bite. Finish hot cookies with a pinch of flaky salt. Storage: Keep in an airtight container 3 days, or freeze scooped dough and bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes.

This recipe is an original creation inspired by classic Levain Bakery Cookie Copycat Recipe flavors. All ingredient ratios and instructions are independently developed.