Copycat Levain Bakery Cookies
The secret to those famously thick New York cookies is no mystery once you know what to do. Cold dough, a hot oven, and ring molds to hold the shape — that combination gives you a cookie with a crisp outer shell and a center that stays dense and soft even as it cools.
This homemade version uses two kinds of sugar for depth, cornstarch for tenderness, and a generous handful of chopped nuts to add some crunch against all that melted chocolate. Press extra chocolate pieces on top right out of the oven. They sink in slightly as they cool, and that texture is hard to beat.
A copycat Levain Bakery cookie you can make at home, no trip to New York required. Each one bakes up with a golden, slightly crisp edge and a thick, pillowy center packed with chocolate chips. Ring molds keep them tall and bakery-style. Best eaten slightly warm, when the chocolate is still soft.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Beat the softened butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large bowl using a stand mixer or hand mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture is light and evenly combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.1 cup unsalted butter, 2/3 cup packed dark or light brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated white sugar, 2 large eggs
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until the batter is smooth and uniform with no streaks of butter remaining.
- Add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. Mix on low speed just until no dry streaks remain — do not overmix, or the cookies will be tough rather than tender.2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 pinch salt
- Fold the chopped nuts and most of the chocolate chips into the dough using a spatula or wooden spoon, reserving a small handful of chips for pressing on top after baking. Divide the dough into 10 equal balls, roughly 4.5 oz (about 130 g) each, and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Transfer the baking sheet to the freezer while you preheat the oven.3/4 cup roughly chopped nuts, 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
- Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C). Set a 3-inch ring mold or tartlet ring around each chilled dough ball to keep the cookies thick and tall during baking. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges are golden brown but the centers still look slightly underdone — they will firm up as they cool.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and immediately press the reserved chocolate chips onto the tops of the cookies while they are still very hot so the chips adhere. Let the cookies rest on the pan for 15 minutes before serving — the centers will be soft and the chocolate still slightly melted.
Nutrition
Notes
Freeze unbaked dough balls for up to 3 months and bake straight from frozen, adding 2 to 3 minutes to the bake time. This is a homemade version and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Levain Bakery.
