550 Cal levain bakery chocolate chip cookies

Oh, friend, let’s talk about the cookie pilgrimage we all make—or at least the one we wish we could make often. There is something utterly magical about walking into a famous New York bakery and biting into something massive, warm, and utterly decadent. I get it; that craving for the famous chocolate chip cookies is real. Well, I’ve spent way too much time perfecting this batch because I want that experience without the cross-country flight!

I’m thrilled to share what I truly believe is the ultimate copycat recipe for the giant, thick, and gooey levain bakery chocolate chip cookies. Forget those flat, crispy discs you get sometimes; these are meant to tower over your hand. When I pulled my first batch of these supersized treats from the oven, the smell alone transported me. Recreating something this iconic using my everyday method felt like a real kitchen win, and trust me, you are going to feel that sense of accomplishment too. Get ready for cookies that redefine indulgence!

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Why Our levain bakery chocolate chip cookies Recipe Works (The Secrets to Giant Bakery Cookies)

So, why are these the best copycat chocolate chip cookies you’ll ever make? It all comes down to the structure we build to guarantee those **soft center crispy edge cookies**. Most recipes tell you to chill your dough, but for these massive bakery-style desserts, we need a little heat to our advantage. The high baking temperature—400°F is essential!—sets the outside structure fast, locking in those incredible textures while leaving the inside molten and gooey.

A crucial tip for success with any **giant bakery cookies recipe** is making sure your butter and eggs are slightly cool, not room temperature warm. Cold fats mean less initial spreading in the high heat, helping us achieve that incredible height we’re after. This process is what separates a standard cookie from a true, enormous indulgence.

Achieving the Signature Thick, Gooey Texture in Your levain bakery chocolate chip cookies

Don’t even *think* about flattening these dough mounds before they go into the oven!

We are purposefully piling that dough high, using about six ounces per cookie. The 400°F oven hits them hard and fast. This ensures the exterior cooks just enough to look done while the center remains gloriously underbaked. That’s the secret handshake for that signature gooey texture everyone chases. We want tall, proud cookies, not pancakes!

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Essential Ingredients for Authentic levain bakery chocolate chip cookies

Okay, when we’re aiming for that specific bakery magic, every single ingredient matters. I’m giving you the exact lineup here, and I need you to trust me on the specifics!

You will need 1 cup of **softened** unsalted butter—not melted, just soft enough to dent with your finger—and make sure you pack that light brown sugar; we need that molasses depth!

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional, but I highly recommend them!)

If you want these bakery style dessert recipes to truly taste like the original, don’t skimp on the quality of your chocolate chips. Using two types gives the cookie complexity!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Thick Gooey Cookies

Let’s talk walnuts. The original version features generous amounts of them, and they add a great little crunch contrast to the **thick gooey cookies**. If you or a family member isn’t a fan, that’s totally fine! Just substitute the 1 cup of walnuts with an extra 1/2 cup of chocolate chips. That way, we maintain the sheer volume of inclusions required to keep the center unbelievably rich.

Step-by-Step Instructions: How to Make levain bakery chocolate chip cookies at Home

Alright, time to get our hands dirty! This process is straightforward, but you have to follow the rhythm. First things first: get that oven hot! We are preheating to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line those baking sheets with parchment paper now so you’re ready to go. If you ever need a great base recipe to compare against, check out my cake batter cookies recipe for general creaming inspiration, but we’re sticking to the Levain method here!

In your biggest mixing bowl, you’re going to cream that softened butter with both sugars until it looks genuinely light and fluffy. This usually takes a few minutes, so don’t rush it; we need those air pockets working for us. Next, drop in the eggs, one at a time, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next bit of vanilla.

Keep a separate bowl handy where you whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together. Now, we add the dry stuff to the wet stuff slowly, keeping the mixer speed low. When it just comes together—and I mean *just*—turn it off. Overmixing is the kiss of death for these cookies!

Finally, fold in those gorgeous chocolate chips and those optional but highly recommended walnuts by hand. Here’s the big move: forget tiny scoops. You need a large ice cream scoop, measuring out about 6 ounces or 3/4 cup of dough for every single cookie. Stack that dough high into thick mounds; please do not flatten them! I learned that lesson the hard way years ago when I tried to make them look neat.

Baking the Giant Bakery Cookies Recipe Perfectly

Because these are **NYC style chocolate chip cookies**, we bake them hot and fast to lock in that famous texture. Pop those generous dough mounds onto your parchment-lined sheets, giving them lots of space to breathe. They need 13 to 15 minutes in that 400°F heat. You are looking for the edges to be set and just starting to turn a light golden brown. That’s your cue!

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Here’s a step I never skip: You have to let them relax right there on the hot pan for a full 10 minutes after they come out. If you try to move them immediately, they’ll collapse into puddles. That crucial resting time lets the warm, gooey centers finish setting up just right before you carefully transfer them to a rack. Patience pays off, friend!

Expert Tips for the Best Homemade levain cookies

Now that you know the basic steps to make these amazing Levain Bakery style cookies, let me give you my absolute top secrets for getting them perfect every single time. You know I love sharing what actually works in my kitchen!

First, if you are making these ahead of time, please chill those dough balls! I know it’s torture waiting when you want a cookie right now, but chilling for at least 30 minutes keeps them thick and helps fight the spread. You can even make a huge batch and freeze half for future cravings. I often wrap mine individually in plastic wrap like little dough presents for an easy future bake. Check out my tips for maple brown sugar cookies if you want to see how I manage my dough prep!

Second, remember what I said about chocolate quality? It really pays off here because these cookies are mostly chocolate, butter, and sugar. Use chunks or high-quality chips. Also, if you skip the walnuts, make sure you replace that volume with extra chocolate—don’t just leave a gap in the dough!

My personal trick for handling these massive, 6-ounce mounds? I use a small offset spatula to gently guide them onto the parchment paper. Sometimes they are a little floppy after mixing, especially if your kitchen is warm, so that spatula helps you build them up into that signature tall shape before they hit the heat. These are truly the **best homemade Levain cookies** when you treat the dough gently but stack it high!

Storage and Reheating Instructions for Your levain bakery chocolate chip cookies

Because these cookies are so massive and filled with fats, they keep remarkably well, but honestly? They are best eaten the day you bake them. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They stay beautifully soft for three or four days that way. I’ve also made batches that I wrapped individually and tucked into the freezer—they freeze perfectly!

When you get that desperate craving later in the week, don’t just leave them on the counter! To bring back that fresh-from-the-oven experience, I pop them into a toaster oven or regular oven for just 3 to 4 minutes at 350°F. That brief warmth melts the residual chocolate inside and crisps those edges right up again. If you’re in a real rush, a quick 10-second zap in the microwave works wonders, though you might lose a little bit of that outside crispness. Give my recipe for double chocolate peppermint cookies a try next if you need another great freezer cookie!

Serving Suggestions for These Indulgent Chocolate Chip Cookies

Now that you have these magnificent, **indulgent chocolate chip cookies**, you have to serve them the right way! Let’s be honest, they don’t really need anything extra, but pairing them with something cold and simple just heightens the whole experience. A tall, icy glass of whole milk is the classic partner here—it cuts through the richness perfectly.

If you’re having them later in the evening, a strong cup of black coffee acts like chocolate’s best friend. Better yet, try scooping a bit of my homemade strawberry ice cream recipe right alongside one of these warm cookies. That contrast between warm cookie and cold, creamy ice cream? Truly next level stuff.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Copycat Chocolate Chip Cookies

I know when you’re tackling a famous recipe like this, you’re going to have questions! It’s only natural when aiming for that perfect, bakery-quality result. If you’ve got your ingredients ready, check these common queries first. If you still need more help, you can always look up my general tips on baking perfect Linzer cookies for general baking wisdom!

Can I make these levain bakery style cookies smaller?

You absolutely can, but I have to warn you: you’ll change the entire dynamic of the cookie! These recipes rely on being gigantic (six ounces of dough!) to achieve that thick, underbaked center. If you scoop them smaller, say using a tablespoon or standard teaspoon scoop, you’ll need to significantly drop your baking time, probably down to 8 or 9 minutes. Keep watching them closely, though, because the texture will be firmer throughout rather than that luscious, soft interior we love.

What makes these different from a standard chocolate chip cookie recipe?

The main difference is in the proportions and the temperature treatment. Standard recipes often balance the flour a bit more evenly with fats, but for these giant bakery cookies, we deliberately use a higher ratio of butter and sugar to flour. That high fat content, combined with that high 400°F baking temperature, creates the signature result. We use that dark brown sugar heavily, too, which pulls moisture into the dough and keeps things soft long after they cool down a bit.

What is the best way to get the crispy edges on these famous New York bakery cookies?

That lovely, slightly browned, crisp edge is a direct result of two things working together: the high volume of sugar and the short, hot blast in the oven. You need that initial burst of heat to start caramelizing the sugar on the outside quickly. If you chill the dough too long, it might not spread enough to form those beautiful, craggy edges. Remember, we want the edges to look set and lightly browned when you pull them out, even if the middle looks slightly wet. That contrast is what makes people reach for just one more!

Recipe Snapshot and Key Metrics

Since you’ve got the full recipe steps down, you probably just need the quick facts handy. I always pin my recipe cards up on the fridge when I’m making something new, just so I can glance at the timing!

Here are the essential metrics for these amazing treats:

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes (Doesn’t include chilling time if you choose to chill!)
• Yield: 10 giant cookies
• Category: Dessert

If you want to see more of my quick guides and baking experiments, you can always check out my main blog page, or come say hello over on my Facebook page at Pure Cooking Joy!

Estimated Nutritional Data for Our Copycat levain bakery chocolate chip cookies

Now, let’s talk real talk for a second. These cookies are pure joy, but they are definitely an indulgence! When you’re making something this rich, something that tastes like it came straight from a famous bakery counter, the nutrition facts aren’t going to look like diet food, and that’s okay! We bake for happiness sometimes, right?

Here is the estimated breakdown based on the ingredients listed above. Please remember, because we are using large scoops of dough and potentially varying the amount of chocolate or nuts, this is just a guide—an estimate based on standard ingredient averages, not a lab analysis!

• Serving Size: 1 cookie
• Calories: 550
• Sugar: 45g
• Sodium: 350mg
• Fat: 35g
• Saturated Fat: 20g
• Unsaturated Fat: 15g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 60g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 7g
• Cholesterol: 100mg

Seriously, keep this in mind when you’re enjoying one of these colossal treats—they are meant to be savored, perhaps shared, and definitely not eaten standing over the sink every day! Enjoy them responsibly!

The Ultimate Copycat Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies (Thick & Gooey)

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You can make the famous, giant, thick, and gooey chocolate chip walnut cookies from New York’s Levain Bakery right in your home kitchen. This recipe delivers the signature soft center and slightly crisp edges.

• Author: purejoyalex
• Prep Time: 20 min
• Cook Time: 15 min
• Total Time: 35 min
• Yield: 10 giant cookies 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

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• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional, but recommended for authenticity)

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Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This takes about 3 minutes.
3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
4. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix the dough.
6. Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, and chopped walnuts until evenly distributed.
7. Scoop the dough using a large ice cream scoop or measure out about 6 ounces (about 3/4 cup) of dough per cookie. You must form these into thick, tall mounds; do not flatten them.
8. Place the dough mounds onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving plenty of space between them as they spread slightly.
9. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes. The edges should look set and lightly golden, but the centers must remain soft and slightly underbaked for that signature gooey texture.
10. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. These giant bakery cookies are best eaten warm.

Notes

• For the thickest cookies, chill the dough balls for at least 30 minutes before baking. This helps them hold their shape.
• Use high-quality chocolate chunks or chips; this makes a difference in flavor.
• If you skip the walnuts, increase the chocolate chips by 1/2 cup to maintain the rich texture.
• These cookies are large; consider freezing half the dough for future batches of supersized dessert recipes.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cookie
• Calories: 550
• Sugar: 45g
• Sodium: 350mg
• Fat: 35g
• Saturated Fat: 20g
• Unsaturated Fat: 15g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 60g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 7g
• Cholesterol: 100mg