Easy Thick NYC Levain Style Cookie
About this recipe
I know I'm not the only one who will come across videos of these gorgeous, chunky cookies and is left craving them for days! If you've ever had the chance to taste a Levain Bakery cookie, you know just how amazing they are—massive, with a crispy, caramelized exterior and an irresistibly soft, gooey center. As a UK girlie, NYC is a little bit far, so if your wanting to save money on flights but recreate these delicious cookies in the comfort of your home, this is for you!
Sometimes you just need that indulgent treat after dinner or a cheeky snack to get through the day, these levain cookies seriously tick all the boxes. In this recipe, I like to add a combination of dark and milk chocolate as well as walnuts. I find adding walnuts brings a rich, slightly bitter, and earthy note that balances the sweetness of the cookie as well as adding a crunch to the soft and gooey inside.
What sets Levain-style cookies apart from your average cookie is their size and texture. They’re much larger, typically weighing around 175g each, which helps create the contrast between the crispy outside and the soft, melty inside. The secret to achieving that perfect texture is keeping the dough cold before baking, using a mix of chocolate chips and chunks, and not overbaking the cookies. The outer edges should be golden brown, while the centers remain baked but goeey.
No matter the occasion, these cookies are perfect, so why not give it a try and bring NYC bakery to your very own kitchen.
Butter
Using cold butter is crucial when making thick, chewy NYC-style cookies because it slows down the spreading process in the oven. When the butter is cold, it takes longer to melt, which means the cookie dough holds its shape for a longer time during baking. This helps prevent the cookies from spreading too thin, ensuring they stay thick and maintain that soft, chewy center with a slightly crisp edge. Warm butter, on the other hand, melts quickly, causing the dough to flatten out, resulting in a thinner, crispier cookie. Cold butter is the secret to that perfect, bakery-style cookie texture.
Pine Cone Shape
Shaping your cookie dough into a tall pine cone shape has a unique benefit: it helps control how the cookies bake. By piling the dough higher, the cookies take longer to spread in the oven. This means that the outer edges will cook and set first while the center remains softer for longer. As a result, the cookies develop a fudgier, gooey texture inside, while still having a perfectly baked exterior. The extra height also contributes to a thicker, bakery-style cookie, as the dough melts more gradually, creating those ideal layers of chewy and soft goodness. This simple trick ensures a perfectly textured cookie every time.
Levain Style Cookie FAQs
Can levain style cookies be frozen?
Yes, they can be frozen for up to 2 weeks.
How long can levain style cookies last?
When stored in an airtight container, they can last up to a week.
What makes levain style cookies different?
The size and texture of these cookies set them apart from the rest. This unique texture is achieved by using cold butter which helps the cookies hold their shape and make the outside crispy and the inside soft.
Ingredients
- 125g COLD salted butter, cubed
- 125g light brown sugar
- 100g caster sugar
- 1 egg
- 250g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 150g dark chocolate chips
- 150g milk chocolate chips
- 100g walnuts
- 250g cold salted butter, cubed
- 250g light brown sugar
- 200g caster sugar
- 2 eggs
- 500g plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 300g dark chocolate chips
- 300g milk chocolate chips
- 200g walnuts
- 375g cold salted butter, cubed
- 375g light brown sugar
- 300g caster sugar
- 3 eggs
- 750g plain flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 450g dark chocolate chips
- 450g milk chocolate chips
- 300g walnuts
Ingredients
- 4.4 oz cold salted butter, cubed
- 4.4 oz light brown sugar
- 3.5 oz caster sugar
- 1 egg
- 8.82 oz plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 5.3 oz dark chocolate chips
- 5.3 oz milk chocolate chips
- 3.5 oz walnuts
- 8.8 oz cold salted butter, cubed
- 8.8 oz light brown sugar
- 7 oz caster sugar
- 2 eggs (each egg is approximately 2 oz)
- 24.6 oz plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 10.6 oz dark chocolate chips
- 10.6 oz milk chocolate chips
- 7 oz walnuts
- 13.2 oz cold salted butter, cubed
- 13.2 oz light brown sugar
- 10.5 oz caster sugar
- 3 eggs
- 17.64 oz plain flour
- 3 tsp baking powder (or 1 tbsp)
- 15.9 oz dark chocolate chips
- 15.9 oz milk chocolate chips
- 10.5 oz walnuts
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add the cubed cold butter, light brown sugar, and caster sugar. Using an electric mixer or a wooden spoon, barely combine the butter and sugars. You want the mixture to just come together—you should still see small visible chunks of butter throughout. This will help create that flaky texture and keep the cookies thick. The goal here is not to incorporate too much air into the dough, which would make the cookies less dense.
- Once the butter and sugar are mixed, add in the egg and gently mix until just combined. Avoid overmixing at this stage to maintain the chunky texture of the dough.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, folding it in with a spatula or wooden spoon. The dough will be thick, which is exactly what we want.
- Fold in the dark chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, and chopped walnuts. Mix gently to evenly distribute them throughout the dough. The chocolate chips and walnuts will create bursts of flavor and texture in every bite.
- For those iconic NYC-style cookies, each cookie should weigh about 175g—this makes for big, chunky cookies. If you prefer thinner cookies, you can make smaller portions, but they won’t have that classic thickness.
- Roll the dough into pine cone shaped balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- To get those thick, bakery-style cookies, it’s essential to chill the dough overnight. This step helps to firm up the butter and flavors, ensuring the cookies bake evenly and stay thick. Cover the cookie dough balls and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, or ideally overnight.
- When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 180°C (fan).
- Place the chilled cookie dough balls onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper, making sure to leave space between them. You may need to bake them in batches depending on your oven size.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes if you’re making the 175g cookies. The edges should be lightly golden, but the center will still look slightly underdone—this is perfect! The cookies will continue to set as they cool and the residual heat will continue to cook the rest of the cookie, giving you that chewy center.
- Once baked, let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. If you’re anything like me, you won’t be able to resist trying one while it’s still warm!
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