Description
These Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies are famous for their thick, gooey centers and perfectly crisp edges. Made with a blend of brown and granulated sugars, chopped walnuts, and generous semisweet chocolate chips, these cookies deliver a delightful balance of sweetness and texture. With a unique two-stage baking process, they come out golden brown on the outside while remaining soft and chewy inside.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 6 tbsp (84g) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- ½ cup (110g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp (25g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp (5ml) pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
Add-ins
- ⅓ cup (35g) chopped walnuts
- 1 cup (170g) semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and promote even baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk thoroughly to ensure even distribution of the leavening agents and salt throughout the flour.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened butter with the light brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract. Using the creaming method, vigorously mix with a wide rubber spatula or a handheld mixer until the mixture is smooth, pale, and fluffy. If using a stand mixer, attach the paddle and mix on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Then, add the egg and mix until fully incorporated.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Add the flour mixture all at once to the butter-sugar mixture and fold in gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain a tender cookie texture.
- Add Chocolate Chips and Walnuts: Fold in the semisweet chocolate chips and chopped walnuts evenly throughout the dough to ensure every cookie has a good balance of mix-ins.
- Scoop and Shape Dough: Use a 2-ounce cookie scoop to portion the dough, making 4 ¼-ounce portions per cookie by scooping twice. Alternatively, divide the dough into five rustic, rough-shaped balls without smoothing them out. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing each about 3 inches apart to allow room for spreading.
- Bake the Cookies: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes at 375°F (190°C). Then, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes until the cookies are golden brown on the surface but remain soft and slightly underbaked in the center.
- Cool: Remove the baking tray from the oven and let the cookies cool on the tray for 3 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. This cooling time helps the cookies set to the ideal chewy texture.
Notes
- For best results, use unsalted butter softened to room temperature to ensure proper creaming with sugars.
- Do not overmix the dough once the flour is added to avoid tough cookies.
- You can substitute walnuts with pecans if preferred, or omit nuts entirely.
- For evenly sized cookies, use a kitchen scale to portion dough accurately.
- Cookies will be soft when removed from the oven but will firm up as they cool.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-17 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
