What is Levain Bakery?
Levain Bakery is a beloved New York City institution that’s renowned for its delectable, oversized cookies and artisanal breads. When you step into Levain Bakery, you’ll be greeted by the enticing aroma of freshly baked goods and a welcoming, friendly staff. The bakery’s interior is cozy and rustic, with brick walls, wooden floors, and shelves stocked with artisanal breads and pastries. But it’s the cookies that steal the show. These giant, thick, and hearty treats are the size of a small plate and weigh in at a hefty six ounces each. They’re made with only the finest ingredients, like high-quality chocolate, creamy butter, and fresh nuts, and baked to perfection so that the outside is crisp while the inside remains soft and chewy.
Want makes this recipe special?
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Cold, cubed butter
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No vanilla extract
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Cornstarch
All three of these components have been confirmed by Levain Bakery!
Instructions
1. Cube the butter: Begin by cubing cold, unsalted butter into 1/2-inch pieces. It’s important to use cold butter for the perfect levain cookies size and texture, so avoid letting it sit out.
2. Beat with sugar: Using a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, beat the butter cubes with brown sugar for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light, smooth, and fluffy. Due to the coldness of the butter, it’s not recommended to mix this by hand.
3. Add the eggs: Add one egg to the butter-sugar mixture and mix for about a minute. Then add the second egg and mix for another minute.
4. Combine the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, gently whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt until evenly mixed.
5. Combine the dry and wet ingredients: Add 1/3 of the dry mixture to the wet mixture and beat in the stand mixer. Repeat this process with another 1/3 of the dry mixture, and finally, add the remaining 1/3 of the dry mixture. Mixing in batches prevents flour from scattering and ensures a smooth batter.
6. Add chocolate chips: Mix in chocolate chips to your liking, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
7. Refrigerate the dough: Refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 30 minutes (or up to 24 hours). Chilling the dough improves flavor, texture, and appearance by allowing flavors to meld and the dough to firm up, making it easier to handle.
8. Preheat your oven: While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 420°F (215°C).
9. Scoop the cookies: Use a large cookie scoop to portion the dough onto a baking sheet, spacing them appropriately. Aim for dough balls around 1/3 cup each to replicate the levain bakery cookies size. Top each with extra chocolate chips if desired.
10. Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. Keep a close eye on them as the high baking temperature can cause them to burn quickly.
11. Cool and enjoy: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for at least 30 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack or enjoying them. This additional chilling time helps the cookies set and develop their texture.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cold cubed unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ cups chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a stand mixer, beat 1 cup of cold cubed unsalted butter with 1 cup of brown sugar for 2-3 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- In a separate bowl, combine 3 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of cornstarch, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and 1 teaspoon of salt.
- Fold this mixture into the wet ingredients until a dough forms.
- Add the chocolate chips & mix again.
- Refrigerate the cookie dough for 30 minutes.
- Roll into large cookie dough balls (yielding approximately 12 cookies).
- Bake at 420°F for 10-12 minutes.
- Allow the giant cookies to rest for 30 minutes before indulging in their soft and gooey goodness.
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