Cookies Levain Bakery copy cat recipe. Happy 4th July!

Levain Bakery Cookies copy cat recipe. These delicious giant cookies are all the rage. Happy Fourth of July

Copy Cat Levain Cookie recipe!

I am in New York, so it is a perfect time to share a Levain Bakery Copy-cat chocolate chip Cookie recipe. In a couple of days, it will be Independence Day and the time to make an all-American cookie. 

What is the Levain Bakery?

I  found the Levain Bakery quite by accident the first time I was in New York. You see, I was wandering around with my jaw on the floor and my eyes so busy looking everywhere that I had no idea where I was.  I stopped on a street corner just off Amsterdam and 74th and saw a line of people. People usually line up for a couple of things, and I made a punt on the fact that there must be something good to eat at the end of that line. Next minute, I was in that line and chatting happily to the very bemused people when I had to ask why we were lining up.

People are very patient when waiting in line for their Levain Bakery cookies. They are so in demand that each fresh batch of  heavenly giant-sized cookies that is born from the oven is snapped up immediately

There are two stores in New York: this West Side store and the other’s in Harlem. It’s a very basic bakery with nowhere to sit except a bench near the window outside the store. Nobody was sitting there; they were all in line.

To be fair, cookies aren’t the only thing they bake; they make an array of other baked goods like…..Valrhona Chocolate rolls, chocolate brioche, bagettes, boules and even Italian-style Bomboloncini and Muffins.

So back to the cookies, huge cookies. The one I have copy-catted is the Chocolate Chip and Walnut because that’s my favourite, but you could play around with this and make it a chocolate chip and peanut cookie flavour too.

Who is Levain Bakery?

Levain has been baking cookies and keeping people in line since 1994, and ever since that time, they have also been donating the leftovers at the end of each day to Charity.  This may not be so good for the hungry, as I can’t imagine they have much left at the end of the day. It was started by Connie who was in banking and Pam in Fashion. They wanted to make the best chocolate chip cookies in the world. The oven is still on.

Giant soft-centred cookies

This recipe is a bit of a mash-up of the many that are online, but I feel like it is perfect. Lovely and soft inside with plenty of chocolate chips and a few crunchy nuts. One thing is for sure, this bakery has become an obsession for many. I am very happy with the recipe I have. It’s perfect. I have one thing to do before the fireworks on the fourth of July are packed away and I am on a plane back to Australia, and that is visit for the third time this trip………

Try these cookie recipes.

Chunky Chocolate Stir together cookies

Brookies Cookies

Levain Bakery Copy Cat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Copy cat Levain bakery chocolate chip cookies are just so good no one can resist. Adapted from brown eyed baker and parsely sage sweet

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

1 hour hr

Servings: 12

Course: Biscuits, Cookies

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 250 gm butter softened
• 100 gm caster sugar fine
• 180 gm brown sugar
• 2 whole eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 400 gm bread flour or similar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon corn flour heaped cornstarch
• 250 gm chocolate chips
• 150 gm walnut pieces

Method

 

1. Set the oven to 180 C.

   Beat the butter until soft and add the two sugars and mix until creamy and till well combined. This doesn't need to be fluffy like a cake, just soft and combined.
2. Add the eggs one at a time along with the vanilla. Mix well and scrape down the sides.
3. Mix the flour baking.powder and soda. Add the flour and mix in a little before adding the chocolate and nuts and mixing until the dough is combined.
4. Divide the dough into 12 pieces, then roll into rough balls. Put them onto the tray or into a container and freeze till firm. Also you can chill them in the fridge overnight, but I like the quick freezing method
5. The cookies are best cooked from frozen to keep them doughy and soft inside and reduce the spread. But if not frozen bake for 14 minutes (refrigerated). Bake 18 to 20 minutes ( frozen) or till golden on the outside and nice and soft inside.

Notes

NOTES: The mixture needs to be very cold before rolling into balls. This is so that it cooks on the outside nice and crispy and stays doughy in the middle.
Make sure the balls are nice and rough and round.

Find Levain Bakery here in New York

My Kitchen Stories visited Levain independently and paid for all food