Levain-Inspired Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies
You know those cookies you can’t stop thinking about? For me, it’s the chocolate chip walnut cookies from Levain Bakery. They’re big, thick, and full of melty chocolate and crunchy walnuts—all the textures I love in a cookie.
I’ve been working on my own version at home because I find the original Levain cookies a little too sweet for me.
These are inspired by the bakery’s famous cookies, but with a little less sugar—just enough to let the chocolate and walnuts shine.hey’re still just as delicious—crispy on the outside, soft and gooey in the middle, and loaded with chocolate and walnuts.
Why You’ll Love Them
- Big, bakery-style cookies: Crispy edges, soft centers, and that thick, gooey texture.
- Chocolate and walnut heaven: Just the right balance of melty chocolate and crunchy nuts.
- Not too sweet: A touch less sugar than the original but still super rich and satisfying.
The First Time I Made These…
When I first tried making these cookies, they didn’t have that bakery look. They tasted good, but they were flat. I learned a few tricks along the way:
- Always chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. This keeps the cookies thick and chewy.
- Use cold butter when mixing the dough. It helps with the texture and stops the cookies from spreading.
- Don’t skip the walnuts—they add crunch that balances all the chocolate.
Now, every batch comes out perfectly thick, just like I hoped!
Equipment List
Here’s the equipment you’ll need for these Levain-Style Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies:
- Mixing Bowls: One medium for dry ingredients and one large for the wet ingredients.
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer: Essential for creaming the cold butter and sugars.
- Baking Sheets: Line them with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Parchment Paper: For lining the baking sheets.
- Cookie Scoop or Food Scale: To ensure even portions (6 oz each).
- Spatula or Wooden Spoon: For folding in the chocolate chips and walnuts.
- Cooling Rack: To cool the cookies properly without getting soggy bottoms.
Ingredients (with Substitutions)
Dry Ingredients:
- All-Purpose Flour: Adds structure. You can swap it with bread flour if you like chewier cookies.
- Cake Flour: Keeps the cookies soft and tender. If you don’t have it, use more all-purpose flour.
- Cornstarch: Adds a slight thickness and keeps the centers soft.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Help the cookies rise and stay fluffy.
- Salt: Brings out all the flavors.
Wet Ingredients:
- Cold Butter (Unsalted): Makes thick cookies. If using salted butter, reduce the added salt a bit.
- Brown Sugar: Adds moisture and richness. You can use dark brown sugar for a deeper flavor.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds just the right amount of sweetness.
Mix-Ins:
- Chocolate Chunks or Chips: Semi-sweet works best, but you can use dark or milk chocolate.
- Walnuts: Add crunch. Leave them out or swap with pecans if you like.
Why Two Flours?
After trying so many Levain cookies (and testing lots of recipes), I figured out one of the tricks: using two kinds of flour. This recipe uses a mix of all-purpose flour and cake flour to get that soft, gooey center we all love.
Here’s why it works: cake flour has less protein than regular flour, which means the dough doesn’t get too tough. This keeps the cookies soft in the middle but still thick and chewy. The all-purpose flour gives them enough structure so they don’t spread too much.
This mix of flours makes the cookies taste just like the ones from the bakery, but with a little less sugar. Let’s get started and bake up some thick, delicious cookies!
Choose the Right Chocolate
For best results, use semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks.
They melt perfectly without burning, especially at high baking temperatures.
If you prefer premium chocolate, chop it into larger chunks and mix with chocolate chips for balance.
How It Comes Together
Making these cookies is simple: mix the dough, chill it, scoop big mounds onto a baking sheet, and bake until the edges are golden and the centers are soft. That’s it!
Step-by-Step Instructions For The Best Cookies
- Preheat the oven: Set it to 410°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a bowl, stir together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt.
- Cream the butter and sugars: In a big bowl, beat the cold butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until creamy. This might take a few extra minutes because the butter is cold.
- Add the eggs and vanilla: Crack the eggs into the bowl, add the vanilla, and mix until smooth.
- Combine wet and dry: Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until you get a thick dough.
- Add the mix-ins: Stir in the chocolate chunks and walnuts. Make sure they’re evenly spread throughout the dough.
- Make big dough balls: Scoop the dough into balls about the size of a tennis ball (6 oz each). Put them on the baking sheets with space between them.
- Bake the cookies: Bake for 9-12 minutes. The edges should turn golden, but the middle will still look soft—that’s okay!
- Cool them down: Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before moving them to a wire rack.
Top Tips for the Best Levain-Style Cookies
- Use Cold Butter: Starting with cold butter helps keep the cookies thick and stops them from spreading too much.
- Chill the Dough (If Needed): If your kitchen is warm or the dough feels soft, chill it for 30 minutes before baking. This helps the cookies stay tall and chewy.
- Don’t Skip Cornstarch: Adding just ½ tsp of cornstarch gives the cookies their soft, gooey centers while keeping the edges crisp.
- Measure Big Dough Balls: These cookies are meant to be large and bakery-style! Use about 6 oz of dough per cookie, which is around the size of a tennis ball.
- Don’t Overbake: The centers should look slightly underdone when you take them out of the oven. They’ll continue to cook as they cool.
- Mix-In Variations: Use semi-sweet chocolate chunks for a classic taste or mix in dark chocolate for less sweetness. Swap walnuts with pecans or leave them out entirely if you don’t like nuts.
- Bake at High Heat: Baking at 410°F ensures the cookies puff up and form a crisp, golden crust while keeping the inside soft.
What to Serve With These
These cookies are amazing on their own, but you can make them extra special by:
- Serving them warm with a glass of milk.
- Adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
- Using them to make ice cream sandwiches (you’re welcome!).
Storage Tips
Keep cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the unbaked dough for up to 3 months. Bake frozen dough balls straight from the freezer—just add 2-3 minutes to the baking time.
FAQs
Can I leave out the walnuts?
Yes! You can skip them or use pecans instead.
What kind of chocolate should I use?
Semi-sweet chocolate chips work great, but you can also use chunks or a mix of dark and milk chocolate.
You’ll Also Like
If you’re a fan of bakery-style cookies, here are a few more recipes from the blog to try:
- mexican wedding cookies: Buttery cookies rolled in powdered sugar—a perfect treat for holidays or anytime.
- raspberry crumble cookies: Soft cookies with a raspberry jam center and crumbly topping, inspired by a Costco favorite.
- apple caramel cookies: Sweet, spiced cookies with bits of caramel and apple for a chewy, fall-inspired treat.
- easy apple crisp: Not a cookie, but this dessert combines warm spiced apples with a buttery oat topping that’s hard to resist.
Leave a Comment
If you make these Levain-inspired cookies, let me know how they turned out! I’d love to hear your tips or ideas in the comments.
Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 410°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, ¾ cup cake flour, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp cornstarch, and ¾ tsp salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat 1 cup cold butter, ¾ cup packed brown sugar, and ⅓ cup granulated sugar until creamy.
- Add 2 eggs and 2 tsp vanilla extract. Mix until just combined.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until a dough forms.
- Fold in 1 ½ cups chocolate chunks and 1 cup walnuts.
- Scoop the dough into 6 oz balls (about the size of a tennis ball). Place on the baking sheets with space between each.
- Bake for 9-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the centers look soft.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Nutrition
Notes
Top Tips for the Best Levain-Style Cookies
- Use Cold Butter: Starting with cold butter helps keep the cookies thick and stops them from spreading too much.
- Chill the Dough (If Needed): If your kitchen is warm or the dough feels soft, chill it for 30 minutes before baking. This helps the cookies stay tall and chewy.
- Don’t Skip Cornstarch: Adding just ½ tsp of cornstarch gives the cookies their soft, gooey centers while keeping the edges crisp.
- Measure Big Dough Balls: These cookies are meant to be large and bakery-style! Use about 6 oz of dough per cookie, which is around the size of a tennis ball.
- Don’t Overbake: The centers should look slightly underdone when you take them out of the oven. They’ll continue to cook as they cool.
- Mix-In Variations: Use semi-sweet chocolate chunks for a classic taste or mix in dark chocolate for less sweetness. Swap walnuts with pecans or leave them out entirely if you don’t like nuts.
- Bake at High Heat: Baking at 410°F ensures the cookies puff up and form a crisp, golden crust while keeping the inside soft.
These cookies turned out just as the recipe stated, crispy on the outside and soft and gooey on the inside! I made them smaller using the largest cookie scoop I had and got 20 cookies. I did chill the dough after putting it on the lined cookie sheets and they stayed a nice size after baking. I’ll use this recipe again.