Levain Chocolate Chip Cookies
- By Amy Dong
- Updated Feb. 13, 2026
This Levain chocolate chip cookies recipe is my favorite way to bring bakery-style cookies into my own kitchen. They’re thick, soft in the middle, and full of melty chocolate chips.
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Amy’s Notes
I started baking these copycat Levain Chocolate Chip Cookies years ago when my young men were kids, and they fought over these thick, bakery-style cookies. Levain is a famous bakery of New York City – they’re loved for their thickness and generous amount of chocolate. This homemade version is:
- Thick and Hearty: These cookies bake up tall and dense, with crisp edges and soft, gooey centers, similar to our Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies.
- Cold Butter Trick: Using cold, cubed butter keeps the dough firm and helps the cookies hold their shape. Chilling the dough leads to thicker cookies.
- Chocolate in Every Bite: Every bite is rich and full of melted chocolate – we use a mixture of semi-sweet and dark chocolate; you can mix and match.
- The Secret Ingredient: Bread flour is the secret, as it gives these cookies a chewy, bakery-quality texture that holds up beautifully, like in my Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Key Recipe Ingredients
- Bread Flour – Provides structure and chewiness. The higher protein content helps the cookies stay thick and soft in the center. You can use all-purpose flour if needed, but the texture will be slightly lighter.
- Baking Powder – Gives the cookies lift and helps them stay tall and fluffy instead of flat.
- Baking Soda – Adds just enough spread and helps the cookies brown evenly.
- Salted Butter – Used cold and cubed, it keeps the dough firm and helps create that signature bakery-style thickness. Unsalted butter works too; just add a pinch more salt.
- Light Brown Sugar – Adds moisture and a subtle caramel flavor that keeps the cookies soft and rich.
- Eggs – Cold eggs help maintain the dough’s structure and give the cookies a chewy texture.
- Dark or Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips – The key ingredient for those gooey, melty pockets of chocolate in every bite. Use your favorite brand or mix both types for variety.
Substitutions And Variations
Here are some of our favorite substitutions and variations:
- Chocolate Choices: I like using dark chocolate chips for a rich flavor, but you can swap in milk chocolate, white chocolate, or any combination you’d like.
- Nut Add-Ins: You can stir in chopped walnuts or pecans for crunch. Toast them first if you want a deeper flavor.
- Mix-Ins: Try adding shredded coconut, toffee bits, or even a handful of mini marshmallows for something different. M&M’s would be fun as well.
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Beat cold butter until it comes together.
- Add sugars and beat until incorporated.
- Mix in eggs and vanilla until combined.
- Add dry ingredients and mix just until streaks remain.
- Fold in chocolate chips; wrap and chill 4 hours or overnight.
- Form rough 1½-inch balls and place on lined baking sheets.
- Bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes until edges are golden; cool before serving.
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
How To Prep Ahead
Take a look at our best prep-ahead strategies for this recipe:
- Chill the Dough: I like to make the dough the night before and let it chill overnight. The cold rest deepens the flavor and helps the cookies bake up thick and chewy. Just cover the dough tightly so it doesn’t dry out.
- Freeze for Later: Scoop the dough into balls, place them on a baking sheet, and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer bag and bake straight from frozen, adding a minute or two to the bake time.
Video: Watch Us Make This Recipe
Levain Chocolate Chip Cookies
These Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies are a copycat of those famous original cookies. These are supremely rich, thick, chewy, and dense. Ultra satisfying for any chocolate chip cookie lover. People might pay you for these.
Ingredients
- 3 cups bread flour, 13½ ounces
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup salted butter, cold and cut into cubes
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, cold, lightly beaten in a separate bowl
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups dark chocolate chips, or semi sweet
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until it comes together into one mass, about 1 minute.
- Add sugars and continue to beat for another 1 to 2 minutes, until all of the sugar has been incorporated.
- Gradually add the eggs and vanilla and continue beating on medium speed until mixed, scraping the sides of bowl as needed. Reduce the speed to medium-low and gradually add the flour mixture until a few small flour streaks remains.
- Stir in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula. Form dough into a ball, wrap tightly, and chill 4 hours or overnight.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350F.
- Roughly form dough into 1.5 inch balls, with jagged edges (should not be smooth) and place 2 inches apart on lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet, then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for several days.
- Note:
Notes
- Use bread flour for structure. It gives the cookies that signature thick, chewy texture that sets them apart from regular chocolate chip cookies.
- Keep the butter cold. Cold, cubed butter helps the cookies hold their shape and prevents them from spreading too much in the oven.
- Don’t skip the chill time. Chilling the dough for at least 4 hours (or overnight) deepens the flavor and improves the texture.
- Shape with jagged edges. Rough edges create those classic bakery-style crags and golden, crisp spots after baking.
- Watch the bake time. Pull the cookies out when the edges are golden and the centers still look slightly underbaked—they’ll finish setting as they cool.
- Use high-quality chocolate. Dark or semi-sweet chips melt beautifully and balance the sweetness of the dough.
- I don’t add nuts to my chocolate chip cookies, but feel free to add 1 cup of walnuts or pecans, if you like.
- This recipe is part of our Cookie Recipes Collection.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 254kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 138mg | Potassium: 128mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 261IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 0.5mg
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I need to use cold butter for these cookies?
Cold butter helps the cookies stay thick and prevents them from spreading too much in the oven. It also gives them that signature dense, chewy texture that Levain-style cookies are known for.
How do I know when the cookies are done?
The edges should be golden brown, while the centers still look slightly soft. They’ll continue to set as they cool, giving you that perfect gooey middle.
How long do they keep?
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3–4 days. You can also freeze the baked cookies or unbaked dough balls for up to 2 months. Reheat baked cookies in a low oven for a few minutes to bring back their fresh-from-the-oven texture.
More to Bake and Eat
- M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies – These M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies are super chewy, soft, and scrumptious! They stay soft for days, and the dough freezes well.
- Congo Bars (Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars) – These Congo Bars are soft, decadent, and chewy with loads of melty, gooey chocolate throughout. They’re the perfect crowd-pleasing dessert.
- Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies – These chocolatey oatmeal cookies are thick, chewy, and packed with flavor. They’re even better than bakery cookies.
- Fudgy Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies – These chocolate peanut butter sandwich cookies are rich, chewy, and brownie-like. Filled with fluffy peanut butter cream. The best of all worlds.