Levain Bakery Walnut & Chocolate Chip Cookies


Though I have yet to make it to the Big Apple, I heard about an AMAZING bakery that makes these huge chewy, gooey chocolate chip cookies with walnuts that people will stand it line for. The cookies cost $4 a piece and are a whopping 6 ounces each! 


Now that I am working from home more due to the Covid-19 outbreak, I have a little more time on my hands to bake before and after my work duties. Some time ago, I saw a Food Network show that highlighted a bakery in N.Y.C. called Levain.


Started by Pam Weekes and Connie McDonald in 1995, they developed a recipe for an amazing chocolate chip cookie that would give them energy while training for a triathlon. 



What they came up with is a giant six ounce mound of goodness that is crispy and chewy on the outside, while still gooey and chocolaty on the inside. If you like raw cookie dough, then this recipe is definitely for you! So, without talking your head off...let's begin by gathering up all of the ingredients.

Ingredients List:

1 cup butter cut into pieces
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 5/8 cups of all purpose flour 
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups walnut halves or pieces * (see below)
2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 375. Place your rack in the middle of your oven. Cut up your cold butter.  


Place butter into bowl and turn mixer on low. Use the paddle attachment if you have one and starting whipping the butter. 



Add sugars and beat butter until smooth on medium speed. Mix until the butter pieces are completely blended with the sugar and is no longer visible in pieces.



Add the eggs and beat on medium speed just until mixed with butter and sugars. Turn off the mixer.



In a separate bowl, add the all purpose flour, corn starch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Use a whisk or a sifting tool the mix all ingredients. Add to the original mixing bowl with butter, sugar, and egg. Mix the dry ingredients on low until the wet and dry ingredients are just barely mixed together.

Add the walnuts into the batter all at once. Light mix for 5-10 second. Do not over mix.

Add the chocolate chips into the batter and lightly mix for 5- 10 seconds. Again, do not over mix.

Dump the batter out onto a clean surface and mix by hand folding dough onto itself a few times.


Divide the dough into 8 large balls. Cookies should not be uniform.  Place them in the refrigerator for approximately 5 minutes before baking. 


Bake 4 cookies at a time for approximately 15 minutes. Do not place more than four on a sheet as they will spread. If you like your cookies more gooey, you can cook them for 12-13 minutes. 


The cookies are done when they are lightly golden in color. Allow them to cool at least ten minutes as they need to set up. Grab a glass of milk and enjoy!



* If you wish to omit the walnuts, you can add 2 additional cups of chocolate chips or add up to 1/2 of additional flour. If you omit the walnuts and do not add additional flour or chocolate chips, your cookies will be flat and not have the same texture.