Early last year I traveled to NYC for a few days to see the city for the first time. I researched the Upper West Side where I was staying for all the good foodie spots. Every search led me to the Levain Bakery as one of the best places for cookies in all of New York. So the happy fat kid in me packed an empty suitcase with full intention to fill with cookies before I left for home. The last morning I was there, before checking out of the hotel, I decided to make a visit. I ended up in front of the Levain Bakery, 5^th in line, before they opened. With a dozen and a half cookies to take home, and a dessert to pound on the way, I flew home to Ohio. These cookies, with apologies to mama, were the most delicious I’ve ever tasted. Looking an inch thick and bigger than my palm you can say I was one happy boy. Once I got home I went on my search to find a recipe to recreate these chocolate chip cookies and walnut chocolate cookies. So this is my best comparison of these amazing round nuggets of heaven.

A Levian Bakery copycat

INGREDIENTS

• 2 sticks butter, room temp, one salted one unsalted
• 3/4 cup tightly packed brown sugar
• 3/4 granulated sugar
• 3 cups flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 cold large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips (or 3 cups if omitting chopped walnuts)
• 1 cup walnuts chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter until it comes together. It should be creamy.
2. Add the sugar and continue to beat until it is mixed in. Gradually add the eggs and vanilla and continue beating with the paddle on medium until mixed, scraping sides of bowl once or twice. The coolness from the eggs should make the butter seize up again so the creamy mixture will appear lumpy.
3. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder with the mixer on medium-low (or by hand with a heavy duty rubber scraper), gradually add the flour mixture stirring just until mixed. Stir in the chocolate chips (and nuts if using).
4. Empty the batter onto a large flat surface and make sure all the ingredients are evenly incorporated. Instead of lumping it all together, keep it kind of loose. Divide into 8-12 balls. The dough should be cold so refrigerate or freeze fir a half hour. Chilling the dough will help make the cookies taller.

*I put the balls of dough in the freezer for a half hr before backing. This ensures a great Thick cookie with layers of chocolate.

5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. put the frozen cookies in for 8 minutes. Then with the oven still closed turn it down to 325 for another 8-12 minutes until cookies appear set. Let sit for 5 minutes on cookie sheets and then cool fully on baking rack. The cookies will be a light color.
6. ** Note: I have recently begun using this recipe for “regular size” cookies. Who’da thunk?! So this recipe will make roughly 30 cookies. Using 2 inch balls using a scoop. The temp is the same but 6 minutes then 7 minutes. There is not much color other than the bottom of them is golden.  💪🏽❤️

Original copycat recipe credit to:  Cookiemadness.net