Description

Experience the iconic Levain Bakery cookies at home with this recipe that delivers thick, gooey-centered, and golden-edged cookies packed with rich chocolate chips. Made with a blend of all-purpose and cake flours, cold butter, and a touch of cornstarch, these cookies offer a perfect balance of crispness and softness for the ultimate indulgence.

Ingredients

Scale

Butter and Sugars

1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
½ cup granulated sugar

Wet Ingredients

2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cake flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

Add-ins

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or chocolate chunks

Instructions

Combine Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the cold, cubed butter with the light brown and granulated sugars until the mixture is well combined and slightly fluffy, ensuring a creamy base for your cookie dough.
Add Eggs and Vanilla: Incorporate the eggs and vanilla extract into the butter-sugar mix, mixing until the batter is smooth and homogenous, preparing the dough for the dry ingredients.
Mix Dry Ingredients: Gradually add all-purpose flour, cake flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir gently until just combined, taking care to avoid overmixing to maintain a gooey cookie center.
Fold in Chocolate: Gently fold the semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks into the dough, distributing them evenly without deflating the mixture.
Form Cookie Mounds: Divide the dough into 8 large portions, about 4 ounces each. Shape them into tall, chunky mounds to mimic Levain’s signature thick cookies and press a few extra chocolate pieces on top for added texture and appearance.
Bake: Preheat your oven to 410°F (210°C). Bake the cookies on a baking sheet for 10–12 minutes until the edges turn golden while the centers remain slightly undercooked, which is crucial for achieving the ideal gooey middle.
Rest and Set: Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet after removing them from the oven so they can finish setting and the centers can retain their soft, gooey texture—this final step enhances the cookie’s signature chewiness.

Notes

Using cold butter is essential to replicate the thick, layered texture characteristic of Levain Bakery cookies.
Do not overmix the dough after adding the flour to avoid tough cookies and preserve a gooey center.
Shaping the dough into tall mounds ensures the cookies bake thick and chunky.
The high baking temperature and shorter time create a contrast between crispy edges and soft centers.
Allowing cookies to rest on the baking sheet post-baking finalizes the perfect gooey texture.
You can substitute chocolate chunks with your preferred type of chocolate for variety.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Levain Bakery cookies, thick chocolate chip cookies, gooey cookies, bakery-style cookies, chocolate chunk cookies, homemade cookies