• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About Helen
    • About Helen
    • Contact
    • Press
  • Virtual Baking Classes
  • My Books
    • Baking as a Business
    • The New Pastry Cook
  • Recipe List
  • Baking Information
    • Baking Information Index
  • Follow Helen
  • Subscribe

Pastries Like a Pro logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Baking Classes
  • About Helen
  • Mother's Day
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Baking Classes
    • About Helen
    • Mother's Day
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home > Cookies

    Published: Aug 24, 2020 · Modified: Mar 17, 2023 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 20 Comments

    Levain Style Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Levain Style Chocolate Chip Cookies is huge and loaded with chips.

    These Levain Style Chocolate Chip Cookies are a new twist on an old favorite. While baking professionally for over 30 years, I thought I’d seen just about every chocolate chip cookie around. But this is definitely a new one.

    This huge 6 ounce chocolate chip cookie is the brainstorm of Pam Weekes and Connie McDonald who own Levain Bakery in New York.  There's a great video of them making their wares at Levain Bakery Youtube. New York is called the big apple.  They like to do everything in a big way and these cookies are no exception.

    While they haven't given out their recipe there have been versions of it on the internet.  Serious Eats has a version as well as several others.

    how to bake better custard
    Baking gets better when you subscribe

    Baking gets better when you subscribe to receive this PDF on getting the most out of baking including information on equipment, ingredients and baking equipment.

    Basically, these over sized monster cookies use the same ingredients as most chocolate chip cookies but in different proportions.  They are mixed as a normal cookie.  One of the things I learned a while ago while working on cookies was the more you load them up with add ins, the less they spread.

    So I made my perfect chocolate chip cookie but reduced the flour, omitted the shortening, used half the fat and way upped the walnuts and chocolate chips. An overabundance of these makes a really large, fat cookie with very little spread.

    In an effort to keep these gooey inside, I noticed some of the recipes really shorten the baking time but this only produces an under baked cookie with a raw middle which is not gooey. There’s a big difference between the two.

    Wrapped in plastic wrap

    I used bread flour as I do in my normal chocolate chip cookie and conducted a little test by baking half of them immediately upon mixing, and I shaped the other half into balls, wrapped them in plastic wrap and refrigerated them overnight to see if they would bake up differently.  If you are going to keep them overnight, remember to weigh and wrap the before chilling. The dough is much too stiff to shape when cold.

    Two cookies

    The test was interesting.  Both were really good and gooey.  The difference was in the height of the cookies.  The freshly baked one flattened just a little more than the refrigerated cookie.

    The cookie on the left was freshly baked and is 4", the one on the right was refrigerated overnight and then baked. It is 3 ¾".  The only difference is the height of the cookies.  Both of the cookies lost 7 grams or ¼ ounce when baked, so they are pretty much still 6 ounces - huge.

    Definitely double pan these Levain Style Chocolate Chip Cookies or they will over brown.

    This recipe makes 8 cookies – that is not a misprint, it really makes 8 huge, gooey, fat, chocolate chip cookies that are really, really good.  I do agree with Stella in that they are best the day they are made, preferably eaten when just cooled a bit and the chocolate chips are not set but melty.  The cookies can always be made smaller, just reduce the baking time.

    Levain Style Chocolate Chip Cookies

    2 cups bread flour (280 grams or 10 ounces)
    1 teaspoon baking soda
    1 teaspoon salt
    ½ cup butter* (114 grams or 4 ounces)
    ¾ cup brown sugar (150 grams or 5 ⅓ ounces)
    ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams or 3 ½ ounces)
    2 teaspoons vanilla
    2 large eggs
    2 ½ cups chocolate chips (425 grams or 15 ounces)
    2 cups walnuts (225 grams or 8 ounces)**

    *The butter should be softened to about 72°F.  It should not be overly softened.

    **If the nuts are omitted increase the chocolate chips by 225 grams or 8 ounces

    For how to photos for Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Set aside.

    Whisk together the bread flour, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.

    Cream the butter, both sugars, and vanilla together in a mixing bowl.  Add the eggs.  Add the flour mixture followed by the chips and the walnuts, beating long enough to incorporate them completely.

    Using a bowl scraper, turn the dough over in the bowl to make sure there are equal amounts of chips and nuts at the bottom.  If not, use the scraper, to turn the dough from the outer edges into the center to finish mixing.

    Unbaked Leavain Style Chocolate Chip Cookie

    Weigh 8 pieces 170 grams or 6 ounces each.  Shape them into loose balls, but do not compact them. Do not flatten them.  

    If baking immediately, place 4 on a tray.  If resting overnight, wrap each ball separately in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

    If baking immediately double pan and bake for 18 to 20 minutes until golden and mostly set.  If they wiggle just a little in the center and that is fine.  They’ll finish baking on the tray outside of the oven.

    If baking from the refrigerator bake for  22 to 24 minutes..

    Yield:  8 giant Levain Style Chocolate Chip Cookies cookies.

    Print Friendly, PDF & Email

    More Cookies

    • Red and White glazed heart shaped Viennese Lemon Valentines Cookies on a white plate with blue edges.
      Viennese Lemon Valentines Cookies
    • The featured picture shows a two rows on the diagonal of the Neapolitan cookies cut in bars some in the background cut in half and a cup of tea on the side.
      Italian Neapolitan Cookies
    • Rows of plain and powdered sugar Serbian Walnut Cookies on the diagonal are shown
      Serbian Walnut Cookies Recipe
    • A round doilie covered tray holds large and mini Apricot Pistachio Biscotti.
      Apricot Pistachio Italian Biscotti Recipe

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jane Schindler says

      November 16, 2023 at 8:05 am

      Helen, I am curious as to why you do not brown your butter for your cc cookies.

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        November 16, 2023 at 2:25 pm

        Hi Jane. There are two reasons. I know many recipes for this cookie call for browned butter but if you watch the video of the owners making a batch, they cream the butter and sugar. They don't use browned butter. Since it's their cookie and their recipe that was good enough for me. I love browned butter but for specific recipes. I just don't think it comes across in a cookie recipe whose flavor profile is chocolate chips. I do think it comes across in a very simple butter cookie. Also, creaming butter and sugar makes a product lighter. Melted butter makes it heavier. The cookie is already huge - it doesn't need to be any more dense. There is no right or wrong - just different.

        Reply
    2. Lexy Lawrence says

      September 02, 2020 at 5:47 am

      Quick question. Does it matter if you use parchment paper or a Silpat? Should I still use double pans with Silpat? Thank you.

      Reply
      • hfletcher says

        September 02, 2020 at 8:21 am

        Since I don't use Silpat, I can't answer this question. I assume you do since Silpat doesn't slow the heat as a second pan will. Remember that double panning will add a few minutes to your baking time. If you have any doubt, bake one cookie as you wish and see what happens. Adjust from there. Hope this helps.

        Reply
    3. Lexy Lawrence says

      September 01, 2020 at 7:52 pm

      Hi Helen, can't wait to give these chocolate chip cookies a try. They look
      so delicious.
      My quick question is - does it matter if you use parchment paper or Silpats?
      Thank you.
      Annabelle

      Reply
    4. elodia de garay Cruz says

      August 24, 2020 at 11:12 am

      Love your baking, will try this one with gluten free bread flour, and do they have to be so big?

      Reply
      • hfletcher says

        August 24, 2020 at 11:22 am

        Nope - I mention in the recipe that you can certainly make them smaller - just reduce the baking time. They can be any size you want.

        Reply
    5. Elodia de Garay Cruz says

      August 24, 2020 at 11:10 am

      Thanks, I will try it with bread flour Gluten free and see what happens
      Do I have to make them that big?

      Reply
    6. beckychase says

      August 24, 2020 at 10:28 am

      Hello Helen,
      I have been a loyal follower of your blog ever since I found it about 3 years ago! I love your step-by-steps and all the teaching and information you put into every post.

      My question is a really quick one: when baking the cookies after chilling, would you preheat your oven and then pull the cookies from the fridge, or pull the cookies from the fridge while the oven is preheating? (Or is this a minute point that doesn't much matter?)

      Thanks again for all of the work you pour into your blog! (I think there are only about 10 recipes of yours that I haven't yet made.)

      Reply
      • hfletcher says

        August 24, 2020 at 10:39 am

        Hi Becky - Thanks so much for this. When you put the cookies in isn't so important as the time baked so they stay gooey. I usually put mine in from the fridge and I doubt the time would change much if you pulled them out of the fridge while you preheated the oven. Just start on the lower end of timing and add as needed. Good for you for trying the recipes, I'm very impressed.

        Reply
    7. Eileen says

      August 24, 2020 at 9:06 am

      Since they are very big I am guessing you could freeze them and defrost in fridge overnight one or two at a time.

      Reply
      • hfletcher says

        August 24, 2020 at 9:13 am

        Sure. Probably a good idea - Mike loved them as did I but too much for one sitting. We split or quartered them.

        Reply
    8. Patty says

      August 24, 2020 at 8:07 am

      I'm curious to know why you use bread flour rather than AP flour for your chocolate chip cookies. Do you use bread flour for other cookies as well?

      Reply
      • hfletcher says

        August 24, 2020 at 9:16 am

        Hi Patty - I do use bread flour for the Peanut Butter cookies also. Bread flour makes a chewier cookie than all purpose, especially if you refrigerate them overnight. Just like bread develops more flavor if retarded overnight. However, I wouldn't use bread flour in butter cookie or shortbreads because you're seeking a different texture with those cookies. Like everything, it is used where appropriate but not universally.

        Reply
    9. Mamta says

      August 24, 2020 at 7:59 am

      Your posts are awesome. I just wish you could include egg substitutes for people like me!

      Reply
      • hfletcher says

        August 24, 2020 at 9:25 am

        Thank you so much for the kind words. I know there are people who have food requirements that are out of the norm. Since I test everything, sometimes over and over, to get it right and make sure it works for others, I don't have the time or the budget to accommodate every special diet requirement. Everything I do comes out of my pocket. No one nor no company sponsors me. The particular problem with eggs is the yolk is fat and the white is protein which binds ingredients together as well as whips into a foam. Eggs provide structure. I went on the internet and here is there suggestion for substitutions according to vegans: Eat this instead: flax egg, scrambled tofu, chickpea flour scrambled eggs. None of these will provide the structure of an egg. I know this isn't a help for your problem, but I do hope you understand.

        Reply
    10. nikki says

      August 24, 2020 at 7:10 am

      Is the flour mixture added before the eggs or after. Unless I misses a step when reading...
      I have been using a combination of bread flour and AP ever since I found Jacques Torres’s chocolate chip cookie recipe. And that also led me to refrigerating the dough for 24 to 48 hours. I will have to remember the “trick” about shaping them first as they are difficult to scoop

      Reply
      • hfletcher says

        August 24, 2020 at 7:43 am

        Thanks Nikki for letting me know. The recipe has been corrected. Everyone has their own ideas about flour and flour mixtures. There is no right and no wrong. For sure, be sure to shape first.

        Reply
    11. Eileen Murphy says

      August 24, 2020 at 6:54 am

      Helen, oh my they look delicious. You have simplified many of the recipes I have looked at. I gather ther is no difference in the texture between freshly baked and chilled dough. One of the best tips I have learned from you is to double pan cookies. I can't wait to try these for my cookie Monster husband.

      Reply
      • hfletcher says

        August 24, 2020 at 7:46 am

        Hi Eileen. I didn't find any difference between the two. Pressed, I would say make them fresh because they brown more when baked from the refrigerator.

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Helen! Being a self-taught baker and owning a bakery for over 25 years, I found many ways to make baking more successful and less intimidating. Even busy people can bake as in many cases, recipes can be done over days. The goal is to make your baking life easier, more enjoyable, with great outcomes on a consistent basis.

    More about me →

    Subscribe to receive our free ebook

    SUBSCRIBE

    Celebrating Mothers Day

    • A slice of the Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake sits on a yellow and blue rimmed plate with a multi-colored napkin and mug in the background.
      Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake
    • Crustless Quiche
      Low Fat Fantastic Crustless Quiche
    • Four finishes on the Carrot Cake Dougnuts are plain, pecan topped, sugared and filled with cream cheese.
      Carrot Cake Baked Doughnuts
    • A cut open Double Chocolate Truffled Muffin sits on a plate with a teacup next to it and more muffins in the background.
      Double Chocolate Truffled Muffins
    • Slices of Banana Bread in a circle with strawberries in the middle on a blue and white plate.
      Best Two Step Banana Nut Bread
    • Slices of the Strawberry Cake sit on a marble plate with fresh strawberries.
      Strawberry Cake - A Little Slice of Heaven

    Popular Recipes

    • This Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cake features a pineapple slice with a cherry in the middle on top of a yellow cake sitting on a blue and white plate.
      Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes
    • A plate of Cuccidati, fig and nut filled Italian Cookies sprinkled with multi-colored nonpariels.
      Cuccidati - Italy's Finest Cookie
    • This picture shows a slice of the coffee cake on a white, lace edged plate on a marble counter.
      Apricot Crumb Coffee Cake
    • Langue de Chat cookies in a bowl.
      Langue de Chat
    • Angel food Cake
      Perfectly Easy Angel Food Cake
    • Large nut pieces for Chopping Nuts
      Chopping Nuts - A Quicker Way

    Available Now

    Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, as well as other sites and in book stores.
    AUTOGRAPHED COPIES ARE AVAILABLE
    Click here to purchase an autographed copy.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Helen
    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Press
    • FAQ
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest
    • Flickr
    • Instagram

    COPYRIGHT © 2025 PASTRIES LIKE A PRO