When in quarantine, you try to find things to do right? Well, lately I've been into baking and I have always been a sucker for sweet things. From mindlessly scrolling through instagram, I found these cookies and then I came across this recipe in Youtube.
These are the famous New York Levain cookies. What makes them stands out is their big size, crispy outside, and gooey center. And each and every bite is packed with warm melty chocolate and walnut chunks. Are you salivating yet? Here I follow video's recipe as well as added my own modifications to make this the. best. cookie. EVER!
Want to make it yourself? Keep reading!
(copycat) Levain Cookies
yields: 12-14 cookies
INGREDIENTS:
- 100 grams (1/2 cup) lightly toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 400 grams (2 1/4 cup) chocolate chips (I used dark and semi-sweet)
- 230 grams (1 cup) cold, cubed unsalted butter
- 160 grams (3/4 cup) white sugar
- 160 grams (3/4 cup) light brown sugar
- 200 grams (1 2/3 cup) self-raising flour*
- 300 grams (2 cups) plain flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp corn starch
- 2 large eggs, beaten
*see notes
INSTRUCTIONS:
1) In a baking tray, lightly toast the walnuts at 190 C (375 F) for 8-10 minutes. Once done, let it cool in the tray.
2) In a separate bowl, sift together the flours, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and corn starch. Set aside.
3) In a bigger mixing bowl, add the cold butter and give it a quick mix to loosen the butter.
4) Then add the sugars and mix it briefly. You'll know when to stop when you see the batter form into different sized nuggets.
5) Add in the chocolate chips and walnuts and mix until just combined.
6) Add the dry ingredients and mix until it becomes a crumb-like consistency.
7) Beat your eggs and then add to the mixture. Mix until just combined. (In this stage, I like using a spatula and my hands to mix).
8) Form into rough balls (you don't wanna shape them too much) into 125 g (1/2 cup) each. Freeze them for at least 90 minutes. However, the longer the better.
9) When the cookie dough balls have set up, preheat the over to 185 C (365 F) with a parchment lined baking sheet inside. Doing this prior step will help form a yummy golden crust on the bottom.
10) Once the over has come up to temperature, put the frozen dough balls on the preheated tray. Spread them at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until you see the cookies become golden brown on the surface.
11) Now's the hard part. When the cookies are done, let them cool for 15-20 minutes. I know it's hard, but that way they can form their shape outside the heat. Trust me, it will be worth the wait.
12) When cooled, enjoy!
Notes:
*Self-Raising Flour HACK:
- 500 grams (2 1/8 cup) plain flour
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp baking powder
Do not overmix the dough! Just do it enough so that it reaches the, "just combined" stage.
I'd recommend using a scale. Yes, I put the cup measurements, but using a scale will achieve a closer similarity to the Levain cookie.
Adding corn starch: this is my modification. Adding corn starch will help make the cookie much more tender and soft.
You are welcome to substitute the nuts and chocolate. I've seen people add milk chocolate, pecans, white chocolate... Add whatever you like!
You don't have to bake all of them at once! What's nice about these cookies is that you can freeze the dough balls for up to 3 months. Especially for those nights where you have a sweet tooth, you simply just take out how many you want and bake them right away. Now how 'bout that?
Verdict: Yum, yum, yum! Now I completely understand what people meant when they say that this is their favorite cookie. It's both a mix of crispy on the outside and soft and cakey in the middle. Wow, just wow. My youngest sister really enjoyed this cookie a lot. The dark chocolate really balances out the buttery walnuts. And the overall cookie just melts into your mouth.
I hope that you give this cookie recipe a try, trust me you won't regret it!