If you bake one thing during this pandemic / quarantine sitch, it has got to be these cookies. Last year, I shared a copycat of my all time favorite Levain cookie: the divine chocolate peanut butter. However, their original, which is a classic chocolate chip with walnuts, is a VERY close second.
Stella Parks at Serious Eats spent weeks perfecting her take on these, and this is my adaptation (pecans, no nutmeg, slightly more brown sugar than white, and reduced baking powder). These cookies are serious chonks, so be prepared for a softball-sized absolute delight. One final note: the dough needs to rest overnight, or your cookies will spread way too much, so whatever you do, don’t skip that step!
In a stand mixer, combine the butter, sugars, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Mix on low for about a minute, and then move to medium speed for about 5 minutes (scraping the sides of the bowl at least once during this). Add the eggs one at a time, incorporating fully before adding the next. Add the vanilla.
On low speed, add the flour and mix until just combined.
Then add in the chocolate chips and nuts. I used a blend of 4 different types of chocolate chips, but you can use any kind you have! Stir by hand to incorporate them evenly.
Shape the dough into a disc and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate overnight (or at least 8 hours). No you can’t skip this step!
Remove the dough from the fridge and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil.
Remove your dough from the fridge and using a knife, cut the dough first in half, then in quarters, then in eighths. Roll each piece of dough into basically a softball so you have 8 large cookie balls. Take a look at these monsters:
Place 4 cookie balls staggered on the baking sheet, with at least 2 inches between, and press each down just slightly.
Bake for 20-24 minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned and ever so slightly firm to the touch.
Let your cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before diving in. I promise this is the hardest part but you want to be able to pick it up without breaking.
Enjoy, and let me know if you try them!
Note: I like to keep these in individual bags in the freezer. You can bake these straight from frozen, just add 3-4 minutes to the baking time.
Adapted from: Serious Eats
Makes: 8 *very large* cookies
Prep: 30 minutes, Cook: 20 minutes, Total: 50 minutes (plus 8 hours rest time)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups (15 oz) various chocolate chips (I used minis, two types of regular semi-sweet, and chunks)
- 1 1/2 cups toasted pecan pieces (or raw walnuts if you prefer)
In a stand mixer, combine the butter, sugars, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
Mix on low for about a minute, and then move to medium speed for about 5 minutes (scraping the sides of the bowl at least once during this).
Add the eggs one at a time, incorporating fully before adding the next. Add the vanilla.
On low speed, add the flour and mix until just combined. Then add in the chocolate chips and nuts. Stir by hand to incorporate them evenly.
Shape the dough into a disc and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate overnight (or at least 8 hours). No you can’t skip this step!
Remove the dough from the fridge and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil.
Remove your dough from the fridge and using a knife, cut the dough first in half, then in quarters, then in eighths. Roll each piece of dough into basically a softball so you have 8 large cookie balls.
Place 4 cookie balls staggered on the baking sheet, with at least 2 inches between, and press each down just slightly.
Bake for 20-24 minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned and ever so slightly firm to the touch.
Let your cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before diving in. I promise this is the hardest part but you want to be able to pick it up without breaking!
Enjoy, and let me know if you try them!
Note: I like to keep these in individual bags in the freezer. You can bake these straight from frozen, just add 3-4 minutes to the baking time.
Crunchy Salty Sweet 
Can I substitute margarine for butter, and exclude pecans from the recipe without ruining the texture?
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Hi Denise!! You can definitely exclude the pecans and add more chocolate chips/chunks (I’d go for 3 cups total). When it comes to replacing the butter- I’m afraid I haven’t tested that!! I am not positive how that would affect the results, but I can’t imagine they’d turn out too much differently 🙂
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Way to much salt ruined the entire cookie
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I’m so sorry you didn’t like them! Did you use Kosher salt? I find that fine table salt gives a much saltier flavor – so wondering if that’s what caused the problem? Thanks for your comment!
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Dear Alyssa, these look super, but, dare I say, too big for me. If I made them smaller, what bake time do you suggest?
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Hey Lauren! I don’t blame you… they are so large! If you went with about half the size (16 cookies total), I’d cut the baking time to 14-16 minutes. Once they are very slightly browned on the edges, they’re good!
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They weren’t that thick. I don’t know if I did something wrong? They were thinner like those of serious eats.
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Hi – Im sorry i didn’t see your comment earlier!! Sometimes if the dough gets too warm before baking they will spread more in the oven. Maybe that is what happened? You want to be sure to bake them while the dough is still chilled from the overnight rest. Otherwise, the only thing I can think of is not enough flour… but if you followed the measurements that’s probably not the case!
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