Ultimate Thick and Gooey Levain Bakery Cookies Recipe Easy Copycat Guide
A chewy, thick, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate chip cookie recipe inspired by Levain Bakery, featuring browned butter and a high ratio of chocolate chunks for gooey centers and crispy edges.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, browned and cooled slightly
- 1 cup (200g) packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (for gluten-free option, swap with almond flour)
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 12 ounces (340g) high-quality dark chocolate, chopped into chunks
Instructions
- Brown the butter: Place 1 cup unsalted butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly as it melts, foams, and browns. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl to cool for 10 minutes (should still be liquid but not hot).
- Cream sugars and eggs: In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup packed light brown sugar and ½ cup granulated sugar. Pour in the browned butter and mix thoroughly. Add 2 large eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, and ¾ teaspoon kosher salt. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Fold in chocolate chunks: Gently fold in 12 ounces chopped dark chocolate chunks until evenly distributed.
- Chill dough: Cover dough with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour to keep cookies thick and prevent spreading.
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheet: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Form cookies: Using a large ice cream scoop or hands, form dough balls about 4 tablespoons (60g) each. Arrange spaced apart on baking sheet.
- Bake: Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until edges are golden brown but centers look slightly underbaked for gooeyness. Avoid overbaking.
- Cool: Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to set.
Notes
Brown the butter carefully to avoid burning. Chill dough at least 1 hour to keep cookies thick. Remove cookies from oven when edges are golden but centers still look soft for gooey centers. Dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. If dough is too soft after chilling, chill an additional 15 minutes before scooping.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (approx. 4
- Calories: 375
- Sugar: 28
- Sodium: 220
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 13
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 5
Keywords: Levain Bakery cookies, thick cookies, gooey cookies, chocolate chip cookies, copycat recipe, browned butter cookies, easy cookies