Inspired by Levain Bakery in NYC, these Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies are thiccccck, slightly chewy, packed full of chocolate chips, and utterly delicious.
Made with regular all-purpose flour and some cake flour, these cookies have a super soft and very slightly cakey, gooey interior, while baking up beautifully crisp on the outside.
There are also a couple unusual tricks to these mega-thick cookies, so read below if you’re curious, along with some substitution tips.
COLD Butter in Chocolate Chip Cookies?
One of the tricks to these super thick cookies is using cold butter instead of the more-typical cool room temperature butter. Trust me, though, it WORKS!
Want to know more about the science behind making perfect cookies? Check out my How to Bake the Perfect Cookies post here!
Do I Have to Use Cake Flour?
I recommend sticking with cake flour for the best texture (mimicking the original) but if you must, just use all all-purpose flour instead of cake flour. Those ‘DIY cake flour’ hacks online simply don’t work, so I don’t recommend that here (or ever really!).
The Mix-Ins for Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies
You can use whatever you like here. Sometimes I use mini M&Ms or flavored chocolate (my husband and I are both huge orange chocolate fans), or a combination of dark, milk and white chocolates. Whatever you use, just ensure the weight of your substitution stays the same as listed below.
Can I Skip the Chill Period?
While I don’t think the chill period isn’t quite as vital as with some cookies (especially those using melted or browned butter), because our butter starts out cold here – but the brief chill time will help hydrate the flour a little, and re-firm the butter as well, for the thickest possible cookies.
Can You Freeze Levain Copycat Cookies?
Yes – but before you freeze them, I recommend chilling the portioned dough balls inside an airtight container for a day or two before freezing. Freezing simply can’t provide the same flavor and textural benefits, so chill for a day or two inside an airtight container, then freeze for up to 1 month. To bake, thaw overnight in the fridge before baking as directed below.
More Cookies You’ll Love:
- Dubai Chocolate Chip Cookies – viral recipe!
- The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies – not as thickkk as these
- Dark Chocolate French Macarons
Ultra-Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies (Levain Copycat)
Ingredients
- 180 grams all purpose flour
- 173 grams cake flour
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 227 grams COLD butter, cut into small cubes
- 200 grams light brown sugar
- 100 grams white sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 340 grams chocolate chips or a roughly-chopped bar
- 170 grams walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped, lightly toasted, and cooled
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, cake flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the cold cubed butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each one.
- Add in half the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Repeat with the rest of the flour mixture.
- Stir in chocolate chips and toasted nuts (or your chosen mix-ins*).
- Separate dough into large balls using a large 3-Tablespoon cookie scoop. Refrigerate dough for at least an hour, or up to two days, inside an airtight container.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F / 205°C. Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Place chilled cookie dough balls on the prepared cookie sheet, at least a couple inches apart. The dough will spread slightly.
- Bake for 9-12 minutes or until golden brown on the top. Let them rest for at least 10 minutes to set before serving.
- Baked, cooled cookies will keep inside an airtight container at room temperature for about 4 days.
