Giant New York Style (Levain bakery) Chocolate Chip Cookies With Walnuts

Remember that time I spent an entire afternoon trying to recreate those unbelievably giant, ridiculously rich cookies from that famous New York bakery? Well, after many batches (and many delicious “failures”), I finally cracked the code! These Giant New York Style (Levain bakery) Chocolate Chip Cookies With Walnuts are the result of that quest, and let me tell you, they are pure magic. They’re everything you dream of in a cookie – crispy edges, a gooey center, and packed with chocolate and walnuts. Now I make them for every special occasion, and they disappear faster than I can bake them!

Why You’ll Love This Giant New York Style (Levain bakery) Chocolate Chip Cookies With Walnuts

• They’re absolutely huge, giving you that satisfying, bakery-style indulgence right at home.
• The combination of cold butter and cornstarch creates a cookie that’s crispy on the outside and wonderfully gooey inside.
• Packed with both chocolate chips and walnuts, every bite is a delightful mix of textures and flavors.
• They’re surprisingly simple to make, even for a beginner, with a few easy-to-follow steps.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Cold Butter: Cutting it into small cubes helps it cream with the sugars without melting too quickly, which is key for that perfect cookie texture. No substitutions here!
• Brown Sugar & Granulated Sugar: The mix gives you both chewiness (brown sugar) and crispness (granulated sugar).
• Eggs: These bind everything together and add richness.
• Vanilla: Essential for that classic, comforting cookie flavor. Don’t skip it!
• All-Purpose Flour: The structure of our cookie.
• Cornstarch: My secret weapon for super soft, thick cookies! It helps prevent spread.
• Baking Soda: This gives our cookies their lift and helps them spread just right.
• Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances all the flavors.
• Instant Espresso Powder: This is optional, but trust me, it deepens the chocolate flavor without making the cookies taste like coffee.
• Chocolate Chips: I love using a mix of dark and semi-sweet for a complex chocolate experience, but use your favorite!
• Walnuts: Roughly chopped walnuts add a fantastic crunch and nutty flavor. If you’re not a fan, you can omit them, but you might want to add a little extra flour to compensate for the missing bulk.

How to Make Giant New York Style (Levain bakery) Chocolate Chip Cookies With Walnuts Step by Step

First things first, let’s get that oven ready! Preheat your oven to a nice hot 410°F. While that’s heating up, grab a medium bowl and whisk together your dry ingredients: the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and that optional instant espresso powder. Just make sure everything is well combined.

Next, in a large mixing bowl, it’s time for the magic of creaming. Take your cold, cubed butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar and beat them together. You’ll want to mix this for about 2-3 minutes until it’s light, fluffy, and creamy. This step is super important for the texture of your cookies!

Now, add your eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition to ensure they are fully incorporated. Follow that with the vanilla extract. Then, gently add your whisked flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix until it’s “just combined”—you’ll want to stop mixing when you still see a few traces of flour. Overmixing develops the gluten too much, which can make your cookies tough. Finally, stir in your chocolate chips and chopped walnuts. If the dough is a bit stiff, don’t worry! I often use my hands to gently fold the dough over itself in the bowl until everything is evenly distributed. Don’t forget to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula to get all those delicious bits.

This recipe makes 8 extra-large cookies. You’ll want to form them into tall, round balls, about 5-6 ounces each, or roughly ¾ cup of dough. I find it easiest to divide the dough in half, then each half in half, and continue until I have 8 equal portions. Place only 4 of these giant dough balls on a single parchment paper or Silpat-lined cookie sheet. Pop the baking sheet into your preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. They might look a little underdone in the middle, but that’s what gives them that amazing gooey center!

My Top Tips for Success

• I always recommend using cold, cubed butter. It really makes a difference in the texture and prevents the cookies from spreading too much.
• In my experience, don’t overmix the flour once it’s added. Just mix until combined for a tender cookie.
• Trust me on this one: let the cookies rest on the baking sheet after baking. At least 15 minutes for super gooey centers, or until fully cool for a chewier cookie. This allows them to set up properly.
• Don’t overcrowd your baking sheet. Baking only 4 cookies at a time ensures even baking and prevents them from melting into each other.
• Using a kitchen scale to portion your dough ensures all your cookies are the same size and bake evenly.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Overmixing the dough: This develops gluten, leading to tough, cake-like cookies instead of soft, chewy ones. Stop mixing as soon as the flour streaks disappear.
• Baking too many cookies at once: Crowding the baking sheet lowers the oven temperature and causes uneven baking and spreading. Bake only 4 at a time.
• Not letting them rest: Taking them off the sheet too soon will cause them to fall apart. The residual heat continues to cook them and helps them set.
• Warm butter: This can lead to flat, greasy cookies. Cold butter creates steam and helps with lift and texture.

How to Store Giant New York Style (Levain bakery) Chocolate Chip Cookies With Walnuts

• Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
• Freezer (Baked): Once completely cooled, place cookies in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in the microwave.
• Freezer (Dough Balls): Form the dough balls, then freeze them on a baking sheet until solid. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes these cookies so thick?

The combination of cold butter, a higher ratio of flour, and the cornstarch helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much, resulting in their signature thick and tall shape.

Can I skip the walnuts?

Yes, you can! If you omit the walnuts, I recommend adding an extra ¼ cup of all-purpose flour to the dough to maintain the right consistency and prevent excessive spreading.

Why is instant espresso powder used?

Instant espresso powder doesn’t make the cookies taste like coffee. Instead, it deepens and enhances the chocolate flavor, making the cookies taste even richer and more decadent.

My cookies spread too much, what went wrong?

This usually happens if your butter was too warm, if you overmixed the dough, or if your oven temperature was too low. Ensure your butter is cold and cubed, mix just until combined, and verify your oven temperature with an oven thermometer.

I genuinely hope these Giant New York Style (Levain bakery) Chocolate Chip Cookies With Walnuts bring a huge smile to your face and a comforting warmth to your kitchen. They’re truly a labor of love that’s worth every single bite. If you whip up a batch, please let me know how they turn out – I absolutely love hearing from you!

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