Authentic New York Style Levain Cookies: Homemade Bliss!
Make the Famous New York Levain Cookies Easily at Home
Experience the legendary ‘must-try before you die’ Levain cookies from New York, right in your own kitchen! With simple ingredients you likely already have, you can effortlessly craft these cookies, famous for their incredible texture and rich flavor. Perfect as a gift or a personal treat, let’s bake these heavenly Levain cookies together! ^^
Cookie Dough Ingredients
- All-purpose flour 100g
- Cake flour 55g
- Cornstarch 2g (approx. 1/2 tsp)
- Baking powder 2g (approx. 1/2 tsp)
- Baking soda 2g (approx. 1/2 tsp)
- Granulated sugar 50g (approx. 1/4 cup)
- Brown sugar 50g (approx. 1/4 cup)
- Salt 1 pinch
- Unsalted butter 100g (cold, cut into 1cm cubes)
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- Vanilla extract 2g (approx. 1/2 tsp)
- Dark chocolate chips 70g (or chopped dark chocolate)
- Milk chocolate 50g (or chopped milk chocolate)
- Walnuts 120g (pre-treated and roughly chopped)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
The first step to levain cookie perfection! Cut the butter into 1cm cubes and keep it cold in the refrigerator. Ensure your egg is at room temperature by taking it out about 30 minutes before you start. For enhanced flavor, pre-treat the walnuts by blanching them in boiling water or toasting them in a pan, then soaking in cold water to remove any bitterness. Thoroughly pat them dry with paper towels before chopping.
Step 2
Prepare your baking tools in advance for a smooth process. You’ll need a large mixing bowl, a fine-mesh sieve, a silicone spatula, a whisk, and a hand mixer (or a whisk can be used). The oven will be preheated later in the recipe.
Step 3
Roughly chop the pre-treated walnuts by hand on a cutting board. Aim for a chunky texture rather than finely minced, so you can enjoy the satisfying crunch in every bite.
Step 4
In a small bowl, lightly beat the room-temperature egg with a whisk. Add a pinch of salt and mix gently. Set aside. The salt will subtly enhance the cookie’s overall flavor profile.
Step 5
In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cake flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk them together to ensure they are evenly distributed. Pre-mixing the dry ingredients helps prevent overdeveloping gluten and contributes to a tender cookie texture.
Step 6
Prepare your chocolate as well! If you’re using bar chocolate, chop it into bite-sized pieces that will mix well into the dough. Chocolate chips are also perfectly fine to use as is.
Step 7
Let’s start building the cookie dough base. Using a hand mixer on low speed, briefly cream the cold, cubed butter. It’s important to keep the butter cold and avoid over-creaming; just break up the larger chunks into smaller pieces.
Step 8
Add both the granulated sugar and brown sugar to the creamed butter. Start mixing on the lowest speed of your hand mixer to prevent the sugar from scattering, then gradually increase to medium speed. Crucially, do NOT cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix just until the sugars are evenly incorporated into the butter, with a slightly gritty texture remaining. This short mixing time is key to achieving the characteristic dense texture of Levain cookies, typically for about 1-2 minutes.
Step 9
Stir in the vanilla extract. Now, gradually add the beaten egg mixture in 3-4 additions, mixing on medium speed. Ensure each addition of egg is fully incorporated before adding the next to maintain a stable emulsion. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with your silicone spatula between additions to ensure everything is evenly mixed.
Step 10
After using the hand mixer, use your silicone spatula to scrape down any dough stuck to the bottom and sides of the bowl, bringing it all to the center. This ensures uniform mixing of all ingredients.
Step 11
Sift the pre-mixed dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, cake flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda) over the butter-egg mixture. Sifting aerates the flour and helps create a lighter cookie texture.
Step 12
Using your silicone spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Use a cutting motion, moving the spatula from the bottom of the bowl upwards, or draw a figure ’11’. Avoid overmixing, as this can develop gluten and result in tough cookies.
Step 13
Mix only until you no longer see dry flour. A few streaks of flour are acceptable at this stage, as they will incorporate when you add the chocolate and nuts.
Step 14
Add the chopped walnuts, dark chocolate chips, and milk chocolate to the dough. Mix gently just until the additions are evenly distributed throughout the dough. Be careful not to overmix; you just want everything to come together.
Step 15
Gather the dough into a cohesive mass, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This chilling period allows the butter to firm up again, stabilizes the dough, and deepens the flavor. About 20 minutes before the chilling time is up, preheat your oven to 210℃ (410℉). (Adjust temperature based on your oven’s calibration.)
Step 16
Once the dough has chilled, divide it into portions. Aim for about 100g-110g per cookie for a substantial size. (Alternatively, divide into 80g-90g portions for about 8 cookies).
Step 17
Gently shape each portion into a rough ball without overworking the dough. The slightly irregular shape is part of the Levain cookie’s charm! Place parchment paper on your baking sheets and arrange the dough balls with ample space between them, as they will spread during baking.
Step 18
Bake in the preheated oven. Start at 210℃ (410℉) for the first 5 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 190℃ (375℉) and bake for another 15-20 minutes, for a total baking time of approximately 20-25 minutes. Keep a close eye on the cookies, adjusting time and temperature as needed based on your oven and the browning of the edges.
Step 19
Remove the cookies from the oven when the edges are a rich golden brown and the tops have a slightly browned appearance. The cookies will still be soft and somewhat puffy. Let them cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before moving them. This allows them to set and continue cooking from residual heat.
Step 20
After they’ve cooled slightly on the baking sheet, carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. They need to cool thoroughly to achieve their signature crisp exterior and gooey interior.
Step 21
Voila! Your homemade Levain cookies are ready. While delicious warm, they develop an even chewier texture and richer flavor after a day or two stored in an airtight container. For longer storage, freeze the completely cooled cookies and thaw them at room temperature before enjoying. Perfect with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee for a delightful treat!
