Copycat Levain Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie Recipe

If you love very chocolatey chocolate chip cookies, this copycat Levain chocolate chip cookie recipe from food blogger and recipe developer Tanika Douglas should be right up your alley! Levain, a New York-based bakery that ships nationwide, makes chocolate chip cookies that pack a generous amount of chocolate chips into the cookie dough while also using salt and coarse salt flakes to make a chocolate chip cookie that tastes both sophisticated and decadent.

"My favorite thing about this recipe is the perfect balance of sweetness and saltiness," Douglas says. "Adding salt to the recipe brings out more defined walnut, chocolate and vanilla flavors that I just adore. In addition, I love the variety in the texture in these cookies! The inside is soft, gooey, chewy, and decadent, whilst the outside is crisp, golden, and caramelized."

In addition to a higher proportion of chocolate chips than most other cookie recipes, Levain's chocolate chip cookies are also chock full of chopped walnuts. If you're not a walnut fan, though, you have some other options. "I would recommend macadamias or cashews for a beautiful alternative," Douglas says. "They are softer nuts and have great flavors that would compliment the chocolate nicely."

To make these copycat Levain chocolate chip cookies, you'll need cold butter, brown sugar, fine granulated sugar, and 2 eggs. You'll also need vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and walnuts.

You'll also need fine salt and some optional coarse salt flakes, as well. According to Douglas, salt is this recipe's secret weapon. "There is salt within the batter, and salt flakes on top of the cookie for aesthetic impact," Douglas says. "It draws out the flavors in the cookie and creates the perfect salty-sweet taste."

And last but certainly not least, you'll need chocolate chips. "There is a very generous amount of chocolate in the recipe," Douglas says. "I use dark chocolate chips that perfectly balance the buttery dough, without being overly sweet. There is also an equal amount of walnuts for a delicious nutty crunch!"

Preheat your oven to 385 F and line two baking trays with parchment paper. Next, combine the butter, brown sugar, and fine granulated sugar in a mixing bowl. Cream the butter and sugar with an electric beater until it is pale in color and has a fluffy texture.

Add one egg to the mixing bowl and mix well. Add the second egg and the vanilla extract and mix all the ingredients together.

Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until the flour and butter mixture are just combined. Fold the walnuts and chocolate chips into the dough.

Divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll them into balls. Place four of the balls of dough on each lined baking sheet. If you're you'd like to garnish your cookies with sea flakes, sprinkle it onto the balls of dough.

Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they are golden and crisp.

Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes.

"I would serve these cookies for morning or afternoon tea with a hot cup of tea," Douglas says. "In my eyes, that would be the perfect way to unwind and take a minute to yourself."

Douglas also suggests serving these cookies as a dinner party dessert with vanilla ice cream and hot fudge.