Homemade Levain-Style Giant Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies: The Ultimate Copycat Recipe

There’s a reason why Levain Bakery in New York City holds such an esteemed place in the hearts of cookie lovers worldwide. Their legendary giant cookies are not just a treat; they’re an experience. Among their illustrious offerings, the dark chocolate cookies, generously studded with creamy peanut butter chips and perfectly balanced in sweetness, stand out as an absolute masterpiece. Many would argue they rival even Levain’s iconic chocolate chip variety, boasting a rich cocoa depth that is truly irresistible.

The Quest for the Perfect Levain Copycat Cookie

The allure of Levain’s cookies, with their signature colossal size, wonderfully thick and chewy interior, and slightly crispy edges, often inspires home bakers to embark on a quest: to replicate that magic in their own kitchens. This particular recipe is the culmination of countless trials and adjustments, an earnest attempt to bring the Levain experience directly to your home. We owe a significant debt of gratitude to earlier pioneers in this endeavor, particularly Jessica from Su Good Sweets and Lisa from Parsley Sage Sweet, whose initial versions provided an invaluable foundation. Their dedication to cracking the Levain code paved the way for many, including this refined, smaller-batch adaptation.

Creating a true copycat is more than just following a list of ingredients; it’s about understanding the nuances of baking. Several factors can subtly (or dramatically) influence the final outcome of these homemade Levain-style cookies. Consider the type of butter you use – a high-fat European-style butter, for instance, can yield a richer, more tender crumb compared to standard American butter. The brand and density of your flour, along with how precisely you measure it (spooned and leveled versus scooped), play a critical role in the cookie’s structure. Even the cocoa powder choice, whether a Dutch-processed for a darker, mellower flavor or a natural cocoa for a slightly more acidic profile, will impact the taste and appearance. And, of course, your oven – its calibration, hot spots, and whether it’s conventional or convection – will ultimately dictate just how gloriously big and fat your cookie will be. Therefore, treat this recipe as a robust starting point, a guide that you can fine-tune to perfection based on your specific ingredients and equipment.

Key Baking Principles for Levain-Style Cookies

Achieving the quintessential Levain texture hinges on a couple of critical techniques that might differ from your usual cookie-baking routine. First and foremost, these giant cookies absolutely thrive on being slightly under-baked. This means pulling them from the oven when they still appear a bit soft and gooey in the center. The residual heat will continue to cook them gently as they cool, leading to that coveted moist, chewy interior rather than a dry, crumbly one. The second, equally vital step is patience: allow them to sit and cool internally for a significant period before digging in. This cooling process is where the magic truly happens, allowing the sugars and fats to set, creating that characteristic thick, dense, and utterly irresistible texture. While baking times can always be adjusted to your personal preference and oven quirks, the times provided in this recipe have consistently yielded excellent results, bringing you closer to the authentic Levain experience.

Recipe: Giant Dark Chocolate Cookies with Peanut Butter Chips

This recipe yields 10 generously sized, irresistible cookies, perfect for sharing or savoring solo over multiple sittings. They offer the perfect balance of intense dark chocolate flavor with bursts of sweet, salty peanut butter. Get ready to impress!

Prep Time: Approximately 15 minutes

Cook Time: Approximately 15-18 minutes

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 10 giant cookies

Keywords: Chocolate Peanut Butter, Levain Copycat, Giant Cookies, Dark Chocolate

Ingredients

• 230 grams (2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 150 grams brown sugar (packed)
• 100 grams granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs (cold is fine, but room temperature integrates better)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (pure vanilla extract for best flavor)
• 45 grams (½ cup) dark cocoa powder (e.g., Dutch process or Hershey’s Special Dark)
• 160 grams bread flour (for chewiness)
• 125 grams all-purpose flour (for balance)
• ½ teaspoon salt (fine sea salt is recommended)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder (helps with lift and spread)
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips (high quality chips melt beautifully)
• 1 cup peanut butter chips (for that signature flavor)

Step-by-Step Directions

1. Prepare Your Oven: Preheat your conventional oven to 375°F (190°C). If you have a convection oven, preheat to 400°F (200°C) as a starting point.
2. Cream Butter and Sugars: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the cold, cut pieces of butter and both the brown and granulated sugars until the mixture is well-blended and lightened in color. The cold butter will create pockets of air, contributing to the cookie’s unique texture.
3. Add Wet Ingredients: Add the eggs one at a time, beating just until each is incorporated. Stir in the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure everything is evenly mixed.
4. Incorporate Cocoa: Beat in the dark cocoa powder until fully combined and the mixture is uniformly chocolatey. Scrape the sides of the bowl once more to catch any unmixed pockets.
5. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, thoroughly whisk together the bread flour, all-purpose flour, salt, and baking powder. This ensures leavening and seasoning are evenly distributed.
6. Mix Wet and Dry: Gradually add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture in the stand mixer. Mix on low speed just until the flour is almost fully incorporated. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough cookies.
7. Fold in Chips: Once the flour is mostly mixed in, gently fold in the dark chocolate chips and peanut butter chips by hand using a spatula. Distribute them evenly throughout the dough.
8. Portion the Dough: Divide the cookie dough into 10 equal portions. These will be substantial mounds, reflecting the “giant” nature of the cookies. You can weigh them for accuracy (around 90-100 grams each) or eyeball them. Feel free to adjust the size slightly if you prefer larger or smaller cookies, but remember that baking times will vary.
9. Prepare Baking Sheet: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat (like Silpat). Do NOT grease or spray the sheet, as this can cause the cookies to spread too much. Place the cookie dough mounds onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving ample space between them to allow for spreading.
10. Bake (Conventional Oven): Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 8 minutes. Without opening the oven or tampering with the cookie sheet, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C) and continue to bake for another 8-10 minutes. The cookies should appear set around the edges but still look slightly moist and gooey in the center.
11. Bake (Convection Oven): If using a convection oven, bake at 400°F (200°C) for about 8 minutes, then reduce the heat to 330°F (165°C) and bake for another 10 minutes. Convection ovens circulate hot air, often resulting in slightly cracked tops and a more even bake. Look for those small cracks as an indicator of doneness.
12. Cooling is Crucial: Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheet for approximately 5 minutes. This initial cooling period allows them to set slightly without collapsing. Then, carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Allowing them to cool fully on the rack is essential for them to firm up internally and develop that signature Levain chew.

Expert Baking Tips for Levain-Style Cookies

Recreating the legendary Levain cookie isn’t just about the recipe; it’s about mastering a few key techniques. Here are some pro tips to ensure your homemade giant dark chocolate peanut butter chip cookies are nothing short of spectacular:

• Cold Butter is Your Friend: Unlike many cookie recipes that call for room temperature butter, using cold butter cut into pieces is crucial here. This technique helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much too quickly, contributing to their impressive height and thick texture.
• Don’t Overmix: Once the dry ingredients are added, mix just until combined. Overmixing develops gluten, leading to a tougher cookie. A few streaks of flour are acceptable before folding in the chips.
• The Flour Blend Matters: The combination of bread flour and all-purpose flour is intentional. Bread flour, with its higher protein content, contributes to a chewier texture, mimicking the dense interior of Levain’s cookies. All-purpose flour provides balance.
• Cocoa Powder Choice: Dutch-processed cocoa powder (like Hershey’s Special Dark) is recommended for its darker color and milder, less acidic flavor, which complements the sweetness of the sugars and chips. Natural cocoa powder can be used, but it might result in a lighter color and slightly tangier taste.
• The Art of Under-baking: This is perhaps the most important tip. Pull your cookies from the oven when the edges are set but the centers still look slightly soft, puffy, and underdone. They will continue to bake on the hot cookie sheet and then on the cooling rack, reaching perfect gooeyness. Over-baking is the quickest way to lose that signature Levain chewiness.
• Cooling Patience: Seriously, resist the urge to break into them immediately! The cooling process is integral to the cookie’s structure and texture. As they cool, the fats and sugars solidify, resulting in that perfectly dense, chewy, and slightly fudgy center.
• Portioning for Greatness: Aim for consistent portion sizes (around 90-100 grams or about ½ cup of dough per cookie). This ensures even baking and the impressive “giant” factor. Uneven portions will bake at different rates.
• No Grease on Baking Sheet: Use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Greasing the pan directly can cause the cookies to spread too thinly.
• Oven Calibration: Ovens can vary significantly. Consider using an oven thermometer to ensure your oven is truly at the temperature you set. If your cookies spread too much or too little, your oven temperature might be off.

Storage and Reheating

These giant cookies are best enjoyed fresh, but they also store remarkably well. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days to maintain their freshness. For an extra treat, warm them slightly in the microwave for 10-15 seconds or in a preheated oven at 300°F (150°C) for 5-7 minutes. This will bring back that gooey, fresh-from-the-oven texture. You can also freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature or reheat from frozen.

Frequently Asked Questions About Levain-Style Cookies

Q: Can I use different types of chips?

A: Absolutely! While the dark chocolate and peanut butter chip combination is classic, feel free to experiment. White chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or even chopped nuts (like walnuts or pecans) would make delicious additions or substitutions. Just maintain the total volume of add-ins to avoid altering the dough consistency too much.

Q: What if my cookies spread too much?

A: Several factors can cause cookies to spread excessively. Ensure your butter is cold when you start, and avoid overmixing the dough once the flour is added. Also, verify your oven temperature with a thermometer; an oven that runs too cool can cause spreading. Chilling the dough for 30 minutes to an hour before baking can also help prevent spreading.

Q: Can I make the dough ahead of time?

A: Yes! Cookie dough can be prepared and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Tightly wrap the dough portions or the entire batch in plastic wrap. When ready to bake, you might need to add a couple of extra minutes to the baking time if baking from cold dough.

Q: Can I freeze the cookie dough?

A: Freezing cookie dough is a great option for fresh-baked cookies anytime. Portion the dough into mounds, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer the dough balls to an airtight freezer-safe bag or container. They can be stored for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding an extra 3-5 minutes to the baking time.

Q: Why is bread flour important? Can I use only all-purpose flour?

A: Bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, which helps create a chewier, more structured cookie—a hallmark of the Levain style. While you can use all-purpose flour for the entire amount, the texture might be slightly softer and less chewy. If you only have all-purpose, consider adding an extra tablespoon or two to compensate for the lower protein.

Conclusion: Your Homemade Levain Experience Awaits

Baking these giant dark chocolate cookies with peanut butter chips is more than just following a recipe; it’s about embracing a baking adventure. The satisfaction of pulling these colossal, decadent treats from your oven, knowing you’ve captured a piece of Levain Bakery’s magic, is immense. With their rich chocolate flavor, pockets of melting peanut butter, and perfectly chewy, thick centers, these cookies are guaranteed to become a new favorite. So gather your ingredients, follow these steps, and prepare to indulge in what many consider the best homemade cookie experience. Happy baking!

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