Thick Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies (Levain bakery copycat)

Thick Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies. A copycat version of the Levian Bakery cookies we all love! They are incredibly soft on the inside and firm around the edges. These chocolate chip cookies are super thick and fluffy and loaded with tons of chocolate chips and walnuts!

levain bakery chocolate chip cookies

This is my new favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe! These chocolate chip walnut cookies are super soft and chewy, ultra thick, buttery and loaded with tons of walnuts and chocolate chips. They are firm around the edges and gooey in the center. They melt in your mouth when they are hot out of the oven! The secret to these cookies is the cornstarch which makes them perfectly soft and chewy. I also substitute some of the granulated sugar with light brown sugar. This produces a chewier cookie with lots of flavor.

I always like to slightly under bake my cookies. Once they look set around the edges I take them out of the oven and let them continue to cook for 5 minutes longer on the baking sheet. Then I transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely. This gives you a soft and chewy cookie!

These cookies can be made a day or two in advance. The longer the cookie dough sits the more the flavors develop.

Feel free to use chopped walnuts or pecans or omit both if you aren’t a fan of nuts.

How to make copycat levain cookies

• Preheat oven: To 400 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside.
• Make cookie dough: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream butter, light brown sugar and granulated sugar until lighter in color and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Add in the eggs one at a time and vanilla. Next add in the flour, cornstarch, salt and baking soda. Mix just until combined to avoid over mixing the dough. Using a rubber spatula fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts.

• Bake: Portion out cookie dough using a large cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons each, these will be BIG cookies). Place them on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cookies look set. I like to slightly under bake them, they will continue to cook when they are out of the oven.

• Cool: Allow the cookies to continue cooking on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

• (Optional) Extra Chocolate Chips: When the cookies come out of the oven I like to place some chocolate chips on top for presentation.

Tip to making THICK cookies

• Cold Cubed Butter: Keeps the batter from spreading. You could also use room temperature butter and refrigerate the dough for an hour to get the same effect.
• Cornstarch: Helps to make a soft and chewy cookie AND helps thicken up the dough. Double win!
• Extra Flour: The added flour compared to the amount of sugar helps the dough to remain thick and reduces spreading.
• Add in’s: All of the extra walnuts and chocolate chips helps to bulk up the batter and keep it thick.
• Higher temperature: These cookies get baked at 400 degrees compared to the usual 350. This helps to cook the outside of the cookies fast and keeps the inside of the cookie soft and gooey.

How to store Thick Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

• Baked Cookies: Can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days or can be frozen for up to 3-4 months.
• Unbaked Cookie Dough: Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can freeze unbaked cookie dough by rolling out cookie dough balls then placing them on a cookie sheet. Place in the freezer until frozen then transfer to a ziplock bag and store for up to 4 months! When you are ready to eat the cookies thaw them in the refrigerator or let them sit at room temperature when the oven is preheating.

more delicious cookie recipes to try!

• Chewy Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Chewy Monster M & M Cookies
• Brown Butter Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies