Hands down, this is the BEST chocolate chip walnut cookie EVER!

I try my best to steer away from posting any generic or classic recipes. I’m sure we’ve all seen it before and we don’t need to be reminded on how great your grandma’s apple pie really is or in this case, how great this generic looking cookie can possibly be.
But here’s the thing, this is NOT YOUR AVERAGE COOKIE.
Trust me.
You truly have to make this recipe for yourself to really understand why.
You see, I love chocolate and I like cookies; in general I think of chocolate chip cookies as an A-Okay type of snack. So when it’s around, I’ll grab one or maybe two but I never actually crave it but this here…these are a different story.
A copycat recipe of the infamous Levain Bakery. Oh, you don’t know who they are?! Well let me tell you…

Four years ago it was just like any other night out in the city of New York when my boyfriend’s friend passed me a heavy bag of 3 cookies. I vaguely remember the conversation leading to the cookies or why he even had it but what I do remember was that they were beautifully studded with the perfect amount of chocolate chips and walnuts, heavily dense and tasted amazing! So amazing, months later I continued to talk about how great they were and how much I wish I had them again.
About a year later, he was in the upper west side area and he found himself at Levain Bakery. Similar like me, he has a sweet tooth so he couldn’t help stopping by for more cookies.
At some point he remembered me talk about them so much he did me a favor of buying extra and brought it to my job. When he handed me that bag of cookies, it was the highlight of my day! I remember gasping out of excitement and thinking how much I wanted to save the cookies to eat throughout the week. However, my inner cookie monster unleashed and it was gone within minutes.

I’m sure you’ve eaten plenty of sweets in your lifetime but if you stop to really think about it, there are only certain desserts that have left a lasting impression. Whether it was a positive one or not; all others in between are forgotten.
The two moments I had with the real Levain Bakery cookies, left such a positive yet vivid memory I don’t think I will ever forget. No store bought or any other home recipe I’ve tried could even compare close to these.

Levain Bakery’s cookies are known to be big, bold and full of soft cookie dough flavor. I mean c’mon, who doesn’t like cookie dough?! It’s soft interior and moist crumb with chocolate chips and walnuts all mixed in one bite will undoubtedly leave you with mouth-gasm (if that’s a word).
I have yet walked into a Levain Bakery. Mostly because it’s in the upper west side and I’m usually in LES or Chelsea, but one day I’ll make it there. And until then, these cookies are the next best thing!
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Levain Bakery Copycat Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 1 dozen 1x
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup + 4 teaspoons (6 oz.) dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted (optional)
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.
- In a separate bowl, beat butter on medium speed using an electric mixer until it comes together in one cohesive mass, about 1 minute. Add in both sugars to the butter and beat for another 1 – 2 minutes. Gradually add eggs and vanilla and continue beating on medium speed until just combined, scraping the sides of bowl (the batter will appear lumpy).
- Reduce the speed to medium-low and gradually add the flour mixture. Stir in chocolate morsels and nuts.
- Divide dough into 12 equal parts roughly shaped into a ball (it should not be smooth). Space mounds 2 to 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake for 18 to 24 minutes, or until light golden brown on top. Let cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet before removing onto a wire rack for further cooling. ENJOY!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 24 minutes
- Cuisine: American
Levain Bakery’s Copycat Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie recipe adapted from Cookie Madness
My family LOVES these cookies. I modify a bit with 3 types of chocolate, pecans ILO walnuts and a small amount of coconut. Best cookies ever!!!!
★★★★★
Hi Sandra,
Glad you like them. These are one of my favorite chocolate chip cookies!
– Connie | URBAN BAKES