Levain Bakery Cookie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is so special about Levain cookies? ›

Aside from their incredible proportions, the distinguishing factor of a Levain-style chocolate chip cookie is the sheer quantity of chocolate chips involved.

Cookie Care

Levain Bakery's cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to one week. If you'd like to save them for later, we recommend individually wrapping them and storing them in the freezer until a craving hits.

I have 2 tips that I've found make these cookies the best… Cold Butter – taking your butter straight from the fridge and cubing it before adding it to the mixing bowl helps the cookies stay thick and not spread while baking. Cornstarch – the cornstarch added to the dough helps the cookies be thick but not dry.

Reviews mention

They are particularly praised for their rich, gooey texture, and the variety of flavors on offer, including gluten-free options. However, some customers find them too rich and indulgent, and there has been criticism regarding the disparity in taste between the freshly baked and frozen versions.

Levain Bakery-style cookies are intentionally crafted to have a soft and gooey interior. The texture might resemble a slightly undercooked cookie, but it's a result of the baking technique used to achieve that irresistibly melty center while maintaining a crispy exterior.

Chocolate Chips — I suggest using semi-sweet chocolate chips or a mix of dark and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Levain Bakery uses both types of chocolate.

We take our name from the French word for the natural leavening agent made of flour, water and wild yeasts: Levain.

Cookies arrive ready to enjoy! Store cookies in an air-tight container or wrapped tightly at room temperature for up to 4 days. Do not refrigerate. If you'd like to save them for later, individually wrap them and store in the freezer for up to 3 months, or until a craving hits.

Who is the owner of Levain Bakery? ›

Pam Weekes and Connie McDonald created Levain Bakery in 1995, out of their passions for food, friendship, and hard work.

“The name comes from a French word, pronounced “Luh-Ven,”” said Randall, a frequent visitor of Levain. She believes that the owners based the name off of the French word for leaven, which is Levain. Other students disagree. “I pronounce it the way it's supposed to be said: Luh-Vayn,” said Hariani.

Melted butter incorporates more easily into the dough, creating a more cohesive and pliable dough. Use a mixture of baking powder and baking soda as leavening agents. Baking powder provides lift and helps create a fluffy texture, while baking soda helps to densify the cookie and create a chewier texture.

Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies. Since baking powder is comprised of a number of ingredients (baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, etc.), using it instead of pure baking soda will affect the taste of your cookies.

And this can be essential if you maintain a smaller sourdough starter or your recipe requires a large preferment. Further, using a levain means I can maintain a smaller sourdough starter to reduce flour use, and then in one step, I can build up my preferment to cover larger recipes or make multiple recipes.

Levain is an off-shoot of the sourdough starter in preparation for baking. Since levain builds are typically fed at a higher ratio of water to flour, it is more active than a sourdough starter, making it ideal for leavening. The levain's composition/flavor profile can also be customized specifically for the bake.

Chocolate chip cookies

What is the most popular type of cookie? It might just be this one. Ever the crowd-pleaser, the chocolate chip cookie is renowned for its balance of richness and sweetness.