So I've been on a quest for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe since I was a teenager and like many of you, have tried a million different recipes along the way. A few months ago I stumbled up this blog for a copycat version of the famous Levain bakery cookies. Fascinating reading, for me at least. The general idea is that to get a thick, chewy cookie, the butter must be cold and you must have enough flour in the dough and the amount of flour can vary, depending on humidity, altitude, etc. I've been using this recipe a few months now and the thing I love about it is I do not have to chill the dough to get a nice thick cookie. I am in NO WAY associated with this blog. Heck, I've never even been to Levain bakery or had one of their cookies. Ias far as how I've adapted this recipe, I use 3 c flour (king Arthur all-purpose) plus 1 T cornstarch. I also add vanilla and about 3 c chocolate chips and no nuts.

Levain Bakery Copycat Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies (**Yield- 1 dozen cookies)

Ingredients

2 sticks ‘cold and cubed’ unsalted butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar not packed too hard. Just spoon it in the cup(s) and press down lightly when full, sweeping off any extra that runs over.

2 eggs

3 1/4 to 3 1/2 cups AP flour Spoon and Sweep method. (feel the dough, it should be moist, kind of like cold cookie dough in a tube.. but not super sticky, so you can portion the cookies with your hands)

3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

3/4-1 teaspoon baking powder ( I don’t fill the tsp fully, hence the 3/4 tsp)

1/4 tsp baking soda

2 cups good quality semisweet chocolate chips or chunks (I usually use half semisweet and half milk chocolate AND, a little birdy told me they use Guittard)

1 cup walnuts (Toast the nuts for more flavor, if desired and/or use any kind of nut you like. I love macadamias in these)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle, cream together butter and sugars until well blended and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time.. and beat until well incorporated.

2. Add flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and mix until just combined. Gently fold in chocolate chunks and nuts.

3. Transfer dough to clean work surface and gently mix dough by hand to ensure even distribution of ingredients. Divide into 12 equal portions, **about 4 oz each..

4. Place each on sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake in the preheated oven 16-23 minutes depending on how gooey and raw’ish you like the middles (I bake mine at 375 for 18-20 minutes, as I prefer a less raw interior), until very lightly browned, taking care not to overbake. Let cool on rack and store what you don’t immediately eat, in an airtight container. To freshen them after a few days (if they last that long), give them a quick nuke in the microwave for 5-10 seconds.

Here is a link that might be useful: Levain bakery cookie recipes