The Showdown: Copycat Levain Cookies
If you haven’t had a Levain Cookie, then I highly recommend you get one the next time you’re in New York City (or Washington DC, as they are just opened the first location outside of NYC). The bakery makes giant, delicious dough balls full of chocolate chips and walnuts that are heaven in the form of a hockey-puck shaped cookie. As I have mentioned before, my favorite food is chocolate-chip cookies, and I can confidently say these are some of the best I have ever had. During a short visit to Manhattan last year, I was so desperate to get some that I almost missed my flight while waiting for Caviar to deliver a box to my hotel before I left for the airport.
When quarantine started, my friend Sarah shared a photo of a homemade version to Instagram - and I immediately asked her for the recipe. So began my quest to identify the best recipe for DIY Levain chocolate chip walnut cookies. Today I am sharing my thoughts on four of the most popular copycat recipes on the internet - rated for taste, texture, visual similarity to the original, and ease of baking procedure! If you want to skip all the details, scroll to the bottom for the final results.
The Contenders
The Close-to-Perfect Copy: Modern Honey’s Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Crush Cookies
This recipe has close to 250,000 shares on Pinterest, and it was the first copycat recipe that I tried. The cookies are pretty awesome - and if I hadn’t tried any other recipes, I would have been satisfied having these babies for years. The recipe is also quick and easy - no stand mixer or chilling time required. The outside of the cookie, however, did not brown quite enough to create a delicious contrast between the caramel-y taste of a perfect crust and the sweet, doughy inside. Plus, for some reason, the taste profile was not as show-stopping as some other contenders. Of all the recipes, these cookies did look most similar to the original Levain - so if you are making these for Instagram alone, go with this option.
Taste: 3/5
Texture: 4/5
Visual Similarity: 5/5
Ease of Process: 5/5
The Totally Different Dough Mound: Delish’s Copycat Levain Bakery Cookies
So these cookies tasted really good, but they were nothing like the original Levain cookie. If you’re trying to make an impressive copycat (which you probably are- if you are reading this), skip this recipe. Despite being pretty delicious, the walnuts sunk and the texture was dry and flaky - nothing like the even nut distribution or chewy softness that characterizes Levain’s version. Plus, the process is complicated - requiring a dough freeze and baking sheet gymnastics. Overall, I recommend you skip this option.
Taste: 4/5
Texture: 2/5
Visual Similarity: 0/5
Ease of Process: 2/5
The Well-Researched Winner: A Bountiful Kitchen’s Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies
When I read Bountiful Kitchen’s blog post, I had a hunch these cookies would end up incredible. She actually spent HOURS watching videos showing the founders of Levain baking the cookies, reverse-engineering the recipe through some careful video sleuthing. In particular, she argues against putting cornstarch in the cookies - which other copycat recipes call for - and she emphasizes the importance of leaving out vanilla extract, as Levain’s founders have publicly stated they do not use it. While visually these cookies did not look super similar to the original, they tasted almost identical. The outside crust browned perfectly, while the inside remained soft and chewy. Plus, the recipe is quick - you do not have to chill the dough.
Taste: 5/5
Texture: 5/5
Visual Similarity: 3/5
Ease of Process: 4.5/5
The Sophisticated Twist: Mike Bakes NYC’s Copycat Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies
These cookies were quite simply unreal, and I have come to love Mike’s food blog over the past several months. This recipe’s greatest asset, however, was also what prevented it from being the ultimate winner. Mike’s recipe calls for lightly toasted walnuts, which adds a really delicious, nutty flavor to the final product. However, I have read on several blogs, and I agree from personal experience, that Levain does not toast their walnuts. This prevents Mike’s recipe from tasting enough like the original Levain to take the top prize. He also uses vanilla extract, which as I mention above, is apparently not in the actual Levain recipe. Regardless, you should definitely try baking these cookies - Mike has created a delicious twist on the classic Levain that will impress even the most sophisticated palate!
Taste: 5/5
Texture: 5/5
Visual Similarity: 4.5/5
Ease of Process: 3/5
Leaderboard
Final Rankings
A Bountiful Kitchen (4.375/5)
Mike Bakes NYC (4.375/5)
Modern Honey (4.25/5)
Delish (2/5)
Overall, the top three recipes are all excellent, but in particular, I recommend A Bountiful Kitchen’s Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies for the best copycat experience. If you want a more sophisticated twist, try Mike Bakes NYC’s Copycat Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies. If you’re here purely to identify the closest visual replica, then Modern Honey’s Levain Chocolate Chip Crush Cookies are the way to go. Delish’s Copycat Levain Bakery Cookies recipe is one you can skip.