Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies
Have you guys heard of the Secret Recipe Club? If you’ve been reading my blog for a while now, you’ll notice my monthly posts about it. Being part of the club has been so much fun. I have been loving getting assigned new blogs every month that I have never seen before. It has been a lot of fun and I recommend considering signing up yourself.
This month, I was assigned Bluebonnets and Brownies. If you haven’t seen Amber’s blog, seriously, go check it out. I had a really hard time narrowing down which recipe I wanted to make this month. After playing with a few ideas, I decided on the Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies.
I’ve never had a Levain cookie, but I’ve heard amazing things about their cookies. And honestly, if the cookies that came out of my oven are anything like the ones from the bakery, then they’re worth the praise.
You all know I’ve always been a HUGE fan of Alton Brown’s The Chewy. But honestly, these might be my new favorite chocolate chip cookie. For starters, they’re huge. I used the ice cream scoop that I use to portion cupcake batter for the cookie dough. And just look at how many chocolate chips and walnuts are in each cookie. They’re perfectly chewy on the inside and crisp around the edges. I can’t say enough about these cookies. Seriously, go make them.
Two Years Ago: Baked Pork Chops with Parmesan-Sage Crust
Four Years Ago: Pumpkin Cookies
Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies
Yield: 20-24 large cookies
Ingredients:
2 sticks (1 cup) chilled butter
1/2 cup Sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 large cold eggs
2 cups flour
1 cup cake flour
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 cup 60% bittersweet chocolate chips
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup toasted chopped walnuts
Directions:
In a medium sized bowl combine flours, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and corn starch. Whisk for a solid 1-2 minutes until all dry ingredients are well mixed and there are no lumps in the flour mixture.
Cube 1 cup (2 sticks) of chilled butter into 1″ pieces. Put white and brown sugar in a stand mixer bowl or large mixing bowl and mix until well combined and almost all lumps have disappeared. Add cold cubed butter and continue to mix at medium speed. Add eggs, one at a time, continuing mixing until well incorporated.
Add flour mixture to sugar/egg mixture in increments until fully incorporated. Remove from stand mixer and mix in chocolate chips and walnuts by hand.
Refrigerate cookie dough overnight.
Preheat oven to 375F.
Using a large spoon or ice cream scoop, distribute dough onto baking trays lined with parchment paper. For trays with 6 dough balls, bake about 14-15 minutes, 12 minutes for trays with less dough balls. As is the Levain style, the cookies should be removed from the oven when they look slightly underdone. They will continue to cook as they cool.
Recipe from Blue Bonnets and Brownies, originally from Parsley, Sage, Desserts, and Line Drives
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
these look so fun! i, too, am LI, but i carry lactaid with me everywhere… and jp licks makes a lactose free flavor 🙂
Lactaid is my best friend. I have spare pills in the car, in Hubby’s wallet, in my purse and desk. Can’t ever be too prepared! I have had their lactose free flavors and they’re quite tasty. I wish they had more than one a month though!
Ooooh. This looks too good. I’m gonna have to try that.
I love the idea of using the cone method for ice cream cupcakes. I hadn’t thought of that. That strawberry down the middle of the cupcake is so perfect! I’m so glad you entered again!
I wouldn’t be able to live without ice cream! Your cupcakes are beautiful. Good luck in the competition!!!
They look pretty! Love the photo of the cross section where you can see the strawberry.
~ingrid
Those cupcakes look scrumptious! Oh, and you’ve gotta try Purely Decadent made with Coconut Milk Ice Cream! It’s rich and creamy, a lot like gelatto!
Thanks Vegiegail – I’ll have to check that out.
So cute! These are so pretty with the strawberry in the middle and they look delicious.
voted for your strawberry one..good luck!
gorgeous. love the inset strawberry. love the Neapolitan theme.
bethany@scoopalicious
I agree with you about the non-dairy ice creams available in stores. However, If you have an ice cream maker vegan chick-0-stick ice cream is unbelievably rich, creamy and delicious.
Here is the recipe http://couldntbeparve.blogspot.com/2008/09/chick-o-stick-ice-cream_04.html
Hey, these cupcakes sound awesome! I use to be Lactose Int., but I found the best cure ever & seriously have been L.I. cured for 7 years. I could not give up my dairy & use to take 3 Lactaid every time I ate.I heard about “Lactogen” on the radio on the way home from a trip. I would do anything to get rid of my L.I. so it was $90.00 at the time so I said what the heck I spent $200.00 a year on Lactaid. I was floored that it worked & 7 years later still no signs. I drink milk every morning, cheese everyday, & ice cream when ever. It retrains your body to except lactose, so for 42 days while you take it (a mix to drink with water) you have to stay away from all dairy & anything with dairy in it. I just went to the health food store during that time. I am sure you can find it on the web. Lactogen is the name
This is my second post, it erased my first. But for all you suffering with Lactose Int. try Lactogen it really works I have been cured for going on 7 years now. It was only $90.00 when I tried it & I was spending $200 a year on Lactaid at the time. I now can drink milk every morning, & eat cheese every day & ice cream when ever. It is not an on going thing you take it once for 43 days & that is it.