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. 
Jen – these look phenomenal! I am pretty sure I could eat the entire batch of your cupcakes in one sitting. Thank you so much for helping Krystal and Eric celebrate Cupcake’s arrival!
beantownbaker — May 8th, 2013 @ 8:21 pm
These were definitely dangerous. People were fighting over the last one at the party I took them too.
They look delicious! Love that little cupcake stand.
beantownbaker — May 8th, 2013 @ 8:22 pm
I got it at Home Goods. Isn’t it super cute?
Nutella frosting?! Yes please!
Awww Jen, these are so gorgeous and a great way for you to get back in your baking habit!! Did you know that I had a big nutella phase during cupcake’s pregnancy…I need this frosting in my life!! Thank you for participating in my virtual baby shower. XXOO
beantownbaker — May 8th, 2013 @ 8:23 pm
You definitely need this frosting in your life. Even if you just make it to eat with a spoon. It’s SO good. Good luck with the upcoming arrival of your cupcake! (my sister is pregnant and refers to her little one as her nugget!)
These look wonderful and that nutella cloud frosting sounds phenomenal!!
I used the nutella cloud frosting on my birthday cake last year and I was blown away at how perfectly the name matched the texture! I love how perfectly smooth and fluffy it is. And yours looks absolutely perfect on top of that cupcake!
beantownbaker — May 8th, 2013 @ 8:23 pm
I know – isn’t it the perfect name for this frosting. It’s amazing.
I’d also fill these with Nutella, and use a chocolate stout cake… mmmm…
beantownbaker — May 8th, 2013 @ 8:24 pm
YUM! That’s a great idea.
Gorgeous cupcakes! It’s hard not to want a nutella cloud frosting! I just made cupcakes for the first time in awhile too, I forget how relaxing and fun cupcakes can be!
You had me at ‘Nutella’, Jen! Beautiful cuppies!
So cute and absolutely perfect!
Oh man…nutella frosting? These sound so good!
beantownbaker — May 8th, 2013 @ 8:25 pm
It tastes much better than it sounds. Trust me. I’m debating going to get the leftovers out of the fridge to snack on some…
Oh goodness, these look dangerous 😉 loving the nutella frosting!
beantownbaker — May 8th, 2013 @ 8:25 pm
They’re definitely dangerous. I was glad I took them to a friend’s house.
Those cupcakes are perfect!!!
Do i have to have a paddle and stand mixer? I only have a regular hand mixer at the moment.
beantownbaker — November 24th, 2013 @ 6:02 pm
A hand mixer probably would work just fine.