Levain-Style Two-Chip Chocolate Chip Cookies — Thick, Gooey, and Bakery-Perfect Every Time

If you’re a fan of outrageously thick, melt-in-your-mouth cookies with gooey centers and crispy, golden edges, you’re about to fall in love with these Levain-inspired Two-Chip Chocolate Chip Cookies. Inspired by the iconic New York bakery known for its massive cookies, these are everything a chocolate chip cookie should be — but better. Thick, chunky, chewy, slightly underbaked in the center, and loaded with two types of chocolate for the perfect sweet bite.

Unlike typical flat chocolate chip cookies, these are sky-high, hearty cookies that feel indulgent and satisfying — the kind of cookie you want to split open while it’s still warm to see melted chips stretch from edge to edge. What really sets them apart is the combination of chocolate chips — typically semi-sweet and dark or milk and white — that create layered flavor and texture in every bite. Plus, they’re easy to make with simple ingredients, and you don’t need any fancy equipment or techniques.

Whether you’re baking them for a special occasion, gifting, or just because it’s a Tuesday and you deserve the best, these thick two-chip cookies will never disappoint. One bite in, and you’ll understand the hype.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Bakery-Style at Home: These cookies look, taste, and feel like the ones you buy from a famous bakery.
• Double the Chocolate: Using two types of chips brings a layered sweetness and rich complexity.
• Mega Thick & Soft Centers: Thanks to a high flour-to-fat ratio and cold butter, they stay thick and gooey inside.
• No Chill Required: While chilling enhances flavor, these cookies bake beautifully straight from the bowl.
• Crowd-Pleasing Size: One cookie can feed two people… or just one cookie lover with standards.

Ingredient Breakdown — What Each Element Adds

• Cold Unsalted Butter: Using cold cubed butter helps create structure and height. It prevents the cookies from spreading too thin and gives you that thick, rich texture.
• Brown Sugar: This adds deep molasses flavor and chewy texture. We use more brown sugar than white for that dense, moist bite.
• Granulated Sugar: A little bit of white sugar balances the moisture and helps the cookies brown.
• Eggs (Cold): Room temp eggs are great in most baking, but cold eggs help keep the dough firm here, encouraging less spread and more structure.
• All-Purpose Flour: Provides the base structure for the cookies. A high amount helps the cookies keep their tall, chunky shape.
• Cornstarch: This secret weapon softens the cookie crumb and adds a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
• Baking Powder + Baking Soda: Using both gives the cookies a perfect balance between rise and chew.
• Salt: Essential for flavor balance — especially with two types of chocolate.
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: The classic cookie staple, offering bold chocolate flavor and slight bitterness to offset the sweetness.
• Milk or White Chocolate Chips: Adds creamy, sweet richness and smoothness, balancing the more intense dark or semi-sweet chips.

Optional Add-ins:

• Chopped Walnuts or Pecans: For a true Levain copycat, nuts are included. Totally optional!
• Espresso Powder (¼ tsp): Enhances chocolate flavor without making it taste like coffee.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Cube Your Cold Butter

Start with cold, unsalted butter cut into small cubes. Using cold butter helps prevent the dough from becoming too soft while mixing and keeps the cookies from overspreading.

Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugars

Use a stand mixer (or handheld mixer with some patience) to cream together the cubed butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. It’ll take longer than room temp butter — expect to beat it for about 4–5 minutes until light and fluffy.

Step 3: Add Eggs One at a Time

Crack in your cold eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is evenly incorporated.

Step 4: Combine Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the dry mix to the wet ingredients with the mixer on low speed until a thick dough forms.

Step 5: Fold in the Chocolate Chips

Now for the fun part! Gently fold in both types of chocolate chips (and chopped nuts if using) until evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Step 6: Scoop Into Huge Dough Balls

Use a large cookie scoop or your hands to divide the dough into 8–10 large balls — about 6 oz each. Don’t flatten them; leave them tall and rugged for that iconic Levain look.

Step 7: Optional Chill

If time allows, chilling the dough balls for 30 minutes to 1 hour will enhance flavor and control spreading even more. Not required, but recommended.

Step 8: Bake at High Heat

Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C). Place 3–4 dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet with plenty of space in between. Bake for 9–11 minutes, just until the tops are golden and the edges are set but the centers still look slightly underdone.

Step 9: Cool Slightly and Enjoy Warm

Let the cookies cool on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Serve warm for gooey centers or cool completely to firm up and store.

Tips for Bakery-Perfect Cookies

• Weigh Your Dough: For consistency, use a kitchen scale to portion 6 oz cookies.
• Leave Them Tall: Don’t flatten the dough balls — the taller, the better.
• Add Extra Chips on Top: For a bakery look, press a few chips onto the tops before baking.
• Underdone is Perfect: Pull the cookies when the centers still look slightly soft. They’ll finish setting as they cool.
• Skip the Nuts or Swap the Chips: Use white + milk, dark + semi-sweet, or whatever combo you love.

How to Store These Cookies

• Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. To keep the center gooey, add a slice of bread to the container.
• Reheat: Pop one in the microwave for 10–15 seconds to bring back that warm, molten center.
• Freezer-Friendly: Freeze baked cookies or dough balls. Bake straight from frozen at 400°F for 11–13 minutes.

Perfect For…

• Celebrations
• Gifting
• Cookie swaps
• Bake sales
• When you need a mood-lifting dessert

These cookies are indulgent, satisfying, and truly feel like a bakery experience at home. They’re the kind of dessert that brings wide eyes and “oohs” when you break them open and reveal that molten, gooey center packed with melty chips.

Enjoy!

There’s nothing like biting into a warm, thick cookie that’s crisp on the outside and soft, gooey, and packed with chocolate inside. These Levain-Style Two-Chip Chocolate Chip Cookies are the ultimate treat — whether you’re baking for a celebration or just want something special to end your day. Stack them high, serve with a cold glass of milk, and take a moment to appreciate the simple joy of a perfect cookie.