Levain Bakery copycat Chocolate Chip Cookies from 5 Boys Baker

Levain Bakery Copycat Chocolate Chip Cookies - made dough January 14, 2020 from 5 Boys Baker

I should've done the write up for these at the time I made them so I would've remembered them better and had something specific to say about them. Alas, I didn't so I don't.

But that only means this was a good chocolate chip cookie. They flattened too much for me to consider them a Levain Bakery copycat but I'm starting to realize my cookies are coming out flatter, regardless of the recipe, because of the higher altitude I'm baking in and my oven doesn't run as hot as my old oven back in the Bay Area used to.

It's taken me awhile to accept these outside forces so I haven't always remembered to compensate for them. Still, this was a good chocolate chip cookie recipe, even if it didn't stand out in a particular way. But that just means I've tried out a lot of good chocolate chip cookie recipes.

I do remember that I baked these and sent them in a care package for a deployed military service member on behalf of Soldiers Angels. I've been making chocolate chip cookies a lot for those care packages as I figure nothing says "home" like homemade chocolate chip cookies, especially when you're deployed. So that's why you've been seeing so many variations of different recipes for chocolate chip cookies on my blog lately. I've been trying them all plus making some of my favorite ones.

But I do have to stop considering these as Levain Bakery copycats if I'm not making them the behemoth size that Levain's does and I'm not adding walnuts to them so they wouldn't be a real copycat anyway. Just think of them as good chocolate chip cookies.

1 cup cold butter, cut into small chunks
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups chocolate chips
2 cups walnuts, roughly chopped (optional, I left them out)

1. Preheat oven to 410 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar for 3-4 minutes or until creamy. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
3. Stir in both flours, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Mix until just combined; do not overmix. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts, if using.
4. Portion dough into 8 6-ounce balls and evenly space on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until edges are set and middles no longer look raw (mine took over 15 minutes in my oven). Cool completely.