Copycat Levain Fall Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Levain Bakery's Fall Chocolate Chunk cookie is the oversized autumn sweater of cookies, and you can easily make them at home. That’s good news because they are seasonal and won’t be on the menu forever.

By
Mark Beahm
Mark Beahm
Mark Beahm
Mark is the head baker at Hjem Kensington, a Danish café in London. He has been developing recipes for home bakers for the last two years.
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Published October 10, 2022
Mark Beahm
copycat levain fall cookie

Levain Bakery, a beloved bakery based in New York City and known for their giant cookies, recently released a limited-edition Fall Chocolate Chunk cookie made with Valrhona chocolate and essential autumn flavors like ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, and molasses. It’s everything I love about their popular giant chocolate chip cookie crossed with a spiced molasses cookie. The rich molasses, warm spices, and dark chocolate warm you up like your favorite fall sweater.

If you can’t make it to their location to try one, Levain offers overnight shipping. But the cookies are only available through the end of fall. Because their days are numbered, I recreated them to indulge even after the season ends.

copycat levain fall cookies

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Essential Tips for Making Levain Cookies at Home

Recreating these cookies at home successfully involves splurging on the best chocolate and freshest spices you can get your hands on, as well as patiently waiting for the dough to chill.

  • The original fall cookies use large Valrhona chocolate callets, a form of chocolate specifically made for baking or melting. Don’t worry if they’re hard to find or too pricey, just use the best dark chocolate chunks you can.
  • While it's usually a good decision for chocolate chip cookies, chopping chocolate yourself isn’t ideal in this case. The small shards of chocolate melt into the dough and change the texture to flatter cookies.
  • Chilling the dough overnight or at least six hours is essential. This gives the dough time to hydrate the flour and allows for the flavors to meld. Cold cookie dough also spreads less in the oven, making thicker, taller cookies.

Tips for Planning Ahead and Storage

Portioned, unbaked cookies can be kept in the refrigerator wrapped airtight for up to a week. For longer storage, freeze the unbaked cookies uncovered for 2 hours. Then store them in a tightly sealed container or zip top freezer bag for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake as directed.

copycat levain fall cookies on a platter

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Welcome To Cookie Central

Copycat Levain Fall Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 18 mins
Chill Time 6 hrs
Total Time 6 hrs 33 mins
Servings 8 servings
Yield 8 cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 3/4 cups (330g) all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

  • 10 tablespoons (140g) unsalted butter, softened

  • 1/2 cup (107g) dark brown sugar, tightly packed

  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar

  • 2 tablespoons (40g) molasses

  • 2 large eggs

  • 10 ounces (283g) dark chocolate callets or chunks

Method

  1. Combine the dry ingredients:

    In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.

    Dry ingredients in a large bowl

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
  2. Beat the butter, sugars, and molasses:

    In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat together the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and molasses on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes.

    Butter and molasses beaten in a stand mixer

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
  3. Add the eggs:

    Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until fully combined after each addition. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

  4. Add the dry ingredients: 

    Beat in two-thirds of the flour mixture on low speed, or gently fold it in with a rubber spatula, just until combined and no streaks of flour remain.

    Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
  5. Stir in the chocolate chunks:

    Coat the chocolate chunks in the remaining flour and add the mixture to the dough. Combine with a rubber spatula until evenly distributed. Do this by hand rather than using a mixer. The mixer may struggle with the large chunks of chocolate. The dough will be thick.

    Stir in chocolate chunks

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
    copycat levain cookie dough in a large bowl

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
  6. Divide the dough:

    Divide the dough into 8 equal-sized mounds. If you have a kitchen scale, each mound of dough should weigh roughly 5 ounces (140g). Don’t worry about shaping them into balls, leaving them rough creates crisp cracks and crags on the outside of the cookies.

    divide cookie dough

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
  7. Chill overnight:

    Transfer the mounds of cookie dough to a parchment-lined plate and wrap airtight with plastic wrap. Chill the dough in the refrigerator overnight or at least 6 hours. It will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.

  8. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

    Arrange racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

  9. Bake:

    Place 4 cookies on each baking sheet, leaving ample space between them. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through. The cookies should look golden brown all around, with some cracks and ridges.

    four cookie dough on a cookie sheet

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
    baked cookies on a cookie sheet

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
  10. Cool:

    Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

    The cookies are best the day they are made. Store them in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days. After 2 days they lose their texture.

    Did you love the recipe? Leave us stars below!

    tray of copycat levain fall cookies

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
604 Calories
27g Fat
83g Carbs
8g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 604
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 27g 35%
Saturated Fat 16g 79%
Cholesterol 87mg 29%
Sodium 332mg 14%
Total Carbohydrate 83g 30%
Dietary Fiber 4g 14%
Total Sugars 46g
Protein 8g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 98mg 8%
Iron 5mg 30%
Potassium 361mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.