Decadent Gluten Free Levain Chocolate Chip Cookies

Essential Ingredients for Your Gluten-Free Levain Cookies

One of the many reasons I adore this Levain cookie recipe is its reliance on simple, everyday ingredients. There’s nothing fussy or overly complicated, making these colossal cookies surprisingly approachable to bake at home.

• Cool Butter. Unlike many cookie recipes that call for softened butter, several Levain copycat recipes I explored suggested using cold, cubed butter. The idea is that dicing cold butter into small pieces and creaming it with the sugars for a longer period incorporates more air into the dough. This aeration helps to prevent the cookies from becoming overly dense, contributing to their signature light interior. I found a happy medium, opting for slightly softened but still cool butter, which is easier to work with while still delivering that fantastic texture.
• Brown Sugar & White Sugar. This classic duo is indispensable for both flavor and texture. Brown sugar, with its molasses content, ensures the cookies remain wonderfully moist and adds a depth of caramel flavor. Granulated white sugar, on the other hand, is essential for achieving that delicate, crisp exterior that provides such a delightful contrast to the gooey interior.
• Eggs. A couple of large eggs are crucial for binding the dough ingredients together, providing structure, and contributing to the rich, chewy texture that we all love in a chocolate chip cookie.
• Vanilla Extract. Interestingly, the official ingredient list for most Levain Bakery cookies doesn’t include vanilla. However, their two-chip chocolate chip cookies are an exception! We’ll be adding a touch of vanilla extract after the eggs, as it undeniably enhances the overall flavor profile, adding a warm, aromatic depth that complements the chocolate beautifully.
• Gluten-Free Measure-For-Measure Flour. For consistently excellent results, I highly recommend using King Arthur Measure For Measure Gluten-Free Flour. This blend strikes a perfect balance of protein and starch, ensuring the cookies have the right structure without tasting dry or floury. If you choose another brand, ensure it contains xanthan gum, as this is vital for gluten-free baking to provide elasticity and prevent crumbling. Weighing your flour is always best for accuracy!
• Cornstarch. To achieve that coveted light and tender crumb, we incorporate cornstarch. This ingredient, with its higher starch and lower protein content, is my secret weapon. It effectively replaces the malted barley flour used in traditional Levain cookies (or the cake flour often found in copycat recipes), working in harmony with the gluten-free flour to create an incredibly gorgeous texture that is neither gummy nor overtly floury.
• Baking Soda. While some recipes might call for baking powder, my tests revealed that baking soda delivered a superior texture for these gluten-free Levain chocolate chip cookies. It reacts to the acidic brown sugar, promoting spread and creating that desirable soft, airy center.
• Sea Salt. You might notice a slightly generous amount of salt in this recipe, but trust me, it’s a game-changer! Far from making the cookies taste salty, this specific quantity amplifies all the other flavors, preventing them from being blandly sweet. As echoed in the Pancake Princess recipe tests, adequate salt makes the chocolate sing and truly brings the entire cookie to life.
• Dark Chocolate Chips & Semisweet Chocolate Chips. Since we’re crafting the gluten-free version of Levain’s two-chip chocolate chip cookies, we’re using an abundance of both dark chocolate chips and semi-sweet chocolate chips. These remarkable cookies are famous for being absolutely laden with chocolate, creating a rich, molten experience with every bite. The combination offers a delightful complexity of sweetness and intensity.

How To Make Gluten-Free Levain Cookies: A Step-By-Step Guide

Remember, a complete recipe with exact measurements and detailed notes is available in the recipe card below. We’ll be adopting the very same foundational mixing and assembly techniques employed by the original Levain Bakery creators themselves.

Part 1: Mixing the Perfect Dough

1. Prepare Your Oven & Baking Sheets. Begin by preheating your oven to 415 degrees F (218 degrees C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. It’s crucial to have two prepared sheets because you’ll bake the cookies in separate batches, and you never want to place fresh cookie dough on a hot baking sheet, as it can cause premature spreading.
2. Cream the Butter & Sugars. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine your cool, cubed butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Cream this mixture together for 2-3 minutes on medium speed. The goal is a noticeably lighter in color, incredibly creamy, and fluffy consistency. Do not rush this step; proper creaming incorporates essential air, which contributes to the cookies’ final texture.
3. Incorporate the Eggs, One by One. Stop the mixer and use a spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl thoroughly. Add one large egg at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. Because the butter is cooler than usual, the mixture may take an extra 30-60 seconds to emulsify properly after each egg. Continue scraping down the sides as needed to ensure everything is evenly mixed.
4. Stir in Vanilla Extract. Once the eggs are fully mixed in, add the vanilla extract and beat briefly until it is just combined into the dough.
5. Add the Dry Ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl once more. Add the gluten-free measure-for-measure flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are almost entirely combined, but the dough still appears a little powdery in spots. Avoid overmixing at this stage.
6. Fold in the Chocolate Chips. Finally, add both the dark and semi-sweet chocolate chips to the dough. Mix on low speed just until the dough is no longer dry and the chocolate chips are evenly incorporated. Turn off the mixer and, using a sturdy spatula, give the dough a final stir by hand to ensure the chocolate is perfectly distributed throughout. The dough at this point will be noticeably thick and somewhat sticky.

Part 2: Shaping and Baking Your Masterpiece Cookies

7. Scoop & Gently Shape the Dough. Use a 2/3 cup measuring cup to scoop generous portions of dough. For best accuracy and to ensure even baking, it is highly recommended to weigh each dough ball, aiming for approximately 6 ounces (170 grams) per cookie. Once scooped, gently shape the dough into thick, circular mounds with your hands. The key here is to be gentle: do not pack the dough down tightly or roll it to be perfectly smooth. Embracing an irregular, rumpled surface is part of the Levain aesthetic and contributes to their unique texture.
8. Bake to Perfection. Place 4 of the prepared cookie dough balls on one of your parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them well apart (I often offset them slightly for better airflow). Bake for 11-14 minutes, or until the tops are beautifully golden brown and set, but the centers still appear slightly wet and soft. This indicates they are intentionally underbaked for that signature gooey middle. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking tray for 2-3 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling. Repeat this process with the remaining 4-5 cookies on the second, cool baking sheet.
9. The Crucial Cooling Period. This step is perhaps the most challenging, but undeniably vital: you must allow the cookies to cool for a full 20-25 minutes on the wire rack before attempting to eat them! I know, the aroma will be intoxicating, and the wait will feel endless. However, the residual heat from the oven continues to cook the cookies gently from the inside out, allowing the centers to set perfectly. If you try to cut into or eat them too soon, they will likely be undercooked and doughy in the middle. Patience truly rewards you with the best texture!

FAQ & Expert Tips for the Best Gluten-Free Levain Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mastering the Bake Time! These exceptionally thick gluten-free chocolate chip cookies demand a different approach to baking compared to most traditional recipes. They bake at a higher temperature for a slightly longer duration. Your objective is cookies that are tall, beautifully golden brown on top (without spreading excessively), and possess a slightly underdone, soft center. The final baked cookie will appear darker than many other chocolate chip cookies, but this is exactly what you’re aiming for.

DO NOT Skip the Cooling Time! This is, without exaggeration, the single most critical piece of advice for achieving perfect gluten-free Levain cookies. They will emerge from the oven with a rich, deep golden-brown exterior, but their centers will still be quite soft and unset. Due to their remarkable thickness, these cookies require the full 20-25 minutes to cool completely on a wire rack. This crucial resting period allows the residual heat to continue the baking process gently, ensuring the interior sets into that wonderfully gooey yet stable texture. If you attempt to cut into, break apart, or eat them before they’ve adequately cooled, you’ll be met with a disappointing, doughy center.

Invest in Quality Chocolate Chips. What makes Levain’s two-chip chocolate chip cookies so extraordinarily indulgent is the sheer, generous volume of chocolate packed into every bite. There is truly a LOT of chocolate in these cookies! Because of this, the quality of your chocolate chips becomes paramount. I strongly recommend using the highest quality dark chocolate chips and semi-sweet chocolate chips that fit your budget. Premium chocolate melts more smoothly and offers a superior flavor experience. My personal favorites are Guittard dark chocolate chips (recognizable by their red bag) and semi-sweet chocolate chips (in the yellow/gold bag).

Does Levain Bakery Offer Gluten-Free Options? Levain Bakery has recently introduced a vegan, gluten-free chocolate chip walnut cookie. However, it’s important to note their disclaimer: these cookies are prepared by hand using shared equipment in a shared kitchen. This means there is a significant risk of cross-contamination. Consequently, Levain explicitly advises individuals with severe allergies (such as celiac disease) to avoid them. For those of us who don’t have direct access to their New York City locations, or require strictly gluten-free options, our homemade gluten-free Levain chocolate chip cookie recipe stands as the safest and most delicious alternative!

Storage Tips: To keep your gluten-free Levain cookies fresh, store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, they freeze exceptionally well for up to 6 weeks. Simply thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in the microwave for a fresh-baked experience.