Gluten-Free Levain Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Ultimate Gluten-Free Levain-Style Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies – Indulge in these incredibly thick, chewy, and decadent gluten-free cookies, a homemade replica of the iconic Levain Bakery treats. These impressive cookies are packed with rich dark chocolate and creamy peanut butter chips, promising a truly unforgettable baking experience.

Ever since our Gluten-Free Levain Chocolate Chip Cookies took the internet by storm, we’ve been eager to share more of our favorite Levain-inspired creations. There’s something undeniably magical about those colossal cookies – their impressive size is just the beginning; the deep, satisfying flavors and textures are what truly make them stand out. Today, we’re diving back into the world of homemade, gluten-free Levain-style treats with a new, equally irresistible recipe.

For those unfamiliar, Levain Bakery is a legendary New York City institution, celebrated for its monumental cookies. Weighing in at a hefty six ounces each, these cookies are two to three times the size of your average cookie, offering an unparalleled experience in both taste and texture. Their signature cookies boast a perfectly crisp exterior that yields to an unbelievably gooey, almost fudgy center, generously loaded with delectable inclusions. It’s a textural masterpiece that leaves a lasting impression.

Levain Bakery currently offers a curated selection of flavors, including classics like chocolate chip walnut, dark chocolate chocolate chip, and oatmeal raisin. Among their star lineup are their rich dark chocolate peanut butter chip cookies. While Levain Bakery has yet to introduce gluten-free options, we believe everyone deserves to experience the joy of these extraordinary cookies. That’s why we’ve made it our mission to craft perfect gluten-free renditions right in our own kitchens.

This time, we’re bringing you a gluten-free version of their beloved dark chocolate peanut butter chip cookies. These aren’t just any cookies; they’re thick, indulgent, and brimming with melty peanut butter chips, creating a stunning visual and an explosion of flavor. Despite their gourmet appeal, these cookies are surprisingly simple to prepare, making them an ideal project for any home baker. Let’s get baking!

Essential Ingredients for Decadent Gluten-Free Levain-Style Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies:

• Cool Butter. Achieving those signature ultra-thick gluten-free chocolate peanut butter chip cookies hinges significantly on using butter at the right temperature. We’re looking for cool butter—not rock-solid cold straight from the fridge, and definitely not softened to room temperature. This slightly firm butter melts more slowly in the oven, helping to prevent the cookies from spreading too rapidly and ensuring they maintain their impressive height. For optimal creaming, we recommend cutting your cool butter into small cubes before you begin.
• Brown Sugar & Granulated Sugar. The harmonious blend of brown sugar and granulated sugar is critical for both the exquisite texture and rich flavor of these cookies. Brown sugar contributes moisture, chewiness, and a subtle caramel note, while granulated sugar ensures a delicate crispness on the cookie’s edges. Together, they create a perfect balance that elevates the cookie from good to exceptional.
• Room Temperature Eggs. Just like with butter, the temperature of your eggs plays a vital role. Room temperature eggs emulsify much more effectively with the creamed butter and sugar mixture, resulting in a smoother, more uniform batter. This leads to a more consistent cookie texture and a superior rise. If you’re short on time, a quick trick is to place your eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes.
• Unsweetened Dark Cocoa Powder. To capture the deep, luxurious color and intense chocolate flavor characteristic of Levain Bakery’s cookies, unsweetened dark cocoa powder is our secret weapon. This ingredient imparts a rich, almost black hue and a powerful chocolate punch. If you find the intensity of dark cocoa a bit too strong, you can achieve a wonderful middle ground by using a blend: try 1/4 cup dark cocoa powder for color and 1/4 cup regular unsweetened cocoa powder for a slightly milder, yet still deeply chocolatey, flavor profile.
• Gluten-Free Measure-For-Measure Flour. The success of gluten-free baking often depends on the quality of your flour blend. We highly recommend King Arthur Measure-for-Measure Gluten-Free Flour for this recipe. Its carefully balanced blend of starches and proteins is specifically designed to mimic the properties of traditional wheat flour, ensuring these cookies achieve a perfect chewiness and structural integrity without any grittiness.
• Cornstarch. Often considered a “secret” ingredient in baking, cornstarch plays a crucial role in enhancing the texture of these gluten-free cookies. It helps to tenderize the dough, preventing a “floury” taste and contributing to that desirable soft, almost fudgy center. It’s key to achieving the signature Levain texture.
• Salt. Don’t underestimate the power of salt in baking! While the quantity might seem generous, it is essential for balancing the sweetness of both the cookie dough and the peanut butter chips. Salt enhances the overall flavor profile, adding depth and complexity that prevents the cookies from tasting overly sweet or one-dimensional.
• Peanut Butter Chips. The star of these cookies! You’ll need a generous amount of peanut butter chips to ensure every bite is bursting with nutty flavor. We specifically recommend Reese’s brand for their superior flavor, smooth melt, and consistent texture, which perfectly complements the dark chocolate base.

How To Make Gluten-Free Levain-Style Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies, Step By Step:

1. Prepare for Baking – Preheat & Pans: Begin by fully preheating your oven to a precise 415 degrees F (218 degrees C). This high temperature is crucial for achieving the characteristic crisp exterior and gooey interior of Levain-style cookies. While the oven heats, line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. This preparation ensures you’re ready to bake immediately and prevents putting cold dough onto a hot baking sheet, which can affect cookie spread. Remember, you’ll only bake one batch at a time.
2. Cream the Butter & Sugars to Perfection: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine your cool, cubed butter with both brown sugar and granulated sugar. Cream these ingredients together on medium speed for 2-3 minutes. The mixture should transform into a light, fluffy, and slightly pale consistency. This step incorporates air, which contributes to the cookies’ texture. Be sure to stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice to ensure all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
3. Incorporate Eggs One by One: With the mixer running on low speed, add the room temperature eggs, one at a time. After each egg addition, beat until it is fully incorporated into the butter-sugar mixture before adding the next. This gradual addition helps to create a stable emulsion, leading to a smoother dough. Scrape down the edges of the mixer once more after all eggs have been added to catch any stray ingredients.
4. Introduce the Dry Ingredients: To the wet mixture, add the unsweetened dark cocoa powder, gluten-free measure-for-measure flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are *almost* combined. The dough should still look a bit powdery at this stage, preventing overmixing which can lead to tough cookies.
5. Fold in the Peanut Butter Chips: Now, add your generous amount of peanut butter chips to the dough. Continue mixing on low speed just until the dough is no longer powdery and the peanut butter chips are fairly evenly distributed throughout. Be careful not to overmix here; we want to preserve the tender texture of the dough.
6. Final Dough Check: For an extra measure, remove the bowl from the mixer and use a large rubber spatula to give the dough a final stir. This manual step helps to ensure that all the peanut butter chips are thoroughly and evenly distributed, guaranteeing a burst of flavor in every bite.
7. Precision Scooping & Weighing: Using a 2/3 cup measuring scoop, portion out balls of cookie dough. For the authentic Levain experience and most consistent results, each dough ball should weigh between 6 to 6.2 ounces. While it might seem a bit meticulous, weighing each cookie dough ball is highly recommended. This precision ensures that every cookie bakes evenly and achieves the perfect thick, gooey center. Invest in an inexpensive kitchen scale for drastically improved baking results!
8. Gentle Shaping is Key: With your hands, gently shape each measured dough ball. Resist the urge to make them perfectly smooth or to pack the dough down tightly. The goal is a rustic, slightly irregular shape; this loose formation contributes to the unique texture of the baked cookie.
9. Arrange & Chill (Batch by Batch): Place just 4 dough balls on a prepared baking sheet at a time, spacing them generously apart. Arrange them slightly offset from each other to allow for ample spread during baking (refer to photos or video for visual guidance). It’s crucial to place the remaining cookie dough in the refrigerator while the first batch bakes. Keeping the dough cold helps prevent excessive spreading in the oven, ensuring your cookies stay wonderfully thick.
10. Bake the First Batch: Transfer the baking sheet with the 4 cookies to your preheated 415 degrees F (218 degrees C) oven. Bake for 11-14 minutes. The cookies are ready when their outsides appear set and lightly golden, but their centers still look wonderfully molten and soft. This is the secret to their gooey texture!
11. Crucial Cooling Time – Don’t Rush It!: This step is non-negotiable for Levain-style cookies. Allow the freshly baked cookies to cool on the baking sheet for at least 2-3 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire cooling rack. On the cooling rack, let them cool for a MINIMUM of 20-25 minutes. Attempting to break, cut, or bite into them earlier will result in an underdone, raw-tasting center. Patience is truly a virtue here!
12. Bake Subsequent Batches: Repeat the baking process with the chilled remaining dough, ensuring each batch cools completely for at least 20-25 minutes before indulging. This method ensures every cookie is perfect.
13. Serve or Store: Once cooled, these magnificent cookies are ready to be enjoyed! Store any leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days to maintain freshness. For longer storage, they can be kept in the freezer for up to 6 weeks, ready to be thawed and enjoyed whenever a craving strikes.

FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Gluten-Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies:

Embrace the Cooling Time – It’s Essential! I cannot stress this enough: PLEASE DO NOT RUSH THE COOLING TIME! While the temptation to dig into a warm, fresh-from-the-oven cookie is immense, it’s absolutely critical for thick, Levain-style cookies to cool for the full directed time. During this crucial period, the cookies continue to cook internally and set properly. If you cut or bite into them too soon, their centers will still be raw and doughy. Trust the process – your patience will be rewarded with perfectly gooey, irresistible cookies!

Precision Matters: Weigh Your Dough Balls. For a truly authentic Levain-style cookie experience, where every cookie bakes evenly and perfectly, weighing your dough balls is paramount. Since we’re not using a standard cookie scoop or aggressively packing the dough, a kitchen scale is the only way to guarantee consistent sizing. An inexpensive digital kitchen scale is a small investment that will instantly and dramatically improve the consistency and quality of all your baking projects. This ensures uniform baking and prevents some cookies from being underdone while others are overbaked.

Choose High-Quality Peanut Butter Chips. When it comes to the star ingredient, the quality of your peanut butter chips makes a significant difference. While I’m generally flexible with brands, for these gluten-free Levain dark chocolate peanut butter chip cookies, I strongly recommend Reese’s peanut butter chips. (This is not a sponsored endorsement, just a genuine recommendation!) Their rich flavor and excellent melt consistency truly elevate the cookies, standing out among the many varieties available on the market.

Our Top Picks for Cocoa Powder. For that deep, intense chocolate flavor that complements the peanut butter so beautifully, the right cocoa powder is key. Our favorite brands for baking, particularly for these gluten-free chocolate peanut butter chip cookies, are Guittard and Rodelle. These brands offer a noticeable step up in quality, delivering a robust, sophisticated chocolate flavor that will make your cookies truly sing. Using a high-quality cocoa powder ensures a richer, more complex taste profile in every bite.

Scaling Down? Make Them Regular Sized! We understand that eight giant, 6-ounce cookies might be a bit much for everyone. If you prefer to make these cookies in a more traditional, smaller size, simply use a large cookie scoop (approximately 1.5 to 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie). Reduce the baking time to 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers are still slightly soft. Smaller cookies will also require less cooling time, making them a quicker treat!

Freezing Baked Cookies: These cookies freeze beautifully! Once completely cooled, wrap individual cookies tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. They can be frozen for up to 6 weeks. To enjoy, simply thaw at room temperature or gently warm in the microwave for a few seconds.

Freezing Cookie Dough: You can also prepare the dough ahead of time and freeze it. After shaping the dough balls, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. When ready to bake, place frozen dough balls on a prepared baking sheet and bake as directed, adding an extra 2-4 minutes to the baking time. This is perfect for fresh-baked cookies on demand!

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Gluten-Free Levain-Style Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

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4 from 1 review

• Author: One Lovely Life
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  Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
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  Yield: 8 Large Cookies
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  Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

These thick chocolate peanut butter chip cookies are as delicious as they are impressive! You’ll love recreating these gluten-free Levain-style cookies at home with their rich dark chocolate base and creamy peanut butter chips.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks, 8 oz.) cool butter, cut into cubes (cool butter is important so the cookies don’t spread too much!)
• 1 cup brown sugar (lightly packed)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (48g .) unsweetened dark cocoa powder* (or 1/4 cup dark cocoa + 1/4 cup regular cocoa)
• 2 1/3 cup (280 g.) gluten-free measure for measure flour**, weighed or scooped and leveled
• 3 Tbsp. (23 g.) cornstarch
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 cups peanut butter chips (we recommend Reese’s brand for best flavor and melt)

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 415 degrees F (218 C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. (You’ll only bake one batch at a time, but preparing two sheets ensures you don’t put cold dough on a hot baking sheet for subsequent batches.)
2. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the cool, cubed butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture is slightly lighter in color and appears fluffy. Stop and scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl.
3. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. Scrape down the edges of the mixer again.
4. Add the cocoa powder, gluten-free flour blend, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until the ingredients are *almost* combined but still appear a bit powdery.
5. Add the peanut butter chips and continue mixing on low speed just until the dough is no longer powdery and the peanut butter chips are evenly distributed. Be careful not to overmix.
6. Use a large spatula to give the dough a final stir by hand, ensuring all the peanut butter chips are well distributed throughout the dough.
7. Use a 2/3 cup measuring scoop to portion out balls of dough. For best results and most even baking, it is highly recommended that you weigh each cookie dough ball to be between 6-6.2 oz (approx. 170-176g). This precision will ensure the cookies bake consistently.
8. Gently shape the scooped dough into balls with your hands. Avoid making them perfectly smooth or packing the dough down too tightly; a slightly rustic shape is ideal for the Levain style.
9. Arrange just 4 balls of dough at a time on one of the prepared baking sheets, spacing them generously apart and slightly offset from each other. Place any remaining cookie dough in the refrigerator to keep the butter cold while the first batch bakes (this prevents the cookies from spreading too much).
10. Bake the first batch of cookies in the preheated 415 degrees F (218 C) oven for 11-14 minutes, or until the outsides look set and lightly golden, but the centers still appear molten and soft.
11. Allow the baked cookies to cool on the baking sheet for at least 2-3 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire cooling rack. It is crucial to cool them for a MINIMUM of 20-25 minutes on the cooling rack before attempting to break, cut, or bite into them. If you try to eat them earlier, their thick centers will still be underdone.
12. Repeat the baking process with the remaining chilled dough, ensuring each subsequent batch also cools completely (at least 20-25 minutes) before serving.
13. Store any leftover cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days, or freeze them for up to 6 weeks for longer freshness.

Notes

*These cookies will have a very intense, deep chocolate flavor if you use all dark cocoa powder, mirroring the authentic Levain experience. If you prefer a slightly less intense chocolate flavor, you can use a blend of 1/4 cup dark cocoa powder and 1/4 cup regular unsweetened cocoa powder. This will give them a more balanced chocolate taste, though they may not appear quite as dark in color.

**For optimal results, we highly recommend using the King Arthur Measure-For-Measure gluten-free flour blend for this specific recipe. If you choose to use a different gluten-free flour blend, please be aware that your results may vary slightly in terms of texture and spread. It is crucial to ensure that whichever gluten-free blend you select contains xanthan gum, as this is essential for providing structure and preventing the cookies from crumbling in gluten-free baking.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cooling Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: Cookies
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American