I remember my first trip to Levain Bakery in New York City — the excitement of walking down the steps into the tiny basement-level bakery on West 74th Street, the heavenly smell of freshly baked cookies wafting past the counter and filling the room, and the satisfaction of leaving with a warm, gooey, delicious mound of joy. It was my first trip to the iconic bakery, and it surely wasn’t my last. In the years since, I’ve probably made dozens of trips to Levain, trying all of their cookie variations (chocolate chip walnut is my favorite!), and even some of their non-cookie baked goods. It helped in part that my first apartment in New York City was on the Upper West Side, just a short walk away. But even after I moved lower down in Manhattan, I would continue to make trips back up — picking up a sweet treat here and there, introducing the place to friends from out of town, and grabbing gifts for family and friends before heading home for the holidays.

There’s no doubt that there’s a whole lot of nostalgia and joy wrapped up in the bakery. Now that I’m no longer living in New York, I was incredibly happy to discover a recipe for their iconic cookies. I baked a first batch for my sister’s birthday this weekend, and they turned out just as I remembered — soft, gooey, chocolatey, and delicious. If you’ve ever fallen in love with Levain cookies as I have, I highly recommend you give this recipe a try; and even if you’ve never tasted a Levain cookie, all the more reason to introduce these lovely desserts to your home. They’re perfect on their own, and even better with a cup of coffee or tea.

Happy baking!
Ash