Confession: these cookies aren’t vegan. Dare I say what we’re all thinking? They’re too good to be vegan!

These are hands down our favorite giant chocolate chip cookie recipe. After hitting up Levain Bakery in NYC in 2009, we searched high and low for a similar cookie recipe. After several tries and fails, we found this one*. It never fails to satisfy one’s craving for a slightly crunchy outer cookie shell with a gooey, moist inside.

Tyler loves to bring them in his lunch because they don’t go “stale” or “old” after a few days. These puppies stay moist and fresh, and on top of that it’s simply nice to be able to satisfy your cookie craving after just one cookie.

Okay, so it’s one giant cookie, but be still my heart. I guarantee these won’t disappoint.

Mock Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

1 cup cold butter

2.5 cups flour

2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

2/3 cup light brown sugar

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup walnuts, chopped

Add cold butter, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cream together until mixture resembles small crumbs. Add sugars, breaking up any clumps. Add eggs, chocolate chips, and nuts, just until mixed.

Chill dough for 1 hour (keep extra dough chilled while baking the first batch).

Heat oven to 400-degrees. Shape half of the dough into 7 large balls, flattening slightly. Bake 8 minutes, and rotate the cookie sheet 180-degrees. Bake until barely golden brown on top, about 5 more minutes. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes and transfer to wire rack. Let cookie sheet cool before making next batch (or use a new cookie sheet).

Makes 14 HUGE cookies.

*I wish I could give credit, but I’m not sure where the recipe came from!

p.s. i just checked on levain’s website and with shipping, it would cost us $59 to get just FOUR of their cookies delivered to our house! so until we make it to NYC again, we’ll be making batches upon batches of these mock ones instead. :)