Levain Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies – Copycat Recipe
Levain Bakery doesn’t ship emotion, but you can bake it into your kitchen with these massive, over-the-top cookies. Big, bold, and not remotely subtle, levain dark chocolate peanut butter copycat cookies are the kind of thing that make store-bought feel like a bad decision. You’re here for crispy edges, gooey centers, and the unspoken agreement that moderation can wait. They hit that exact sweet spot between rich and ridiculous. And yes, they’re just as dramatic as they sound—in the best way.
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tbsp cornstarch, ½ tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt, ⅓ cup cocoa powder, ½ cup unsalted butter, softened, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 large egg, ⅔ of a 10-oz bag of Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips.
Get the Recipe: Levain Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie
Prep and Preheat
Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder; set aside.
Get the Recipe: Levain Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie
Make the Dough
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in the egg until fully incorporated. Gradually add the dry ingredients in thirds, mixing until just combined. Fold in the peanut butter chips.
Get the Recipe: Levain Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie
Shape and Bake
Divide the dough into four ~6-ounce balls and place them on the baking sheet. Bake for 7–9 minutes, until the tops are just beginning to set.
Get the Recipe: Levain Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie
Cool and Serve
Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Get the Recipe: Levain Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie
Tips and Tricks for Making
Reese’s peanut butter chips have the best flavor in my opinion, but any brand will work just fine if those aren’t available. To create those irresistible craggy tops, split each dough ball in half and press the rough sides back together. A bit of cornstarch in the dough helps the cookies bake up thick and domed, just like bakery-style treats. If you somehow end up with extras, these cookies freeze incredibly well—though don’t count on leftovers sticking around for long!
Get the Recipe: Levain Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie
Variations
This dark chocolate cookie dough is perfect for customizing with flavors like peppermint chips, white chocolate, or extra chocolate chips. For a deeper chocolate taste, stir in a teaspoon of instant coffee with the wet ingredients. While ⅔ of a bag of chips keeps them close to the original Levain style, using the whole bag is always an option for serious chocolate fans. If you prefer smaller cookies, divide the dough into 8 balls and reduce the bake time to 5–7 minutes.
Get the Recipe: Levain Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie
