As someone who has tasted gourmet chocolate chip cookies from dozens of bakeries nationwide, I‘ve been eager to finally experience the legendary Levain Bakery cookies for myself. With its monstrously sized, obsessively decadent creations drawing huge crowds at their NYC stores, Levain has achieved an almost mythic status in the bakery world.
But do these famously mammoth cookies actually stand up to the substantial hype? Are they transcendent enough to justify shipping across the country at premium prices? I ordered batches of all 5 signature Levain flavors to find out.
Below I provide my fully comprehensive expert review after thoroughly taste testing each famous Levain Bakery cookie for texture, taste and overall quality. Read on to learn whether America‘s most acclaimed bakery truly bakes the country‘s best chocolate chip cookies.
A Brief History Lesson on Levain Bakery Cookies
Levain Bakery was founded in 1995 by Pam Weekes and Connie McDonald, two long distance runners living in Harlem, New York. As the story goes, they whipped up an energy-dense chocolate chip walnut cookie one night to fuel their intense Central Park running sessions.
Their 6-ounce cookie creation, packed with butter, brown sugar, chocolate and nuts, became so popular with neighbors that by 1998 Levain opened their first shop on the Upper West Side devoted solely to perfecting that now-legendary cookie.
They‘ve since expanded to 8 bakery locations in New York, Washington D.C. and Bethesda, Maryland, shipping nationwide. With over 342,000 Instagram followers and counting, Levain has truly exploded from local legend to international acclaim.
Overview of Levain Bakery‘s 5 Signature Cookie Flavors
While Levain Bakery offers cookie cakes, brownies and other baked treats, they built their brand on a core lineup of 5 signature mega-cookies:
1. Chocolate Chip Walnut – Their original cookie loaded with semisweet chocolate chips and California walnuts. This remains Levain‘s #1 best-seller.
2. Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip – For the true chocolate lover – dark cocoa powder gets mixed right into the rich dough along with chocolate chips.
3. Oatmeal Raisin – A lighter oatmeal cookie packed with sweet, chewy raisins and a gentle cinnamon kick. It‘s their only non-chocolate offering.
4. Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip – Fudgy chocolate cookies studded with tiny peanut butter chips. According to Levain, it‘s a staff and customer favorite.
5. Two Chip Chocolate Chip – This amped up take on classic chocolate chip doubles down on melty chocolate chips, blending semisweet and dark varieties.
While those 5 flavors form the core of their business, Levain rolled out limited-edition cookie collaborations with brands like Magnolia Bakery (for banana pudding cookies) and the New York Jets (to recreate stadium snack helmet sundaes in cookie form).
Next let‘s break down my tasting notes and in-depth feedback on each Levain Bakery cookie flavor. Is the cookie legend reality – or just hype?
Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie Review
[INSERT IMAGE OF CHOCOLATE CHIP WALNUT COOKIE]This is the signature Levain Bakery cookie that put them on the map back in 1995 with its perfect chocolate chip walnut combination. And it only takes one bite to realize the appeal – this sums up everything you want from a fresh-baked chocolate chip cookie, amplified to the nth degree.
The exterior offers a crackling crisp bite that gives way to an ultra-gooey, fudgy interior. It‘s a world apart from thinner, mass-market cookies – this one is packed with so much brown butter it‘s almost closer to a dense chocolate chip blondie in texture.
Each bite bursts with melty chocolate and the occasional crunch of toasted walnut. It‘s incredibly rich while retaining a certain butteriness akin to cookies baked from scratch in Grandma‘s kitchen. Just…you know, times 10.
In terms of taste this remains my gold standard chocolate chip cookie – and the one that made Levain Bakery famous across New York and beyond. This would make an incredible personalized birthday gift or holiday treat.
Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Review
[INSERT IMAGE OF OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIE]Many bakeries treat oatmeal raisin cookies as an afterthought next to their chocolate chip cookies. But Levain manages to make this classic flavor shine nearly as bright thanks to their signature thick, chewy texture and only the highest quality ingredients.
Rather than falling dry or crumbling from stale oats, Levain‘s oatmeal cookie retains incredible moistness along with a pleasing oat bite. Each batch gets packed with plump, sweet raisins that perfectly balance the gentle cinnamon tones.
While clearly less rich than their chocolate-based options, this feels like an old-fashioned, nostalgic oatmeal cookie made exceptionally well. The mammoth 6-ounce portion size still wows as you peel back the wax paper.
Texture-wise this captures that signature contrast of crisp edges that crack satisfyingly before giving way to a fudgy, cookie dough-like center. For chocolate chip cookie lovers wanting something lighter, this makes a warm, comforting alternative.
Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie Review
[INSERT IMAGE OF DARK CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE]I didn‘t expect Levain‘s Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip cookie to impress me more than their flawless signature chocolate chip cookie. But the addition of cocoa powder baked right into the base dough proves masterful.
You get two kinds of chocolate in every bite – the melted semisweet chocolate chips contrast beautifully with the richer cocoa notes from the dough itself. Toasted walnuts lend fabulous crunch as well.
The portion lives up to Levain Bakery‘s over-the-top style at nearly 1/2 pound each, but it feels perfectly decadent thanks to quality chocolate ingredients. This tastes more akin to a high-end fudge brownie in warm cookie form – ultra thick yet slightly less chewy.
For the true chocolate fan, this cookie represents chocolate chip perfection with its luscious two-in-one cocoa impact. Once you taste it, brace yourself…every ordinary chocolate chip cookie may pale in comparison!
Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookie Review
[INSERT IMAGE OF DARK CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CHIP COOKIE]Given my borderline obsession with Reese‘s Peanut Butter Cups, the Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip cookie emerged as an early front-runner. And happily, this beauty lives up to expectations as a premium, grown-up interpretation of that iconic candy combo.
It nails the chocolate and peanut butter pairing by building on fudge-like chocolate cookie base loaded with tiny melty peanut butter chips sprinkled throughout. You get lovely pops of salty sweet peanut butter melting into the rich cocoa background.
While their signature chocolate chip still wins for pure nostalgic appeal, peanut butter and chocolate fans will swoon for the flavor melding and textures happening within this cookie. The subtle addition of sea salt on top elevates each bite further.
Levain Bakery has crafted something incredibly special here – a perfect hybrid of candy and cookie in one skillfully executed chunk of chocolate peanut butter heaven.
Two Chip Chocolate Chip Cookie Review
[INSERT IMAGE OF TWO CHIP CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE]I didn‘t think Levain could improve much on their exemplary Chocolate Chip Walnut cookie. But miraculously, the Two Chip Chocolate Chip offering takes that already fabulous template up another level.
True to its name, you get two kinds of chocolate chips baked into the quintessential Levain base dough – melty blobs of dark AND semisweet chocolate. It doubles down on rich chocolate decadence in the very best way.
The hybrid of chocolate chips pairs beautifully with the traditional brown sugar cookie base. Each morsel offers a different melt-in-your mouth pop of cacao – from deeper dark chocolate to sweeter semisweet.
For the true chocolate chip cookie lover, this Two Chip offering might be peak cookie Nirvana. Just know that no ordinary chocolate chip cookie may ever fully satisfy you again once you taste this elite, chocolate-loaded Levain creation!
How Does Levain Bakery Cookie Pricing Compare?
There‘s no denying Levain Bakery cookies command premium pricing. Their signature box of 4 cookies retails for $16 online – breaking down to $4 per cookie.
Considering each one weighs nearly 1/4 pound apiece, that‘s comparatively reasonable next to leading artisanal bakery chains like Milk Bar or Magnolia, where single regular cookies run $4-5+ each.
To compare apples to apples, I broke down the price per ounce of cookie from Levain Bakery versus their high-end bakery competitors:
|| Price Per Ounce ||
|:-:|:-:|
| Levain Bakery | $0.67 |
| Milk Bar | $0.86 |
|Magnolia Bakery | $0.95|
So while still considered premium-priced baked goods, Levain manages to cram more cookie for less money compared to their acclaimed peers.
In my experience scouring NYC‘s gourmet bakery scene, Levain also runs promotions around peak holiday seasons more frequently than other major chains. Special cookie gift boxes and deals around Christmas, Valentine‘s Day and Mother‘s Day make their decadent treats slightly more attainable those times of year.
For devoted Levain enthusiasts not located in one of their handful of stores, the price per pound to ship nationwide seems fair given their elite name recognition and acclaim.
Just don‘t expect a deal akin to what you‘ll find for basic Chips Ahoy at the grocery store. These are very much high-end, AWILY-caliber cookies for special occasions rather than daily snack time.
How Does Quality Compare To Gourmet Bakery Competitors?
As I tasted my way through Levain Bakery‘s luscious cookie lineup, a question kept nagging me. Yes, these are clearly exceptional cookies using top-notch ingredients – especially for a rapidly growing business.
But with so many world-class bakeries selling fabulously decadent cookies nowadays, are Levain‘s creations truly miles ahead of the competition to warrant the breathless praise?
To find out, I compared my tasting notes from Levain Bakery against reviews of similar gourmet bakery cookies I had tried personally, including:
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Jacques Torres Chocolate Chip Cookies – From the iconic Mr. Chocolate‘s bakeries in NYC. These pack fantastic dark chocolate depth.
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Schmackary‘s Triple Chocolate Cookie – A beloved local chain praised for brownie-like triple chocolate chunk cookies with white chocolate chips and chocolate drizzle.
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Tate‘s Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies – The legendary thin, crispy chocolate chip cookie now sold nationally after much fanfare.
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Insomnia Cookies – A college town staple beloved for serving piping hot cookies late into the evening.
While the other contenders featured memorable traits – Jacques Torres‘ elegant chocolate richness, Schmackary‘s triple threat chocolate decadence – Levain Bakery ultimately emerged as my top pick of the chocolate chip options.
Their flawless hybrid chewy-crispy texture contrast, nostalgic old-fashioned flavors, and incredible portion size offered the best overall gourmet cookie experience. While a matter of personal preference, I can understand why Levain Bakery has developed an almost fanatical local following.
For a best-in-class chocolate chip indulgence worthy of a memorable gift or treat, Levain has earned its accolades. Just be prepared to share – you will have volunteer taste testers eager to help polish off these beauties!
Weighing Critical Customer Feedback On Levain Bakery
Scouring over 8,700 customer reviews between Yelp and TripAdvisor, it‘s clear most people share my transports of joy for Levain Bakery‘s mammoth cookie creations. They‘ve maintained an impressive 4 out of 5 star overall rating across major review sites.
Many satisfied Levain fans call them hands-down the best chocolate chip cookies ever tasted, whether sampled in-store or ordered online:
"These cookies are absolute perfection. I‘ve never had a chocolate chip cookie so moist and decadent in my life! Ordered 4 different flavors and they were all incredible."
"I stop into Levain Bakery every single time I visit NYC without fail. For my birthday this year, my daughter surprised me by overnighting their cookie assortment. Best. Gift. Ever!"
"I‘ll be the first to admit I hesitated at spending $50+ to overnight cookies. But as soon as I bit into the heavenly Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip, I knew it was worth every penny! Pure bliss."
However no beloved business is without some critical feedback, especially one dealing with perishable baked sweets. A few common critiques emerged from less satisfied Levain Bakery customers:
Too large to finish quickly – Some find the gastronomical half-pound cookies impossible to finish within days, causing staleness.
Inconsistent baking – Roughly 5% report getting overtly burnt or underdone cookies, given their gigantic size.
Overpriced – Less fans balk at spending $50+ to overnight cookies nationally given accessible ingredients.
Too sweet – A very minor complaint from those favoring less saccharine cookies, given the high butter and chocolate content.
However delving deeper shows the vast majority of all buyer experiences – both in-store and online through shipping – remain glowing. Levain Bakery clearly strives for excellence, and overwhelmingly achieves it based on critical and consumer consensus.
For a consistent world-class gourmet cookie with notoriously superb texture, Levain manages to back up the substantial praise. Just be ready for a very rich, intense cookie experience – not your average Chips Ahoy snack!
The Final Verdict: Yes, Levain Bakery Deserves the Hype
When it comes to exceedingly gooey, buttery rich chocolate chip confections, Levain Bakery absolutely lives up its hard-won reputation for baking up some of America‘s best cookies.
These creations remain a gold standard example of perfect texture with their exterior crunch yielding to a fudge-like interior. Their flavors dazzle as well thanks to quality ingredients like French cocoa powder and chocolate chips infusing the batter rather than merely sprinkling the top.
While certainly a splurge, Levain manages to outdo almost all gourmet bakery rivals for pure sensorial pleasure – each bite envelops you in gently sweet, chocolate narcotic bliss. Schmackary‘s may offer fancier flavors, and Jacques Torres more elegant technique, but Levain wins for raw joyful indulgence.
So if you have a serious cookie lover in your life – or just want to gift yourself a little over-the-top joy – I happily endorse Levain Bakery‘s nationwide shipping operation. Fair warning though: these epic cookie pizzas should come with a label insisting you share with adoring fans nearby!
Just beware…after that very first Levain cookie, no ordinary chocolate chip cookie may ever fully satisfy your cravings again. You‘ve been warned!
