So, this started out to be my recipe for knockoff Levain Bakery dark chocolate peanut butter chip cookies. But alas, there were no peanut butter chips in my freezer. I had used every single peanut butter chip I owned at Christmas time, and obviously failed to add them to my grocery list. Well, slap my hand for that senior moment! (And yes, peanut butter chips are now on my current shopping list. At least I remembered to do that. And yes, mental acuity comes and goes when you get to be my age!) So, I decided to make the same cookie batter but use mint chips in place of peanut butter chips. After all, how bad could that be? And as it turned out, I may have to write Levain Bakery offering to share my recipe with them. Because frankly, I think they’re making a grave mistake by not offering this cookie in their remarkable line up of cookies. Because these cookies are amazing. And yes, I am tooting my own horn. But when fair is fair, then I go for it!

Now for those of you who have never experienced a real Levain Bakery cookie (and that would probably include most of you since the bakery is in New York City) or even a knockoff Levain Bakery cookie, you are in for a treat. First of all, these are big cookies. They have a crisp outer layer with an extremely chewy, doughy center that melts in your mouth. (Think not quite set cookie dough that doesn’t fall apart!) Levain Bakery cookies are simply the best cookies imaginable. And very different from any cookies I had ever made or eaten before. And for the life of me I can’t remember where I heard or read about this bakery. But I will forever be grateful for whatever it was that turned me on to these cookies. And after you try one, I know you will be too! So, for your gastronomic edification, I offer you two other recipes for knockoff Levain Bakery cookies. Knockoff Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies and Almost Knockoff Levain Bakery Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. Both are super yum!

So, as always, keep having fun in your kitchen. Keep thinking positive thoughts. And keep baking cookies. Because I don’t know anyone who doesn’t feel better with a cookie in their hand. Peace and love to all.  

And yes, look for my recipe for Knockoff Levain Bakery Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies in the near future.

1 c. (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

1 c. brown sugar

½ c. granulated sugar

2 lg. eggs 

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ c. good dark cocoa powder

1 c. cake flour, fluffed 

1½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

1 tsp. cornstarch

¾ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. coarse sea salt (I use coarse salt because it gives each bite of cookie just a lovely little burst of salt)

1½ c. mint chips

Place the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars on medium low speed until smooth and completely blended, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat just until the eggs and vanilla are incorporated with the butter/sugar mixture.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk the cocoa powder, cake flour, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt together. Add to the wet ingredients and mix only until combined. Add the mint chips, and again, mix only until combined. Chill the dough for 10 minutes.

Divide the dough into 16 equal parts. Or as equally portioned as possible. (I cheat. I gently round the dough in my #16 (1/4 cup) ice cream scoop.)

Drop dough onto parchment paper or silicone mat lined baking pans about 3 inches apart. (I used three half sheet (roughly 18 x 13-inch) baking pans. Six cookies on sheets 1 & 2. Four cookies on sheet number 3.) Refrigerate for about an hour. (To make life easier on myself, and because I don’t have room in my refrigerator for 3 sheet pans, I plop the balls of dough close together on one of the parchment paper lined pans. Then I refrigerate the whole mess. When I’m ready to bake the little darlings, I take 6 from the fridge and place on another of the parchment paper lined baking sheets. The others dough balls I just leave in the fridge until I am ready to bake them off.)  

Bake in a pre-heated 400-degree oven for 9-12 minutes or until the top looks set. The inside will still be a little under-baked. That’s exactly what you want.

Remove from oven and let the cookies rest for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. (They finish baking and set up a bit during their 10-minute time out.)

Store in an airtight container at room temperature.