After all our fun at the BlogHer expo on Saturday morning, Jenny and I were so excited to head for the Upper West Side and sample some delicious cookies from the famous Levain Bakery. We were both surprised at its tiny, tucked away location! Hidden down a short flight of stairs, we missed it the first time we walked past- even with my GPS telling us exactly where it was!
Of course, once we finally got there, we had to sample all four of Levain’s highly touted cookies.
Here we go! First was the Chocolate Chip Walnut.
Left: Photo via Jenny
We dug right in! I like walnuts, but I’m a traditionalist when it comes to chocolate chip cookies. I prefer pretty much all desserts (cookies, brownies, ice cream sundaes) sans nuts. What about you?
Next was the Oatmeal Raisin.
Okay, we are so silly! Neither of us really like raisins, but we totally wanted to try it anyway! :)
Okay. Now for the good stuff. Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip.
Oh so warm and melty and gooey!
Extremely decadent and rich. Loved this one!
And the fourth and final cookie from Levain… The Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip.
Oh. my. gracious.
I really want to know how they got their peanut butter chips so smooth, and creamy, and melty!
Photo via Jenny
By the number of pictures we took of this one…
I’ll just let you guess which one was our favorite. ;)
Levain cookie massacre! There were no survivors.
After making a couple of copycat Levain cookies recipes, I finally broke down and ordered a 4-cookie sampler from Levain’s–very pricey!! While they were very good, they couldn’t compare with the homemade versions I had made. It was a little bit of an unfair comparison since my cookies were fresh out of the oven compared to the shipped versions. I went on to make the other two copycats while I had the originals in hand, and the results were the same. The homemade copycat versions were superior. Here’s the link to the chocolate-peanut butter clone. So decadent and yummy! http://www.fransfavs.com/2013/07/levain-bakery-dark-chocolate-peanut-butter-chip-cookie-clone/
Living on the east side of the City (manhattan), you certainly have chosen a great place to eat such fine desserts. Trader Joe’s to Levain is my sunday funday stop on the crosstown bus!
I’m going to NYC this winter and I will definitely stop by at Levain Bakery! I can’t wait!
What settings did you use for those wonderful cookie pictures? I’m going to New York this week. Can’t wait to eat these cookies, but I never get pictures that look as nice as yours. I have a Cannon Rebel XTi
Thanks,
Marsha
I went to Levain for the first time about a month ago..went in just for the chocolate chip, but left with all four cookies, like you AND a cinnamon butter brioche (which was amazing). The chocolate/chocolate chip was my most favorite, so SO delicious!
I am a no-buts girl as well, so while I like the chocolate chip, it wasn’t the best ever for me! And at $4 each I want THE BEST!
Hi Amanda! I just discovered your wonderful blog. And the mouth-watering cookies! — Yum! Carrot sticks will just not cut it. When you get a minute, I’d love you to visit me at http://altered-artworks.blogspot.com. While you were in NYC, I was clear across the country in Laguna Beach, CA. I am looking forward to following you and your delicious adventures.
If I didn’t have to work today, I think I’d go hop a plane to NYC!! YUM!!!
why cant they make cookies like that in Portland?
Amanda,
I have loved following your food adventures in NYC since I am going to NYC next week. You have definitely highlighted some of my favorite spots and some that are sure to become favorite spots. I will definitely be going to Doughnut Plant and Levain’s. Thanks for the tour!
oh my! these look amazing! we just don’t get cookies like that here in Australia. :( maybe I should make some…?
I have to agree with the first comment! ;)
I despise nuts in my desserts. I enjoy them alone, but do not allow one to ruin a delectable dessert. I shudder at the mere thought.
Ok Amanda! It’s 9:46 PM in Kansas City Mo and now I’m totally starving!
Wish I was there! Yummy!!!!
Uh, hi. I’ll take one dozen of each. K? Thanks.
Oh My Gosh!!! I think I just gained 10 lbs just looking at these sinful pictures! I would not know where to start! I enjoy your blog alot – thank you.
I don’t like nuts in my desserts either! Pecan pie is an exception, though! I love nuts on their own, but not in my brownies, cookies, or on top of ice cream!
Oh my, those cookies look so delicious! I don’t mind nuts in my chocolate chip cookies. I may need to mail order some of those. The photos are incredible. Looks like you two had such fun.
No nuts for me!!! Not even in my ice cream. But I do love pecan pie, which is weird! I want to know how they keep the chips so creamy too! That’s awesome! I’m so craving cookies and chocolate right now!!!
Im with you NO NUTS except on ice cream sunday maybe ;-) the cookies look absolutely decadent… did Jenny get the recepie?
Cruel and unusual punshiment is RIGHT! ;-) LoL…I wish I had been there to watch you taking photos of your food!
When reading this post I literally thought.
Enough! Enough already. I can’t take looking at the close-ups of these cookies!
Now I need one. The problem with that is I CAN’T EAT JUST ONE.
So much for the 1200 cal diet YOU inspired me to be on.
Looks like you girls had a blast!!! YUM!
I love cookies!!! I visited NY in 2008, but I didn’t eat cookies…
Hugs, Luciana.
I want that dark chocolate peanut butter cookie right now!! You lucky girl!
Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter… Heaven :)
Oh my! Those looks amazing – but now I’m thinking of baking cookies tonight – I’ll have to blame the extra pounds on you!
I’ve loved this series! I don’t know how you are able to go on these INCREDIBLE trips and eat all this lovely food, but at least we get to revel in your treats and share them with you (minus the flavors!).
Lovely, thanks!
They look absolutely amazing! Now I am going to be craving cookies! Each one of them looks fantastic just the way they are. I love nuts on everything and an oatmeal cookie is just not an oatmeal cookie without raisins! How much weight have you both gained?
This post definitely falls under “cruel and unusual punishment”. I love oatmeal cookies but I always leave the raisins out. That dark chocolate peanut butter chip cookie is calling my name.
Um, yum?! But I feel sorry for my Oatmeal, your email just made my breakfast look like mud. I, too, do not like nuts in anything! Weird! Everyone laughs at me. I’m glad I have a sister in my nutty-ness :). I also don’t like raisins very much! But if a delicious Oatmeal Raisin cookie beckons, I will not disappoint it. Have a good day Amanda!
Those cookies look amazing!! Especially that chocolate peanut butter cookie! And I agree with everyone there should be a disclosure with reading this blog that says “Read after eating!” although that still won’t stop me from dreaming about these cookies all morning!
hey…..I made cookies like last night and they did not look like that. :(
I totally agree, Amanda….SANS NUTS! & next time, I am reading your blog AFTER I eat breakfast…… ;)
I like NUTS in almost any dessert, brings an earthy subtlety to their sugary sweetness. I eat nuts daily, by the handful. I keep a jar of natural peanut butter in my desk that eat by the spoonful. LOVE nuts.
oh my gosh.. those look heavenly!!
So tempting! :) These pictures are fantastic. you really know how to get the best of things through the camera. Can’t wait to visit that Bakery. It’s now on my places-I-must-visit list.
OHHH so yummy! I bet the peanut butter one would be my favorite…it looks perfect!!
Wow, I think I’m salivating a little bit. I feel like eating cookies for breakfast now. :)
Hannah
I think that putting up these tantalizing photos is cruel and unusual punishment for the rest of us.