Name: Levain Bakery Chocolate Toffee Cookies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 11 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup (2 sticks / 226 g) unsalted butter cold and cubed; 1 cup (200 g) packed light brown sugar; 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar; 2 large eggs cold; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour; 1 cup (120 g) cake flour; 1/2 cup (45 g) unsweetened cocoa powder; 1 tablespoon cornstarch; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1 1/2 cups (255 g) semisweet chocolate chunks divided; 1 cup (170 g) toffee bits or chopped toffee bars divided; Flaky sea salt for finishing

If you’ve ever stood in front of Levain Bakery’s window mesmerized by those giant, gooey cookies, this one’s for you. These Levain Bakery Chocolate Toffee Cookies are my at-home love letter to that experience—thick, craggy, and just barely holding in all the molten chocolate and sticky toffee.

When they come out of the oven, the edges are set and slightly crisp, the centers are fudgy and soft, and the pools of melted chocolate and caramelized toffee glisten on top. They’re the kind of cookie that makes you pause mid-bite and just… appreciate the moment.

What Makes These Levain Bakery Chocolate Toffee Cookies So Special?

Levain-style cookies are a completely different personality from your typical flat, chewy cookie. They’re big, bold, and unapologetically thick. The trick is using cold butter, a mix of flours, and a hot oven so the cookies keep their mountain-like shape while the centers stay gooey.

In this version, I lean into that bakery drama with rich cocoa, chunky semisweet chocolate, and buttery toffee pieces that melt into little caramel pockets. A sprinkle of flaky salt on top wakes everything up and keeps each bite from feeling too sweet. It’s a bakery cookie you can actually pull from your own oven—no plane ticket required.

Ingredients for Levain Bakery Chocolate Toffee Cookies

I keep the ingredient list pretty classic, but each one has a job to do.

Cold unsalted butter – Using it straight from the fridge helps the cookies stay tall and thick instead of spreading flat. It also gives you that rich, bakery-style flavor.

Light brown sugar – Brings moisture, chew, and a deep caramel note that plays beautifully with the toffee.

Granulated sugar – Adds sweetness and helps with those slightly crisp edges that contrast the soft center.

Eggs – Bind everything together and add richness. Using them cold, not room temperature, helps keep the dough sturdy.

Vanilla extract – Rounds out all the chocolate and toffee flavors with warm, cozy bakery aroma.

All-purpose flour – Forms the base structure of the cookie so it can support all those chocolate chunks.

Cake flour – Adds tenderness and that slightly soft, fluffy bite Levain-style cookies are known for.

Unsweetened cocoa powder – Turns the dough into a deep, chocolatey base that makes the toffee and chocolate chunks really pop.

Cornstarch – Helps keep the centers soft and thick while preventing the cookies from over-spreading.

Baking soda – Gives the dough a little lift so the cookies don’t turn into dense pucks.

Fine sea salt – Balances sweetness inside the dough and sharpens all the flavors.

Semisweet chocolate chunks – I like using chopped bar chocolate so some pieces melt into big puddles and others stay a bit more solid.

Toffee bits or chopped toffee bars – Melt into chewy, caramelized pockets and add buttery crunch to every bite.

Flaky sea salt – Sprinkled on while the cookies are warm, it adds texture and that irresistible salty-sweet finish.

How To Make the Levain Bakery Chocolate Toffee Cookies

Step 1: Prep Your Oven and Pans

Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Position your oven racks in the upper and lower thirds and preheat the oven to 410°F (210°C). The high heat is what helps these cookies set on the outside while staying soft and gooey inside.

Step 2: Cream the Cold Butter and Sugars

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cold, cubed butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium-high speed. At first it will look sandy and chunky—that’s normal. Keep mixing until the mixture becomes light, slightly creamy, and the butter pieces are mostly smoothed out.

Step 3: Add Eggs and Vanilla

Beat in the cold eggs one at a time, mixing just until incorporated and scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla extract and mix briefly again. You want everything combined, but you don’t want to overwork the dough.

Step 4: Bring the Dry Ingredients Together

In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda, and fine sea salt. This step makes sure the leavening and cocoa are evenly distributed so you don’t end up with streaks.

Step 5: Mix the Dough Gently

Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl in two additions, pulsing the mixer on low until just combined. The dough will be thick and sturdy—almost like brownie dough that decided to be a cookie.

Step 6: Fold in Chocolate and Toffee

Switch to a spatula and fold in most of the semisweet chocolate chunks and toffee bits, reserving a small handful of each for topping. Folding by hand keeps the dough thick and prevents overmixing.

Step 7: Scoop Big, Rustic Mounds

Using a large cookie scoop or your hands, portion the dough into big balls, about 3–4 tablespoons of dough each (think a small ice cream scoop). I like to keep the tops rough and craggy—that’s what gives them that bakery look. Arrange the dough mounds on the prepared baking sheets, leaving plenty of space between each.

If you have time, chill the dough mounds in the fridge for 20–30 minutes. It’s optional but gives you an extra-thick, extra-gooey center.

Step 8: Top and Bake

Press a few of the reserved chocolate chunks and toffee bits onto the tops of each dough mound. Bake the cookies for 9–11 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. The edges should look set and the tops puffed, but the centers will still look a bit underdone—that’s exactly what you want.

Step 9: Finish with Flaky Salt and Cool

As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, sprinkle them with flaky sea salt. Let them cool on the baking sheets for at least 10–15 minutes so the centers can finish setting. If you break one open too soon, you’ll get molten chocolate and toffee everywhere (which honestly isn’t the worst problem to have).

Serving and Storing These Cookies

I love serving these Levain Bakery Chocolate Toffee Cookies when they’re still slightly warm and the chocolate is glossy. They’re rich enough that one cookie feels like a full dessert, especially with a scoop of ice cream on top.

Once cooled completely, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. The centers stay soft, and the toffee keeps them tasting indulgent even on day three.

You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 2 months. Let them cool fully, wrap individually, and stash them in a freezer bag. Reheat in a 300°F (150°C) oven for about 5–7 minutes to bring them back to life.

If you’d rather bake fresh cookies on demand, freeze the unbaked dough mounds on a tray until solid, then transfer them to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time.

What to Serve With Levain Bakery Chocolate Toffee Cookies

Cold Brew or Iced Coffee

The deep chocolate and toffee notes love the slight bitterness of cold brew. I like to sip mine black or with just a splash of cream so the cookies stay the star of the show.

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Turn one cookie into a full dessert by serving it warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. The hot-and-cold contrast plus the melty chocolate is pure bliss.

Salted Caramel Sauce

Drizzle a little warm salted caramel over the cookies or over that ice cream-cookie combo. It echoes the toffee pieces and makes everything taste extra luxurious.

Fresh Berries

A small bowl of fresh raspberries or sliced strawberries on the side cuts through the richness and adds a pop of color to your dessert plate.

Hot Chocolate

For a cozy winter treat, pair these cookies with a mug of thick, creamy hot chocolate. I won’t judge if you dunk the cookies right in.

Espresso or Cappuccino

If you’re serving these after a dinner party, espresso or cappuccino is my go-to pairing. The bold coffee keeps the sweetness in check and feels wonderfully café-worthy.

If these Levain Bakery Chocolate Toffee Cookies made you as happy as they make me, you’ll probably fall for some of my other cookie favorites too:

Try these ultra-gooey Twix Cookie Cups when you’re craving a bite-size cookie that eats like a candy bar.
For an old-fashioned classic, bake a batch of Jimmy Carter’s Grandmother’s Peanut Butter Cookies—they’re simple, nostalgic, and perfect with milk.
Holiday baking is so much easier with Cake Mix Chocolate Chip Santa Cookies; they’re festive, soft, and start with a pantry-friendly shortcut.
And if you’re in the mood for something playful and seasonal, The Irresistible Charm of Peanut Butter Candy Corn Cookies gives you that salty-sweet, chewy candy moment in every bite.

Save This Pin For Later

📌 Save these Levain Bakery Chocolate Toffee Cookies to your favorite dessert board on Pinterest so you can find them the next time a serious chocolate craving hits.

When you make them, come back and tell me how yours turned out. Did you keep them extra gooey in the center, or bake them a minute longer for a firmer cookie? Did you stick with semisweet chocolate or mix in some milk or dark chunks too?

I love hearing how you tweak my recipes to fit your own kitchen style. Ask questions, share your swaps, and let’s keep baking smarter together.

For even more cookie inspiration, small-batch treats, and weeknight dessert ideas, come hang out with me on my ChefAlchemy Pinterest board where I share new recipes and baking ideas all the time.

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