"He who marvels at the beauty of the world in summer will find equal cause for wonder and admiration in winter.... In winter the stars seem to have rekindled their fires, the moon achieves a fuller triumph, and the heavens wear a look of a more exalted simplicity. -John Burroughs, "The Snow-Walkers," 1866". In retrospect, January has had a relatively mild winter in 2021 start. I should have appreciated it more as significant snowfalls and frigid cold temperatures are becoming recurrent themes in February here in the midwest. As striking as the landscape blanketed in snow set against a blue sky looks, I am a bit a wimp when it comes to running outdoors when temperatures hover close to or below zero degrees (F). However, if the current forecast remains for awhile, I am going to have to put on my big girl pants, embrace the cold, and convince myself it will only feel cold for the first four minutes or so. Where have I heard 'you can do anything for four minutes' before? Maybe envisioning sitting by a warm fire or eating a just out of the oven Levain Style Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie after an cold outdoor run would help shove me out the door. In all seriousness, this cookie would probably be more than enough motivation.
Ever since making the Levain Style Chocolate Chip Cookies way back in July (2020), I have wanted to one day make a chocolate peanut butter version. That day finally came early this week. And all I will say is they were definitely worth the wait. You might find other versions of recipes for Levain Style Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies, but let me be so bold as to tell you this is the ONLY version you want to make. Hands down this cookie is a winner!
Dense, decadent, slightly gooey in the center, and destined to satisfy any craving you might have for chocolate and peanut butter, these ginormous cookies are equal parts insanity and pure bliss. Think of them not so much as a chocolate cookie filled with peanut butter chips, but a rich brownie filled with peanut butter chips.
Unlike most other 'chocolate chip' cookies, these are made with chilled instead of either room temperature or melted butter. But like other 'chocolate chip' cookies, they benefit from a bit of chilling time in the refrigerator before going into the oven to bake. In the case of these cookies, the chilling time is only 2-3 three hours. Both all-purpose and cake flour as well as both granulated and light brown sugars are used in these cookies. Cake flour contributes to the tenderness of these cookies, while the combination of white/brown sugars gives them just the right amount of sweetness.
The assembly process for these cookies doesn't follow conventional cookie batter methods. The peanut butter chips are added in after the butter/sugar/vanilla mixture comes together. While the lightly beaten eggs are added in two additions after the dry ingredients (added in three additions) have been blended in. Approximately 1/4 cup of the peanut butter chips are reserved as they get pressed into the tops and sides of each ball of cookie dough. Making an already substantially sized cookie (about 5 1/2 to 5 3/4 ounces) a little more substantial. But adding more chips makes for a beautiful finishing touch.
These Levain Style Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies are baked at 375 degrees (F), a slightly higher temperature than most other 'chocolate chip' cookies. Yet, in spite of the density of the dough and size of the dough balls, they bake only for 17-19 minutes. The relatively short baking time results in a slightly crunchy exterior and slightly gooey center. Note: If you don't like a gooey center, increase your baking time from 19-21 minutes. Or wait to eat your cookies after they have cooled for a couple of hours for a more fudgy cookie eating experience.
The recipe yields seven ginormous, irresistible, ethereally textured cookies. Perfectly sized to share with a friend who shares your passion for chocolate and peanut butter. As the cookies cool, their slightly gooey centers will become more fudge like. But if it's gooeyness you crave, reheat room temperature cookies in the microwave for about 10-12 seconds.
If you are going to be snowbound or housebound for any reason, you might want to have all of the ingredients on hand to make these Levain Style Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies. If traveling to New York to stop in at Levain Bakery is not in your immediate future, you can simply savor these uber delicious, decadent chocolate peanut butter soul satisfying cookies from the safety and comfort of your home. And if you have a hard workout planned or plan to run in the bitter cold, just remember you deserve to give yourself a reward. Might I suggest you put these Levain Style Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies on your extrinsic reward list? I know what some of you might be thinking. Having a decadent cookie might be a tad counterproductive to working out. So let me remind you, 'life is short'. Indulging yourself once in a while can be a really good thing.
Recipe
Levain Style Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Makes 7 ginormous cookies
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (180g) all-purpose flour
2/3 cup (76g) cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
3/4 cup (88g) dark cocoa powder (see notes)
1 cup plus 1 Tablespoon (240g) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into tablespoons
2/3 cup (134g) light brown sugar
2/3 cup (134g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups (425g) peanut butter chips, divided (see notes)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Directions
1. Combine the all-purpose flour, cake flour, dark cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and Kosher salt in a medium sized bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
2. Using a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat cold butter on low speed until the butter cubes lose their shape (about 30-45 seconds).
3. Beat in the granulated sugar (about 30 seconds)
4. Beat in the brown sugar and vanilla (about 30 seconds). Mixture will be thick and creamy.
5. Mix in the 2 1/4 cups (382g) of the peanut butter chips to distribute evenly in the batter (about 30 seconds).
6. On low speed mix in the dry ingredients in three additions. Do not over beat, but there should be no streaks of flour showing.
7. Add in the lightly beaten eggs in two additions. Beat until mixture begins pulling away from the sides of the bowl and begins to form a cohesive dough.
8. Divide the dough into 8 balls. Balls of dough will weigh slightly more than 5 1/2 ounces each (or 16-164g). Press in the remaining 1/4 cup (42g) of peanut butter chips into the tops and sides of the each of the cookie dough balls.
9. Place the balls of dough on a baking sheet, tightly cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
10. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F). Get out two baking sheet pans Line each baking pan with parchment paper.
11. Place 4 balls of the cookie on one of the parchment paper lined baking sheets. Place this baking sheet on top of an upside down baking sheet so the bottoms of each baking pan are touching. (Yes, you are using two baking sheets.)
12. Bake cookies for 17-19 minutes or until the edges are set. Do not over bake the cookies. When finished baking they will still be moist in the center.
13. Remove from the oven and let sit on the baking sheet for 5-7 minutes. Remove from baking the baking sheet and place on a cooling rack. Let cool slightly or let come to room temperature before serving.
14. Store any left over cookies in a tightly sealed container or wrap in a cellophane bag. If eating the cookies the day after baking, warm them up in the microwave to resurrect their warm gooey centers.
1. Combine the all-purpose flour, cake flour, dark cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and Kosher salt in a medium sized bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
2. Using a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat cold butter on low speed until the butter cubes lose their shape (about 30-45 seconds).
3. Beat in the granulated sugar (about 30 seconds)
4. Beat in the brown sugar and vanilla (about 30 seconds). Mixture will be thick and creamy.
5. Mix in the 2 1/4 cups (382g) of the peanut butter chips to distribute evenly in the batter (about 30 seconds).
6. On low speed mix in the dry ingredients in three additions. Do not over beat, but there should be no streaks of flour showing.
7. Add in the lightly beaten eggs in two additions. Beat until mixture begins pulling away from the sides of the bowl and begins to form a cohesive dough.
8. Divide the dough into 8 balls. Balls of dough will weigh slightly more than 5 1/2 ounces each (or 16-164g). Press in the remaining 1/4 cup (42g) of peanut butter chips into the tops and sides of the each of the cookie dough balls.
9. Place the balls of dough on a baking sheet, tightly cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
10. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F). Get out two baking sheet pans Line each baking pan with parchment paper.
11. Place 4 balls of the cookie on one of the parchment paper lined baking sheets. Place this baking sheet on top of an upside down baking sheet so the bottoms of each baking pan are touching. (Yes, you are using two baking sheets.)
12. Bake cookies for 17-19 minutes or until the edges are set. Do not over bake the cookies. When finished baking they will still be moist in the center.
13. Remove from the oven and let sit on the baking sheet for 5-7 minutes. Remove from baking the baking sheet and place on a cooling rack. Let cool slightly or let come to room temperature before serving.
14. Store any left over cookies in a tightly sealed container or wrap in a cellophane bag. If eating the cookies the day after baking, warm them up in the microwave to resurrect their warm gooey centers.
Notes: (1) For the dark cocoa I used Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder. If you can't find that cocoa powder, a high quality Dutch-processed cocoa powder will also give you a similar depth of flavor and deep rich color. (2) If you aren't a big fan of a chocolate chip cookies loaded with peanut butter chips, feel free to swap out an equal amount of either white or semi-sweet chocolate chips. (3) The cookie making techniques used are similar to one's Stella Parks recommended in her version of a Levain Chocolate Chip Cookie.
