Levain Bakery.
History:
Levain is a small bakery founded by Connie McDonald and Pam Weekes located on the Upper West Side in New York City. The bakery began by selling fresh-baked artisanal breads wholesale to restaurants around New York City. In 1995, Connie and Pam opened their first storefront to sell artisanal breads and a limited array of other baked goods. Ever since, Levain Bakery has become a neighborhood institution for passersby as well as a destination for travelers from around the world. A steady stream of loyal customers line up outside the small storefront at any given time along with tourists, eager to sample the legendary baked goods.
Levain is most famous for its gargantuan, almost spherical cookies ($4.00 each), which come in flavors including chocolate chip walnut, dark chocolate peanut butter chip, dark chocolate chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin. Levain also sells a variety of breads, rolls, loaf cakes, sticky buns and tarts. The bakery now ships gift packages of its cookies all over the world.
Everything for sale in the shop is baked fresh on-site daily. Anything that doesn’t sell that day is donated to help feed the hungry—a mission that has been solidly in place since the beginning.
Levain is most famous for its gargantuan, almost spherical cookies ($4.00 each), which come in flavors including chocolate chip walnut, dark chocolate peanut butter chip, dark chocolate chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin. Levain also sells a variety of breads, rolls, loaf cakes, sticky buns and tarts. The bakery now ships gift packages of its cookies all over the world.
Everything for sale in the shop is baked fresh on-site daily. Anything that doesn’t sell that day is donated to help feed the hungry—a mission that has been solidly in place since the beginning.
Founders:
The bakery was founded in 1994 by Connie McDonald and Pam Weekes. At the time, Connie was a banker and Pam worked in the fashion industry. Both women were competitive swimmers and were training together for the Ironman. They both had an interest in food, especially foods that would sustain them during competition. They began by baking artisanal breads. The two then started baking cookies and other dessert treats.
The bakery continues to grow. In 2000, they opened a seasonal bakery shop in the Village of Wainscott on Long Island’s East End. In March 2011, they opened a second location in New York City on Frederick Douglass Boulevard in Harlem. Levain now ships their cookies anywhere in the world.
_
Connie and Pam selected the French term “levain,” which means a natural leavening agent or starter as the name for their bakery. This word seemed to them to be a perfect fit for their new business venture.
The bakery continues to grow. In 2000, they opened a seasonal bakery shop in the Village of Wainscott on Long Island’s East End. In March 2011, they opened a second location in New York City on Frederick Douglass Boulevard in Harlem. Levain now ships their cookies anywhere in the world.
_
Connie and Pam selected the French term “levain,” which means a natural leavening agent or starter as the name for their bakery. This word seemed to them to be a perfect fit for their new business venture.
Menu:
Reviews:
The New York Daily News
Levain Bakery is listed as the Best Cookie joint and describes the Chocolate Chip Walnut cookie as a “large gooey mess hearty enough to be a meal.”
The New York Times
“From this brownstone on West 74th Street, Connie McDonald and Pamela Weekes produce what may possibly be the largest, most divine chocolate chip cookies in Manhattan. The fat round cookies, about an inch high and three inches in diameter, are packed with walnut halves and chunks of chocolate and weigh almost as much as a grapefruit.”
Zagat
“If you can find” this Upper West Side bakery tucked into a basement, you’ll discover the “biggest, chewiest” and possibly “best chocolate chip cookie in NYC” as well as “addictive” sourdough rolls filled with Valrhona chocolate; the “small but inventive” selection also includes a “sinful” drop cookie, short for “drop everything” to try it.”
Levain Bakery is listed as the Best Cookie joint and describes the Chocolate Chip Walnut cookie as a “large gooey mess hearty enough to be a meal.”
The New York Times
“From this brownstone on West 74th Street, Connie McDonald and Pamela Weekes produce what may possibly be the largest, most divine chocolate chip cookies in Manhattan. The fat round cookies, about an inch high and three inches in diameter, are packed with walnut halves and chunks of chocolate and weigh almost as much as a grapefruit.”
Zagat
“If you can find” this Upper West Side bakery tucked into a basement, you’ll discover the “biggest, chewiest” and possibly “best chocolate chip cookie in NYC” as well as “addictive” sourdough rolls filled with Valrhona chocolate; the “small but inventive” selection also includes a “sinful” drop cookie, short for “drop everything” to try it.”
Locations:
Upper West Side
167 West 74th St. New York, NY 10023
Phone - 212-874-6080
Hours: Mon-Sat 8am-7pm, Sun 9am-7pm
Harlem
2167 Frederick Douglass Boulevard
New York, NY, 10026
Phone - 646-455-0952
Hours - Mon-Sat 8am-7pm, Sun 9am-7pm
Hamptons
Wainscott Village Shopping Center 354 Montauk Hwy
Wainscott, NY 11975
Phone - 631-537-8570
Open seasonally
167 West 74th St. New York, NY 10023
Phone - 212-874-6080
Hours: Mon-Sat 8am-7pm, Sun 9am-7pm
Harlem
2167 Frederick Douglass Boulevard
New York, NY, 10026
Phone - 646-455-0952
Hours - Mon-Sat 8am-7pm, Sun 9am-7pm
Hamptons
Wainscott Village Shopping Center 354 Montauk Hwy
Wainscott, NY 11975
Phone - 631-537-8570
Open seasonally
Recommendations:
Everything that Levain sells is fantastic! Levain’s signature 6-ounce scone-sized chocolate chip cookies are legendary. The chocolate chip walnut and oatmeal raisin cookies are also standouts.
Make it yourself!
Many baking hobbyists and food bloggers have tried to copy the Levain cookie recipe.
Copycat recipe Three:
Levain Chocolate Chip Cookie Clone
Ingredients:
2 sticks unsalted butter, cold
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt (I used sea salt)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
12 ounces (2 cups) good quality semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (In addition, I used 2 squares of chopped Baker's chocolate)
1 cup nuts (pecans or walnuts) (I used walnuts)
Directions:
If using dough right away, preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars just until creamy. Don’t overbeat. Add the egg and vanilla and beat just until incorporated.
Stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. When thoroughly mixed, add to batter and stir just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips.
Divide dough into 12 big 4 oz lumps. Bake on ungreased cookies sheets (one sheet at a time).
Bake times:
Put the cookies in a 375 degree oven and set timer for 8 minutes. When timer rings, without opening oven or removing cookies, reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake for another 8-10 minutes or until cookies appear set.
Levain Chocolate Chip Cookie Clone
Ingredients:
2 sticks unsalted butter, cold
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt (I used sea salt)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
12 ounces (2 cups) good quality semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (In addition, I used 2 squares of chopped Baker's chocolate)
1 cup nuts (pecans or walnuts) (I used walnuts)
Directions:
If using dough right away, preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars just until creamy. Don’t overbeat. Add the egg and vanilla and beat just until incorporated.
Stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. When thoroughly mixed, add to batter and stir just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips.
Divide dough into 12 big 4 oz lumps. Bake on ungreased cookies sheets (one sheet at a time).
Bake times:
Put the cookies in a 375 degree oven and set timer for 8 minutes. When timer rings, without opening oven or removing cookies, reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake for another 8-10 minutes or until cookies appear set.
**Many people have attempted to recreate these heavenly cookies but no one seems to be able to get it just right. Above are two decent copy's of the recipe but they are still not perfect. Please let me know if you are able to find a better one!
Watch As Connie and Pam teach Levain enthusiasts how to make their heavenly treats!
More fun resources:
Levain Bakery Webcam
Spy on customers live as they bite into their delicious treats in the New York City store.
Levain Bakery Song
Sing along to a tune about New York's best cookies!
Interview with the owners and Restaurant Girl
Spy on customers live as they bite into their delicious treats in the New York City store.
Levain Bakery Song
Sing along to a tune about New York's best cookies!
Interview with the owners and Restaurant Girl