Levain Bakery Rocky Road Cookies Recipe
Introduction
These Levain Bakery Rocky Road Cookies are a decadent treat combining rich cocoa, gooey marshmallows, crunchy cashews, and melty chocolate chips. Perfectly soft inside with a slight crisp on the outside, they make an irresistible indulgence for any chocolate lover.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cold butter, cut into cubes
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup cake flour
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- 3/4 cup cashews, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat your oven to 410°F (210°C) and line a light-colored baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the cold butter, brown sugar, and sugar for at least 4 minutes until the mixture is light and creamy.
- Step 3: Add the eggs and vanilla extract, mixing for an additional minute until fully combined.
- Step 4: Fold in the cocoa powder, cake flour, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt until just combined; avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
- Step 5: Gently stir in the semi-sweet chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, and chopped cashews.
- Step 6: Form the dough into 5 to 6-ounce balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet. For a bakery-style presentation, press extra chocolate chips and marshmallows on top of each ball.
- Step 7: Bake for 9-11 minutes. When you remove the cookies, gently press the edges inward with a spatula to maintain a neat shape.
- Step 8: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Tips & Variations
- Use light-colored baking sheets to prevent over-browning on the cookie bottoms.
- Substitute pecans or walnuts for cashews if preferred or for a different texture.
- Chilling the dough for 30 minutes can help control spreading and create thicker cookies.
- To keep marshmallows from melting too much, fold them in gently and avoid overbaking.
Storage
Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. To keep marshmallows soft, avoid refrigeration. Reheat gently in a microwave for about 10-15 seconds if you want a warm, gooey treat.
How to Serve
Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.
FAQs
Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted?
Yes, but reduce the added salt in the recipe to about 1/4 teaspoon to avoid the cookies becoming too salty.
What is the best way to measure flour for this recipe?
For accuracy, spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off rather than scooping directly from the bag. This helps prevent dense cookies caused by too much flour.
PrintLevain Bakery Rocky Road Cookies Recipe
These Levain Bakery Rocky Road Cookies combine rich cocoa, gooey marshmallows, crunchy cashews, and semi-sweet chocolate chips to create indulgent, thick, and chewy cookies. Perfectly baked to a soft and melty center, these cookies bring a gourmet twist to the classic rocky road dessert in cookie form.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Total Time: 26 minutes
- Yield: 8 large cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup Cold Butter (cut into cubes)
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Sweeteners
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 1/2 cup Sugar
Dry Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1 cup Cake Flour
- 1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Cornstarch
- 3/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
Add-ins
- 1 3/4 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- 2 cups Mini Marshmallows
- 3/4 cup Cashews (roughly chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 410°F (210°C) and line a light-colored baking sheet with parchment paper. This ensures even baking and prevents cookies from sticking.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the cold butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for at least 4 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and creamy.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract, continuing to beat for another minute until fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Sift together the cocoa powder, cake flour, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Gently fold these dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Fold in Add-ins: Stir in the semi-sweet chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, and chopped cashews gently to evenly distribute them throughout the dough.
- Shape Cookies: Form the dough into large balls weighing about 5 to 6 ounces each. Place them spaced apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Garnish: For an attractive, gourmet appearance, press extra chocolate chips and marshmallows onto the tops of each cookie dough ball.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 9 to 11 minutes. Once removed, gently press the edges of the cookies inward using a spatula to help maintain their iconic shape.
- Cool: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 15 minutes to firm up before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Use cold butter for the creaming step as it helps create a thicker dough and chewy texture.
- Do not overmix after adding the dry ingredients to avoid tough cookies.
- The high baking temperature leads to crisp edges and a gooey center—watch closely to avoid overbaking.
- Pressing the edges inward after baking shapes the cookies similar to the original Levain Bakery style.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
Keywords: Levain Bakery, Rocky Road Cookies, chocolate cookies, marshmallow cookies, cashew cookies, thick cookies, chewy cookies, dessert
