Description
These Irresistible Levain Bakery Rocky Road Cookies combine rich, fudgy cocoa with gooey marshmallows, crunchy cashews, and melty chocolate chips. Inspired by the famed Levain Bakery, this recipe delivers large, chewy cookies with a perfect balance of flavors and textures that cookie lovers will adore.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (Sifted to prevent clumps)
- 1 cup Cake Flour (Can substitute with all-purpose flour)
- 1.5 cups All-Purpose Flour (Total flour used is 2.5 cups)
- 1 teaspoon Cornstarch (Can be omitted)
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda (Ensure freshness)
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt (Sea salt or kosher salt works best)
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup Cold Butter (Cut into cubes)
- 1 cup Brown Sugar (Can substitute with coconut sugar)
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar (White sugar preferred)
- 2 large Eggs (Room temperature)
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract (Pure vanilla recommended)
Add-ins
- 2 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (Can use dark chocolate)
- 2 cups Mini Marshmallows (Do not substitute with regular marshmallows)
- 1 cup Cashews (Can substitute with pecans or walnuts)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 410°F (210°C) to ensure it is hot enough for baking these thick cookies perfectly.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: Cream together the cold butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and creamy, about 4 minutes, using a mixer on medium speed. This aerates the mixture and helps create a tender cookie texture.
- Mix in Eggs and Vanilla: Add the large eggs and vanilla extract to the creamed butter and sugar, mixing for an additional minute until fully combined and smooth.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Fold in the sifted cocoa powder, cake flour, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt gently, incorporating them without overmixing to maintain a tender crumb.
- Incorporate Mix-Ins: Gently mix in the semi-sweet chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, and chopped cashews, distributing them evenly throughout the dough.
- Shape Dough Balls: Portion the dough into large 5-6 ounce balls and place them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them adequately to allow spreading.
- Top with Extra Add-Ins: Press extra chocolate chips and mini marshmallows onto the tops of each dough ball for an extra appealing look and flavor burst.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers still look slightly soft to ensure a moist, chewy interior.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. This resting time helps them set properly and finish baking from residual heat.
Notes
- Using cold butter helps to create a denser, chunkier cookie texture similar to Levain Bakery style.
- Do not substitute mini marshmallows with regular-size marshmallows as they melt differently and affect texture.
- For a nut-free version, omit cashews or replace with additional chocolate chips or marshmallows.
- Ensure the baking soda is fresh to achieve proper rise and texture.
- Portion dough generously; these cookies are meant to be large and thick.
- You can substitute cake flour with all-purpose flour if unavailable, but cake flour will give a softer crumb.
- Chilling the dough for 30 minutes before baking can help maintain cookie shape but is optional.
