Description
These Ultimate Levain Rocky Road Cookies combine a rich, fudgy cocoa base with gooey mini marshmallows, crunchy roasted cashews, and semi-sweet chocolate chips for a decadent, thick, and chewy treat. Inspired by the famous Levain cookie style, they are large and tall with a perfect balance of textures and flavors that make every bite irresistible.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, cold
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup cake flour
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (high-quality, like Dutch-processed)
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
Add-Ins
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- 3/4 cup roasted cashews, roughly chopped (or almonds)
Instructions
- Preheat & Prepare: Preheat your oven to 410°F (210°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the cold butter cubes with the brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed for about 4 minutes. This step incorporates air to create a creamy and slightly fluffy base that helps the cookies keep their thick shape during baking.
- Add Eggs: Add the cold eggs one at a time, mixing just until incorporated after each egg, approximately 30 seconds total to avoid overmixing.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the cake flour, all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add these dry ingredients to the wet mixture on low speed, mixing only until just combined to maintain a tender cookie texture.
- Fold in Add-Ins: Gently fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, and roasted cashews with a spatula. Carefully tuck in any marshmallows that stick out on the edges to minimize excessive melting.
- Shape Dough: Scoop the dough into 6-ounce portions (about 3/4 cup each) and form tall, rough balls without flattening them. Place 4 cookies on the prepared baking sheet well spaced apart as they will spread slightly during baking.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 9 to 11 minutes until the edges are set but the centers remain slightly underdone for a soft, gooey center.
- Shape & Cool: Remove from the oven and use a spatula to gently push any spread edges back toward the center of each cookie to create a rounder, more uniform shape. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Using cold butter and eggs is crucial to achieve the thick, chunky texture typical of Levain-style cookies.
- Do not overmix the dough; this keeps the cookies tender and prevents them from becoming dense.
- If mini marshmallows stick out on the surface, gently tuck them into the dough before baking to prevent them from burning or melting excessively.
- Portion cookies generously (6 oz each) to create large, bakery-style cookies.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet to finish setting and maintain their structure before moving them to a wire rack.
