Cookies are one of my all-time favorite desserts. Chewy, frosted, chip’d, dip’d, crunchy, cakey, small or large. I will eat them ALL. And Brian and I practically did when we ate 13 (baker’s dozen!) different cookies around NYC—you can watch the video of the whole cookie adventure on YouTube! Now, we have boiled it down to a list of 5 must-eat cookies, plus some honorable mentions for if you’re looking for something specific and a few that we didn’t eat this time around, but deserve to be eaten.
2022 UPDATE: 4 years later, we went around to 10 new bakeries and found two new cookies to add to this list. Because we feel like they’re actually better than Levain, we’ve added them to the top.
Here are the can’t-miss, must-eat, only-in-NYC cookies:
New #1 – Janie’s Life-Changing Baked Goods: Pie Crust Cookie AND the Half-Baked Chocolate Chip Cookie
Janie’s Life-Changing Baked Goods is a new bakery with an amazing origin story. The place is “life-changing” because it literally changed Janie’s life. She was homeless and struggling with addiction when she threw herself into baking and learned how to make really delicious and innovative cookies. The chocolate chip cookie is, in my mind, perfect. Great balance between cookie dough and chocolate, great texture, soft and gooey on the inside (even without being warmed up) with a caramelized exterior. This, to me, is the best cookie in all of New York. And the pie crust cookie, with its buttery, flaky bottom and cookie crumble top, and fresh homemade-tasting jam packed in the middle, is one of the most innovative and mouth-watering sweets since the cronut. Go. Run to Janie’s. This place deserves as much love and hype as Levain.
New #2: Spot Dessert Bar: Oreo Chocolate Chip Cookie
Spot Dessert Bar is a sit-down dessert place with Asian inspired treats and fantastic cookies. Isa still remembers the cheesecake she had here more than a decade ago. It’s that good. We tried the fan-favorite Oreo Chocolate Chip cookie. You can get the cookies to go, so you don’t have to wait for a table. Make sure you get it warmed up. The Oreo bits are still a little crunchy, the chocolate chips are melted, and the cookie dough is rich and full of flavor. Spot has two locations – one in St. Mark’s and one in Flushing. You’ll regret missing this one, so definitely give it a try!
Watch our updated video here:
Original post:
1. Levain Bakery: Any Cookie
Levain Bakery is well known throughout the world and it’s probably already on your “sweet eats” or “favorites” list for NYC. The whole idea of us doing a cookie crawl to find the best cookies was because Brian and I love Levain cookies so much, we were curious if we could find anything that could beat it out and not one came close. A lot could tie for 2nd, but not for 1st! Levain—hands down—has the best cookie in NYC.
Levain cookies are baked to perfection with a little crispiness on the outer shell and gooey on the inside—yet not underbaked. The cookie isn’t too sweet which helps make sure you can consume the entire cookie yourself. Oh right, did I mention that they’re ginormous? But it helps the cookies travel well and so they make for a delicious gift.
My favorite is the oatmeal raisin, but during our cookie crawl, we got Brian’s favorite: dark chocolate peanut butter chip. The super sweet peanut butter chips are perfectly balanced out by the not-too-sweet dark chocolate cookie. But it doesn’t matter what cookie you get (I’ve had them all), you will be extremely pleased with your decision.
2. Ovenly: Salted Peanut Butter Cookie (GF)
I first had this cookie a few years back and I had NO IDEA it was gluten-free. Props, Ovenly. Props. Brian hadn’t tried it prior to the cookie crawl and he was a little skeptical and now it’s one of his favorites. I also love a good sweet and salty combo and Brian doesn’t, but we both love Ovenly’s salted peanut butter cookie. This should be convincing you to eat this cookie. If you still aren’t there: it’s moist, it’s tender, it’s dense, it’s sweet, and just a touch salty. It’s small but mighty and totally worth it.
3. Schmackary’s: Any cookie
Shmackary’s is a unique cookie stop because they do a calendar of flavors. They have their staples, like funfetti, chocolate chip, and red velvet, but also will do specials and seasonals like hibiscus passionfruit, candied yam, and mint mojito. That said, you can check their calendar to see what they are baking each day. Shmackary’s cookies have a slight crispiness out the edges but are a chewy cookie. The twist: many are frosted. If you’re a frosting person (me!), these are money. The frosted cookies have just a thin layer of frosting too, so it’s not overdoing it. If you aren’t a frosting person, these might change your mind. Or you can just get an unfrosted one which are equally delicious.
4. Breezy Hill Orchard: Gingersnap
Little known fact: one of the best cookies you will find can only be purchased while standing outdoors. Breezy Hill Orchard is a staple at the Union Square Greenmarket. It is in line with the Blue Water Grill and right at the Northwest Union Square subway exit, exiting north. Breezy Hill makes a bunch of baked goods but get the gingersnap. Warning: there is no snap in this cookie. Instead, it is as big as your face and is so chewy that you can’t hold it without it slowly bending in your hand, begging you to take a bite before it collapses from chewiness. This cookie is flavorful and has a little crunch on top from the sugar that is in perfect opposition to the cookie itself.
5. City Cakes: 1/2 pound cookie
1/2 pound cookie. Need I say more? No.
Ok. A few more words: We got the signature Sugardoodle (sugar cookie + snickerdoodle), but you can also opt for the popular Red Velvet which is stuffed—yes, stuffed—with cream cheese frosting. The Sugardoodle was buttery and soft with a hint of cinnamon. And let me tell you, it is a dang good cookie. Plus, it’s a 1/2 pound, so you can nibble at it all day…or just eat it all in one go. We’re not judging you (we ate 13 cookies in 3 days).
Honorable mentions:
Best Cookie Experience: Dominique Ansel Bakery cookie shot
Best Late Night Cookie: Insomnia Cookie
Best for Chocolate Lovers: Besfren Triple Chocolate cookie
Best Fresh Baked, Pre-packaged Cookie: Momofuku Milk Bar
Best Vegan Cookie: By Chloe Cinnamon Espresso Chocolate Chip cookie
Do you have any to add to this list? Did you try a flavor we didn’t? Have you done your own cookie crawl? Let us know in the comments!
