My blog is about critiquing restaurants and the writers who review them. But this week, I decided to indulge my sweet tooth, and comb the city for the best cookies in Manhattan. It’s a tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it. Here are my top picks:
50 West 8th St. (between 5th and 6th Ave.)
It’s 3 A.M. The red phone in the Oval Office is ringing. Whichever presidential candidate takes that call, I hope they have a box of Insomnia Cookies at their side. Delivered between 8 P.M. and 3 A.M., these cookies are the perfect antidote to a long night of studying, partying, or preventing nuclear disaster. Fresh out of the oven, the soft dough is filled with gooey chocolate chunks. Mr. or Madame President should also have an arsenal of napkins at the ready, because eating these cookies is a messy, though delicious, affair.
TASTE: 9 The chocolate is super-rich and not too sweet.
TEXTURE: 7 Ooey-gooey cookies are fun, but these positively scream for a glass of milk. If you don’t have one handy, you may feel deprived.
COOKIE-TO-CHIP RATIO: 8 The chocolate chunks are huge but don’t overwhelm the dough.
VALUE: 9 Each regular-sized (not jumbo) cookie is $.90. It’s hard enough to get a decent cup of coffee in the city for less than $3, let alone a fresh-baked cookie.
Corner Café and Bakery
1645 Third Ave. (at 93rd St)
Heavenly fragrances of fresh-baked goods waft through the vents of the Corner Bakery, and lure even the most iron-willed passerby inside. Sure, it’s not exactly on Washington Square, but this place is a destination bakery, and the cookies don’t disappoint. Buttery disks of dough contain tiny bittersweet chocolate chips that pack a satisfying crunch. And the open kitchen behind the counter means you can watch all the baking action, Willy Wonka-style (sorry, no Oompa-Loompas).
TASTE: 8 The most buttery-tasting cookies that I tried. Butter = Better.
TEXTURE: 8 They were crunchy without being crumbly.
COOKE-TO-CHIP RATIO: 9 The chips were evenly distributed throughout the batter, so the tastes of chocolate and dough were kept distinct.
VALUE: 7 At $2.25 per large cookie, they ain’t cheap, but the quality of the ingredients backs up the price.
Once Upon a Tart
135 Sullivan St. (between Prince and Houston)
Walk past Sullivan and Houston on any given day, and you’ll find people smiling blissfully outside a café with quirky window decorations. Why are they so happy? They’ve discovered this gem of a bakery, which specializes in sweet and savory tarts but also makes killer cookies. Bite into a chocolate chip-cranberry cookie and experience alternate tastes of walnut, tart cranberry, and sweet chocolate. Plus, whatever pastries Once Upon a Tart doesn’t sell that day are donated to City Harvest. Cookies and charity!
TASTE: 8.5 The cookie’s tart-and-sweet combination was delicious.
TEXTURE: 9 Just crunchy enough. The base seemed to have a little oatmeal in it, which added complexity to the texture.
COOKIE-TO-CHIP RATIO: 8 Each bite featured a different flavor, and I loved anticipating the next taste.
VALUE: 7.5 The cookies are $2 each. When you factor in the coziness of the bakery itself, the cost is well worth it.
Milk and Cookies
19 Commerce St. (off 7th Ave.)
The bakery’s name alone makes me happy, and the cheerful blue-and-white décor emphasizes its homey feel. My eyes were instantly drawn to the counter, behind which sat the day’s offerings: tray after tray of fresh cookies, from good old chocolate chips, to oatmeal scotchies, to snickerdoodles. The bakery does make a few non-cookie treats, but it’s easy to tell where its heart lies. There are 12 daily varieties, plus a weekly special. Wash it all down with an ice-cold glass of organic milk.
TASTE: 6.5 The milk chocolate chips were a little too sweet for me.
TEXTURE: 6 I liked the crunchiness, but the cookie crumbled a little when I bit into it.
COOKIE-TO-CHIP-RATIO: 6 The chips were mixed in such that they were almost a part of the dough. I prefer my dough and chips separate, yet equal.
VALUE: 8 At $1.65 each, you can afford to bring home several varieties for later.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Chips and dough separate yet equal, ey? Ali, I didn’t know you were such a cookie racist. 
And, by the way, I think I’ve seen oompa-loompas at Corner before. You’ve really gotta look, but they’re there.
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[…] Cookie Crazy: In search of the perfect cookieWhichever presidential candidate takes that call, I hope they have a box of Insomnia Cookies at their side. Delivered between 8 PM and 3 AM, these cookies are the perfect antidote to a long night of studying, partying, or preventing …wsnblogs - http://blogs.nyunews.com […]
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