Post overview: Roundup of the best cookies New York City has to offer, based on firsthand experience.
I’m a glutton for sweets (I promise I have some redeeming qualities) and if there’s one dessert that brings me to my knees it’s a perfectly executed chocolate chip cookie, served warm of course.
And you know how it goes living in a city like New York — you can’t help but wonder, what’s the best cookie in New York City?
That question, my friends, led to a month-long “assignment” wherein I sample every single cookie I came across in hopes of finding the best cookies in New York City. Without further ado, let’s discuss the findings.
Visiting New York City? If you haven’t decided where to stay (yet) check out our helpful guide on Where to Stay in New York City (The best neighborhoods for first timers +2 to avoid). Don’t have time? Here’s our favorite hotel in NYC, hands down.
The Best Cookies in New York City
#15. Black Seed Bagels
A bagel shop on the list of best cookies? Crazy, I know, but hear me out. On one of our many bagel runs to Black Seed Bagels, I found myself craving something sweet. Not being able to scratch the itch, I knew I need something and I needed it fast. Without putting too much thought into it, I added a double chocolate brownie cookie to my order.
I was not prepared for the dance party my taste buds were about to encounter. Brownie & cookie? The cookie is just as delicious as it sounds. What more could you want (or need!).
Black Seed Bagels make their cookies from up-cycled crispy bagel chips and whatever that means, it’s working. . The texture of the soft interior thanks to the brownie part and the crisp of the exterior from the cookie part creates the most delicious treat. This is easily (and sneakily) one of the best cookies in New York City.
#14. Insomnia Cookies
I can name few things worse than having a sweets-craving late at night and have nothing be opened around you. Insomnia Cookies must have heard our cries because they are one of the few dessert spots you’ll be able to find open past 9 PM.
These little bites of heaven are baked from open to close so you’re going to get a fresh cookie regardless of when you visit.
Any sweet tooth craving you might get is sure to meet it’s match with their extensive menu selection. With over 20 cookie flavors, it’s not hard to find a treat that will satisfy. And if a basic cookie just isn’t enough, fret not. Insomnia Cookies also offers the option to mix ice cream with your choice of dessert.
#13. Funny Face Bakery
Funny Face Bakery is not only one of the best cookies in New York City, but one of the best cookie experiences in New York City. Don’t believe me?, check out their Instagram.
This colorful and playful cookie shop breaks all the rules and specializes in creating the most absurd cookies. You can get a cookie created of your favorite TV character or even your own face!
The best part, the cookies actually taste great. The interior is just as vibrant and cute as the cookies. For those not in the mood for something silly, this bakery also sells traditional ooey-gooey cookies.
I highly recommend the s’mores cookie. We’re talking all the fixings; gooey chocolate, crunchy graham crackers and toasted marshmallows all baked into this one masterpiece.
#12. Best Damn Cookies
After a devastating year due to Covid-19, private chef Dave found himself out of a job. Dave started baking cookies for friends and family to cheer them up during such a dark time. One of his pals Mo had one bite and immediately knew that what he tasted was special. Mo texted Dave telling him he should start a business and well, the rest is history.
The reason I feel confident in calling this place one of the best cookies in New York City is because of the months of trial and error it took to perfect the recipe. Knowing that the mastermind behind this pleasure wasn’t willing to settle until the perfect chocolate chip cookie was born, is reassuring to say the least. Best Damn Cookies pride themselves in using high quality ingredients and it shows after just one bite.
“He began sourcing the best of the best fair trade and organic ingredients from companies with a conscience. Mo was one of Dave’s first customers. He bought and ate all 12 cookies in one sitting. To make sure he wasn’t dreaming, he talked his neighbor into eating one herself. Her response? ‘DAMN!’ “
From Best damn cookies website
#11. Breads Bakery
The bakery in the Upper East Side is their newest location and to celebrate they decided to create a special treat exclusive to the UES — a unique twits on their iconic black-and-white cookie. It’s half traditional black-and-white cookie and half croissant (that’s the best way I can think to describe it).
This cookie is worth writing home about. The base of the cookie is a flakey and doughy texture that just melts in your mouth. Paired with the sweetness of the glaze that makes up the black & white part, it’s simply perfection.
I would never encourage anyone to set an alarm just to get a cookie, but the early bird truly does get the worm in this situation. With something as iconic and innovative as this black and white cookie, you can expect it to fly off the shelf.
#10. Culture Espresso
Perhaps the most unassuming cookie in New York City, sitting patiently behind a glass counter in a cozy cafe awaiting the next customer smart enough to order it.
The chocolate chip cookie at Culture Espresso is baked to impress and it does not disappoint. An intoxicating chocolate center impossible to resist with a perfectly exterior crunch.
But the icing on the cake is that these cookies are served warm because they’re baked throughout the day. Pair this exceptional chocolate chip cookie with an equally impressive brew and you’ll be able to tackle anything life throws your way.
#9. Seven Grams Caffe
Boasting a long list of accolades and awards for their cookies, there’s no denying that Seven Grams Cafe (various locations throughout the city) offer some of the best chocolate chip cookies in New York City.
Regardless of which cookie you order, it’s hard to go wrong but my absolute favorite is the classic chocolate chip cookie which is perfectly soft and gooey on the inside while offering a satisfying crispy bite.
P.S. Seven Grams Caffe is well known for their vegan options, so if you’re looking for the best vegan cookies in New York City, you need not look further!
#8. The Good Batch
To call this beloved Brooklyn bakery a neighborhood staple is an understatement. It’s hard to remember what anyone with a craving for perfectly-executed cookies did before the Good Batch showed up in 2010.
Known for a great selection of baked goods, it’s hard to find the disciple to just order a cookie. So when temptation struck, I broke down and ordered two cookies and an ice cream sandwich.
The Tahini chocolate chunk from the Good Batch is what dreams are made of. The tantalizing hint of salt and nuttiness sets this apart from traditional chocolate chip cookies in the best way possible.
Also worth nothing, The Good Batch has a great rotation of interesting cookies that I highly recommend ordering during your visit. I recently picked up the Nutellagraham cookie (graham cookie rolled in candied hazelnuts and cocoa nibs, stuffed with Nutella, and finished with sea salt) and found myself beyond impressed.
The Good Batch offers some of the best vegan and gluten free cookies in New York City.
#7. Chip City
It probably comes as no surprise that a bakery called Chip City would churn out some of the best cookies in New York City.
Not only does the bakery smell like heaven, it has also established a devout following of loyal customers that sweat this is the best chocolate chip cookies in New York City.
With more than seven locations (and counting) since opening in 2018, it’s hard to argue otherwise.
Best known of thick gooey cookies, it’s tempting to order every cookie offered that day.
My favorite cookie on the menu is either the standard chocolate chip or the nutella sea salt (but please don’t make me choose just one). Both of flavors hit the spot and guarantee to leave you satisfied.
#6. Maman
When you can’t go to France (COVID life, baby) Maman is the next best thing.
Originally started as a French bakery and cafe in SoHo, Maman quickly became renown for perfect executed baked goods. What really set them on the map was Oprah listing their nutty chocolate chip cookie as one of her favorite things in 2017.
Reason alone to visit this exceptional bakery.
And you know how it goes, if these cookies caught Oprah’s eye there’s no question that they’re some of the best cookies in New York City.
What to order: The nutty chocolate chip cookie + the nutella cookie.
#5. Mah-Ze-Dahr Bakery
Mah-Ze-Dahr Bakery is incredible on so many levels. Opening in 2014, Mah-Ze-Dahr is like the new kid on the block but within a mere seven years, they rose to the top as one of the best bakeries in NYC. No easy feat in a city chock-full of bakeries.
The owner, Umber Ahmad is a James Beard Award semi-finalist (a huge deal in the culinary world) who left the lofty confines of the financial world to purse her dream of running a bakery. She’s lovingly called a banker-turned-baker, and let me tell you — we are all better for it.
Their chocolate cake is my favorite in New York City, so it comes as no surprise that their cookies are considered some of the best in NYC. In fact,
Address: 28 Greenwich Ave, New York, NY 10011
#4. City Cakes
City Cakes takes pride in their holistic approach to baking, and it shows. They excel at a wide variety of sweet baked goods but the half-pound cookies is where they really shine, in my opinion.
You might be asking yourself, half-pound cookies? Was that a typo?
No, my friend, this is the moment you’ve been preparing for your entire adult like. What’s more, you can even add frosting to any cookie on the menu. Don’t worry about the consequences until tomorrow and just order the dang cookie.
Offering an array of exciting flavors, you mustn’t leave without getting your hands on the traditional chocolate chip and/or the Dark Horse salted double chocolate chip (if you’re trying to make up for lost time, ahem – COVID you wet blanket).
Local’s Tip: City Cakes offers both gluten free and vegan cookies.
#3. Jacques Torres
Jacques Torres specializes in chocolate and because of his mastery of the chocolate language (let’s just both admit that’s a real thing for the sake of time), the complexity of flavor found in this chocolate chip cookie makes it one of the best cookies in NYC.
I must admit, upon first glance I assumed the cookies would be dry due to the texture, it’s crackly and flat. Is there anything worse than a dry cookie?!
So imagine my surprise when I bit into a perfectly chewy treat chock full of rich chocolate discs (as opposed to chips) with the most delectable texture.
Since this cookie is MASSIVE I was hoping to save some of it for the next day but quickly realized there was no chance. I ate the whole thing before dinner (judgement free zone?) and was tempted to return for a second shortly thereafter.
Of all the NYC cookies I samples to create this list of the best, the chocolate chip cookie at Jacques Torres surprised me the most.
Dangerously, I only live one block from this place and since there’s seldom a line (compared to Levain), I will probably find myself inside once a week — send help …. and milk.
#2. Dominique Ansel Bakery
In true Dominique Ansel fashion, nothing can be done half-way (cronut, anyone?). Innovate or perish and we can’t help but benefit. As such, you can always expect the best of everything from this bakery — including the best cookies in New York City.
Dominique Ansel is super popular and the line consistently wraps the block. Knowing this, I visited on Monday morning and skipped the lines altogether. Originally going for a cronut, I found myself tempted by the dense looking chocolate chunk cookie.
Intrigued, I asked the cashier about the tempting cookie and he promptly told me it was his favorite item on the menu. Can’t turn that down! Plus, with a bakery of this quality, you know you’re going to be wowed regardless of what you order.
As for the cookie? Oh my goodness! The chewy yet dense texture absolutely blew me away. The perfect unison of flavors between the rich butter and chocolate chunks. It was sensational! I walked around SOHO with my prized procession in hand and quickly realized that this cookie is worth going out of the way for. It’s that good.
Another popular cookie item that folks seldom pass up at Dominique Ansel is the chocolate chip cookie shot with milk. Let me tell you, nothing transports you to your childhood faster than this combo. I recommend trying that too, but to me, the chocolate chunk cookie stole the show.
Easily one of the best cookies in New York City!
Location: 189 Spring St, New York, NY 10012
#1. Levain Bakery
People love to hate on the best, but the fact remains: Levain makes the BEST chocolate chip cookies in New York City — there, I said it.
Rarely, in a city offering so many food options, does a place stand so far above the rest there’s hardly any competition. And yet here we area. I can confidently tell you that the cookies you have from Levain Bakery are the absolute best cookies in New York City — arguably the world.
These NYC cookies are everything a cookie should be — warm, gooey, chocolatey with a bite (thanks for coming to the party, walnuts!). Levain Bakery has mastered the chocolate chip cookie recipe in a way most bakeries dream of.
What’s more, the cookies are so big you can easily share one between two people (and I swear that one of these days I’ll try sharing them with my husband, but I’m not there yet).
Best chocolate chip cookies in NYC (Post Summary)
In sum, these are the best cookies in NYC
- Levain Bakery
- Dominique Ansel Bakery
- Jacques Torres
- City Cakes
- Mah-Ze-Dahr Bakery
- Maman
- Chip New York City
- The Good Batch
- Seven Grams Caffe
- Culture Espresso
- Breads Bakery
- Best Damn Cookies
- Funny Face Bakery
- Insomnia Cookies
- Black Seed Bagels
I hope you enjoyed this post on the best cookies in New York City, it was so much fun to write!
A lot of cookies were devoured but it was completely worth it because in a city like New York, not eating well is a cardinal sin. So allow me to cut through the noise and share the absolute best cookies in New York City.
Happy eating!
Im sorry levain is not number one. I think the cookie is good but not #1. Honestly, Seven gram should be #1. Also seven gram’s olive oil cake is amazing and their gluten free option is delicious.