What is the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie in NYC?

Summary

All Of It: What is the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie in NYC?

Host: Alison Stewart
Guests: Sonal Shah (Senior Editor, The Infatuation), Molly Fitzpatrick (Senior Staff Writer, The Infatuation), Meathead (Barbecue Hall of Famer)
Release Date: May 23, 2025

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Introduction

In this mouth-watering episode of All Of It, host Alison Stewart delves into a timeless debate: What is the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie in New York City? Joined by Sonal Shah and Molly Fitzpatrick from The Infatuation, along with barbecue legend Meathead, the discussion explores the diverse landscape of NYC's cookie offerings, listener favorites, and the intricate process behind ranking these beloved treats.

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Why the Chocolate Chip Cookie Remains the Standard

[01:54] Sonal Shah:
"The chocolate chip cookie holds a special place because it evokes strong emotions— from the enticing smell to the nostalgic memories of home baking. It's a staple in many bakeries, serving as a canvas for creativity within familiar boundaries."

[02:35] Meathead:
"Everyone has a good association with chocolate chip cookies and a strong nostalgic factor too."

The guests emphasize that the chocolate chip cookie's universal appeal makes it an ideal benchmark for evaluating bakery quality. Its versatility allows bakeries to experiment while still offering something customers know and love.

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The Infatuation’s Methodical Approach to Ranking

[05:05] Molly Fitzpatrick:
"We approached the taste test methodically, laying out 32 cookies, numbering them, and scoring each on a scale out of 10 based on criteria like texture, flavor balance, and chocolate quality."

[05:27] Meathead:
"We used clipboards and note-taking to ensure an unbiased evaluation, eventually narrowing down the favorites through debates and bracket-style comparisons."

The meticulous process underscores the dedication to impartiality and thoroughness in determining NYC's top chocolate chip cookies.

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Key Criteria for the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

[06:05] Meathead:
"Each person has their own preferences—whether it's thin or thick, chewy or crispy, the amount and type of chocolate, and additional ingredients like nuts."

[06:13] Sonal Shah:
"No two people have the same idea of a perfect chocolate chip cookie. It's about finding that sweet spot in texture and flavor that satisfies individual tastes."

The discussion highlights the subjective nature of cookie preferences, making the ranking process both challenging and insightful.

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Listener Contributions and Popular Selections

Alison Stewart opens the lines for listener participation, leading to a variety of opinions:

• Tom from Scarsdale ([07:21] Richard):
  "It's going to be controversial, but my favorite is Insomnia Cookies. My wife and coworkers prefer Levaine, but I find it a bit dry."

• Elaine from Queens ([09:47] Elaine):
  "The Hillary Clinton chocolate chip cookie bake-off winner was the best cookie I ever tasted."

• Michelle from Tribeca ([13:50] Michelle):
  "Rigor Hill Market's salted chocolate chip cookies are perfect, especially if you get them before noon."

• Dorian from Queens ([22:11] Dorian):
  "The thick, cakey cookies from train stations like Penn Station remind me of childhood and are perfect for sharing."

These diverse opinions reflect the broad spectrum of what makes a chocolate chip cookie exceptional, from nostalgic value to innovative flavors.

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Highlighting the Top Contenders

1. Red Gate Bakery’s Choco Toffee Cookie ([17:03] Sonal Shah):
   "This cookie seamlessly incorporates toffee, enhancing the caramelized brown sugar and brown butter flavors. The balance of crisp edges with a chewy center, complemented by a hint of salt, makes it a unanimous favorite."

2. The Defunct City Cakes’ Half Pound Cookie ([11:22] Molly Fitzpatrick):
   "Crisp on the edges and gooey in the middle, never underbaked. Rumors suggest a comeback is on the horizon."

3. Winner on 7th Avenue and Park Slope ([15:53] Sonal Shah):
   "Using malted flour adds a subtle nuttiness and complexity, reminiscent of malted milkshakes and old-fashioned soda fountains."

4. Prospect Butcher Co.’s Lard-Based Cookie ([16:33] Meathead):
   "Incorporating house-made lard adds a unique salty dimension, making it taste intriguingly like pepperoni, but in a delightful way."

5. Elbow Bread’s Nori-Infused Cookie ([20:56] Meathead):
   "An adventurous blend of dark chocolate and nori seaweed creates an umami-rich experience, perfect for those who appreciate unconventional flavor pairings."

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Special Mentions and Unique Offerings

• Maman's ([10:28] Molly Fitzpatrick):
  "Sophisticated with a mix of walnuts, macadamia nuts, and almonds, paired with dark chocolate for a refined flavor profile."

• Edith’s Amber Caramel Chocolate Chip ([24:25] Sonal Shah):
  "A thin, chewy cookie with a hint of seaweed for complexity, challenging the traditional notion of what constitutes a chocolate chip cookie."

• Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate with Almonds ([23:06] Richard):
  "A commercial option that stands out with its rich dark chocolate and almond combination, earning praise even among bakery enthusiasts."

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Defining the Essence of a Chocolate Chip Cookie

[24:05] Sonal Shah:
"The beauty of the chocolate chip cookie lies in its simplicity, yet each bakery brings its unique twist, whether it's through additional ingredients or inventive baking techniques."

[24:25] Meathead:
"Even simple cookies can be vastly different in flavor and texture, making it fascinating to compare and appreciate each variation."

The guests agree that while the chocolate chip cookie is a straightforward treat, the endless possibilities in its preparation keep the debate lively and engaging.

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Conclusion and Final Thoughts

[19:02] Meathead:
"Participating in this taste test was a delightful reminder of the comfort and nostalgia that comes with enjoying a good chocolate chip cookie. It's essential to embrace the variety and celebrate each unique creation."

[24:05] Sonal Shah:
"Whether you prefer classic, innovative, thick, or thin, the chocolate chip cookie continues to evolve, reflecting the diverse tastes and creativity of New York City's bakers."

Alison Stewart wraps up the episode by inviting listeners to explore The Infatuation’s latest rankings and encourages ongoing conversations about personal favorites, reinforcing the community-driven spirit of All Of It.

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Final Ranking Highlight

• Number One: Red Gate Bakery’s Choco Toffee Cookie
• Runner-Up: Winner on 7th Avenue and Park Slope
• Third Place: City Cakes’ Half Pound Cookie

For a complete list of rankings and more detailed reviews, listeners are encouraged to visit The Infatuation's website.

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Join Us Next Time:
Stay tuned for more engaging discussions on culture and its consumers with All Of It on WNYC, weekdays from 12:00 - 2:00 PM.

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This summary captures the essence of the episode, highlighting key discussions, notable quotes, and providing a comprehensive overview for those who haven't listened.

Transcript

[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it. I'm Alison Stewart live from the WNYC studios in soho. Thank you for sharing part of your day with us. I'm really grateful you are here. Today's show is going to be a snack or a full meal. We will be speaking with Paulie G. And his wife, Marianne. They are the owners of Paulie G's and the authors of the new cookbook Pizza from the Heart, 100 recipes for pies, Pasta Salad and more. We'll also talk to Barbecue hall of Famer Meathead. He'll be here to talk about his latest the Meathead Method. And we'll speak with food writer Casey Elsass about his latest book. It is titled what Can I Bring? But we are having dessert before we have a meal today. So let's get this started with where to find the best chocolate chip cookies in New York. It has never been a better time to find a good chocolate chip cookie. The staff at the Infatuation recently visited more than 30 chocolate chip cookie joints around the city and they've ranked what they believe are the best in the bunch. The cookies include those that are thin and crispy and those that are more chewy and gooey, cookies with different blends of chocolate or nuts or cookies even made with brown butter, malted flour and, yes, homemade lard. Infatuation senior writer Sonal Shah and senior staff writer Molly Fitzpatrick are with me in studio. They're here to discuss their cookie rankings as we want to hear your favorites too. Welcome to the wnyc. Welcome back, Molly and hi Tonal Sonal.

[Sonal Shah]

Hey, Allison.

[Alison Stewart]

So when comparing cookies around the city, why is the chocolate chip cookie the standard?

[Sonal Shah]

I think for one thing, people have incredibly strong feelings about chocolate chip cookies. It's partly the smell, the brown butter, the caramelization. It's something a lot of people grew up eating at home. Like, there's a reason real estate agents bake it at open houses. According to legend, because it makes you feel good. And I think for a lot of bakeries, even some of like the newest, that are doing the most innovative, creative, inventing their own pastries, having a chocolate chip cookie on the menu is a great way to show off creativity within constraints. Being like, we all know what a chocolate chip cookie is, but here's our very specific, subtle take on it. And go ahead.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

No, go ahead.

[Sonal Shah]

And I like to eat them. So I was really excited when we decided to do this.

[Meathead]

Everyone has a good association with chocolate chip cookies and I think a really strong nostalgic factor, too.

[Alison Stewart]

It's interesting because we've done a lot of segments about how bakeries have just.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Taken off in New York.

[Alison Stewart]

How much do you think that has.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

To do with chocolate chip cookies?

[Meathead]

I think that's part of it. I think it's every bakery has its own sort of specialty items, but everyone has to have a chocolate chip cookie, right? Yeah. You can't not have one.

[Alison Stewart]

Listeners, let's get you in on this conversation. Where can you get the best chocolate.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Chip cookie in New York? What's your favorite?

[Alison Stewart]

Our phone lines are wide open and they are ready for you. 212-433-WNYC 212-433-9692. You can call in or you can text us. Maybe it's a local neighborhood spot or a more well known bakery. What are the qualities of in your favorite kind of chocolate chip cookie? 212433, WNYC 212-433-9692. And listeners in the wider tri state area, you can get in on the conversation as well. Tell us about your favorite chocolate chip.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Cookie in your town too.

[Alison Stewart]

2124-3396-9221-2433, wnyc. Molly, what do you think is the optimal time of the day to have.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

A chocolate chip cookie from the bakery? Is it when they're freshest?

[Alison Stewart]

Is it when they've been out a little longer? They get a little crispy? What are you thinking?

[Sonal Shah]

I love this question because a complication of this research that didn't occur to me in advance is it even varies bakery to bakery when the chocolate chip cookies come out of the oven. So for example, I eagerly signed up to collect our cookie sample. We were testing from Radio Bakery in Greenpoint because I love that place. I showed up at Open and they were simply they didn't have chocolate chip cookies yet. I had to circle back in about an hour and a half. So first of all, there's a sense of like the right time to eat it is when you can get it at the bakery because bakeries are fickle creatures. But truly I, I feel like actually most often I don't enjoy not that I wouldn't enjoy it, but I don't choose to enjoy a chocolate chip cookie for dessert. I like it as kind of a snack. And I think chocolate chip cookies in the morning are a little unrelated, provided you don't mind maybe an afternoon nap.

[Meathead]

Yeah, there were definitely some bakeries that we wanted to include that weren't actually making chocolate chip cookies the day we did our taste test, which is how we determined which was the best chocolate chip cookie. So Dolly's, for example, a great bakery in Bed Stuy, has a chocolate chip cookie that we know and love, but we just couldn't get it that Thursday, unfortunately. So we're gonna have to go back and maybe fold it back into the list.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

That's fair.

[Alison Stewart]

You can do an update. How would you describe the criteria you.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Used for picking cookies?

[Meathead]

You know, everyone has their own preferences when it comes to cookies. So we were very, very methodical about our taste test. We laid them all out on plates, you know, numbered plates. And we had clipboards and little note taking.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

I would love to have seen that, by the way.

[Meathead]

Yeah, we have a behind the scenes video on our Instagram. You can check it out at the infatuation. But we went around taking notes but being like, oh, this is crispy. And we had to give each cookie a number out of 10. And so after that, we sort of tallied up and then we debated and we did little brackets to narrow down. And you know, you see that, like the way the cookie crumbles is that sort of the crowd pleasers rise to the top, the ones that everyone liked, you know, and then there are some more divisive ones that some people loved and some people were not so fond of. So you see how preferences kind of like play in there.

[Sonal Shah]

But.

[Meathead]

But I think our winner was unanimous.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

All right, we'll get to the winner.

[Meathead]

Yeah.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

What are the qualities in chocolate chip cookies that are important when you're comparing.

[Sonal Shah]

The cookies, it's so interesting because no two people have the same platonic ideal of a chocolate chip cookie. This is true on a population level. This is true very much even among our staff. And so some criteria you might look to and find you have a sweet spot yourself on are thin or thick, chewy or crispy. Do you want a lot of chocolate? A little. Do you want dark chocolate? Do you want milk chocolate? The list goes on. And I think it was an interesting journey of self Discovery to have 32.

[Meathead]

Cookies in afternoon Nuts. No nuts.

[Sonal Shah]

No, no nuts. Yeah, exactly. That's huge. For example, I love a relatively thin cookie. But the most important thing to me is I love a cookie that exhibits the whole texture spectrum from crispy to chewy, like a little bit of everything. That really tickles my brain.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

We are speaking about the best chocolate chip cookies in New York. The infatuation has created a New York City chocolate chip cookie power ranking. I'm speaking with senior editor Sonal Shah and senior staff writer Molly Fitzpatrick. And we are Hearing from you. What's your favorite chocolate chip cookie in New York? Let's talk to Tom, who's calling from Scarsdale. Hi, Tom.

[Tom]

Hey, how's it going?

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

It's going okay. What are you thinking?

[Tom]

All right, now, this is going to be controversial, and I'm probably going to get beaten up by every New Yorker for this, but my favorite is insomnia cookies. My kids love it, but like, my wife, my coworkers, they all love Levain. I don't think Levaine's that great. It's kind of dry, kind of. I don't know.

[Sonal Shah]

It's just.

[Tom]

It's not. I don't know if it meets the definition of a cookie, in my opinion. So I have to just represent insomnia for. For everyone in New York that loves insomnia.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Thank you, Tom, for calling. We got a text that says the best cookie chip ever. Levaine. This is divisive. Levain. It's this ultra thick cookie. It has walnuts in it. Is that right?

[Meathead]

Yeah. You can get them with walnuts. Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

It's all the way down at 24 on your list. Why did Levain not land higher on your cookie ranking?

[Meathead]

I think it was just process of. You know, we liked pretty much most of or all of these cookies for some reason or the other. But. But I think it was just when you have 32 cookies in a conference room, you start kind of being very, very picky, and you're like, what's the one I just want to eat next? Especially when you've had, like, so many bites of cookie. That cookie is very rich. It's very thick. It's something that really hits at midnight or like later in the day when you have a big glass of milk next to you. Maybe when you're in a conference room, you kind of start gravitating towards, like a lighter, maybe like, daintier cookie. I think so. I think that's maybe why Levaine wasn't the biggest hit. But, you know, we still like it.

[Sonal Shah]

I had a surreal experience where after listening to me talk for weeks and weeks about cookies, I came home after our test. My partner, and he asked me what was the top 10, and I told him, and he was like, where is Leven, by the way? I say it differently every time. I took Spanish in high school. I'm so sorry. And I was shocked that he was shocked. I didn't know I had a thick cookie lover in my house who was equally shocked that he had a thin cookie lover in his. Just. It's a It's also such an iconic cookie. Like, we tasted a bunch that were clearly inspired by it. So it's not my personal favorite, but actually, I'm fist pumping Tom through the ether because I kind of love insomnia cookies. I'm not gonna lie. But I respect its fandom. It is definitely a beloved cookie.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Let's talk to Elaine, who's calling in from Queens. Hi, Elaine. Thanks for calling all of it.

[Elaine]

Hi. Good morning, everybody. I don't know if anybody remembers when Hillary Clinton was running for president. Somebody made a comment about, you know, she shouldn't be in polit to be raising our kids. And so as an answer, she said, well, I could have stayed home and baked cookies. And then that didn't go over too well with a lot of voters. So they had the Hillary Clinton Barbara Bush Chocolate Chip Cookie Bake off contest, and each of them submitted a recipe for chocolate chip cookies. I don't remember which one won, but the recipes were published, and I tried the winning one. And believe me, it was the best chocolate chip cookie I ever tasted. And you can probably find it online.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

You can find it online at the Clinton White House if you do a little googling.

[Alison Stewart]

Thanks for calling, Elaine.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Let's talk about Maman's. That's another one on your list. It also uses walnuts as well. It comes in at number 18. You call it one of the more sophisticated options in town.

[Alison Stewart]

How is it sophisticated?

[Meathead]

I think it's just a very classy cookie. It's got not just walnuts. It's got macadamia nuts, which are, you know, very fancy nut to have in a cookie. And I think it's got almonds as well. It's. It's definitely a sort of a. It's a complete cookie. It's refined. I think it has dark chocolate. Yeah, it's a little, like, have a. Have it with a, you know, little espresso cookie.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

The thin. The thin cookie lover in you. This is for you. The pastry box on East 12th Street. It does thin, right. It's number two on your list. What does it get right when it comes to perfecting a thin chocolate chip cookie?

[Sonal Shah]

This is a perfect example of what I mentioned earlier. That chewy to crispy spectrum. The outside of that cookie, wonderfully crisp, but it just sort of yields as you get closer to the middle. It's also great chocolate. It's a little fruity. It's a salty cookie. Love it. And something especially charming about the pastry box is they have their standard chocolate chip cookie, but they also have A quarter pound size chocolate chip cookie, which would make a great gift. Or if you're having a particularly bad.

[Meathead]

Day, a gift for yourself or great Frisbee.

[Sonal Shah]

Exactly.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Check this. Text me out. The best was the half pound chocolate chip cookie at the defunct City Cakes in Chelsea. Oh, that place was great. On 18th Street. You went down. Oh, that place was great. It was crisp on the edges and gooey in the middle, but never under bake. Rumor has it their team is planning a comeback. I'm so excited. I'm as excited too. All in from East Harlem wrote great chocolate chip cookie. Soft but not too soft. Distinct flavor, not too sweet. Okay, that's a. That's Olin in East Harlem. Best cookies in New York, Chip, NYC and Astoria. They have expanded massively across the east coast, but the first one opened during the pandemic at 30th Avenue and 34th Street. They are more like more molten cakes scones than cookies. They started out as massive with more calories than two meals put together. How do you feel about giant cookies? I'm curious about that because that's two people who've mentioned these enormous cookies.

[Meathead]

It all depends on context. You know, if you're sitting at home alone having a cookie or you're walking down the street and you're like, I need a cookie. You kind of maybe want a giant cookie, but if you're taste testing 32 of them, they start getting a little scary.

[Sonal Shah]

That is true.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

How did dark chocolate versus milk chocolate work out in your. In your taste test?

[Sonal Shah]

You know, there was a really wide variety, I think. Something I noticed is a lot of our favorite cookies actually used both. In fact, the chocolate chip cookie, the triple chocolate chunk, I believe they call it at Honey's Bakery in Cooper Square. It's called triple chocolate because it actually has white chocolate as well, which normally is not something I look to in a cookie because I find it can be too sweet. But I love the chocolate variation. When you get something a little bit bitter, something a little bit sweet, you never know quite what to expect. Definitely. And there were also some for, like Maman. The more grown up cookies leaned more heavily on the dark chocolate.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Let's talk to Michelle, who's calling in from Tribeca. Hi, Michelle. Thanks for making the time to call all of it.

[Michelle]

Oh, my God. I'm so excited to talk to you about this chocolate chip cookie right now.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Love it.

[Michelle]

I work in Tribeca and we're kind of cookie connoisseurs in the neighborhood, and we always want to go to Rigor Hill Market, which is connected to One White Street. And it's got two different types of chocolate. It's chocolate chip cookie. It's salted, it's perfect. I think the flour might be buckwheat. Like, it's got, like a really interesting texture to it also. And so it's our. Definitely our favorite cookie. And if we can make it before like 12, then we can get one. Otherwise, they sell out pretty fast.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Thanks for the tip. We appreciate it. Let's go talk to Lee. Hey, Lee, thanks for calling, all of it.

[Richard]

Thanks for taking my call. So I am going to boldly assert that the best, bar none chocolate chip cookie in New York is in any household that does a good job of baking the original Toll house recipe.

[Meathead]

Okay, wait, this is really funny.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Both of them pointed at each other when you said that late.

[Meathead]

Both of our guests, we needed a control for our cookie tasting. So Molly woke up super early and baked Toll house cookies. And they were actually there on the table.

[Sonal Shah]

And they were not bad, I have to say.

[Meathead]

Definitely at least a 4 or 5 out of 10 after a few hours after baking.

[Sonal Shah]

Yes, yes.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

My guests are Molly Fitzpatrick and Sonal Shah from the Infatuation. They ranked the best chocolate chip cookies in New York. Hey, we want to know your favorite chocolate chip cookies in New York. What do you look for in a good chocolate chip cookie? Our Phone lines are open 9692 212433, WNYC. You can call in and join us on air or you can text to us at that number as well. We're going to go to Brooklyn Winner on 7th Avenue and Park Slope, number three on your list. They use malt flour in their cookie. How does that change the taste?

[Sonal Shah]

It changes it for the better. It's really good. The comparison we keep going back to is like a malted milkshake, especially state fair or an old timey soda fountain. It's just a little bit of a nuttiness, a complexity. It's subtle, but it's lovely. We did have a little bit of a who's on first? Because the cookie from Winner came in third in the tasting. So third place to winner was a little confusing to transcribe, but they definitely earned the bronze medal. They were great.

[Alison Stewart]

All right. Prospect Butcher Co. On Vanderbilt Avenue came in at number seven on your list. Their cookie uses house made lard.

[Meathead]

That's right. Yeah. And it's a little salty. And it's actually, it is a butcher shop. You know, you can buy like sausage there. You can buy a Sandwich there. And you can also buy a cookie, which I love. Any baked good with lard in it. Like pie crust cookies. Whatever put in the lard, let's use that up. And it was a little salty. And one of my colleagues was like, it tastes like pepperoni, but in a good way. And I couldn't agree more.

[Alison Stewart]

A chocolate chip cookie that tastes like pepperoni in a good way. Okay, what was number one on your list?

[Sonal Shah]

Red Gate Bakery in the East Village. I think it was unanimous. We all were blown away by that cookie.

[Alison Stewart]

All right, what was so special about this cookie?

[Meathead]

Go for it, Molly. I mean, yeah, the technical.

[Sonal Shah]

I think a good place to start is the name of this cookie on their menu is the Choco toffee cookie.

[Alison Stewart]

Okay.

[Sonal Shah]

And I think as you're eating it, you don't necessarily know there's toffee in it. It's just so smart, right? Because I think my favorite parts of a chocolate chip cookie are the milk solids browning in the oven, the brown butter, caramelized brown sugar, and that's what toffee is. So it's so genius to just sneak toffee into your cookie. And you've created a super breed of cookie. But it was a lovely, nice salt. Again, that beautiful, crisped, chewy gradient. And also, Redgate Bakery. It's a tiny bakery, but they are punching above their weight. They're on our cinnamon roll guide, too. For the best cinnamon rolls in New.

[Alison Stewart]

York City, this says, Gracie's Baked makes amazing gooey chocolate chip cookie bars and other flavors and does pop ups throughout the city. And you can order them online. Some wild flavors and so delicious. Another check says, is it nostalgia, a big part of cookie preference, like what you had as a kid? Were you nostalgic during your tasting?

[Meathead]

Yeah, I mean, I actually hadn't really done this much chocolate chip cookie eating for a while because, you know, at the infatuation, we sort of provide restaurant recommendations, you know, for every kind of dining situation. So the bread and butter of our jobs is really going to restaurants. We dine anonymously, we pay for ourselves, and then we write about them. And then recently we sort of started doing these taste tests to support the other guides that we do like. The best bagels in New York, you know, where do you find the best croissants and chocolate chip cookies? Was like the easy, no brainer next step, because I think a lot of people are looking for that comfort and nostalgia factor in their baked goods. And yeah, it was an interesting reminder to me when we did this test that like, yeah, I do like chocolate chip cookies. I should eat more of them.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Let's talk to Carrie, who's calling in from the Bronx.

[Alison Stewart]

Hey, Kerri, thanks for calling all of it.

[Kerri]

Hi, how are you doing?

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Great.

[Kerri]

So my favorite is Lavon. We're all pronouncing it different.

[Sonal Shah]

It's fine.

[Alison Stewart]

We all know what street talking about.

[Kerri]

Absolutely. My second favorite is, surprisingly, Gregory's, the coffee shop. They're all over. I know the one on the Upper west side. They're crispy when they're cold and kind of gooey when they're warm. And they're surprisingly delicious. Delicious for a coffee shop and then, although not New York City, New York, Armonk, New York, has a bakery called Bees Cake, and it's definitely my number three.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Thank you so much for calling Carrie since she mentioned Gregory the coffee shop. You have seven grams on your list, and there is one right across the.

[Alison Stewart]

Street from wnyc, which a lot of people visit.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Big fans around here.

[Meathead]

At wnyc, we visited right before this segment.

[Alison Stewart]

What were your impressions of this cookie?

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

And do coffee shops that have chains, are they different than the little bakeries, just out of your curiosity?

[Meathead]

Yeah, I mean, I think the experience is a little different when you go into a coffee shop and sometimes a bakery will have it, like, fresh, while a coffee shop kind of, you know, got it in the morning or whatever we really liked. We hadn't had, you know, the vegan version at 7 grams, and we tried both this morning before coming here, and actually we preferred the vegan one. It's really. It's a nice cookie.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Elbow bread. This one divided among you. The cookie at Elbow Bread is on Ludlow Street. It's 21 list. Their baked goods are very intriguing, shall we say? Where do you stand?

[Meathead]

Well, I'm going to take this one.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

All right, you take that one.

[Meathead]

I loved the elbow bread cookie. Not everyone did. It's not for everyone. It basically, they have milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and a little bit of, like, caramelization, I think, almost burnt sugar. But the standout thing is they little strips of nori seaweed kind of running through the cookie. It's umami. It's a little bit bitter. And I can just imagine having this cookie with like, you know, a mug of hot black tea on a rainy afternoon. That's the vibe. So if you like kind of strange combinations, it's a great cookie to check out.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

All right, Molly's looking off into the dish, and it's like, all right, I'm kind of hearing you, but not really.

[Meathead]

I.

[Sonal Shah]

Listen, I'll preface this by saying I have so much respect for Elbow. They're an awesome bakery, and I want so badly to be the type of person with a sophisticated enough palate to really rock with that nori. But for me, I was like, oh, they made a really beautiful cookie and they put seaweed on it for some reason, and the seaweed flavor. Then the next couple cookies I tasted, I had like a ghost of seaweed on my palate. But I really, I mean, Sonal has impeccable taste and I think many people will agree with her that it's certainly a very singular cookie.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Let's talk to Dorian, who's calling in from Queens. Hi, Dorian, thanks for calling, all of it.

[Dorian]

Hi. Thank you. I hate to sound low rent and maybe it is nostalgia for me, but I sometimes just like to get those cookies they sell at the train stations, like Penn stations, the sort of thick, cakey ones with lots of little chocolate chips on top.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

And why do you like them so much? What do you think it is about that cookie?

[Dorian]

I don't know. You know, it's like I said, I think it might be nostalgia. Like, I think my dad used to get them for me when I was a little kid and we were going somewhere and. But if I. If I limit it to the taste, it's kind of the texture and the feel of that thickness and the crumbliness in my mouth and, you know, that I can share. They're big. So I can share it with someone if I'm with someone else or take half home, you know, But I think it's. Yeah, I think it's a combination of just enjoying the texture and the experience and the nostalgia.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

You do. You go ahead. Let's talk to Richard from the West Village. Hi, Richard, thanks for calling, all of it.

[Richard]

Oh, hi. Thank you. I need to preface this before everybody starts shooting arrows at me, but when my son was growing up, we tried so many commercial chip chocolate chip cookies and they were all horrible Recently. A month or so ago, I tried a commercial chocolate chip that I really like, and it's the Trader Joe's dark chocolate with almonds. And I mean, I don't know if I can compare it to, you know, bakery cookies, but it's a fantastic chocolate chip cookie.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

Our engineer Julianne is going, I love them too. I love them too. So you're right on. This is an interesting text. When is a chocolate chip cookie no longer a chocolate chip cookie? You keep talking about complexity in cookies, but the beauty of the CCC is In their simplicity. Discuss.

[Sonal Shah]

This is such a great question. This is like, we talked about this so much, and I think to some extent we let bakeries decide if they're calling it a chocolate chip cookie, if they're framing it as one. Unless there's, I don't know, like cotton candy and astronaut ice cream in the middle of it. I'm inclined to listen. But yeah, it's.

[Meathead]

I mean, yeah, seeing them all laid out, you're like, oh, yeah, of course they. It is a simple thing. But then you see them and you're like, whoa. They're actually all so different. You know, we could immediately recognize a couple of them. Almost like Levain. We were almost 100% sure it was between 2 or 3, but we're like, one of those is Levaine. You know, one of these is Edith's, which is a super, super thin, chewy cookie that's almost like a fruit roll up in, like, texture. So, yeah, it's interesting. Like, they seem simple, but even the simple ones are different.

[Sonal Shah]

Yeah. Edith is a great example of one that some folks on our team were not sure if we could really call it a true chocolate chip cookie. Eda sandwich counter in Williamsburg in the West Village makes this amber caramel chocolate chip. I love it. It is the texture of fruit leather. And you could, like, roll it up. It's really salty. It's delicious. It's almost like if you could imagine a chocolate chip cookie, baker forgot their flour, but in a really good way.

[Meathead]

You can eat it kind of chips.

[Sonal Shah]

You can eat like chips. They give you two. They come in pairs, so they're very thin, but you get your satisfaction. I could see somebody saying, that to me is not a chocolate chip cookie, but I love it. So to me, it is one.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

You should check out the infatuations ranking of New York City's favorite chocolate chip cookies. I've been speaking with Sonal Shah and Molly Fitzpatrick. Thanks for joining us for this conversation. It was fun.

[Meathead]

Thank you so much.

[Molly Fitzpatrick]

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