The 14 best cookies in NYC

Is there a more iconic NYC cookie than the classic black-and-white? Orwashers’ take looks just like any other version–a perfectly round cookie-cake frosted with equal parts black and white icing–but the balance of rich frosting and citrusy-buttery cake here makes theirs stand head and shoulders above the rest.

If you don’t love chocolate but you do have an affinity for the rich and buttery dough that usually lives in between the chocolate chips, this sweet-and-salty offering from famed Brooklyn outpost The Good Batch will surely become a fast favorite.

Umber Ahmad’s treat is almost more of a brownie: It’s perfectly chewy and soft. Prepared with confectioners’ sugar, the crackling powder coat resembles fresh snow, and the whole thing is not overpoweringly sweet.

Stuffed with pineapple jam and topped with shredded lime, this subtle-yet-commanding dessert is an ideal pairing with the Taiwanese teas that are the specialty of this intimate shop.

This coffee shop’s chocolate-chip cookies, which are freshly baked throughout the day, are a case study: crisp outside and buttery inside, with just the right amount of chocolate.

Stuffed with macadamias, almonds, walnuts, French chocolate and sea salt, this cookie has the ideal ratio of crunchy to craggly, oozing bites. No wonder Oprah once named it one of her favorite things. 

The long-standing debate amongst chocolate chip cookie connoisseurs boils down to a simple argument – chewy versus crispy. Brooklyn favorite Saraghina has figured out how to represent both sides and come out on top: the edges are crunchy and the middle is soft. Even better, the ratio of batter to chips is exquisitely balanced.

Although most revered for their standard chocolate chip cookie, the real star at Levain is the version that includes walnuts. The original Upper West Side location still commands lines for its decadent, shareable confections that could almost be mistaken for scones—except the six-ounce cookies are fluffier and richer.

Despite its name, this cookie can be eaten at any time of day. It’s a play on morning-glory muffins, masquerading as an earthy dessert that’s topped with shredded carrots for some colorful pizzaz. Eat your veggies and delight your sweet tooth at the same time!

This special is warm and gooey. Like all of Chip City’s selections, it’s also utterly decadent and big enough to share. 

Gluten- and dairy-free, this cookie is a perfect blend of cakey and creamy. Ovenly has also figured out the perfect volume of sea salt flakes to sprinkle on top.

The competition is fierce within Cindy Lou’s cookie catalog – which includes a dozen cheeky options like Cap’n Crunch and Funfetti – but the Quesito is a clear stand out in the crowd. Based on the classic combo of guava jam and cream cheese made famous in Miami, it’s unlike any other cookie found in NYC: it’s an incredibly decadent combo of sweet, tart, fruity, creamy, gooey and crunchy all at the same time

This chocolate chip cookie has a nutty and slightly salty undertone that’s impossible to get enough of and there’s a surprising savory note from the tahini that will linger in your daydreams for days after your last bite.

The magic mix of ingredients that land on the perfect texture keep us coming back to the Bangin' Chocolate Chip Cookies from Elisa's Love Bites. They're among the top gluten-free treats in NYC. 

From bonbons to truffles and ganaches, find the best chocolate shop in NYC to indulge your sweet tooth