The 15 Most Popular Bakeries In New York Known For Chocolate Chip Cookies
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New York, New York, it's a wonderful city ... for chocolate chip cookies? Bear with us. It's natural to associate the Empire City with the best Chinese bakeries or even the iconic black-and-white cookies, but a comforting cookie warms the soul like nothing else. In the hustle and bustle of vacation, zeroing in on the best places to visit can be a struggle. Plan ahead with a guide, however, and you can spend more time enjoying sweet eats you'll want to return to on future trips.
Indeed, everyone's childhood was defined by these gooey treats, but the top-notch bakes that shops dole out here are in another ballpark. Some are touristy, with scores of buzz and intense foot traffic. Yet hot spots consistently delivering the goods demonstrate that they're beloved for good reason. Caramelized edges, gooey centers, crackly thinness or thick, scone-like slabs, cookies come in many different, yet delicious iterations — especially in a place as densely populated as The Big Apple. Discover a future favorite and check out the most popular spots for chocolate chip cookies.
Levain Bakery
Near universal in its popularity, Levain Bakery is synonymous with the destination cookie shop in New York City. Despite the storefront's original purpose — slinging yeasty loaves — the weighty cookies have induced feverish devotion since 1995, the year Pam Weekes and Connie McDonald opened the first blue-and-white shop. The duo's claim to fame, of course, is the chocolate chip walnut cookie. No introduction needed. Here's what you're getting: 6 ounces of molten, nutty glory, gooey with a solid chocolate-to-nuts ratio. The reason for this extravagance? The story goes that the two, preparing for a triathlon, concocted the substantial treat to keep up their strength.
Levain's home base is the Upper West Side, yet expansion into major cities, Boston and D.C. among them, has helped it grow into one of the biggest bakery chains nationwide. Smelling the bakery in action is just the cherry on top, with tray after tray of enticing baked goods wafting through the store. Though there's usually a wait, staff keep the crowds moving quite speedily.
Multiple locations
Chip City
Locals and sightseers happily stood in line for hours when Chip was a fledgling business in Queens' Astoria neighborhood. But that was 2017. Today, almost 50 cookie shops are spread across the East Coast, and some are open past midnight should a craving strike in the twilight hours (isn't it the City That Never Sleeps?). Like Levain, expect large, dense cookies that ooze in your hands and are baked into playful, scrumptious combinations. And baked in house, no less!
With the menu changing weekly, blueberry cheesecake or cookies and cream will come and go depending on the schedule. But our focus, the chocolate chip, sticks around in every rotation to get the sugar-rush rushing. Plentiful chunks of chocolate, a brown-sugar base, Chip does it all and then some. Assuming the original cookie is a no-go, Chip serves other iterations of the wholesome favorite you can score daily. Shops carry a vegan-approved chocolate chip with diet-friendly ingredients as well as smaller Thin Chip cookies when the belly can't handle the indulgent calorie-bomb.
Multiple locations
Jacques Torres Chocolate
After two decades, Jacques Torres' reign in the chocolate business hasn't faltered. His boutique in the Dumbo neighborhood (with another shop at Grand Central Terminal), showcases French confectionary at its most luxurious. Earning the majority of accolades though isn't a truffle — it's a cookie loaded with hefty discs of dark Belgian chocolate and crackly sea salt. Visitors never pass up a chance to grab one from the cookie jars at the front counter. Generous chocolate morsels are a must with this dessert, but coating the side in rich ganache seems to be a move only a high-end chocolate shop could pull off.
The acclaimed chocolatier explains the secret behind better chocolate chip cookies: mixing flours to achieve the signature texture. Cake and all-purpose flours, he says, help balance out the caramelized snap and soft center. And no batch is considered complete without chilling in the fridge — for a minimum of 24 hours. The effort is labor-intensive, but the payoff for your taste buds is truly sublime. It's a bucket-list treat for the chocolate-loving traveler.
Multiple locations
Dominique Ansel Bakery
An inescapable name, Dominque Ansel. His namesake bakery in Lower Manhattan ushered in the dawn of the cronut, and at his flagship on Spring Street lies another revolutionary dessert for day-trippers to gawk at (with a lengthy stint standing in line, no doubt): cookie cups! Rather than settle on circular dimensions, the culinary expert took chewy cookie dough and made a drinkable vessel out of it. The interior of the "glass" is coated in chocolate, then filled with a milk that's been tinged with the sweetest hint of vanilla.
In 2014, the pastry chef developed the concept when he was invited to host a panel at SXSW in Austin, Texas. Turning cookies and milk on its head is the pinnacle of kid-like whimsy. It's Ansel's brand, and the cookie cups haven't left the bakery ever since. A little hesitation is normal when encountering this unconventional treat, but the directions from the bakery are fairly straight-forward: gulp the milk down first to prevent spilling, then finish the delectably milk-soaked cookie.
(212) 219-2773
189 Spring St, New York, NY 10012
Schmackary's
As any New Yorker knows, catching a musical on Broadway might be one of the hottest experiences in town. Assuming you have time to kill in the Theater District before the show, treat yourself to an excellent cookie from Schmackary's. Just about every temptation is accounted for in the shop's bazaar of frosted, filled, and chunk-ified varieties that Zachary Schmahl first mastered from his apartment kitchen.
Of course, decision fatigue is bound to occur with a lengthy menu. However, the bakeshop manages to throw in a couple of old reliables, and The Classic fits the bill for something no-frills. Though the cookie is quite sugary, its chewier edges bring out a faint toffee consistency, and semi-sweet chips and sea salt help achieve an equilibrium that's, quite frankly, a match made in heaven. Hot out of the oven, they're just like grandma used to make (or close to it, anyway).
The baffling scale of its selection and comforting recipes prove Schmackary's is popular beyond any doubt. Outside Hell's Kitchen, find the shop in Union Square, Long Island, New Jersey, and San Diego.
Multiple locations
Janie's Life-Changing Baked Goods
Beginning as a vendor at Queens Night Market (the NYC food market where everything is under $6), Janie's Life-Changing Baked Goods offers quality, bargain-friendly sweets, primarily cookies. Manhattanites on the east and west side can indulge in these confections Janie Deegan makes with care at three different shops. The quarters are small, but the atmosphere is homey as if a close friend invited you into their kitchen.
The Pie Crust Cookie may get the top billing, but don't neglect the other gems. The half-baked chocolate chip cookie, which has gotten prime-time shout-outs from Andy Cohen, is a fantastic example. Sold in-store and online (lucky residents can actually snag pickup!), the cookie bursts with chocolate — two kinds to be exact. Morsels of milk chocolate and semi-sweet mingle in the dough, and when paired with a softer bake it unleashes pure happiness. If you're seeking a sugary diversion during your travels, Janie's is a swell pick-me-up.
Janie's Life-Changing Baked Goods
Multiple locations
Culture Espresso
Coffee shops are a staple of living in the Big Apple, but not every treat behind the glass is a hit, let alone award-winning. Allow Culture Espresso to change that. A fixture in Midtown Manhattan for nearly 20 years, the cafe has amassed a following for its freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, whose warming scent overrides the java more often than not. Consider that the bakers competed in a showdown against some of the city's biggest cookie-makers around — many are on this list — and won. No one, most of all locals, can deny how moist and decadent the cookies are, and they're sold at a lower-than-expected charge to sweeten the deal.
With three cafes situated in a two-block radius — between West 36th and West 38th streets — those fiending for great caffeine and desserts won't need to travel far. If a shop is out of chocolate chip when you get there (a scenario we wouldn't rule out), the other flavors are just as delectable. An affinity for the Korn cookie, which pays tribute to the humble cornbread, is shared by employees and locals alike.
Multiple locations
Funny Face Bakery
Like the cinematic allure of Manhattan's skyline, desserts in New York City can be larger than life and even capture a particular trend at its peak concentration. In 2016, Funny Face Bakery caught social media by a storm with hyper-realistic sugar cookies decorated with faces. Standard cookies are always available, along with a solid rotation that tends to shift seasonally at two inviting storefronts in Manhattan.
Lovers of good ol' chocolate chip happily report Funny Face's rendition is a hit. It's downright massive in size, for one, and is not for the faint of heart when it comes to the gushing morsels studding the dough. Raves one Yelp reviewer, "Chocolate chip is ooey gooey goodness that makes a mess in your hands but worth every bite."
While the viral hysteria certainly draws foot traffic, you're not simply getting TikTok bait by any measure. Sharing is caring, but don't be surprised if you break one in half and eat the whole thing in spite of yourself.
Multiple locations
Seven Grams Caffe
Small-batch cookies are not exclusive to the realm of those old-school bakeries bolstered with even older recipes. A newer business, Seven Grams Caffe specializes in artisanal java, and staff extend the craftsmanship to a fleet of premium desserts. One of the chocolate chip cookies on the menu is, from top-to-bottom, plant-based. Seven Grams excelled at channeling the buttery, golden-brown delight with a rap sheet that's all vegan. Recipe-wise, the nuts and bolts are there, only replaced with staple vegan baking ingredients including tahini, olive oil, and (dairy-free) dark chocolate chunks.
The cookie's received endless kudos, and by that metric, it's one of the best-known styles in the city and among the best vegan sweets more broadly in the five boroughs. Major outlets and individual customers agree on the satisfying heft and rich ooziness of the dark chocolate. The goal was to make a divine vegan delight, and the shop succeeded. Skilled bakers and roasters, coming together in the same room, will ensure the rest of your itinerary gets off on the right foot.
Multiple locations
Gramercy Tavern
If you work in the Flatiron District, there's a chance you've joined clients for lunch at Gramercy Tavern. Yet outsiders exploring the city shouldn't rule out a trip to the restaurant, if not for the Tavern Burger, then at least for the dessert section. The chocolate chunk cookie arrives on a plate with a glass of malted chocolate milk for refreshing accompaniment. This cookie-and-milk specialty puts Santa's midnight snack to shame.
Spending $9 on a cookie isn't cheap, but plenty of diners attest to the dessert as a mouthwatering thrill. Malt is a crucial element of milkshakes, and when enjoyed with the cookie, it recreates the retro fun of a '50s soda fountain. Danny Meyer, who's the brains behind Shake Shack, launched this suave take on the watering hole over 30 years ago, and it's racked up its share of accolades along the way — not one, not two, but nine awards from the James Beard association. Not bad company for a stellar chocolate chip cookie to keep.
(212) 477-0777
42 E 20th St, New York, NY 10003
Maman
If you prefer a crunchier cookie style, we haven't forgotten about you. Take a trip to Maman — that's French for "mom" — and take a bite out of the nutty chocolate chip cookie — if you can get your hands on one. Locations apparently clear out 2,000 pounds of dough in a given week to bake them in-house, and with Oprah's stamp of approval, these treats just might disappear, leaving no crumbs.
Imported chocolate goes into every batch, and the nuts, consisting of macadamia, almond, and walnuts, amplify the contrast of the cakier dough. When baked, the dark medallions spread and ooze into a rich layer. Additionally, the restaurant uses un-toasted nuts to draw out a purer essence. So devilishly gourmet are these cookies that publishing the recipe in Maman: The Cookbook to quell fanatics' cravings was a necessity.
The romantic mystique is everywhere you turn at Maman, which opened over a decade ago. From the cottage-inspired decor to the photogenic brunch spread, dining here is like a provincial bed-and-breakfast in the south of France.
Multiple locations
La Mercerie
Did you expect a detour to the heart of Paris while taking in the steel and skyscrapers of the Big Apple proper? If you've got 24 hours to spare in New York and you're trying to decide where to eat, La Mercerie deserves a spot on your list. It's served modern-style French cuisine since 2017, carving out an elegant nook for Parisian fare just blocks from Chinatown. Discovering there's a yummy cookie waiting to be devoured is a twist the restaurant throws at us.
The verdict? La Mercerie knows what's up. The extra-buttery taste is deluxe, according to fans, and while less gigantic in size, this cookie still weighs fairly heavily in your palms (one sign there's no skimping on the ingredients).
Planning ahead to secure one is key for newcomers. The kitchen bakes a small number, and it's often sold out well before lunchtime. Such a fact could tempt you to settle with some Tollhouse cookie dough and forget it. But get in there early enough, and you'll pocket one of Manhattan's sweetest treasures.
(212) 852-9097
53 Howard St, New York, NY 10013
Gooey On The Inside
Preferences for the chocolate chip cookie are not one-size-fits-all. As a matter of fact, they run the gamut from chewy and crisp to moist and melty. The latter is where Gooey On The Inside Cookies falls, since Kafi Dublin, whose bakery should be on the radar for every cookie lover, favors this end of the spectrum most. Biting into the chocolate chip chunk is an experience, gushing with milk chocolate and dark chocolate pieces plus extra dark chocolate for good measure.
Dublin's wares often inspire gob-smacked reactions, and if you're curious about recipe details, forget it: The source of the cookies' magic is entirely under wraps. Starting from her home kitchen as a novice baker, she rolled out cookies by the dozen until bringing them to the storefront. Perfecting the formula earned Oprah's endorsement as part of her annual "Favorite Things" roundup in 2024.
Lusciously oozing cookies harboring Kinder Bueno, Oreos, or birthday sprinkles? Gooey gives cookie lovers exactly what they want. Even better? Swing by during happy hour for the ultimate reward: $4 cookies.
(646) 972-0409
163 Chrystie St, New York, NY 10002
Librae Bakery
In a multicultural haven like New York City, it's not shocking to witness diverse culinary traditions collide into new, mouthwatering creations. Librae Bakery, operating in the thick of NoHo, marries flavors from the Middle East with flaky doughs reminiscent of fine pastry shops in Europe. Lower Manhattan is rife with great cookies, and this fusion bake shop makes them second-to-none. Beyond favoring the rose pistachio croissant and feta dill scone, patrons are apt to shower the tahini chocolate chip cookie with high praise, even declaring it a must-try when making a coffee run.
Once again, this is a cookie dough mixed with tahini, and the nutty undertone that ensues unleashes the brown-butter, chocolate-y deliciousness. Not only is it a yummy deviation from the normal recipe, the paste also heightens the textural dimensions. It's a ratio that's beautifully crackly-to-chewy and a touch moist and one that's worth a stop as part of your journey around the city.
35 Cooper Square, New York, NY 10003
The Good Batch Bakery
Promising warm goodies in abundance is the least one can do with a name like The Good Batch Bakery. On the long stretch of Fulton Street, the Brooklyn-based shop constructs gorgeous layer cakes but maintains a dependable stock of quick bites too — think hefty scones and crackly biscuits rolled out by hand. Birthdays may prompt a visit initially, but the cookies, especially the tahini chocolate chunk, make loyalists out of the locals who call the neighborhood home.
Sweeter chocolate chip cookies might induce a tummy ache. Not a problem here. Due to the farmer's market ethos Anna Gordon brings to her establishment, foodies will savor an earthier recipe that's yummy without the cloying tone. To get your cookie fix, venture to the brick-and-mortar in Clinton Hill or wait until its kiosk hits the Smorgasburg pop-up market in the spring. The cookies are a standalone snack but also form one of the bakery's other specialties: ice cream cookie sandwiches.
(718) 622-4000
936 Fulton St, Brooklyn, NY 11238
Methodology
What constitutes a popular chocolate chip cookie? We relied on a combination of sources to endorse the bakeries that ended up on this list. Reputation certainly played a role, as did any critical accolades from local outlets or food-centric publications — winning an award, for one. But scouring social media and review sites was crucial in order to get our thumb on the pulse of what everyday New Yorkers like. Full transparency: The writer has tried a few of the cookies here and can attest that they are indeed worth the hype, but mileage may vary (by way of diverging tastes and whatnot).