When it comes to chocolate chip cookies, the oozier and chocolatier the better. Most of the time, at least.
In honor of National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day—yes, that’s a real holiday—we’ve rounded up the best chocolate chip cookies in all of Manhattan.
We’ve omitted Levain, because that’s like adding Carbone to a list of best spicy rigatoni.
Maman
View this post on Instagram
Multiple Locations/Website
If the Nutty Chocolate Chip Cookie from Maman is one of Oprah’s ‘Favorite Things,’ then it must be pretty darn good. With the goal of highlighting everybody’s favorite childhood foods, Maman sure knows how to make a nostalgic chocolate chip cookie that brings on all the feels. Made with almonds, macadamias, and walnuts, this mouth-watering cookie balances the nutty texture with a slightly undercooked batter.
Seven Grams
View this post on Instagram
Multiple Locations/Website
Did somebody say a Vegan Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookie? Just like us, your immediate reaction is probably yuck! Rest assured, this dairy-free egg-free cookie is one of the best bites in town. Instead of butter and eggs, the recipe calls for olive oil and tahini to give that same creamy texture. Tahini is definitely an acquired taste, but it leaves a delicious salty and sesame taste on your tongue.
Breads Bakery
View this post on Instagram
Multiple Locations/Website
We know it’s a hot take, but the Chocolate Chip Cookie at Breads Bakery outranks the freshly made bread. There, we said it. This celebrated Manhattan bakery masters the art of a great chocolate chip cookie: a harmonious blend of a soft and melty middle, with a crispy, browned exterior. Made with dark, milk, and white chocolate, this cookie is perfect for all you chocolate fanatics.
Chip City
View this post on Instagram
Multiple Locations/Website
Watch out Levain, the off-brand version of you may be our favorite cookie in the city. Slightly undercooked in the middle and served at a warm temperature, this world-renowned cookie is ooey, gooey, and oh so good. Although the menu at Chip City is always rotating, the gourmet cookie company’s famous Chocolate Chip Cookie is always a staple on the menu. If you’re feeling adventurous, try the Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie or the Plant-Based Chocolate Chip Cookie.
Jacques Torres
View this post on Instagram
Multiple Locations/Website
Unsurprisingly, Manhattan’s most coveted chocolate shop serves the highest quality chocolate chip cookies on the island. No other cookie in the city deserves the title of World Famous Chocolate Chip Cookie. You must really love chocolate to indulge in this dessert, as the cookie is literally exploding with rich dark chocolate. The higher chocolate-to-dough ratio is a life hack every bakery should learn from. Try the cookie dipped in melted dark chocolate, and you are guaranteed to end up in a food coma.
Sweet Rehab
View this post on Instagram
135 Sullivan Street/Website
You might literally need rehab from your addiction to the chocolate chip cookie at this Lower Manhattan dessert shop. If you can never decide between dark, milk, and white chocolate, you’re in luck! The chocolate chip cookie at Sweet Rehab incorporates all three types of chocolate which will be sure to satisfy every palette. Made with coconut sugar and sprinkled with sea salt, this cookie is a unique take on the classic chocolate chip cookie.
Ovenly
View this post on Instagram
Multiple locations/Website
The secret’s out! The Secretly Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie at Ovenly is absolutely to die for! Cooked with canola oil instead of butter, and dairy-free dark chocolate chips, these cookies are perfect for all you Upper East Side Manhattan moms who pretend you’re lactose intolerant. Ovenly’s cookie is made with vegan brown sugar and a dash of sea salt, which mediates the sweet versus salty debate once and for all.
Photography by: Jennifer Pallian
