We’re big fans of a sweet treat. A sweet o’clock, if you will.
Us and our Substacks, current-ly and saturn’s muse, have teamed up to present an incomprehensive NYC cookie crawl. We’re not experts, but we sure do love having opinions on things!
We ventured out on a spring allergy-filled afternoon in mid-May to try out a few cookie spots in the East Village. Our day was a rollercoaster, full of obstacles (half the spots on our planned list did not have chocolate chip) and eventual feelings of nausea. Despite it all, we cherished sweet moments of friendship, laughs, and opinions.
Guidelines
Chocolate chip cookies only
Preferably made in-house by the café/bakery
No lining up before opening required
The scenario is: We’re craving a cookie, or have just experienced something so diabolical that it warrants us needing to get a cookie. In these dire circumstances, we do not want to have to wait in a long line for one.
“This is Radio Bakery shade.” -Em
Rubric
First impressions
Lasting impressions
Were crumbs left?
The Crumbling
Gooey on The Inside Cookies - 163 Chrystie St
Our conversation:
EZ: It’s like, I don’t want to finish it.
AC: No, like, who wants our scraps?
First impression: ok? So what now?
Lasting impressions:
Em: Not for me. The texture was off. It was too soft, without it being chewy. I hate when a cookie feels moldable in my mouth. No flavor balance at all!
Ave: Sure, it’s fresh, gooey, and considerably sized. But the taste? Not appealing at all. I’m not a big believer in salt-topped cookies. This could use some, though.
Were crumbs left?
Em: Big crumb left. Huge.
Ave: Many crumbs. A whole half.
Librae Bakery - 35 Cooper Sq
Our conversation:
EZ: There’s a different flavor here that’s not chocolate chip.
AC: It’s tangy, like there’s tahini in it.
EZ: Wait, there is tahini in it, I think.
AC: Oh, so that’s their addition to a traditional cookie.
EZ: (googling) It is, tahini chocolate chip rye. Been on the menu since day one.
First impression: What is that?
Lasting impressions:
Em: Fascinating. The flavor really depends on the bite. I enjoy the actual cookie part (the rye), but the chocolate part was not well-distributed, so we’re getting bites of chocolate without the cookie. Texture-wise, this is what people think of when they think of a soft cookie. A fine cookie.
Ave: The tang of tahini doesn’t pair well with the salt flakes, but perhaps an even distribution of chocolate would help that.The texture reminds me of a day-old Subway cookie.
Were crumbs left?
Em: No crumbs left, because I was confused
Ave: One soft, yet dry crumb
Confectionery! - 440 E 9th St
Our conversation:
EZ: Did you get a lot of walnut?
AC: No.
EZ: So the walnut kind of added nothing.
AC: Yeah.
EZ: No nut?
AC: Where’s walnut?
First impression: The flavors are melting on my tongue!
Lasting impressions:
Em: Don’t like the texture…it’s too soft. Feels a little grainy, and I hate when a cookie falls apart in your mouth (is that what melts in your mouth means…?). Love the dark chocolate though, and it’s well-balanced, with a good amount of salt! Walnut feels undetectable. Overall, quite delicious.
Ave: This is definitely my preferred cookie texture: chewy and weighted. As a milk chocolate tolerator, the dark chocolate really makes this cookie stand out. Overall a great balance of flavors!
Were crumbs left?
Em: No crumbs were left.
Ave: Not even one
The Community Boutique & Cafe - 515 E 12th St
*Note: unsure if this was made in-house!
Our conversation:
EZ: Visually, I don’t think it looks that appealing.
AC: Really? I don’t think so. But I think that’s because this is how I’m used to eating cookies.
EZ: Ohhhhh. Anyway, I think the flavor was nice, but confusing.
AC: Girl, so confusing.
First impression: Girl, so confusing
Lasting impressions:
Em: First bite was oddly savory? Maybe because of the salt. Did taste normal after that. Texture is lovely, it’s chewy for sure. Overall, it’s yummy, but just a tad too much salt and I wish it was a bit thicker.
Ave: She’s a classic mini cookie and its size fits its flavor. There aren’t any surprises except for maybe the kind of salt that Community chooses to dash on top of the cookie.It’s the kind of sweetness that lets you have one or two more.
Were crumbs left?
Em: No crumbs left
Ave: Not a crumb left
The Pastry Box - 515 E 12th St
Our conversation:
AC: I’m so scared.
EZ: I’m so scared.
First impression: SWEET.
Lasting impressions:
Em: This is a through-the-week cookie, a cookie that you pick at for days. The edges are yummy—it’s a chewy edge, but a soft center, which I don’t enjoy as much. Again, getting too much salt depending on the bite. Overall, too sweet for me, and would avoid eating the middle.
Ave: This is the perfect sweet to split with someone else (or two). The flavors indeed were melting on my tongue… until the richness caught up to me. It’s chewy with the perfect edges. I wasn’t a fan of its greasiness though.
Were crumbs left?
Em: I would leave a crumb (tired of the flavor).
Ave: ¼ of this would be stale at the end of the week
Conclusion
We left the day feeling nauseous, yet victorious. We would rank them, but as of writing this in June, the cookie crawl of May is but a memory, just left with our photos, notes, and a 30-minute-long voice memo. (Emily accidentally deleted her vlog of the day.)
What’s next for us? Donuts? Only time will tell!
Until then, subscribe to our individual newsletters for more opinions and/or personal essays.
 | A guest post by
|
yum!