I have lived in New York City for my entire life and have tried many delicious treats on my adventures in the Big Apple. I am a dessert fanatic and am always on the lookout for the best of the best in NYC. Upon doing my research, I came across Levain Bakery which is home to what Serious Eats and Spoon University writers think is home best cookie in New York City with their Chocolate Chip Walnut cookie.
I decided to take myself on a trip up to the Upper West Side to decide for myself if I agree with my fellow foodies about Levain Bakery being home to the best cookies in NYC. Levain Bakery has 3 locations in New York City on W74th street, Amsterdam Avenue, and Harlem.
I knew I was approaching my destination when I saw a swarm of people taking pictures with their cookies outside of the glass window that marked the spot of this famous cookie spot. I walked in through the glass door and was instantly greeted by an aroma of chocolate chip cookies and gourmet bread that was being baked.
I knew I was approaching my destination when I saw a swarm of people taking pictures with their cookies outside of the glass window that marked the spot of this famous cookie spot. I walked in through the glass door and was instantly greeted by an aroma of chocolate chip cookies and gourmet bread that was baking.
There were several people ranging from hipsters, tourists, and families both sitting on the wooden benches and standing at the countertops enjoying their cookies and coffee. By this time, my mouth was watering and I knew that I needed to order so I could try them for myself.
I ordered 1 Chocolate Chip Walnut, 1 Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip, 1 Oatmeal Raisin, and 1 Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip. Each cookie costs $4 dollars so I was down around $20 with my train fare, but that was okay with me knowing that I was going to bite into what was considered to be the best cookies in NYC.
Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie
I went to one of the countertops and decided that I would try the infamous Chocolate Chip Walnut cookie first. Upon opening the box with my cookies, I saw this gigantic cookie that looked like heaven to my eyes. I split the cookie down the middle to see the chocolate chips oozing out of the center and the center appeared to have a melted consistency despite having a crispy and crunchy exterior.
I took a bite from the center and my mouth was given the taste of melted chocolate, warm cookie dough, and the crunch of a traditional cookie which left me speechless. I was shocked at how Levain was able to achieve a warm and gooey center without having the entire cookie fall apart, but they did. This sold me because I personally prefer my cookies to be almost raw but yet still warm and crispy, and they hit that right on the head. The walnuts in the cookie added an extra crunch which enhanced the overall flavor of the cookie.
I would give the Chocolate Chip Walnut cookie an overall score of 9.5/10. The only reason I wouldn’t give it a 10/10 is because I think it could have been achieved without the nuts giving it the classic chocolate chip cookie taste everyone knows and loves.
Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip
Even though I was mainly looking forward to having the Chocolate Chip Walnut cookie, I was extremely excited to try this flavor because I am a chocolate addict and this completely chocolate cookie left me shocked.
I took a bite of this cookie and was instantly overwhelmed by the amount of chocolate that was in my mouth. The chocolate chips melted right in my mouth and the chocolate dough was the perfect cherry on top. The consistency of this cookie was nearly the same as the Chocolate Chip Walnut and in my opinion even more gooey because the chocolate actually falling out of the center.
The only downside of this cookie is that if you are not a chocolate fanatic like I am, then you might not enjoy this cookie as much as I did because it is extremely chocolatey and overpowering. If you are more simple, I would suggest going with the Chocolate Chip Walnut because the chocolate is just the “right” amount.
I would give this cookie a 9/10 because although it was sweet and savory, after having a small bite of it I could not even go for another because it was extremely chocolatey and giving me a bit of what I call a “sugar headache.”
Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip
The next cookie I tried was Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip. Peanut butter is one of my favorite foods meaning I usually have it at least once a day. This cookie had me excited because peanut butter-and-chocolate anything has me hooked. Upon my first bite of this cookie, the first thing I noticed was how melted the peanut butter chips were. The peanut butter was spread evenly throughout the entire cookie so there was not a bite that did not have peanut butter in it.
The only thing I did not particularly love about these cookies is that the peanut butter tasted like Nestle chips which don’t get me wrong are not bad, but I feel like for a gourmet cookie like this I think it could have benefitted from the use of real peanut butter. I am not 100% sure if the peanut butter used in these cookies is artificial etc, but that is just what I thought from tasting it.
I would give this cookie a 8/10 because it is pretty darn good, but the peanut butter taste wasn’t cutting it for me. If you like peanut butter more than the average person, I recommend trying this for yourself and seeing what you think.
Oatmeal Raisin
Oatmeal Raisin is the last type of cookie that I tried during my time at Levain Bakery. Let me start off by saying that even though I am more of a chocolate person, this cookie was scrumptious. This cookie was not as gooey and melted in the center as the previous three, but it was not rock solid either. After taking my first bite, I was a bit confused as it did not have as much of a sugary taste as the others, but it was more of what I call a breakfast cookie. I would eat this cookie for breakfast because it is sweet enough to be enjoyed, but also has more of a regular taste as any breakfast food would. This cookie was buttery and did melt in my mouth compared to other oatmeal raisin cookies which I have tried in the past.
I would give this cookie a 7/10 not because it did not taste as good as the others, but it did not really scream cookie to me.
Final Thoughts
I would definitely travel to the Upper West Side to get a cookie from Levain again! I love my cookies gooey to the point of them being basically raw dough and this bakery does it justice. The cookies are gigantic and for $4 you really can’t go wrong, because you are paying for a top quality cookie. I agree with my fellow foodies that this the Chocolate Chip Walnut cookie is the best cookie in terms of consistency, quality, and taste in NYC, but in terms of flavors, Schmackary’s for goes for the win for me.