Levain Bakery’s Dark Chocolate Chip Cookie is thick and rich. *Photo: Andrew Pan*

By ANDREW PAN and MIRANDA LIU

In one of the biggest cities in the world, where you can find a bakery on every corner, discovering the perfect cookie can be deliciously dangerous, especially for your wallet. The best cookies aren’t just treats, they’re experiences, with each bite providing a little bit of different magic. After countless sugar rushes, we’re ranking our top five that are worth the calories.

Janie’s Life Changing Baked Goods’s Half Baked Chocolate Chip ($4), 82 Christopher St

Janie’s Half Baked Chocolate Chip cookie might seem basic at first, but one bite proves that it's anything but plain. This cookie has the ideal balance of softness and chewiness, with a creamy cocoa center. The chocolate chips melt into the dough, delivering a decadent flavor in each bite. With just enough chocolate, the sweet, buttery dough isn’t overpowered.

Unlike many bakeries, Janie’s Baked Goods strikes the perfect harmony between dough and just the right amount of mix-ins. Every bite of this cookie is tender and tasty, and it’s evident that each one is crafted with care. The shop itself was just as lovely. It felt so warm and inviting, and to our surprise, it wasn't busy at all. Honestly, it felt like one of the city’s best-kept secrets, completely underrated and definitely worth a try.

Janie’s Life Changing Baked Goods’s Ferrero Rocher COOKIE ($5)

Janie's earned a second spot on our list with a cookie that delivers the optimal balance of indulgence and comfort. Inspired by the iconic hazelnut truffle, this delight layers crispy edges with a soft, gooey center stuffed with crushed Ferrero Rocher chocolate and Nutella. Each bite delivers a satisfying crunch, giving way to fudgy, melt-in-your-mouth goodness. The crushed hazelnuts bring a subtle nuttiness while the Nutella adds an elevated swirl that ties everything together.

What's unique about this cookie is that it tastes both homemade and gourmet at the same time. The flavors are bold but balanced, not too sweet but not too rich, creating a cookie that's both satisfying and luxurious, like a bakery-made love letter. It's loaded with flavor, textured to perfection, and totally worth the trip and its price.

Levain Bakery’s Dark Chocolate Chip ($5), Multiple Locations in Manhattan

Levain’s Dark Chocolate Chip is a must-try for any chocolate fan. Generously sized, this cookie has a crisp exterior and a soft, molten, brownie-like center filled with melted semi-sweet chocolate chips. Levain’s cookies have become one of NYC’s most iconic treats for a good reason. This one offers a symphony of sweetness with the right amount of cocoa complemented by a measured touch of sugar. The flavor is intense, like the finest dark chocolate cake, but in cookie form.

Just like Janie’s cookies, Levain’s deliver that comforting, nostalgic feeling in every bite. Unlike ordinary cookies that tend to flatten during baking, Levain’s maintain an impressive dome shape that’s instantly recognizable. Five dollars per cookie might seem costly, but considering the size (they’re almost a meal by themselves) and the quality of ingredients, they’re definitely worth it.

Levain Bakery’s Lemon COOKIE ($5.75)

Like the others at the shop, Levain’s Lemon cookie is hefty, with an outer layer that offers a slight crunch before giving way to a cake-like center, but with this one, each bite bursts with a bright lemon flavor that matches the rich and buttery dough. Creamy white chocolate melts throughout the cookie, creating an irresistible blend of sweetness and citrus.

A lot of lemon cookies are either too tart or too sweet. However, Levain manages to keep its flavor harmony, offering a refreshing feeling. It’s the kind of treat you reach for when you want to make a sweet moment even sweeter. It’s no surprise there’s often a line at Levain’s, but trust us, these cookies are totally worth the wait.

Mah-Ze-Dahr’s Lemon Crinkle COOKIE ($2.75), 225 Liberty St (Brookfield Place)

Mah-Ze-Dahr’s Lemon Crinkle is smaller and lighter than its competitors, but it makes up for it with its low price and big personality. The cookie has a crunchy exterior with powdered sugar on top, opening up to a soft center. Each bite is airy and dissolves on your tongue, concentrating the flavor like a lemon Starburst. It is best eaten slowly so you can savor the taste, and even better if you pair it with a cup of warm tea.

Compared to Levain’s and Janie’s cookies, Ma-Ze-Dahr’s leans more towards the elegant side, but the more you have, the more it invites you in. It could be easily considered a luxury treat, but luckily for us, we can experience this delight for just $2.75. Sadly, the bakery’s West Village shop, which was a charming, cozy, hidden gem, recently shuttered, but you can still get your fix (for now) at Mah-Ze-Dahr’s Brookfield Place location.

At the end of the day, there’s something about eating a cookie that just feels like a small piece of home. These five gourmet options prove that in New York City, the sweetest treasures are often the ones you can hold in your hand.

RUNNERS-UP

Butterly Bakeshop’s Nutella Cookie ($5.75), 263 Prospect Park West, Brooklyn: A unique cookie, but for $5.75, we expected more. The sweetness overwhelmed the flavor and the texture fell a bit flat.

Chip City’s Confetti Cookie ($5.50), Multiple Locations: A visually appealing treat with a distinctive birthday cake flavor. However, it was too soft for our preference and overly sweet. The $5.50 price tag was a bit steep.

NYC's Top Five Gourmet Cookies