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A Taste of NYC (plus a sweet giveaway!) – WINNER POSTED

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Two of my dearest friends are visiting this week. They’ve flown from quite a distance for us to be together: one from Oxford, England and another from Sydney, Australia. And as fate would have it, my husband happens to be out of town for the next two weeks, so the timing is perfect. We’re having an all-out girls’ week.

In the past five days, we’ve had cocktails and sushi, mani/pedis. We’ve watched two romantic comedies (Going the Distance and Love and Other Drugs) and the Oscars, read gossip magazines, had lunch at The Plaza. We’ve gone sightseeing and shopping (followed by shopping and more shopping). But I knew that before the girls left, I wanted to take them to Levain Bakery, reputed to have the best cookies in New York City. So this afternoon we went with a few other friends.

What I love about Levain’s Bakery is, there are just four kinds of cookies: Chocolate Chip Walnut, Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin and Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip.

I love that. When I’m at restaurants with four-page menus I want to say, “Just do what you do well and just that.”  That’s what Levain’s does in spades.

Let’s start with size (because when it comes to cookies, size matters). I bought a half dozen cookies to my husband’s work last week. Shortly after I left, I got an e-mail from one of his co-workers: “Mags, these are not cookies! They’re muffin tops.” The man’s not wrong. Apparently no one at Andy’s office could finish a whole one themselves. I don’t know what’s wrong with them—because we did!

They are crispy on the outside and oh-so ooey, gooey, chewy on the inside. Two of the four cookies we bought were still warm and the center of the cookie was precariously straddling the boundary between dough and cookie. Now that’s perfect.

To date, these are the best cookies I’ve had (aside from my mom’s chocolate-chip cookies and Ben’s Cookies in Oxford, England). Not everyone can pop in to pick up a fresh cookie, but they do ship anywhere in the U.S.  I’d like to share the experience I had with someone else. And also celebrate the fact that Andy and I just signed a lease for an apartment on the Upper West Side 12 blocks from Levain Bakery. So today, 3MC is giving away a gift box with four cookies.

To enter, just tell us: “What’s your favorite cookie?”

(Giveaway ends Monday, March 7 at 9 AM)

And the winner is #149 –  SUSAN! We love her answer: “My favorite cookie is anything I can dunk”

Send me your address, Susan! I’ll get your cookies posted to you as soon as possible so you can get dunkin’ 🙂

About Maggy Keet

As a New Yorker, I take full advantage of the ever evolving, always exciting restaurant scene. But most days, my “happy place” is found in my tiny Manhattan kitchen where I cook two meals a day. My perfect night is spent listening to NPR, while drinking a glass of wine, and creating a simple, (most often) vegetarian supper which I enjoy with my husband, Andy. In addition to blogging, writing, and planning events, I work full time as a Development Fundraiser.

179 Comments

  1. michelle says

    Out of those 4 I’d say dark chocolate chocolate chip, but in other worlds I also like ginger mounds.

    Reply

  2. Catherine says

    Peanut butter cookies with M&Ms on top from a Good Housekeeping Christmas cookie recipe issue printed December 1983. They’re not really Christmas-y in any way, but that’s the only time of year I make them.

    Reply

  13. Maryclare says

    It used to be hands down peanut butter cookies but now snickerdoodles are giving them a run for their money.

    Reply

  16. Jacki says

    I’m an equal opportunity cookie girl. I think at the moment oatmeal raisin is tops on my list, but that could change as quickly as the weather.

    Reply

  20. Beth Buchanan says

    Chocolate Chip Walnut is my favorite (being from the South, though, I love Chocolate Chip Pecan)… anything with chocolate and nuts.

    Reply

  25. Holly says

    This wouldn’t be my answer usually but since today I ate more than my share of Girls Scout cookies, I’d have to say Thin Mints! I figure I am supporting a good cause so the calories don’t count! : )

    Reply

  34. amy_c says

    found a really good peanut butter chocolate chip cookie recipe on tasty kitchen that is now my go-to cookie, yum!

    Reply

  38. Louise Shoemaker says

    Chocolate chip–any style, any variety, but when I want the best I spend the extra time and do the NY Times 36-hour recipe! PERFECT.

    Reply

  39. Evil Pixie says

    Without a doubt, it is my mum’s oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (with pecans). Somehow, she manages to keep them moist and no one flavor overwhelms all the others. It’s magic!

    Reply

  41. Naomi says

    Three-way tie: chocolate chip (chewy on the inside, crisp on the outside), sour cherry hamentaschen and a good ol’ cream cheese sugar cookie.

    Reply

  45. Jo says

    Chocolate chip cookie with rice krispies, oatmeal and pecans happens to be my favorite cookie, this week.

    Reply

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