Chocolate chip cookies—How can you go wrong? The truth is, you can't, but there's certainly a way to go right. I know my cookie preference switches regularly, so I've included only the best gooey, chewy, crunchy, and decadent cookies around Manhattan.
Chip NYC
What is a "Best Cookies in Manhattan List" without mentioning the perfectly baked and exceptionally delicious cookies from Chip NYC? These cookies are good enough to force me off of the couch on a Saturday afternoon and make the trek 3 miles downtown. I know you're here for the best chocolate chip cookie, but their other innovative flavors, like s'mores or cookies and cream, are also definitely worth trying. All of their cookies are gooey on the inside and slightly crispy on the outside—the perfect blend between cookie dough and a cookie.
Levain Bakery
These cookies are similar to Chip NYC because of their almost raw, doughy center, but the exterior is a bit softer and more crumbly. Each of these cookies weighs almost a pound, so bring a friend or come ready to eat for yourself. Fluffy loaves of bread, pastries, sandwiches, and flatbreads are also available—You really can't go wrong with anything Levain offers.
WOOPS! Bakery
Although they are better known for their macarons, Woops' chocolate chip cookies are one of Manhattan's hidden gems. Starting as a pop-up shop in Bryant Park, they have expanded quickly into dozens of stores and kiosks across the U.S., with 10 in NYC alone. These cookies are a bit denser, but still have gooey chocolate chunks that melt in your mouth when they are warmed.
Le Pain Quotidien
Le Pain is a popular casual sit down restaurant and grab-and-go café. Every time I walk by one of their numerous locations, I'm tempted to take a stop inside to pick up one of their many treats—more specifically, one of their giant chocolate chip cookies. These things are huge, but also thin and light enough to eat in one sitting. Their cookies are crispy, buttery, and filled with chocolate chunks, making them a big crowd pleaser. Be sure to stop by early because these mouthwatering cookies often sell out by lunch.
Insomnia Cookies
Famously known for their 3 am closing time, these cookies are available at almost any hour, and for good reason. In fact, I don't know of anyone who wouldn't want these cookies at 3 am. Added bonus: They have stores all across Manhattan. With a diverse range of flavors, Insomnia has something for everyone. Their cookies are on the thinner side and have a more classic cookie texture. When heated, they become gooey, but still maintain their shape. Their chocolate chip cookies taste like your mother's homemade cookies and are filled with a unique mix of crunchy chocolate chunks and regular milk chocolate.
Momofuku Milk Bar
Although the Compost Cookie from Milk Bar is not quite a chocolate chip cookie, it deserves some recognition. There are chocolate chips in it, but there are also pretzels, butterscotch chips, marshmallow, and salty potato chips. It may sound a little crazy, but this combo is ridiculously good. With a perfect chewy consistency accompanied by the satisfying crunch of chips and pretzels throughout, this cookie is unexpected, delicious, and worth trying to broaden your cookie horizons.
Jacques Torres
Deliciously chewy, packed with rich dark chocolate, and just the right size (meaning bigger than my face), this cookie from Jacques Torres checks all of the boxes. Though this may seem like a classic chocolate chip cookie, the homemade chocolate in every bite sets Jaques' cookie apart from the rest.
Now that you know the top seven best chocolate chip cookies in Manhattan, I urge you to try all of them. Each one of these cookies offers something different and are worth putting on your food bucket list. The bakeries are located all across Manhattan, so in addition to all of the cookies you will be tasting, you get to see a different part of the city with each stop!