Believe it or not, it’s really hard to find cookies in this city that truly taste homemade with gooey goodness and not mass produced. One thing about New Yorkers is that everyone has a trick of the trade in addition to their day job whether you try to deny it or not. Your co-workers have a start up on the side or a hidden music blog you never knew existed. I just found out that my good friend who is a professional photographer for the New York Post and also an ultra marathon runner has a down low wholesale cookie business that needs to be heard, applauded and consumed immediately. Available at Simon Sips, Little Fox Cafe and Otha’s, these palm sized medallions come in flavors such as: Coco Loco, Espresso, Red Velvet, PB & J and Vegan Banana Flaxseed Cinnamon. They are doughy and gooey enough on the inside that you might question if they need to be cooked more. Ignore those thoughts because once they hit your tongue and break miraculously in your mouth you’ll moan “mmm” without control. The Coco Loco is comprised of a chocolate chip based cookie with added coconut flakes. It’s unstoppable. I know it might sound crazy, but my favorite was the Vegan Banana Flaxseed Cinnamon delight. The paleo fanatics consistently use banana in baked goods and all it does is add moistness and addicting qualities. This cookie is similar to a Snickerdoodle but the banana flavor really heightens your palate for the better here. These afternoon snacks can damage your appetite in some ways or replace your dinner at times. They don’t have that sickening feeling like you might get after eating too many Levain Bakery cookies and because they are small you feel that you can eat a few and be fine (maybe that’s just me?). Zandy also uses half the sugar in an effort to be more health conscious which gives them a more savory taste, but you would never notice.
The moral of the story here, is that coffee shops and corner stores really do support our local bakers who might develop recipes as just a fun hobby and when you find a hidden gem like this, you will be a customer for life. Forget coffee, go for Zandy’s Cookies. The sell for retail at around $2.75. Just try and beat that cookie monsters!
Coco Loco