If there’s one cookie that gets New York’s heart racing, it’s the chocolate chip. You could say that about a lot of places, but the sheer number of iterations here, the cult followings they attract, and the outrageous quantities sold daily, well, it takes the cookie.
There’s also the taste – Gotham’s are the best (and I consider myself an authority on this as I’ve consumed a fair few in my lifetime). Highlights include Maman’s, loaded with three nuts, Almondine Bakery’s discs with milk and dark chocolate, and Levain Bakery’s – perhaps the city’s most loved version – in all its insane tennis-ball-size, gooey-interior glory.
I don’t want to call favourites, and I’m not, but this recipe takes inspiration from Levain’s unique approach to size, weighing in at over 120 g, making it a meal-slash-cookie. Instead of creaming, I’ve browned the butter, giving a wonderfully nutty edge. Make sure you eat them 10–15 minutes after they come out of the oven, when they’re just set and perfect.