NYC's Best Black & White Cookies

The beauty of a black & white cookie is that you don’t have to take sides.  It’s genius, really.  After countless calories of due diligence, we’ve rounded up our top picks…

William Greenberg Desserts
1100 Madison Ave., btwn. 82nd & 83rd Sts.
(212)861-1340
$3.50 may seem a little steep for a cookie, but Greenberg’s Black & White is worth every penny.  Perhaps, it’s the silky vanilla or chocolate fondant.  Then again, it could be the cake-like cookie.  It’s the best black & white in the city.  End of story.

Mother’s Bakery
548 W. 235th St., Bronx, NY at Johnson Ave.
(718)796-5676
If you’re not a neighborhood local, you may have a hard time finding this off-the-beaten path shop in the Bronx.  But the journey here is uncontestably worth it.  What sets this cookie apart is the unusual lemon flavor of the cake component, which adds a unique zest to the chocolate
and vanilla fondant.

Kaff’s Kosher Bake Shop
73 Lee Avenue, Brooklyn, NY
(718)387-4736
Kaff’s
has mastered the Jewish staples – challah, rugelach, babka, and
mandelbrot.  And their Black & White would make anyone’s Bubby
proud. Located in Williamsburg, this classic shop bakes their cookies twice daily, so they’re perpetually available warm from the oven.

Glaser’s Bake Shop
1670 1st Ave., at 87th St.
(212)289-2562
This shop hasn’t changed much since it opened in 1902.   Still, the same tile floor, dim lighting, and the cookies are still served fresh off the rack at just the perfect temperature.  The unusually rich chocolate frosting plays the perfect complement to the creamy vanilla fondant.

Pick-a-Bagel
297 Third Ave., at 23rd St. (& various other locations)
(212)686-1414
Don’t
let the name fool you.  Pick-a-Bagel makes one of the best Black &
Whites in New York.  Less a cookie, more a cupcake, it’s blanketed in a traditional chocolate and vanilla frosting.  Good news for those of you who prefer one side over the other – you can
order an all “white” or all “black” cookie.
 
V & V Bakery
61-19 Roosevelt Avenue, Woodside, NY
(718)476-1669
The tiny gem is packed with an endless array of Italian cookies and
in-the-know locals wise to the fact that they’re sold by the pound. 
But we’re hooked on their Black
& Whites.  The thick icing and spongy cake are downright
delicious.

Junior’s
386 Flatbush Ave., Brooklyn, NY at Dekalb Ave.
(718)852-5257
$2.25
Ahh…Junior’s.  For three generations, Junior’s
has been turning out famous cheesecakes…and more importantly, stellar Black &White cookies.  The cake part is consistently
moist, the frosting addictive.  The original Junior’s is
based in Brooklyn, but the Grand Central outpost gives Metro-North
commuters a chance to indulge.   

Crumbs
321 Amsterdam Ave., at 75th St. (& various other locations)
(212)794-9800
Better known for their decadent cupcakes, they also make deliciously oversized cookies.  Their Black & White is no exception.  The sponge-like cake is covered with a slightly crusty icing that melts in your mouth.   And for those looking for just a nibble, Crumbs also sells a miniature version of this classic.

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