Rhode Island’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
Thursday, January 05, 2012
Ahh...the ever-elusive, perfect chocolate chip cookie. We're met this rare species before...when conditions are right, in fact, we've been able to create them ourselves with a Toll House cookie recipe. But the perfect specimen--soft in the middle, crispier as you move towards the outside, with a perfect chip-to-dough ratio, depends on the quality and age of your ingredients, even the level of humidity in the air. So when we have the craving, we hit up one of these places for a fantastic example. New Year’s resolutions be damned.
Seven Stars, Providence and East Providence
Generally speaking, we haven't had much at this popular bakery/coffee cafe that we don't like. From the croissants to the ginger scones to the breads, of course, this top-notch artisan bakery does everything darn-near perfectly. Here is the artisan chocolate chip cookie for the serious cookie connoisseur whose sweet tooth doesn't dominate his choices. Big, heavy, and baked until dark brown in color, this cookie is crispy at the edges, moist in the middle, and packed with semisweet chocolate chunks. The dough isn't overly sweet and the predominate flavor is the chocolate. These cookies have something of a cult following among foodies and chefs around town, who appreciate the quality ingredients and expert, consistent preparation that results in one darn good cookie time after time. 820 Hope St, or 342 Broadway in Providence, 20 Newman Ave, East Providence, 521.2200. www.sevenstarsbakery.com
Zaccagnini’s, Cranston
Here is the classic, old-school bakery chocolate chip cookie, done to perfection. Sweet dough heavy on the vanilla, less brown sugar, and a lower ratio of chips results in a lighter cookie that is softer throughout, but still crisp enough around the edges. We crave these cookies and will make the trek when that craving calls as we haven't found other old fashioned bakery cookies that comes close to this Oaklawn Avenue institution. Tip: we also pick up some of their pizza rounds while we're there--their take on pizza strips (which they also have, but the rounds have a nice chewy crust). You can leave with half a dozen of those and some cookies for about $10. 701 Oaklawn Ave, 943-4567.
Meeting Street Café, Providence
This cookie is what legends are made of. A good seven or eight inches across and heavy, it is thick and crispy. One bite and you detect something unusual--we believe it is the addition of cinnamon, though they won't disclose their secret recipe. It could also be dark brown sugar or molasses, as this cookie is gorgeously dark and rich. No matter, really. Whatever the secret ingredient, the result is a delicious cookie with a perfect texture and that something special, besides its size, that sets it apart from all the rest. Be warned: it will cost you $4.95, but it is sooooo worth it. 220 Meeting St, 273-1066, www.meetingstreetcafe.com
Bakery Boutique, Smithfield
We were fans of Ryan and Deana Cimorelli long before Ryan became a contestant on this season's "The Next Great Baker"on TLC. His winning a spot on the show is well-deserved for this couple, who have worked tirelessly to establish themselves as the go-to bakery for special occasion cakes, cupcakes and other baked goodies. While we're fans of everything this young couple does, we admit to never leaving their shop without a couple of their decadent chocolate chip cookies. Big and heavy, crisp and packed with chunks of chocolate, these satisfy the craving every time. Give them a call if you want more than a couple of these treats as they don't keep a huge inventory of them in stock (baked fresh daily!). Tell 'em we sent you! 55 Douglas Pike Smithfield, 231-2253. www.thebakeryboutiqueri.com
Lasalle Bakery, Providence
As one of the top bakeries in the state, Lasalle Bakery is the kind of place where you are pretty much guaranteed success when picking out anything from bread to pastry to cookies. Their tiramisu is a particular favorite of ours as it weighs in at about 40 pounds and is always a show-stopped when we bring it to parties. The chocolate chip cookies here are crave-worthy and somewhere between and old-fashioned bakery cookie (very sweet) and an artisan cookie (much less sweet, relatively speaking). They are sweet but not overly so, four or five inches in diameter, uniformly crispy, and thick. The chip ratio is right on target, and the dough is sweet, but not overly so. 993 Smith St, 831-9563; 685 Admiral St, 228-0081. www.lasallebakery.net
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Photo, top: smittenkitchen
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