Sugar Sugar

I've had my fair share of fancy desserts — from shortcakes and tortes to Gale Gand's sweets extravaganza at Tru — but to these taste buds, nothing tops the classic sweet and salty chocolate chip cookie. I've been known to bake a batch just to sate a single cookie craving. However, after scratching the sugar itch, I often eat the remaining 23 cookies. In the interest of maintaining my waistline, I've decided to hang up the apron and find Chicago's perfect chocochip fix. Lucky for me, I live in a neighborhood heavily populated by coffee and sweets shops. Here are the results of my highly scientific, statistically accurate survey:

THE CONTENDERS

Alliance Bakery. Chocochip cookies come in "mini" size, but are larger than Chips Ahoy. Crunchy, crumbly, and with small chips, the cookie has the consistency of shortbread. Little too stiff for me, so dunking is a must. They do taste good, but I'll stick to my poppyseed strudel next time. $0.32

Letizia's Natural Bakery. Waaaay undercooked. The edges weren't even close to crisp. Pale, pasty beige color, very chewy, very floppy. The chocolate was decent, with chunks on the top, but I didn't even finish it. THAT says a lot. About two bucks.

Artemio's Bakery. Shortbread cookie with chocolate chips plunked on top, not mixed in to the cookie at all. It was fine. Similar to the Alliance cookie in consistency and feel, but less flavorful. I bought half a dozen pastries and cookies, and my total bill was $1.75, so I'm guessing these are about $0.10.

Corner Bakery. Man, when I first moved to Chicago, I thought Corner Bakery was the bees-effin-knees. Then I ventured off Michigan Avenue. It's still a fine cookie fix, with a nice firm edge to it. Just a little too sweet, if that's possible. $1.29

Red Hen Bread. Surely a bakery that's mastered every flavor of bread could handle a measly cookie, right? Theirs have crunchy edges (though sometimes a little too crunchy), a cakey middle, chunks of dark chocolate and just the right amount of salt to leave you craving another. And the color? A perfect spectrum from bronze to gold. At about the size of a CD, this thing was breakfast. Seriously, I don't know why anyone else bothers. $2.30

August Grocery. This adorable grocery just opened down the street, and I'm taking full advantage while business lasts. In addition to the lovely cheese, fish, and veggie displays, they have a bell jar of sweets to tempt you at the register. I always give in, and it's always amazing. After the first taste, I asked if they bake the cookies in-house... Nope. Red Hen delivery. Of course! But here's the trick: Living in the bell jar softens up the cookie juuuuust enough to make it that much more perfect. And? They're $1.75.

WINNER? Red Hen, by way of August Grocery.



Some people spend $8 a week on cigarettes; I spend it on chocolate chip cookies.