What spot makes the best cookies in Toronto? It's an age-old question people love to debate, and probably one you've weighed in on from time to time. But how can you really know which cookie is the best of the best unless you try them back to back and compare? Answer: You can't. So I did the legwork for you.
Narcity put out a call on social media asking readers to name their favourite spots for the best Toronto cookies. We got loads of responses, but the most common were Craig's Cookies, The Night Baker, Andrea's Cookies, Le Gourmand, Short & Sweet Bakeshop, and Courage Cookies. So I looked up all six bakeries and started placing my orders (tough job, right?).
To keep things consistent across the board, I taste-tested the classic chocolate chip cookie from each bakery and ranked it according to taste, factoring in bonus points for presentation. And yes, I probably gained more than a couple of pounds in the process. Still worth it.
The Night Baker
Price: $19.95 for half a dozen
Sad to say I was not a big fan of these particular cookies from The Night Baker. Their chocolate chunk cookie comes with walnuts and has a cookie dough taste that I just wasn't into. It was thick and a bit dry and wasn't really anything to write home about.
The bakery has other unique flavours like campfire s'mores (which was yummy), mistachio (a mix of matcha and pistachio), blueberry cheesecake, and a bunch of others. So if you're like me, and this one just isn't your jam, there are other more delicious options. But take note that the current menu changes frequently.
The packaging was cute though, and all six cookies came in a flat, orange box with the bakery's design on top.
Address: 825 College St. and 405 Danforth Ave. in Toronto
Delivery: Available on Uber Eats, Doordash, and Skip The Dishes but you have to be within the delivery zone.
Rating: 6/10
Night Baker website
Craig's Cookies
Price: $17 for half a dozen
If you live in Toronto, chances are you've heard of Craig's Cookies. The bakery is a popular go-to with five locations across the GTA, so I wasn't surprised to see how many people thought it made the best cookies in Toronto.
There's no doubt that their classic chocolate chip is tasty. It has a lot of flavour, a nice texture, and isn't too greasy. But it wasn't as chocolatey as some of the other cookies in the lineup and was a bit too salty for my taste (I recommend having a glass of milk nearby).
However, these cookies did earn some bonus points for presentation, thanks to the little pink box they were delivered in. Craig's Cookies also has tons of variety, with unique flavours like cherry blasters, chili chocolate, gingerbread white chocolate, maple bacon, and more. All in all, I would definitely order Craig's Cookies again, but it wouldn't be at the very top of my list.
Address: 1332 Queen St. W. and various locations across Toronto
Delivery: Available on Uber Eats, DoorDash and Skip The Dishes but you have to be within the delivery zone. They also offer Canada-wide shipping through Canada Post.
Rating: 7.5/10
Craigs Cookies website
Courage Cookies
Price: $19.50 for half a dozen
The chocolate chip from Courage Cookies was delish. It was really chocolatey without being too sweet and had a nice doughy texture. Each bite was chewy, and every now and then you get a subtle hint of saltiness that tickles your taste buds. The cookies aren't too big and can be finished in a couple of bites. However, they are a bit greasy, so keep some napkins nearby. Overall, I really enjoyed this one and ranked it pretty high.
Courage Cookies also had loads of other flavours you can order, including the Snickerdoodle (which was light and cinnamony), brown butter banana with nutmeg, oreo inception, and more.
Address: 1561 Dundas St. W.
Delivery: Available on Uber Eats and DoorDash but you have to be within the delivery zone.
Rating: 8/10
Courage Cookies website
Andrea's Cookies
Price: $24.00 for half a dozen
Cookie presentation at Andrea's Cookies is top-notch. You can order six cookies in a cute beige box, and they're pretty Instagrammable if that's your thing.
Their chocolate chip cookies don't have any crunch to them, they're on the chewier side with a doughy texture, are very chocolatey, and a little salty. Overall, they've got a great taste and I'm a fan.
But there's also plenty of variety, with other dessert flavours like birthday cake, honey cornbread, red velvet, Reese's, and strawberry milkshake to choose from. They're definitely a great gift idea for friends or family, and an impressive treat to bring into the office. Would definitely order from Andrea's Cookies again!
Address: 1632 Bloor St. W., Toronto
Delivery: You can't order these cookies on Uber Eats. Instead, you have to go through the website, which was really easy. Plus, their delivery zone is much larger than all the rest. So if you live in Oakville, Etobicoke, Scarborough, North York, the 905, or some of the other surrounding municipalities you can still get these yummy cookies delivered to your door (for a fee of $13 - $21).
Rating: 8.5/10
Andrea's Cookies website
Le Gourmand
Price: $23.70 for half a dozen
Le Gourmand has a reputation for baking the best cookies in the city, so this wasn't a surprise. The little spot on Spadina Avenue has even earned some celebrity clientele. In an interview with Narcity, the stars behind the hit drama Sex/Life on Netflix raved about Le Gourmand's chocolate chip cookies, so I was eager to give them a try.
To my surprise, the cookies were huge, twice the size of all the others from Craig's, Night Baker, and Courage. One cookie felt more like a meal than a snack but it was also incredibly mouthwatering. The classic chocolate chip was chocolatey, but not too sweet, slightly chewy, and had a really appetizing cookie flavour. They may not be as photographable if that's important to you, but they hit the spot. I'll definitely be ordering from Le Gourmand again.
You can also order other options like white chocolate macadamia, peanut butter, oatmeal raisin, and salted butter and caramel.
Address: 152 Spadina Ave. and various locations across Toronto
Delivery: Available on Uber Eats, DoorDash, Ritual, and Cornershop but you have to be within the delivery zone.
Rating: 9/10
Le Gourmand website
Short & Sweet Bakeshop
Price: $25.50 for half a dozen
Short & Sweet Bakeshop was a delicious surprise. Their twice-baked chocolate chip cookies are crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and golden brown all over. So it's got the best of both worlds, if you like a bit of crunch with a gooey centre. They may not look chocolatey at first glance, but appearances can be deceiving — they're actually loaded with chocolate chips. These huge cookies are just as big as the ones from Le Gourmand and they're entirely nut-free. In my opinion, these are the best cookies in Toronto, hands down.
You can also order their magic cookies (with chocolate chips, pretzels, marshmallows, and potato chips mixed together), or their cinnamon toast crunch white chocolate cookies. Yum!
Address: 1945 Avenue Rd. in Toronto
Delivery: Available on Uber Eats but you have to be within the delivery zone. Short & Sweet Bakeshop does deliver to various area codes across the GTA for a minimum order of $30 to $55 depending on your location.
Rating: 10/10
Short & Sweet Bakeshop website
