PrintSugar Rush: Rainbow Cookies from The Bakery on Long Island
Rainbow cookies are the stuff of dreams. Mediocre or just plain terrible ones can be found in nearly every supermarket and deli on the corner, but good ones? Few and far in between. From my native Long Island, The Bakery (or Da Bakery as I like to call it), has been my lifelong source of rainbow cookies full of sunshine and sweet marzipan flavor. The three layers are beautifully moist and capped off at either end with a crisp, thin, chocolate coat unmarred by those chocolate sprinkles you see everywhere else. Now that I've revealed my Long Island secret, you can return the favor. Does anyone know where to find the best rainbow cookies in Manhattan?
The Bakery
1014 Willis Avenue Albertson, NY 11507 (in the Waldbaum's plaza; map)
516-625-0133
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31 Comments:
I won't say that they are the best but they are very good at Michael's bakery in Brooklyn.
http://michaelsofbrooklyn.com/ (the bakery is across the street)
There quaresimali and pignoli cookies are even better.
bobbob at 4:10PM on 06/23/09
I tried the rainbow cookies at 40 bakeries in south Brooklyn over the course of many recent months to find the best in that region, but unfortunately I can shed no light on your Manhattan question. Thanks, bobbob, for the Michael's recommendation -- I didn't know it was out there when I did my "research," but I am going to get on it ASAP.
coles at 4:34PM on 06/23/09
@coles what were the results of your extensive quest?
bobbob at 4:43PM on 06/23/09
Rainbow cookies have been my favorite single food item since i was 2. I have searched long and hard to find revelatory rainbow cookies in Manhattan and Brooklyn, however all efforts have been a waste.
The only place I even bother anymore is at Bagel Boys in Suffern, NY, the place that first fostered this love over 20 years ago. When I do return (now living in Brooklyn), I have on multiple occasions put away 1lb boxes of them before dinner, and then bring another 3-5lbs back to brooklyn. My parents have mailed me tins of them, and even a "stale" 1/2 pound after 3-5 days is better than anything I can find around here. I get that Suffern, NY is not on most (any) peoples radar regarding food, and it shouldn't be, but these are just too good for me not to mention as a serious serious eater and rainbow cookie lover.
Wolverines at 7:22PM on 06/23/09
In my kitchen!
http://allrecipes.com/Cook/Photo.aspx?photoID=65173
They are time consuming to make but pretty easy. It is so worth it! You get to pour some Amaretto on top to make them extra delicious, and you will never bite into a pretty yet waxy cookie again.
And funny my family swears on the bagels at Bagel Train in Suffern, so yeah I know some other foodies who have found something yummy in Suffern.
cesnyc at 8:14PM on 06/23/09
I love the ones at Villabate in Brooklyn but then again I love everything from Villabate. Looks like I'll be traveling to Albertson and Suffern because I can't resist a good Rainbow cookie. Thanks guys.
lexa99 at 8:35PM on 06/23/09
@bobbob St. Anthony's Bakery on Fort Hamilton in Dyker Heights was the winner. Also had to give honorable mention to Cuccio's on Avenue X -- not top-tier in terms of taste, but how can one not appreciate seven full cake layers? (Pink, green, two white, brown, yellow and red ... plus the chocolate coating and raspberry jam. Kind of amazing. One cookie was bigger than my cell phone!)
coles at 9:38PM on 06/23/09
Grace - I used to get rainbow cookies from that bakery ALL THE TIME in high school! I wonder if we went to the same one.
Anyhow, while they are excellent, the best ones are from a bakery on Hillside Avenue in New Hyde Park. My mom and I, neither of whom really have a sweet tooth, have been known to, on numerous occasions, to buy a box to take to someone's house, only to accidentally eat all of them on the way over...ooooops.
charm city cupcake at 9:48PM on 06/23/09
In high school, I was addicted to the rainbow cookies at Michelle's Bakery in Fort Lee NJ. I've never had better since, tho' I've had plenty worse. Most of them have chocolate that tastes like chalk and sawdust.
klg19 at 10:18PM on 06/23/09
Elegante Pastry Shop on 165 Avenue U has awesome rainbow cookies- they sell them in triangle slices too like cakes and also as whole cakes.
They also have awesome lil pastries - love the cheesecake one as well!
Cupcake601 at 11:03PM on 06/23/09
Forgot to mention- it is in Brooklyn!
Cupcake601 at 11:13PM on 06/23/09
@charm city cupcakes - O M GGGG what high school did you go to? I went to Wheatley! And I'll have to try that bakery on Hillside sometime...do you remember the name?
Grace Kang at 11:29PM on 06/23/09
In my kitchen -- I make my grandmother's recipe every christmas. They've been my favorite since I could eat them, and no store-bought cookies can compare.
tonisan9 at 9:25AM on 06/24/09
I like the rainbow cookies at Bruce's, but they are really noticeably better in the Great Neck location. I find them to be the best, but I think this whole process is even more subjective than most.
FoodBoy at 1:32PM on 06/24/09
Last saturday I tasted delicious rainbow cookies from The Cookie Jar on
Staten Island. The best I have ever tasted.
educateyourself at 1:37PM on 06/24/09
FYI - it's "on Long Island", not "in Long Island." Carry on.
simon at 4:01PM on 06/24/09
Veneiro's on East 11th St. in Manhattan.
Grace - thanks so much for the topic - I was actually going to ask the same question AND cesnyc, thank you for your recipe - I was going to ask that, too.
I had a friend visit from Texas who had never had them before and fell madly in love with them. She begged me to find her a recipe. A relative makes them every Christmas and they are just plain awful - Maybe I can now say that I'll make them this year!
bassetgal at 1:35AM on 06/25/09
Da Bakery is da best!
Please, please do a round-up and review of rainbow cookies on Manhattan, if only so we can see all the pretty colors. Rainbow cookies (I mean, the name itself is so happy sounding) can be so very good but also so very bad and I'd like to avoid the crappy ones.
leeber at 9:48AM on 06/25/09
I had some from Barney Greengrass once that were not pretty looking, but were actually pretty good tasting (not the best I've had though). Don't know where Greengrass gets them.
bgruber at 11:15AM on 06/25/09
Have to disagree with everyone! The best rainbow cookies in the world and also most of their baked goods were found at Katz's Bakery in Liberty,New York in the Catskill Mountains. No longer open but sadly missed! bakers dozen
bakers dozen at 10:37AM on 06/26/09
Anna's Desserts!!! Straight out of Brooklyn, homemade...unreal!
http://annasdesserts.blogspot.com/
lizzyred8 at 12:51PM on 06/26/09
While I usually shun the typical "Little Italy" establishments that I feel are geared towards tourists looking for vestiges of a long gone Little Italy. After a quick trip to the newly and beautifully expanded DiPaolo's in Little Italy, I stepped into Ferrara's Italian bakery. I sampled the rainbow cookies and I have to say they were delicious! They had just the right amount of marzipan and the 3 delicate layers were full of yummy but not-too-sweet goodness. No wonder "America's Oldest Pasticceria" has been around for 115 years. Try it Grace, I'd be curious to know if it lives up to Da Bakery.
bettyconfetti at 10:14AM on 07/01/09
Petak's used to carry the most delicious rainbow cookies - perfectly moist cake layers with a strip of marzipan on each end. I was sad when they closed that I did not know where were from. I was thrilled to come across these same cookies a few weeks later @ Crumbs. Definitely the best I've had in this genre.
shortstop at 10:32AM on 07/01/09
@klg19 - i tried michelle's bake shop in fort lee last weekend and was really disappointed, the cake was dry and super stale and the chocolate part was not very smooth in texture :(
Grace Kang at 11:17AM on 07/01/09
i make mine - yum!!
Gizmosma at 3:14PM on 07/01/09
oops here' the recipe i use.
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/recipefinder/venetian-cookies-2067
Gizmosma at 3:15PM on 07/01/09
the best rainbow cookies I've had in Manhattan are hands down from La Bella Ferrara on Mulberry St btwn Canal & Hester. It's right across the street from Sambuca's Cafe. very moist, no chocolate sprinkles, and plenty of raspberry jam :)
sandypms at 4:14PM on 07/09/09
I love the rainbow cake at Pinisi Bakery in the East Village, 4th Street between 1st and 2nd Ave. The subtle almond flavoring, the gentle sweet spike of raspberry jam and moist cake - it's a far cry to those found in every generic bakery, deli and grocery. It comes in cupcake form, as well as (my preference) rectangular block form (and covered in a chocolate ganache shell). In fact, I'm just finishing one up now as I write this! The only problem is that it is so time-intensive to make the the almond paste that every pastry and cake is rotated weekly/daily and appears at the whim of the baker!
iconicingenue at 11:42AM on 07/11/09
orwasher's on the ues have some pretty yummy ones
sustarz at 3:24PM on 07/11/09
Thanks for a great article!
I thought I'd share this precious secret with you guys, if you ever want to have some of these sweet sweet Italian Rainbow Cookies but happen to be away from Long Island / Brooklyn then these are the best ones you can get (quality, taste & price wise alike!): Cookie Outlet - Italian Cookies
coldfusion at 2:16AM on 07/24/09
Thanks for the tip Grace! I work in Garden City so I stopped by The Bakery today for some rainbow cookies. Definitely the best I have ever had!
killatofu at 8:53PM on 07/24/09