Everybody Likes (Cookie) Sandwiches: Exploration of a Sweet Trend

(Cakespy Note: the title is a shout-out to a favorite food site, Everybody Likes Sandwiches!)

On our recent trip to NYC, one bakery trend in particular stood out for us: the cookie sandwich is showing up in a big way in bakeries. Now, it's not as if this confection is new, or as if it has ever really been out of style (as proven by America's bestselling cookie for years, the Oreo). Certainly we've seen these cookies before; however, never with the proliferation that we witnessed on this visit. What makes this particular cookie sandwich of interest is that while it shares traits with alfajores, macarons, whoopie pies, and of course Oreo cookies, they are not quite the same as any of these cookies. What we saw was generally two generous rounds (3 inches or so across) of a fairly substantial nature, with a generous dollop of filling nestled between.

Here were some of the ones we came across:

At Bourbon Street Southern Gourmet Pantry, for instance, they had the "homemade oreo"--a sandwich cookie made of chocolate wafers filled with a rich vanilla cream. It's a strange feeling to eat a freshly baked version of something that is normally store-bought; it's hard to say if it tastes better or worse--because once it has a title like that, you've got a taste association and expectation in mind. All that philosophizing aside though, we finished it and were smiling when it was gone, which may be the most telling review we can offer.

At Grandaisy Bakery, a few different varieties were available of what they called "panini dolce" (rough translation: sweetwich!)--Nutella, lemon ginger, and chocolate cream cheese. We chose the shortbread cookie sandwich filled with Nutella and dusted with powdered sugar. This cookie sandwich was simply superlative--the buttery cookies mixed with Nutella was such a gorgeous symphony of sweet, slightly salty and richly chocolatey that the only sad part about this cookie was the moment we realized there was none left.

At Magnolia Bakery, they make a "whoopie sandwich cookie" which, like its name implies, leans more toward the cookie end of the spectrum (as opposed to the more pillowy, cakey cookie bits usually used for whoopie pies). Theirs consists of two brown sugar cookies with a dollop of maple cream cheese icing in between. (Photo left courtesy NY Daily News).

At Baked, they boast a coffee and chocolate variety, as well as vanilla and chocolate varieties. (Cakespy note: Though it's different than the cookies we're talking about here, it's worth noting that they do also have award-winning pumpkin whoopie pies on offer as well!). The cookie sandwiches are also available at Royale in Manhattan, though some varieties did not warrant Serious Eats' seal of approval.

And the Treats Truck of course boasts cookie sandwich varieties such as Caramel Creme, Peanut Butter, and Cinnamon. We didn't get to try these, but as a commenter said on Midtown Lunch, "The peanut butter cookie sandwich with peanut butter is quite possibly the greatest thing ever created. I suggest everyone buy anywhere from 1 to 39 of these cookies." Sounds like an ace review to us!

So what gives with the sandwich cookie? Was it a matter of one bakery's success inspiring others? Is it the result of a longing for nostalgic treats paired with a demand for better ingredients and quality?

While we can't answer these questions, we can quote Wayne Brachman from his book "American Desserts: The Best Sweets on Earth"--"sandwich cookies are a marvelous thing. Case in point: The Oreo chocolate sandwich is the most popular cookie in the world and has held that status for nearly a century". Wayne had it right from the start--if sandwich cookies want to make their presence known in bakeries far and wide, we say bring it on.

Comments

[kickpleat]

haha, thanks for the shout out! i couldn't agree more....that oreo? oh my! looks amazing.

[Reeni]

I'd like one or 39 of each one, please!! They all look so yummy!

[Stacey]

ok that does it. i'm making whoopie (pies) tonight.

[Tartelette]

Oreo sure exported well, I have to ship a few boxes a year to my brother back home! They all look great!

[T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types]

Wow - these photos are a thing of beauty. The sandwich cookie is deeply imbedded in the childhood psyche - just the words Hydrox or Oreos gets me fantasizing about sweet layers!

[Vanessa Contessa]

Yum Yum Yum! I have serious romance with sandwich cookies. My favorites are a kind I make every Christmas with a two chocolate cookies and a dark chocolate mint creamy center. Everyone loves them and begs for them starting around Halloween.

I swear, every New York bakery highlight you do makes me wish I still lived on the East Coast.

[Sherry]

I can do without Oreos and Fudgeos and those kind of sandwich cookies...but give me a baked from scratch sandwich cookie and I am in heaven!!

[Diana Evans]

Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmm ...everyone loves sandwich cookies cause they have the yummy insides....

[Cakespy]

Kickpleat: No problem! Thank you for always making us smile and want to eat the stuff you make!

Reeni: You echo our thoughts exactly!

Stacey: Whoooooopie! No follow up questions!

Tartelette: Oh yea! There is something to be said for the cookie that put the sandwich cookie on the map!

TW: They taste even better :-) Which do you like better-- Hydrox or oreos?

Vanessa: DAMN that sounds good! We'd love the recipe! Where did you live on the east coast?

Sherry: Oh, yes, they are heaven!

Diana: Exactly! Yum!

[Vicki]

Ooh! Vanessa reminded me of cookies my mom used to make, chocolate cookies with some kind of crushed candy cane cream in the middle. Oh, to be a kid again!

[Chantelle]

We don't have those in Australia, as far as I know.

They look deliciously naughty. Yum. x

[The Caked Crusader]

I've always had a fondness for biscuit (sorry, can never bring myself to type "cookie") sandwiches - if only because you get to eat 2 biscuits at once thus doubling consumption.

[Clumbsy Cookie]

And everybody loves cakespy and it's reviews! I like cookie sandwishes cause we can eat 2 cookies and only look like we're eating 1!

[~~louise~~]

Hey Jesse,
Oh how I wish I would have known you were in NYC...

Someday, I'm going to compare New York whoopie pies to PA whoopie pies because I tell ya, I've had some really good Amish sandwich "cookies" in PA.

[The Courteous Chihuahua]

Not only do I now want Whoopie Pie and "whoopie", I've got the song Makin' Whoopie stuck in my head!

[Bitterbetty]

CAn one blog singlehandedly ruin a diet? heheh.

I am definitely baking today!

[Passionate About Baking]

I've heard so much about whoopie pie...what a tempting post! Droooooooooool!

[RecipeGirl]

Great. Let's eat TWO cookies now sandwiched in between more decadence. That's a diet ruiner for sure!!

[Deborah]

I love sandwich cookies!! But next time you should try the Thomas Keller Oreo (TKO) at Bouchon. It was my favorite cookie there!

[Surcie]

I want a sandwich cookie so bad right now, I'd be happy with a regular ol' Nutter Butter!

[Erin]

Is the sandwich cookie the new cupcake?!!

[Bethany]

yum and this is why i can't read your blog because now i want to go to the store to get a sandwich cookie!

[Grace]

i'm notorious for eating the middle of sandwich cookies and leaving the actual cookie part for someone else. :)

[sara]

these look delicious - i used to make cookie sanwiches with my cousins at my nans' house when i was little!

[the southern hostess]

Biting into a cookie sandwich sounds heavenly to me.