7x7 sent out a simple tweet on Tuesday about cookies and things got heated up pretty quickly. The baked-fresh-daily Specialty's cookie quickly rose to the top as a crowd favorite. Not surprising, since the California chain has six bakeries in the Financial District and a Cookie Radar—making their warm blood-sugar boosters an easy work-day grab for a lot of people. But we've found other perfectly crispy, crumbly, gooey delights in the unlikeliest of places too. After sniffing out an array of hot contenders, multiple taste-offs and some extra time on the tread mill, here's a baker's dozen of San Francisco cookies worth going the extra mile for.
1) Chocolate coconut from Bun Mee
No, this restaurant isn't only about banh mi sandwiches. They also make a little delicate sandwich cookie out of chocolate and filled with the perfect dose of sweet coconut cream. For coconut lovers like Sara, resistence is futile.
2) Peanut brittle from Mr & Mrs. Miscellaneous
This little Dogpatch shop's handmade peanut brittle is to-die-for on its own. Swirled into fresh cookie dough, it's deadly enough that it made this year's Best Of list.
3) Chocolate fleur de sel from Knead Patisserie
Tucked in the back of Local Mission Eatery, this bakery feels like a secret. Here baker Shauna Des Voignes nestles thick crystals of fleur de sel into these deep dark chocolately cookies, our favorite bite in the shop.
4) Oatmeal raisin from Delessio
Take in all the mini cupcakes and beautiful cakes for a visual feast, then dive straight into the relatively humble-looking oatmeal raisin cookie. It's buttery, slightly gooey and cinnamon-laced, as seductive as it gets and anything but pedestrian.
5) Chocolate chip from Tartine Bakery
With a fairy tale crispiness and a light texture, these are not your mother's chocolate chip cookies.
6) Chocolate-mint from Batter Bakery
The owner is a former accountant who quit her day job to open this kiosk in the Bank of America plaza. Her chocolate mint cookie is soft, rich and chewy, refined with a light lace of cool mint.
7) Circus from Goody Goodie
Owner Remi Hayashi thought it was a good idea to put caramel corn and chocolate chips in his circus cookie. We think "good" is an understatement.
8) Caramel praline from Hooker's Sweet Treats
Hooker's gets the sweet-salty balance down in most of its sweets, but this handmade caramel-ridden cookie also balances crunchy and soft. One of the cafe's freshly pulled Sightglass espresso drinks is the perfect compliment.
9) Cookies and cream from Anthony's
Anthony Lucas' Mission shop switches up the cookie roster daily. But his regulars won't let him take away the cookies-and-cream flavor, specked with semi-pulverized Oreo chunks and perfect with a cold glass of Straus milk.
10) Gingersnap from Miette
A long-running Big Eat selection, this ginger cookie may look thin and unassuming, but it packs in three types of ginger for a spicy, deep punch that's unmatched by any other. Get to the Ferry Building now and buy yourself some.
11) White chocolate macadamia nut from Bumzy's
A mother and daughter team run this Fillmore street shop, baking cookies by-the-sheet according to a generations-old family recipe. The subtle crunch and extra-sweet kick to their white chocolate macadamia nut is divine. And the recipe is top secret.
12) Chocolate chip walnut from Mission Beach Cafe
At this popular Mission District brunch destination, pastry chef Alan Carter bakes this classic American treat to the perfect level of crispness, so it's still a little soft and chewy inside.
A baker's dozen is technically 13. Which one should we add? Tell us in the comments section.
