Orwashers is an institution in upper Manhattan. The bakery was opened on the Upper East Side back in 1916 by a Hungarian family. That was just a few years after Glaser’s opened in the same neighborhood and the black and white cookie was supposedly invented.
So while Orwashers has changed ownership and probably wasn’t selling this baked good from the beginning, they are definitely the kind of place you want to visit to try a real taste of sweet New York.
I actually have never been to the original location, but have visited the one across the park on the Upper West side on a number of occasions.
I’ve always enjoyed their loaves, but never actually thought to indulge in their black and white cookie. That is until now.
They offer the cookies in large and mini sizes, not to mention packaged ones with a range of unnatural colors.
Since we will be having a few of these cookies in the coming months and I am not getting any skinnier, I thought the mini versions would be enough of a test. They cost a cool $2.75 each, which is actually a bit pricey for two or three bites. But, hey, this is the Upper East Side!
At home, we dug in and found the soft cakey dough very nice and moist. The bottom could have had a touch more brown firmness, but that is generally not the way with these drop cookies and so that is ok.
The white frosting did not have any citrus flavor and tasted of true vanilla. The chocolate was a bit fudgy and not too sweet.
This is truly the epitome of a black and white cookie and hits all the marks. In many ways, this might just be the ultimate example. The one that Seinfeld alluded to. Leave it to an old school New York institution to bring us all together. From one side of Central Park to another.
Does Orwashers Bakery have the best black and white cookie in NY? It’s the most classic one I’ve tried yet and is worth seeking out if you want to try the real deal in the ultimate black and white cookie neighborhood. 8.5 out of 10.
