November 7, 2009 7:22 pm

One Girl Cookies: Too Cute for Comfort

On a recent, especially fallish Sunday, I met up with a friend at Cobble Hill's One Girl Cookies. As its name suggests, One Girl is making a valiant attempt to reclaim the baked goods mantle from the leagues of cupcake mavens who have dominated New York's sweet tooth for far too long. I've never quite understood the city's childlike affection for cupcakes—don't get me started about the line outside Magnolia—and I'm glad at least one bakery hasn't folded to the trend. With its polished, Tiffany-blue interior, One Girl feels as poised and preened as a socialite. It's about as easy to relax with: the stylish setup highlights the products at the expense of a cozy, comfortable space. A separate room from the entrance and display case contains a small seating area that feels a bit like a garret. A few wire stools around the bar provide an additional, if cramped, place to sit.

The cookies themselves are neatly presented, placed in rows on handsome silver trays. Unlike the sand dollar-sized saucers your grandmother made you, most of One Girl's cookies are not much bigger than buttons. They are perfect for samplers like myself who like to try a little of everything. And sample I did. There was the Sadie, an delicate orange butter cookie covered with coconut; the Susanna, an oat cookie dosed with crystallized ginger; the Lucia, a somewhat dry shortbread bar topped with caramel and chocolate; the Juliette, a bite-sized hazelnut cookie sandwich filled with chocolate cinnamon ganache; and the Penelope, which had apricot jam between two perfectly round sugar cookies.

At fifty-five cents each, five of these tiny treats set me back $2.75. A more satisfying option was the pumpkin whoopee pie my friend selected—two disks of spice-filled pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting pressed between them. The shop also sells gelato, coffee drinks, and yes, cupcakes too.

Although One Girl's goal to revive the noble cookie is admirable, the goods can't touch my gold standard for flavor and creative flair, Momofuku Milk Bar in Manhattan, and even for this part of Brooklyn, their offerings are somewhat overpriced. However, One Girl Cookie's keen eye for chic presentation sets them apart from their Cobble Hill competition—mainly Italian and Middle Eastern bakeries. Party favors or a custom cake are sure to be as meticulously imagined as the shop.

One Girl Cookies
68 Dean Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
212.675.4996

— Written by Lindsey Alexander

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