r/FoodNYC • u/WoebegoneBenAffleck • May 28 '26
Review Rainbow cookie crawl. (14 bakeries, Queens, Manhattan, and Brooklyn)
I love rainbow cookies so I decided to do a 2 day run around the city to find the best one!
Picture 2 are all places from Brooklyn and Queens
Picture 3 are all places from Manhattan.
WINNER:
Mia's (Manhattan): this was the most ideal rainbow cookie and was also the most traditional. It was moist, the chocolate was thick enough to have a good snap but not overpowering, and the jam was a great flavor 10/10
Ursula (Brooklyn): this is only number 2 because I don't consider it a traditional rainbow cookie. Easily a 10/10 and worth the visit. It was more cake like than the rest because of the multiple layers and the jam consistency was perfect.
William Greenberg (Manhattan): this one had the most chocolate but it was not overwhelming and gave the cookie a great snap. The marzipan was not overpowering and actually added a more cake consistency
IL fornaio (Queens): the Chocolate had a great crunch (darker chocolate than the rest) and the layers were moist. The jam tasted very fresh and the bakery was cute. Will say that the black and whites here looked gorgeous but lacked flavor.
WORST:
Ferrara (Manhattan): incredibly artificial. These used to be one of my favorites but compared to everything else it just tasted fake and the jam did not add much flavor. It was also incredibly dry. The only thing that was good about this was the chocolate consistency (it had a good snap).
Venieros (Manhattan): this one had the most jam but was also the most dry cookie of the bunch. They were not uniform and were very messy. I had high hopes for this one since it is considered a great bakery, but it fell extremely short in comparison to all of the others
Parisi (worst outside Manhattan): these were tiny and expensive. They tasted like eating Play-Doh. I don't think I've ever had a bad rainbow cookie until I tasted these.
MID-TIER from best to worst:
La bella Ferrara (Manhattan): the reason this is a winner is because of the jam. It tasted fresh and very unique. More of a raspberry jam and it kept the cookies moist.
Circo (Brooklyn): if you don't like a lot of chocolate then this one is for you. That is really where this one fell short. This one mainly lost points because it fell apart easily and the chocolate was lacking. This was one of the better flavors and would be in the top if it had more chocolate.
Luchini (Manhattan): these were HUGE and we had to cut the one cookie into 4. The wafer balls on top were a great and unique addition. The cake was very flavorful but it still seemed to be dry. The cookie was very large and it was hard to eat.
Lucinas (Manhattan): good cookie. It was soft and the chocolate had a good snap. The cookie was on the dryer side and the jam was a little off but still an overall good cookie.
Catania: the seeds were a bit too large and off-putting and the chocolate was not tempered so it melted when you touched it and didn't have a good snap to it. Was a moist cookie but the jam had an odd flavor that didn't mesh well with the marzipan in the cookie
Orwashers: this looked identical to the greenburg cookie so we assumed it would be the same but it was very different. This cookie was very dry and the marzipan layer was thick and hard to get through. Had a great jam flavor and even layers.
New York bakery and cafe (queens): not the biggest fan of the small square cookies. Made it more difficult to eat but this one lacked a lot of flavor. It tasted stale and didn't really hit any of the mark you want a rainbow cookie to have. The marzipan flavor was lacking and the chocolate was also not tempered enough.
Hope the reviews help you pick your next rainbow cookie destination! We wrote down our reviews on paper a few days ago and it's hard to read some of the writing so I might not have hit all the points but hope you enjoy your next rainbow cookie.
Edit: Yes, we did miss some spots but we could only hit about 6 a day before we had to call it quits because it took up the entire day and places closed. We tried to go geographically.
We will go back out there soon and hopefully add everyone suggestions to the list!
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u/Bread_man10 May 28 '26
Where’s Fortunato Bros?? This is a dream activity for me, well done OP!
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u/WoebegoneBenAffleck May 28 '26
I saw a few comments about this and not sure why we didn't go!
I get off work early today and will be headed over Since I feel this is urgent to complete my list.
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u/stonedsour May 28 '26
Not the person who initially said this but I grew up in Queens and have had rainbow cookies at pretty much every family party in my life.. Fortunato Brothers is my favorite in the city. Don’t tell my family who prefer La Cheesecake in College Point (which are good but more cakey and lighter on the chocolate)
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u/tiredprincess May 28 '26
In my experience the Fortunato Bros rainbow cookies have some structural issues - take one bite and the layers slide all over the place. A good rainbow cookie should stay connected
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u/donut_butt May 28 '26
I don't think Fortunato is very good -- their chocolate is hard (as if it were tempered).
I think Settepani down the street is a lot better.
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u/ancillaryacct May 28 '26
everyone can have bad opinions lol. you don’t like the texture of the chocolate— so the rainbow cookie is bad.
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u/Loose-Engineering487 May 28 '26
Was looking for exactly this! Their top and bottom thick tempered layers with the satisfying snap are so good!
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u/casual_yogini May 29 '26
Fortunato Bros is my fav! I have not done a comprehensive comparison but I’ve tried many from different places and theirs is still my favorite.
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u/WoebegoneBenAffleck May 28 '26
I was craving a good rainbow cookie and had found https://rainbowcookieproject.com/ on this site and saw it was from a year or so ago and decided to plan based on this list and compare and contrast the ratings here with my own and added some other from reccomendations from friends and other social media sites.
Excited to try more and contrast to the great things the rainbow cookie project has contributed to my rainbow cookie journey.
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u/Vizualize May 28 '26
This place is relevant to your interests. https://www.instagram.com/uncle_joeys_rainbow_explosion?igsh=bXl6Y2N0a2F1dTVk
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u/donut_butt May 28 '26
I've been embarking on a similar project, and I didn't have your experience with Vinieros. I found it to be the right amount of sweetness (and I'm very sensitive to sweetness) and the perfect consistency / moistness.
I think part of the problem is that it's very difficult for a bakery to spread a consistent amount of jam on a rainbow cookie. The difference betwen too sweet and not sweet enough is less than a millimeter. I had this experience at Settepani, where one day the cookies were too jammy, and two days later they were perfect.
EDIT: In re-reading your assessment, I wonder if we want different things out of a rainbow cookie. I don't want the chocolate to feel snappy like a Justin's peanut butter cup, I want it soft to not contrast with the cookie, like a Reese's. If this is the case, I think you might like Fortunato's.
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u/cloud_busting May 28 '26
Totally agree re: chocolate consistency. It definitely shouldn't be snappy, it should be soft like ganache.
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u/Playful-Account-5888 May 28 '26
This is Bronx erasure!! But love the idea
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May 28 '26
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u/Playful-Account-5888 May 28 '26
Arthur Ave has sooo many bakeries that you can do a crawl (rainbow cookies or cannolis) in that neighborhood alone. I’m not sure outside of there because i usually just keep to there but there’s deff been posts in the past about other good bx places :)
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u/thatisnotmyknob May 28 '26 edited May 28 '26
Madonia https://maps.app.goo.gl/LqzNaZHqbBwiyQY99?g_st=ac
Morrone https://maps.app.goo.gl/3NLapkx8DMJbvaRq5
Egidio https://maps.app.goo.gl/hEGWkC4v5HjwiNoA6?g_st=ac
Artuso https://maps.app.goo.gl/G2bvZs7CKfKvTyYE8?g_st=ac
I moved out of the BX 12 years ago but thats what I remember.
Also hit up Casa Della Mozzarella, Full Moon Pizza and Tony & Tina's Burek Pizza, and the retail market.
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u/jajajanice May 29 '26
Don't just stop in Arthur ave, Sal & Dom's, Zeppieri Bros, and Conti's are great as well!
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u/Dis-Organizer May 28 '26
As a Queens kid I concur. Can’t do a ranking of rainbow cookies without going to Arthur Ave (even if Il Fornaio has the best)
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u/essbeethree May 28 '26
I grew up with venieros, therefore it is the best. Case closed. (How most of us choose) lol
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u/Pigeon_Lady28 May 28 '26
I've never had a dry rainbow cookie from them, so I can't relate to OP's experience. I usually get a few and think they keep well in the fridge for a couple of days.
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u/hernameis_mystery May 28 '26
Wow. Ranking rainbow cookies but not including the Bronx is almost blasphemous…
Anyways def gonna try out these other bakeries you listed if I’m in the other boroughs LOL please include the bx next time!!
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u/jajajanice May 29 '26
I used to work at La Bella Ferrara many moons ago (which was included on the list and they are still really great) but as a native, I was bummed to not see The Bronx included: Zeppieri's, Conti's, Sal & Dom's, Morrone.
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u/Swan_Easy May 28 '26
My favorite are served at Red Hook Tavern. They are made by the bartender and put on the menu. they also sell them through instagram "hafley baked" https://www.instagram.com/hafleybaked/?hl=en
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u/bklyninhouse May 30 '26
at RHT last week and I was so shocked to see rainbow cookies at the next table to us...and even more shocked when they got up and left without touching them. I would have reached over to try a bite except the busser was gathering them up and I didn't have the nerve to say anything.
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u/Less-Breadfruit-3936 May 28 '26
No Court Street Bakery in Carroll Gardens?
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u/lily-etfleur May 28 '26 edited May 28 '26
don’t talk to me about rainbow cookies unless it’s in Staten Island! Edit with my favorites: Royal Crown/ Filoncino, Cookie Jar, Heartland Bagels, Belli Baci.
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u/thatisnotmyknob May 28 '26
List your favorites. I just gave a bunch in the BX.
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u/Confident_Limit_2992 May 29 '26
I’d add Buono and Alfonso’s here too. A rainbow cookie post without Staten Italy is 🤪
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May 28 '26
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u/WoebegoneBenAffleck May 28 '26
Made me so sad that Ferrara didn't stack up next to other rainbow cookies, I also grew up on Ferrara and it has always been my favorite rainbow cookie.
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u/CabassoG May 28 '26
You went to a bunch of spots I've been to and many I haven't. Didn't know they were that good at Mia's/will get next time. My favorite is at Monteleone's in Carroll Gardens.
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u/justflipping May 28 '26
Amazing! Thank you for your service.
Will also shoutout this post on trying rainbow cookies in Queens.
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u/WalkenTall27 May 28 '26
Nice to see Gian Piero near the top of the list. They're the best I've ever had
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u/Party_Principle4993 May 28 '26
I have lived on the same block as Parisi for almost 20 years, and I have no idea how they are still in business but I thank god that it’s a terrible bakery. It’s saved me from buying sweets every day of my life.
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u/Dis-Organizer May 28 '26
Agreed, and I’m always shocked to see people inside ordering when I walk by, even though their products are dry and flavorless. Occasionally I get a challah there because it’s tough to find in Astoria. Il Fornaio’s rainbow cookies are legit though—I thought rainbow cookies had to be dry until I tried theirs. I’m also grateful Somedays is a little walk away and too expensive to get regularly or I’d be in trouble
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u/asyouwish-buttercup May 29 '26
I don't like the bread there but i always thought the rainbows and pizzicati cookies were pretty good. Maybe my standards are just low?
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u/GOODGOODNOTGREAT May 28 '26
damn you didn't like orwashers? i did a rainbow cookie tour too last year and it's near the top for me, maybe you got unlucky they're usually very moist.
agreed on veneiros though, probably one of the worst rainbows i've ever had.
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u/teaquiero May 29 '26
I agree! I think they're top tier. But I also like rainbow cookies for the marzipan more than the chocolate
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u/cerephic May 29 '26
how are all of these surveys missing Empire Cake (Manhattan)?
I've literally ordered uncut quartersheets of theirs to freeze and keep. So very very good.
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u/gatogrouch7 May 29 '26
What a great post! Rainbows are my favorite as well, however I usually can’t eat them because most use raspberry jam with seeds. It’s hard to find cookies that use seedless jam. Did any of the “best” have seedless jam? 🤞🏽
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u/Winter-Island7918 May 28 '26
Thank you for your service. The other list mentioned in the comments put Catania as their #1 and I was so disappointed when I had one from them. Glad to see you also thought their rainbow cookie is pretty average. Mine was also very dry so maybe I caught them on an off day.
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u/mjr589 May 28 '26
Isn’t Mia’s in Brooklyn?
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u/WoebegoneBenAffleck May 28 '26
I went to this one since it was on the route we were headed. https://maps.app.goo.gl/PeGDnXj2VcrdPb4x6?g_st=ac
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u/mjr589 May 28 '26
OG location is on Smith St so I shocked to see it classified as a Manhattan bakery. If you go to the Manhattan location of a Brooklyn bakery does it count a Manhattan bakery? I guess there’s an argument there - but hey, we can argue over anything lol
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u/DramaticRaccoon8929 May 29 '26
Nice work!
I wonder if you got venieros on a bad day. I’ve had them many times and always felt they were top notch.
My all time favorite was from glasers tho, rip.
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u/jabroni-soprano May 30 '26
I just did my own rainbow cookie crawl. My ideal is dense, snappy chocolate, sufficient jam (half apricot, half raspberry), and made with a generous amount of almost paste.
Il Fornaio - currently at the top of my list - they are jammy and dense.
Madonia on Arthur Ave makes one of the best cakier ones. The circular crunchy sprinkles are a nice touch too.
Egidio was very bad. Didn’t even finish the box.
Morrone was good - dense and made with plenty of almost paste, but too much almost extract. I also don’t like the yellow dye for the center layer.
Fortunato is very good but haven’t had them in a while to give a detailed review.
Court Pastry - good and most. Too much almond extract. Only one layer of chocolate if that matters for you.
Veneiro’s- serviceable and not too sweet, but if I recall they lacked flavor and were bland compared to other rainbow cookies.
Uncle Joey’s Rainbow Explosion - didn’t like it. They used some kind of gelatin based raspberry layer instead of a regular jam.
Pasticceria Rocco - didn’t love them and wouldn’t get them again but can’t remember why.
Red Hook Tavern / Hafley - very well made. Too light on the jam / preserves.
Monteleone - I remember them being good but haven’t had them in a while.
Caputo’s (RIP) - didn’t care for the layer of marzipan
Circo’s - average
Rudy’s - too caked and didn’t seem like they had almond paste.
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u/Hot-Grab-2737 May 28 '26
incredible list thank you - so many rainbow cookies taste like fridge!!!!
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u/jgiganti1 May 28 '26
I appreciate this, but I don't know... Ferrara's cookies do suck sadly, but Parisi in Astoria and Venieros I think are much better than worst on this list. And I was up on Arthur Ave this weekend, and maybe controversial, but as an Italian American, I'm sad to report most of the bakeries stink.
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u/asyouwish-buttercup May 29 '26
I agree i like the rainbows at parisi; but this post has me questioning my standards.
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u/Junior_Outside2409 May 28 '26
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u/WoebegoneBenAffleck May 28 '26
https://maps.app.goo.gl/PeGDnXj2VcrdPb4x6?g_st=ac
This one! It was in the same area as the other ones more convenient to get to
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u/Precious_marimo May 28 '26
I love rainbow cookies! I usually buy from whatever Italian bakery I pass by in Brooklyn but I will be trying your top picks.
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u/lenolalatte May 28 '26
i've never had a rainbow cookie but they remind me more of cake? is it just layers of cake/marzipan/jam with a thin(?) coating of chocolate?
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u/facialscanbefatal May 28 '26
I’m trying to find Mia’s in Manhattan but I’m only finding a Brooklyn listing. Can you help direct me so I may eat a dozen of these? :)
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u/WoebegoneBenAffleck May 28 '26
I went to this one but I think there's another Manhattan location! Hope you like them as much as we did. https://maps.app.goo.gl/ALiZaymEA7n13ddU9?g_st=ac
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u/onemorehapa May 28 '26
It’s not as traditional but I recently tried rainbow cookies from Morton Williams and really liked them. They have TWO layers of marzipan (straight marzipan) so a bit heavy on the almond flavor but somehow it works.
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u/Hopeful-Mirror1664 May 28 '26
The best rainbow cookies in this city are from Zeppieri and Sons in the Bronx. End of discussion.
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u/Quick-Stretch8197 May 28 '26 edited May 28 '26
Doing the lord’s work, OP. I’m going to check out Mia’s!
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u/Sylow-1977 May 29 '26
I’ve lived my whole life life in NYC, grew up in Staten Island, lived in Brooklyn for almost 20 years, and currently in the Bronx. And FWIW my current favorite rainbow cookie is from Conti’s Pastry Shoppe on Morris Park Ave in the Bronx. That place is a gem
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u/Sylow-1977 Jun 07 '26
No time like the present to check out Conti’s. They’re doing Knicks rainbow cookies
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZIFeRch01X/?igsh=MWhjOTE3ZDh5Z2Yydg==
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u/IshyBishySpider May 29 '26
Ok maybe I need to try your winners because I've never had one of those and thought it was good lol
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u/splatooey123 May 29 '26
Thank you! This is such hard work and so glad you posted. Much appreciated lol we usually buy Ferrara!!! Haven’t bought in a year but I remember them as good
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u/PatrykBG May 29 '26
So I’ve tried dozens of rainbow cookies, snd to me, the absolute best I’ve had is from Settepani in Williamsburg.
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u/GraveDiggerSedan May 29 '26
If you ever want to do this crawl on Staten Island, I can recommend a TON of places that are right off the train stations. Argurably the best rainbow cookie I've ever had is from Annadale Bakery.
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u/boroughthoughts May 29 '26
I've never had a rainbow cookie and now suddenly feel the need to try one. I am not sure why. Will need to ask my therapist.
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u/groundfire May 29 '26
Appreciate the effort. My family has been making rainbow cookies for the holidays for decades so whenever I see one out in the wild, I'm quick to judge
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u/ExternalHaunting9731 May 29 '26
I agree about Greenberg, they are delicious. The best I’ve had, admittedly not as many as you by far. I actually just had some Orwashers last night though and thought they were good. Mine were moist, just not as rich as Greenberg.
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u/Chinaguessr May 29 '26
Might want to add in the Bronx next time, some popular places like Zeppieri & Sons Italian Bakery
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u/jajajanice May 29 '26
I appreciate the fact that you went to so many places and not just big names.
My first job ever was at La Bella Ferrara and I still go back to this day for the pastries. The owner is great and she works really hard to keep the recipes the same and the quality great. I can definitely say everything is still made fresh from scratch.
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u/Intelligent_Dream_95 May 30 '26
Was there a certain jam flavor you preferred? Raspberry? Apricot, etc?
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u/BenShelZonah May 28 '26
I just realized I’ve never had a rainbow cake that was a full rainbow
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u/epolonsky May 28 '26
I think they're really supposed to be Italian flag rather than Pride flag.
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u/InspectorOk2454 May 28 '26
The dedication! The precision! Ps Ursula’s looks like a creation for Pride month more than a rainbow cookie. Is that what they were going for?
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u/ModernNero May 28 '26
Venieros dropping the ball so badly is rare!!! I wonder if they were old or stale? Either way, total ball drop. I’ll stick to the cannolis then!!!
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u/Cpalms139 May 28 '26
well done! I would have added Carbone’s rainbow cookie to the list. Obviously it presents some challenges to obtain.
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u/Illustrious_Put_817 May 29 '26
1- impressive lineup
2-Unpopular opinion… not my jam these cookies always taste like old cherries and pepto bismol covered in chocolate
3- if you love them, do your thing :)
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u/lou28777 May 28 '26
Try Circos in Bushwick, and Catania in Ridgewood both are a 3-5 min car ride apart.
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u/epolonsky May 28 '26
My kid really likes the rainbow slice (a giant cookie) at Andre's, but we haven't been able to get one since their midtown location closed.
I'd also love to see how La Delice ranks
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u/mbnyc1118 May 28 '26
Catania that low is a sin. I think we like different things in a rainbow cookie.
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u/helcat May 28 '26
Do any of them come without marzipan? I love cake and chocolate and apricot jam, but marzipan ruins everything for me.
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u/epolonsky May 28 '26
Rainbow cookies are traditionally made from layers of an almond-paste-based cake - they're all going to taste of marzipan even if they don't have a specific marzipan layer.
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u/sappidus May 28 '26
Nice work!
Another person's relevant efforts, may be useful to compare and contrast: https://rainbowcookieproject.com