CHOCOLATE CHIP | SAN FRANCISCO

When in San Francisco, you must have Ghirardelli Chocolate.  I’ve been a fan of Ghirardelli for most of my life and reserve putting their chocolate chips in the cookies I bake for only the most special occasions.  I was excited to visit and try a cookie directly from their kitchen.  Was I in for a treat!

They offered to heat the cookie and it was worth the short wait.  The famous Ghirardelli chocolate was melted to perfection.  Once I decided how to eat this monumental* cookie, it crumbled beautifully as I pulled it apart.  The cookie was ultra-sweet and sugar-forward.  It’s perfect for sharing with a friend, your family or a small group of cookie tourists.

*Disclaimer:  This is a mountain of a cookie.  Do not try to eat this by yourself.  You will fail.  Or have a stomachache (like yours truly). 

WHILE YOU'RE THERE

You're at Ghirardelli.  Chocolate shop 'til you drop.

THE COOKIE TOUR STOP

You can get a Ghirardelli Chocolate Chip Cookie in several locations, but I recommend going the classic route and having it at Ghirardelli Square.  Use the address for the shop at 900 North Point Street if you need to map it.  Grab your treat and wander to the grass for a view of the Golden Gate Bridge and the best cookie-eating scenery in the City by the Bay.

COOKIE MONSTER | OKLAHOMA CITY

I have to confess, I prefer to have my chocolate chip cookies with ice cream instead of milk.  And there’s no better place to find this combination than at Roxy’s Ice Cream Social.  Their homemade ice cream is thick, creamy and pairs perfectly with two giant chocolate chip cookies.  Their cookies are pretty stiff because they’ve got to hold an enormous scoop of cookies and cream ice cream.  But they’ve got a great chip-to-dough ratio and aren’t too rich.  This is important, because if the cookie is too rich, you won’t be able to eat the ice cream with it.  And who wants to miss out on ice cream?  Not me!  They also have two other cookie sandwiches: the Plain Jane with vanilla ice cream and the Mean Green with pistachio.  Since they all feature two delicious chocolate chip cookies, there’s no need to try just one!

 WHILE YOU'RE THERE

Roxy’s first storefront is in the middle of my favorite district in Oklahoma City—the Plaza District.  Before you get your Cookie Monster, you should grab a slice of pizza at Empire Slice House.  My favorite is the Ghostface Killah that’s topped with pepperoni and BBQ chips (don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it).  You may also want a Macaroni Pony grilled cheese sandwich at The Mule or a fancy mashed potato bowl at The Press.  After eating all the Plaza delicacies, I recommend to walk it off by visiting the unique shops that line the street.  Come hungry and plan to stay for a while!

THE COOKIE TOUR STOP

The location I frequent is at 1732 NW 16th Street, and it’s the cutest ice cream shop I’ve ever seen.  With yellow striped walls and a blue sky ceiling, it’s always a sunny day at Roxy’s.  You can find all of their locations or ice cream truck at roxysicecream.com.