Look to the Black and White: NY Bagels N’ Bialys Gets it Right

Living in Arizona, it’s hard to find NY deli favorites.

Yes, okay, you CAN get bagels out here and you CAN get Babka, but unless you know where to go, they don’t taste like they should.

Thankfully, we have New York Bagels n’ Bialys. It’s our usual bagel place, but did you know they also make homemade bakery treats?

The Bitches grew up on NYBB. As kids, the restaurant gave behind-the-scenes tours of their kitchens and we were feeling a little reminiscent. Plus, we saw an Instagram post from their account featuring a big batch of black and white cookies and we said to ourselves, it is time we visit. For the people, of course.

It’s time we look to the cookie. Specifically the one at NYBB. We’ve looked high and low for the best black and white cookie in Arizona and all the others came up short. But not these.

Co-owner Ruth Leatherman was kind enough to allow us a peek into the back kitchens to chat with Mary Warrington (mother to co-owner Shelley Curtis) as she made the famed black and whites.

We have never been happier in our lives.

If you haven’t had a black and white cookie before, imagine a perfectly chewy cake-like cookie iced with fudge-y ganache and a crisp vanilla royal icing.

Now, wipe your mouth because it’s rude to drool.

The cookie. Is. Everything. But you can’t simply buy them anywhere. Not in Arizona, at least. When do you come across them, some black and white cookies are too hard. Some are far too soft. Some (most) have chocolate that’s too runny or a vanilla icing that’s too mushy. All this plus, black and whites are actually a major pain in the tuchus to churn out. They’re not like drop cookies that take roughly an hour before they’re melting in your mouth. This is a laborious process that takes time, patience, and about four pounds of sugar (roughly we think, but it’s worth it).

At NYBB, they know there’s a lot of tradition that goes into the black and white, and they get it right. Their cookie is moist and cake-like, but holds its own against the ganache and royal icing. Mrs. Warrington lets the batter sit overnight in the fridge before baking the giant sweet discs. They sit again later to cool and then again after that so the icing can set up. For some, this might be a daunting task, for Mrs. Warrington, it’s Tuesday.

“Don’t you ever just want to eat all the icing and the batter and the cookies just waiting to set up?” I ask because watching her, we want to eat the icing and the batter and the cookies waiting to set up.

She waves the question away. She makes the sweets so often she’s used to their delicious smell. But that isn’t to say she doesn’t sometimes crave some of the from-scratch muffins or pound cakes she makes for NYBB. “A muffin and a cup of coffee? Wonderful,” she says.

Sounds delightful. May we please have one of everything?

When the cookies are finished (they literally take two days to make, but Mrs. Warrington prepped ahead so we could see the final product), they’re the size of an adult woman’s face. Some people share, but, not the Bitches. Each cookie serves one as far as we’re concerned. And we each receive two. That we eat by ourselves. In secret. Before the others find out.

Yes, they’re that good. One might even call them The Best.

NY Bagels n’ Bialys has several locations around the valley (Skysong is now open!) and parents and in-laws and friends really love it when you bring a bag of bagels and some cookies to their home. We highly recommend it. (Oh, and PS if you ask nicely they’ll even show you how the bagels are made!)

We love the Shea and Scottsdale location.

10320 N. Scottsdale Rd. Scottsdale, AZ 85253