Reviews for Sweets on Darby

03/02/2023 - Marvin W.
As my daughter likes to say when something is beyond amazing: 'Wow, wow, wow!' This is the story of the Crunchy (yet Chewy) Deep-Dish, Chocolate-Chip-cookie Cake!

I've been a fan of Gina Szathmary and her ambitious team of bakers at Sweets on Darby ever since trying her giant, chocolate chip cookies. These hefty handfuls of half-pound goodness are not just the best in Havertown - or even the western suburbs. These crispy and yet chewy cookies are simply some of the best I've ever had. And, with the aforementioned (and self-described 'foodie') daughter living in NYC, I've worked my way down the list of many of the best-reviewed cookies on the Upper East Side.

But then Gina went and transformed her 'best' into something truly, insanely delicious.

I told her that my wife, Fran and I had been invited to dinner at the home of a young couple and we had promised to bring a special dessert. I asked about adding 'icing' to one of her cookie creations - to create a kind of cake.

She invited me back into the kitchen and, within minutes, had whipped up a 'prototype' (at no charge) to share with my Fran. From first bite, it was clear that slathering thick icing onto one of her cookies was a winning concept.

But it got better.

When I returned this past Sunday, she presented me with the finished masterpiece (see photo). She made the 'cookie' in a deep-dish 8-inch pan and added hand-piped, decorative frosting of both chocolate and vanilla. And while extra thick, the resulting cookie cake was still crispy - yet chewy enough to cut with a knife without cracking. In fact, just a third of the resulting cake - sliced into 'reasonable' pieces - was more than satisfying for four adults. Which means that there was lots leftover.

Of course, you know that this dessert was a success as our hosts didn't even politely inquire whether we'd like to take some back with us!

Sweets on Darby is the realization of Gina's lifelong dream. And everything she bakes is nut-free, for people who share her food allergy.

And if you get thirsty while eyeing the cookies (and the many other goodies on offer), there's milk in the fridge and a carafe of La Colombe. Though I'm partial to House Cup Coffee, just down the street, which roasts and blends their brews right here in Havertown.

P.S.: Gina assures me that her half-pounder chocolate chip cookies freeze really well - though I haven't put this to the test as these handfuls don't sit around long enough in my house to require long-term storage.