America is home to many purveyors of certifiably scrumptious chocolate chip cookies. Located on Manhattan's Upper West Side as well as in East Hampton, Connie McDonald and Pamela Weekes' Levain Bakery is renowned for its sinfully delicious, elephantine chocolate chip cookies. Weighing in at six ounces each, these cookies are gooey, delicious and perfect for sharing. Baked fresh daily, customers who have time to stop by the store can watch cookies being made and, more importantly, buy them hot out of the oven.

For more information: Levain Bakery

For chocolate-chip cookie lovers who like a big crunch, there's no substitute for Tate's Bake Shop, run by Kathleen King. Tate's chocolate chip cookies were rated number one out of 50 tested cookies by Rachel Ray Magazine and won a silver medal at the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade show in New York City. One bite of the crisp, buttery cookies is enough to hook most people for life. Buying them by the pack is advisable, as one cookie will never be enough.

For more information: Tate's Bake Shop

"Because life is simply too short to eat a bad cookie" is the philosophy behind Marnee Robinson's eponymous bakery in Bath. In the chocolate chip category, Marnee's offers an inventive chocolate chip cookie made with semi-sweet chocolate and toffee bits, deservingly dubbed the "Nirvana" cookie. Somehow managing to be crunchy and chewy at the same time, it's no wonder this bakery has become one of Maine's—if not the nation's—favorite sweet spots for a quick cookie fix.

For more information: Marnee's Cookies

Located near Portland's famed Powell's City of Books, Pearl Bakery provides artisan breads and pastries to locals and tourists alike. Notable among the offerings here are the buttery handcrafted chocolate chunk cookies made fresh every morning. This is a bakery with a conscience as well: cookies are made with locally produced butter and dairy products and flour grown on sustainable wheat farms in Washington.

For more information: Pearl Bakery

Sweet Adeline's reputation for devour-worthy chocolate chip cookies made in small batches is well-known among the Berkeley population as well as the greater Bay Area. The original chocolate chip cookies here are irresistible and Sweet Adeline's oatmeal chocolate chip version will satisfy those with a craving for a denser treat. Due to the bakery's reputation for being a warm, friendly neighborhood place, everyone from local businessmen to baby-toting moms can be found here, buying up their favorite desserts.

For more information: Sweet Adeline Bake Shop

Sheryl McCleery, owner of Tom's Mom's Cookies, believes that "the truer you remain to the 'original' version of a chocolate chip cookie, the better it is." These irresistible cookies are stuffed with pieces of hand-cut semi-sweet chocolate and are terrifically hard to beat. McCleery says regardless of baking trends, chocolate chunk cookies continue to be the most popular variety she sells. "I've been in this business for nearly 25 years now and the trends can change from year to year, sometimes even month to month. What has remained constant, however, is that we sell our original chocolate chunk cookies at a rate of about four-to-one over our other 15 varieties."

For more information: Tom's Mom's Cookies

Everything from the lemon meringue tart to the flourless chocolate cake at Rene's Bakery is worthy of homage, but particularly delectable are the mouthwateringly delicious chocolate chip cookies, made with walnuts. This must-try Broad Ripple institution was established by chef and owner A. Rene Trevino in March 2004 and has since developed a cult-like following in and out of the circle city.

For more information: Rene's Bakery

The mouthwatering chocolate chip cookies are made with oatmeal and walnuts at this prized bakery in San Francisco's Mission District. Pastry chef Elisabeth Prueitt co-owns Tartine with her husband Chad Robertson, also a talented baker. High-quality, fresh, local ingredients are what make Tartine's chocolate chip cookies stand out above the rest. All baked goods here are made with organic flour, sugar and local eggs, which may explain the line of sugar-seeking customers that forms outside the bakery's doors on a regular basis.

For more information: Tartine Bakery

If you're in the D.C., area, don't miss the made-from-scratch chocolate chip cookies at Firehook. Hillary and Chelsea Clinton are reportedly fans of the popular bakery, which has been serving up perfectly chewy, heaven-sent chocolate chip cookies since 1992. The term "fire hook" originates from the tool used to pull pots filled with baked breads out of the oven in ancient times, and the bakery is equally renowned for its sumptuous, authentic breads.

For more information: Firehook Bakery

Leslie Mackie, a nominee of the James Beard Foundation's Outstanding Pastry Chef Award for 2006-2007, serves up deliciously large chocolate chip cookies (called the "Olivia's Chocolate Chip") at this treasured Seattle bakery. While Macrina is most often applauded for its artisan breads, its delectable pastries and cookies warrant the cookie fan's attention. Organic and natural ingredients are used whenever possible, and Olivia's Chocolate Chip cookies stay close to the original chocolate chip recipe for a quintessential American treat.

For more information: Macrina Bakery

Bostonians have an array of chocolate chip cookie hotspots to choose from, with Rosie's Bakery topping the list. The chocolate chip cookies here are not unduly large and therefore maintain a crunchy, golden edge with a soft, delicious center. The hand-made cookies are packed with high quality ingredients including decadently rich chocolate, creamery butter, and unbleached flour, and no chemicals or preservatives are used to guarantee a fresh cookie-indulging experience.

For more information: Rosie's Bakery