Sarah Bernhardts
Nielsen's Pastries
The Mackles'more isn't (wasn't) the only celebrity cookie in town. A menu mainstay at Nielsen's Pastries on Lower Queen Anne is the Sarah Bernhardt, a tender, bite-sized almond macaroon topped with a cloud of chocolate mousse and encased in chocolate. It's named after the iconic French stage actress from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Nielsen's version of the Bernhardt looks like it'd be an intense cookie, perhaps a dessert best eaten with a fork, but don't let that mountainous chocolate shell fool you—this cookie is light, almost ethereal, and each delicate component instantly melts in your mouth.
The Bernhardts are just one component of Nielsen's annual holiday menu—right now, you can also get kringle, marzipan pigs, julekage (hot tip: make French toast with it on Christmas morning), potatoes (cream puffs with custard and marzipan made to look like potatoes!), and a whole mess of adorable Christmas cookies, including gingerbread teddy bears, sprinkle-covered sugar cookies, chocolate peppermint shortbread, and Russian tea cakes. Just a dollar a pop!
We're counting down to 2025 by sharing some of our favorite cookies on Slog every day in December! Because life is hard, and sugar helps. Will things get weird? Maybe! There may have been a small fire during the first photo shoot! But hopefully, you'll also discover some new favorite treats to enjoy this season. Track our daily recommendations here! 🍪
