If you're using the express library, as many node.js developers do, there is an easier way. Check the Express.js documentation page for more information.
The parsing example above works but express gives you a nice function to take care of that:
app.use(express.cookieParser());
To set a cookie:
res.cookie('cookiename', 'cookievalue', { maxAge: 900000, httpOnly: true });
To clear the cookie:
res.clearCookie('cookiename');