Cookies are a staple in the American diet. After school, after meals, or as a midnight snack, it is always a good time to have cookies. This spring, I decided to check out a few local bakeries to hunt down the best ones. 

For consistency and fair judging at each place, I ordered the classic: a chocolate chip cookie.

Crumbl Cookies ($4.78)

Crumbl Cookies is a cookie-based bakery that has taken the internet by storm in recent years. With its weekly rotating schedule of cookies, the element of surprise and ever-growing reviews on social media led way to a nation-wide expansion, and is coming to Lake Zurich soon. 

Upon ordering, the first thing I noticed was the costly price: $4.78. However, my hopes were high due to the pleasant reviews I’d heard. 

The cookie was quite large compared to the ones I had seen elsewhere. The texture was a bit soft and mushy, similar to the consistency of cookie dough, so the cookie seemed almost underbaked. Considering I am not a fan of cookie dough myself, I thought this dense and hard-to-chew texture was unpleasant. I also found that this cookie also had less chocolate chips than all the others, so the flavor was quite boring. 

I did like how the cookie was less sweet than others, and therefore more subtle, but it was still hard to finish because of its large size and thick texture. However, it was clearly freshly baked with soft and gooey chocolate chips. 

Overall, for its high price and disappointing texture, I would give this cookie 3 out of stars. 

Panera Bread ($2.89):

Panera is well-known for their sandwiches and soups, but they also have a bakery that sells a variety of goods ranging from fresh-baked breads to desserts like cookies. 

As soon as I ordered the cookie, I noticed that it came out unusually quickly as it was handed to me at the register. It was pre-packaged, making it seem as though it was not freshly baked. The cookie itself was the smallest that I had purchased but had a moderate price of $2.89. The cookie also had an evenly distributed amount of chocolate chips, though they were not melted and warm as Crumbl cookies were. 

The texture of the cookie was chewy all around and it felt lighter than the Crumbl cookie. As I kept eating, however, I noticed that the cookie was a bit dry and I needed a beverage, like coffee or milk to pass it down. It was also quite sweet, yet it was not overwhelming to the point where I could not finish the cookie. I felt as though this was an average cookie, nothing more and nothing less. 

Altogether, I would give this cookie 3 out of 5 stars as well for its moderate price and moderate taste.

Starbucks ($2.95):

Starbucks is a global chain cafe that is, needless to say, a favorite for many Americans. With its assortment of refreshers and coffees, the cafe is known for its variety of drinks.Lesser known are their bakery items, which include the chocolate chip cookie. 

The Starbucks cookie was the second most expensive and it was an average cookie to the eye. The appearance was slightly browner than all the other ones, so I expected the cookie to be more crisp, but once I bit into the cookie, I was pleasantly surprised as it was very chewy. 

The cookie had a lot of chocolate chips packed into it, and although it was dense, the relative thinness of the cookie made it less overwhelming. The cookie was also not as sweet as I expected it to be so I was able to finish the cookie with no sweetness overload. Although the chocolate chips were not oozing out, the chewiness and flavor made a very smooth and pleasant cookie. 

Overall, I would give this cookie 4 out of 5 stars. 

Jazzman’s ($2.25)

Jazzman’s is by far the closest place to LZHS, located directly in the cafeteria. This place is loved by so many of the students for its array of cafe drinks to sweet treats. Specifically, the Jazzman’s cookies seems to be very popular amongst students. 

Jazzman’s cookies were the cheapest yet probably as big as the Crumbl cookie, making this one the best option for an affordable filling treat. When I saw the cookie, I noticed that there were a decent amount of chocolate chips and they were spread out well, but once again, they were not melted. 

As I bit into the cookie, I immediately noticed that the outside was crisp, yet very light. The texture became more chewy as I reached the inside making it the perfect texture combination that I love. However, I did notice that the cookie’s sweetness kept building up as I continued to eat, but it was not enough to stop me from finishing the cookie. The chocolate chips complimented the flavor of the cookie well and it ranked the highest in my book. 

With its pleasant texture, flavor, and reasonable price, I give the Jazzman’s cookie a solid 4.5 stars. I would definitely recommend others to try out the Jazzman’s cookie if they have not already.