This Is the Best Store-bought Chocolate Chip Cookie, According to a Taste Test

Chocolate chip cookies are one of those classic snacks I’m always in the mood for. I stir up a batch at least once a month and try to make them last (and they never last long with these delicious recipes). When I’m running short on time and have a cookie craving, though, I turn to store-bought brands to help me through. With so many brands at the supermarket, I was curious to find out which packaged cookie tastes best.

I grabbed six different brands and tested them head to head. Would snack aisle classics reign supreme or would up-and-coming brands rule? Armed with a glass of milk, I conducted the ultimate chocolate chip cookie taste test. Here’s what you need to know.

Package of opened Market Pantry chocolate chip cookies with several out and on a blue plate also with a glass of milk nearby

6: Market Pantry Original Chocolate Chip Cookies

Score: 2/10

At the bottom of the pack came Target’s Market Pantry brand. Opening this package, I immediately noticed how many cookies were packed inside—there’s a lot of bang for your buck with this one. Upon closer inspection, though, the cookies were much darker in color than the others I tested (not burned, just more well-done) and the chocolate chips looked powdery. In terms of appearance, these were not my favorite.

Tastewise, I was struck with a very distinct non-chocolate chip cookie flavor. It took me a second to put my finger on it, but I detected a coconut-like taste in this cookie that I didn’t care for. Also, I noticed how crumbly these were—my plate looked like a sandbox after a few bites. And for my dunk test? Once placed in milk, these cookies completely disintegrated.

Package of Pepperidge chocolate chip cookies beside a blue plate with a single cookie on it

5: Pepperidge Farm Montauk

Score: 3/10

Next came the cookie powerhouse Pepperidge Farm. (You may recognize this brand by its oh-so-delicious Milano cookies and Pirouette wafers! Check out our copycat, here.) Their Montauk cookies, however, were different from the other brands in my lineup. They were the only soft and chewy variety I grabbed. I like my homemade cookies soft, so I had high hopes that these would be a worthy substitute. (And if you’re looking how to get your chewiest chocolate chip cookie yet, check out our tips.)

Pulling these out of the crinkly paper bag, I saw that the cookies were huge—comparable to a saucer plate, which was twice as large as brands like Market Pantry or Chips Ahoy! Pepperidge Farm’s cookies were admirably filled with large milk chocolate chunks. When I took a bite, though, I was disappointed in the taste and texture. The cookie tasted artificial and had an odd, overly chewy consistency. (Think edible cookie dough!) I assume this had to do with some of the ingredients needed to keep these cookies so gooey for so long. And those big milk chocolate chunks almost tasted like butterscotch! In the end, I found them too sweet and artificial for my taste.

Package of Keebler deluxe chocolate chip cookies beside several cookies on a blue plate

4: Keebler Chips Deluxe

Score: 4/10

Ah, Keebler! This brand is widely loved for its cheery baking elves that grace every package. Out of the box, the cookies were very pale in color and had a very machine-made look with more uniform edges. (I don’t know about you, but I don’t mind a manufactured-looking cookie as long as it tastes good!)

The cookie’s texture was very light and airy, and thus extremely crumbly. The sandy texture left me looking for a broom to clear the crumbs. (Maybe not the best brand to eat at your desk!) These cookies were also on the salty side. Taking my glass of milk, I gave one a dunk. These cookies soaked up the milk like a sponge in no time, but they also fell apart inside the glass. That’s a deal-breaker for me.

Package of Back to Nature chocolate chunk cookies beside a glass of milk and plate of cookies

3: Back to Nature

Score: 6/10

Working through this experiment, I wanted to include a more natural option. Like the name implies, these Back to Nature chocolate chip cookies boast GMO-free ingredients and are made with whole wheat flour. They also contain only seven ingredients—your standard flour, sugar and baking soda lineup.

Back to Nature’s cookies definitely had a more rugged look. They also looked like they had a healthy amount of chocolate chips—a very good sign. My first bite into these Back to Nature cookies, I found them a bit hard—not impossibly so, but slightly denser than I’d prefer. Flavorwise, the cookies taste similar to shortbread with a hint of nuttiness—yum! Time for the dunk test. The cookie held up in the milk and benefited from a little extra softness. After two cookies, I wanted more but couldn’t take another bite—this option was extra filling.

Package of Chips Ahoy! chocolate chip cookies beside a glass of milk and plate of cookies

#2: Chips Ahoy!

Score: 8/10

For full transparency, Chips Ahoy! is traditionally my go-to brand. Diving right in, I found that familiar crunch and a bite filled with small chocolate chips. However, tasting the flavors more critically (this is research, after all), I noticed that the Chips Ahoy! was a bit grainy and on the saltier side. My initial takeaway: These cookies are not designed to be eaten plain. I needed milk.

After dipping a Chips Ahoy into a cold glass of milk, I found this cookie soaked up the milk but didn’t fall apart. It was a perfect dunking cookie. (Much like these homemade recipes!) Plus, the milk helped combat a bit of the graininess I had detected earlier.

Package of Tate's Bake Shop chocolate chip cookies with two cookies out beside it on a blue plate

#1: Tate’s Bake Shop

Score: 9/10

On its packaging, Tate’s Bake Shop has an intriguing claim. The brand states that its cookies are “uniquely crispy, deeply delicious.” I had to find out if the cookie lived up to this claim. Digging into the bag, I noticed that there weren’t many cookies inside – only 14. Compared to its counterparts in this test, Tate’s Bake Shop had far, far fewer cookies. But I believe in quality over quantity, especially with cookies!

Inspecting the cookie, it was on the larger side, with fewer chips than most, though the chips were also larger. These also had a more home-style look, like something your best friend might bring over as a treat. And the taste? Well, they tasted a lot like something a friend would make (plus they share the exact ingredients as a classic chocolate chip cookie). These cookies were crispy, as advertised on the package, and I found them super tasty—even for a chewy-cookie aficionado like myself. This Tate’s Bake Shop chocolate chipper also held up well in a glass of milk without crumbling.

Blue plate filled with different brands of chocolate chip cookies with a glass of milk on the side

The Takeaways

Price Matters

When it comes to chocolate chip cookies, the adage “you get what you pay for” rings true. Market Pantry, the cheapest at $1.99 per package (and only 6 cents per cookie), came in dead last, while pricier Tate’s Bake Shop ($4.99 a pack, or 35 cents per cookie) took the crown. For tastier cookies with simpler ingredients, you do have to pay a bit of a premium.

(We do know from experience, though, that this isn’t true for every snack. Market Pantry won our salsa taste test.)

Soft Versus Crispy

I know very well the soft-versus-crispy cookie debate that rages on in kitchens everywhere. In the end, though, these warring textures both ended up in the bottom slots. Pepperidge Farm’s soft cookie was artificially soft and had a peculiar flavor. On the other hand, Keebler’s crisp option was far too sandy.

A Final Recommendation

While I still prefer a homemade cookie, I think that when you’re in a pinch and looking for a cookie that pairs well with milk, you can’t beat Chips Ahoy!

My other winner: Tate’s Bake Shop. These crispy cookies tasted and looked homemade—so much so that you could have fooled me at a bake sale. (If you’re not looking to fool anyone, we’ve got 57 amazing bake-sale-ready recipes.)

Try these homemade chocolate chip cookies next.

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Chippy Peanut Butter Cookies

"Hey, these are good!" is the surprised remark I hear when I bake these for the family. As simple as it may seem, all I do is follow directions. This works exceptionally well when it comes to making cookies. —Ian Badeer, Hickman, Nebraska

This Is the Best Store-bought Chocolate Chip Cookie, According to a Taste Test

6: Market Pantry Original Chocolate Chip Cookies

5: Pepperidge Farm Montauk

4: Keebler Chips Deluxe

3: Back to Nature

#2: Chips Ahoy!

#1: Tate’s Bake Shop

The Takeaways

Tip: Chilling Batter Before Baking

Tip: Simple Cookie Swap

Tip: Making Softer Cookies

Tip: Chewy Cookies

About author: Bharat Rajput

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