The Cookie Wars

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored nor endorsed by any person, business, or organization. All views are the author's own.

I like sweet things.

But more interestingly: I have found that my favorite dessert/sweat treat is nothing other than the Chocolate Chip Cookie, and in my effort to find the best one, I have stumbled upon, and reviewed 4 different chains to find the best chocolate chip cookie… out of these four.

Of course there are independent bakeries and cafes that can very well provide better cookies, but for the time being, these were the ones that were selected as part of this review in this sequential order:

In addition to talking about the cookie, I will also give some remarks on the physical establishment and other interesting tidbits that allowed me to make my decision.

Now, let's get into this.

Store Visited: Allston (173 Guest St, Boston)

This was the only place I did not go with a plan to go to. My family was dissatisfied with the dessert options at the restaurant we were eating at, and our waiter suggested that we went across the street to Crumbl. Which my parents were vaguely familar of.

Crumbl is the "biggest" of the social media giants for the cookie empires. It is most known for its enormous cake-sized cookies with weekly rotating flavors. Some normal, such as Cookies and Cream. Others… not as much; such as "Strawberry Limeade ft. Nerds".

I chose to have the former flavor, and it… was fine. I didn't dislike it per se, but I wouldn't go out of my way to get a Crumbl cookie. Especially considering there is not one near me. It was just too big and too much of an extravagant dessert than a cookie.

Also, it did not help to see workers pour a vat of corn syrup into the baking equipment directly into the eyeline of the customers. I am pretty sure a part of my parents died that day upon watching that.

Store(s) Visited: Bethesda Row (4844 Bethesda Avenue, Bethesda)

Of all of the cookie companies that I knew prior to my move in DC, this one was the one I knew the most. How? You may ask, it's simple. I once saw a Food Insider video about it that loaded on my YouTube some years ago.

The "original" cookie that is the most popular is considered to be the Chocolate Chip Walnut cookie. However, I have also gotten the Two Chip Chocolate Chip Cookie and the Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie. No matter which cookie you get, they are thick, and stuffed to the top with chocolate chips.

Many people will argue that they are underbaked, or too much like a scone rather than a cookie, but for a treat as a whole, I enjoy getting it once a month, (I must limit myself to once a month since it is the most expensive cookie(s) on this list.)

If you want something full of chocolate chips (and other flavors) to the brim, then you should try this.

Store(s) Visited: Penn Quarter (750 9th Street NW, Washington)

I don't really know how I stumbled into this store. I suppose I was walking down the street, saw it, and said "Ah, this looks cool", and went inside. I quickly realized that it was beckoning an aesthetic like an overgrown French living room with plenty of plants. Not that there's anything wrong with that. That's just what they're going for.

By the time I got there, it was around 5PM, and the store closed at 6. So when I ordered a Classic Chocolate Chip Cookie, I just barely missed it. So the cashier gave me not one, but two different cookies. One "Nutty Chocolate Chip Cookie" and a vegan chocolate chip cookie that I believe is seasonal since I can't find it on the website. Both cookies were delicious, and the ratio of nuts to chocolate chips was not too drastic for there to be a negative impact.

All in all, they were good cookies. A bit more on the thinner side, but enough chocolate chip and other ingredients to go around to every bite. I'd come back here in the future.

Store(s) Visited: College Park (4364 Knox Rd, College Park)

Looking back, I actually have known about this cookie joint for a few years, as a relative of mine worked part-time at one of their locations a number of years ago. So it was only fair that we went to this cookie shop, and for me to finally experience it firsthand.

First and foremost, Insomnia is known primarily for its late-night convivence for college students who want a warm cookie delivered to their (dormitory) doorstep. To that end, it is a small, but gooey, cookie that satisfies the need to have something sweet during the midnight hours.

Sadly, I do not have a picture that I took of Insomnia. Which is heartbreaking and will cause me to not sleep tonight.

Not only that, but Insomnia has been trying to compete with Crumbl with catering to the college students and their sometimes-bizarre needs. But if you're looking for a good and quick cookie, then there isn't anything wrong with Insomnia.

All of these cookie establishments are known to be popular with the hip people (I cannot call myself that as I rely on a style guide by the Wall Street Journal), so you can't go wrong regardless of the probably-way-too-big comany that you choose to get cookies from.

Me personally? My favorite is Levain. Something about every bite being full of chocolate chips with the scone-like dough makes it appealing in my view. For a classic cookie, Insomnia can't be beat. Maman is a great contender with the nutty cookies, and Crumbl can be best defined for those looking for a magnificent dessert labelled a cookie.

Now that all of that is out of the way, if you can excuse me, I'm going to go get something to eat.

COMING SOON: Diner & Deli Wars

At time of publication, I will be in the District for only 2 more months until summer. In which case I travel northwards. As such, I'm going to try and write more DC content.

We are 5 months away from ZachsThoughts' 5th birthday. Have any ideas for content? Let me know here!

Regardless, thanks for reading. See you soon!