The testers at Consumer Reports recently gave “Very Good” ratings to two popular brands of packaged cookies - Health Valley’s Mini Chocolate Chip and Keebler Chips Deluxe Original. According to their experts, to receive high ranks a cookie needs to be “well-blended, flavorful and have a good chip-to-cookie ratio.”
Back in college when I was a regular buyer of packaged chocolate chip cookies, Keebler Chocolate Chip Cookies were a personal favorite. I’ve never tried the Health Valley cookies.
These days my favorite packaged chocolate chip cookies come from Tate’s Bake Shop but they’re only available online and in select specialty and higher end grocery stores. If you happen to see them, give them a try. You won’t be disappointed!
According the the report, CR tested 13 packaged chocolate chip cookie brands. Health Valley’s cookies were described as slightly buttery, while the Keebler cookies were said to be a little like shortbread.
Nine other cookies were rated “Good,” including Walmart’s Great Value brand, Nabisco’s Chips Ahoy! Real Chocolate and Real Chocolate Reduced Fat, Trader Joe’s Dress Circle Crispy Crunchy, Back to Nature Chocolate Chunk, Pepperidge Farm Nantucket Soft Baked Chocolate Chunk Dark, Mrs. Fields Semi-Sweet, Newman’s Own Organics Champion Chip Cookies and Famous Amos Bite Size.
What’s your favorite packaged chocolate chip cookie?
While packaged chocolate chip cookies are better than others, they can’t hold a candle to homemade. If reading this has made you hungry for chocolate chip cookies you can always run to the store and pick up a package. But if you’d prefer the kind that come from your oven here are some of my favorites…
Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Sue 06.13.09 at 1:59 pm
I love chocolate chip cookies, but never buy packaged cookies. If you love chocolate chip cookies you should give the new Cook’s Illustrated “Perfect” Chocolate Chip Cookies a try. They gave me permission to post their recipe on my blog so you can find it there.
They’re not thin and crunchy like I’ve heard the Tate’s are so maybe you won’t like them as much as I do. They’re crispy on the edges and chewy in the middle.
Martha 06.13.09 at 9:03 pm
Sue, I will definitely try the CI CCC recipe. It’s cool that they gave you permission to post their recipe on your blog! Tates are very crunchy, but I love crispy chewy too.
Shaina 01.30.10 at 12:18 pm
I think that NABISCOS CHIPS AHOY is the best because they are thick and chunky, they are so delisious!!!