Everyone loves cookies, and Shanghai certainly has some great specimens. But which is the best? From artisanal handmade to mass-produced cookies, we blindfolded four That’s cookie lovers in search of unbiased impressions of eight cookies found in Shanghai, and ranked them from lowest scoring to best.
Meet the Taste Testers
Ned Kelly, General Manager, Urbanatomy Media
Big boss Ned purportedly hates desserts. He does, however, have a soft spot for gooey cookies, preferably with nuts.
Alyssa Wieting, Chief Editor, Urban Family
A lady of very specific cookie tastes, Alyssa has a keen palate for sniffing out the wheat from the chaff.
Tongfei Zhang, Senior Editor, That’s Shanghai
Representing the local palate is Tongfei Zhang, who prefers soft textures and less sweet flavors.
Celina Huynh, Editorial Intern, That’s Shanghai
Self-professed cookie lover Celina loves Strictly Cookies, but can she pick them out based on taste alone?
Now that's out of the way, the cookies:
1. Sprout Lifestyle Fig Almond
Celina: “This smells like the spice section of a grocery store, and tastes like some vegan, gluten-free, mix of the earth. A healthy cookie?” 5/10
Alyssa: “A little too healthy for me. It’s quite fluffy, but fruit doesn’t belong in a cookie. Is it organic?” 5/10
Ned: “This one’s like banana bread, but a bit dry. Might be quite difficult to eat the whole thing.” 6/10
Tongfei: “I’m getting a lot of banana flavor. And it’s a little bit dry, with a strange aftertaste.” 5/10
Total Score: 21/40
2. The Grumpy Pig Double Chocolate Chip Cookie
Celina: “This is definitely no Strictly Cookie! But it’s really moist, thin and very melty. Sticks on your tongue like peanut butter.” 7.5/10
Alyssa: “It’s good, but a bit flat and not very fluffy. This is kind of average to me. I think it’s chocolate chip, but it’s more doughy than chocolaty.” 4/10
Ned: “This one is nice, firm on the edge and gooey in the middle, with a great cocoa aftertaste.” 7/10
Tongfei: “This one is a little sweet for me, but it’s nice and soft… I like soft things. Kind of sticks in your mouth.” 5/10
Total Score: 23.5/40
3. Strictly Cookies Red Velvet
Celina: “This has the texture of red bean paste or moon cake. It’s super dense, I don’t even know what flavor it is! 7/10
Alyssa: “This one’s really thick and fluffy. It’s chocolate, but not overwhelming. White chocolate, maybe?” 6/10
Ned: “This one’s a bit doughier, doesn’t really melt. The flavor’s ok, but not as good as the one before.” 5.5/10
Tongfei: “Oh wow, I like this one! The chocolate flavor is not as strong as the one before, and it tastes fresher too. Lovely soft texture, and very filling.” 7/10
Total Score: 25.5/40
4. Pret a Manger White Chocolate Chip
Celina: “Really nice texture. Crispy, chewy, but a little dry. Definitely macadamia nuts, and a lot of vanilla. This is better than the other white choc chip macadamia.” 8/10
Alyssa: “This one’s harder, a little crunchier. I can taste chocolate. Not gooey, but pretty good.” 7/10
Ned: “There’s a weird aftertaste in this one… something, fishy? Nothing really spectacular.” 5/10
Tongfei: “Sweet chocolate chips! It’s quite strong and rich, but smooth. I can tell they’ve put a lot of chocolate in it.” 6/10
Total Score: 26/40
5. Subway Chocolate Chip Cookie
Celina: “Dense, chewy, crisp. Has a good butter-sugar ratio and caramelized texture. Reeeeeally buttery. Not too sweet – it’s good!” 8/10
Alyssa: “This is a lot harder. It’s definitely not a melt-in-your-mouth cookie. It tastes like a storebought cookie. I think it’s chocolate chip, but pretty sugary.” 6/10
Ned: “More crunch with a nice nutty flavor. But, I like gooeyness in a cookie. I can imagine this one going well with tea. It’s also not too sweet.” 7/10
Tongfei: “This is a classic cookie for me. It’s not as rich as the others, so I'd eat the whole thing.” 8/10
Total Score: 29/40
6. Strictly Cookies Gluten-Free White Chocolate Chip Macadamia
Celina: “This is a little too sweet for me, I wish it were crispier too. It’s too soft and the sugar is still in crystals.” 7/10
Alyssa: “There’s peanut butter in this one, I think. It’s really thin, but not hard. It’s not my favorite, but it’s good.” 6/10
Ned: “Oh, this one’s good, and with nice big nuts in it too. It’s gooey, with great flavor. I wish there were more!” 9/10
Tongfei: “Oh my god… What’s this?! I don’t know what nut this is, but it’s tasty.” 8/10
Total Score: 30/40
7. Strictly Cookies Chocolate Chip
Celina: “I’m gonna guess this is Strictly Cookies. It’s really thick, chewy, not too sweet. Texturally it’s great, with a malty, chocolate cereal taste.” 9/10
Alyssa: “This is definitely Strictly Cookies. It’s really fluffy, good crumble, and you can taste the sugar granules. Really great chocolate chunks. This is cookie heaven!” 9.5/10
Ned: “Wow, this texture is like coconut flakes. It’s really gooey, a bit like the second one more. A classic cookie flavor.” 6/10
Tongfei: “I can feel a lot of crunchy sugar in my mouth. I can’t tell what flavor it is… Chocolate? But it melts on the tongue, which is nice.” 6/10
Total Score: 30.5/40
8. Boom Boom Bagels, Chocolate Chip Brown Butter Cookie
Celina: “I think this is Strictly Cookies Cinnamon Bun! Oh my gosh, it’s so good. It tastes like Cinnamon Toast Crunch loaded with melted butter.” 9.5/10
Alyssa: “This one is nutty, oaty? It’s very fluffy and chocolaty. Really good flavor!” 8/10
Ned: “This is a good one. This one’s got fantastic gooeyness, really good consistency, and crunchy on the outside. My favorite so far.” 8/10
Tongfei: “This one’s soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside. Quite a buttery flavor too.” 7/10
Total Score: 32.5/40
So there you have it, ladies and gentlemen. Boom Boom came out the best, but only just. And is there really such a thing as a bad cookie anyway? Want to see us blind taste test more things? We'll eat (just about) anything! Leave a comment below to make a suggestion.
All the cookies are available to order via Sherpa's, except for Strictly Cookies.
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9 Smoothie Bowls and How to Make them in Shanghai
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