Not All Cookies Are Created Equal
Walking down the cookie aisle can make choosing a package surprisingly difficult, especially when several brands offer similar flavors and styles. Some cookies nail the balance of sweetness, crunch, and texture, while others can leave you wishing you'd picked something else. From familiar grocery-store staples to brands with devoted followings, here's a ranking of 20 cookie brands.
1. Circus Animal Cookies
Let’s face it: Circus Animal Cookies taste like childhood. But that sugary sweetness gets old fast. The cookie itself is fun to crunch on, but the coating is often thick enough that you feel like you’re eating candy more than a baked good. Circus Animal Cookies are fine in moderation, but there are more flavorful options out there.
2. Mother
Mother cookies ooze personality thanks to old-school packaging and a colorful assortment of cookie varieties. Where Mother cookies fall short is in flavor. Some taste artificially sweet or lack complexity compared with cookies made with higher-quality ingredients.
3. Keebler
Keebler is such a big brand that it’s hard to generalize too much about the cookie quality. The overall crunch factor is generally good across varieties, but they’re often sweeter than you’d like. Keebler will forever hold a spot in our hearts, but the brand doesn’t make cookies that punch above its weight like some of the cookies below.
4. Famous Amos
They may be small, but Famous Amos cookies are mighty. Their bite-size cookies make it easy to eat just one… or five. Famous Amos provides a welcome crunch with chocolate cookies that sometimes lack richness. Still, when you’re in the mood for a crispy cookie that doesn’t have a gooey center, Famous Amos is hard to beat.
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5. Archway
Archway has its own cult following of cookie lovers who prefer soft, traditional styles of cookies over standard chocolate chip. Its molasses and oatmeal varieties can have a pleasant homemade-style quality, although the texture won't appeal to everyone. If you're looking for a soft cookie with a more old-fashioned flavor profile, Archway is worth considering.
6. Pepperidge Farm
Pepperidge Farm cookies run the gamut from thin and crispy to sweet, soft sandwich cookies. On the whole, Pepperidge Farm does a good job hitting different textures. But some options are clearly superior to others. Milano and other premium-style offerings help push Pepperidge Farm well above the average supermarket cookie.
7. Nilla Wafers
While unspectacular, Nilla Wafers are a timeless classic. Their light, crispy texture and subtle sweetness make them ideal for pairing with everything from banana pudding to ice cream. You may not grab for Nilla Wafers when you want an indulgent treat, but they shine in their own right.
8. Lorna Doone
Shortbread cookies get a bad rap because they’re often not sweet enough for our cookie-crazy culture. But that’s exactly what makes Lorna Doone cookies so great. When you want a cookie that’s less candy-like and more about the dough, look no further than shortbread.
9. Chips Ahoy!
Let’s be honest: When you think of chocolate chip cookies, you probably think of Chips Ahoy!. And that’s perfectly okay. These cookies offer a classic cookie flavor and texture that’s hard to mess up. It isn't the fanciest cookie around, but it knows exactly what it wants to be.
10. Little Debbie
Little Debbie might be best known for its coffee cakes, but the cookie cakes this brand makes should not be slept on. Expect super-sweet flavors and decadent cookie offerings that will satisfy your fiercest chocolate cravings. Turn to Little Debbie when only the sugariest of cookies will do.
11. Tate's Bake Shop
Tate’s Bake Shop has gained massive popularity for its wafer-thin cookies. Once you try them, you’ll understand why. The outer edges have a crispy texture that offsets the cookie’s center.
12. Lotus Biscoff
Lotus Biscoff cookies are utterly unique thanks to their caramelized flavor. They’ve become something of a snack staple for coffee and tea drinkers everywhere. The flavor is more interesting than many basic sugar cookies, giving Biscoff a well-earned place in the upper half of the ranking.
13. Pepperidge Farm Milano
Milano cookies may be one of the fanciest cookies on your grocery store’s shelves, but their taste is simplicity at its finest. Crisp cookie layers sandwich a velvety chocolate center that makes you want to reach for another. They're also just the right size for a snack when you want something sweet without opening an enormous package.
14. Girl Scout Cookies
Look, we know Girl Scout Cookies are only available during certain times of the year. But what Girl Scout cookie lover doesn’t live for those few months? Thin Mint cookies are a classic for a reason, but cakes, caramels, and loaded cookies like Samoas mix it up while still hitting that sweet spot.
15. Mrs. Fields
Mrs. Fields specializes in soft cookies for a reason. If crunchy cookies aren’t your thing, you’ll appreciate the texture Mrs. Fields has to offer. Beyond texture, Mrs. Fields cookies are packed with chips and other goodies to keep your taste buds excited. Buy them for the soft texture, stay for the chocolate overload.
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16. Enjoy Life
Companies like Enjoy Life are blowing the doors off of cookies for allergy sufferers and beyond. The cookies taste great, and many varieties come in different textures with flavorful options that won’t send your blood sugar through the roof. If you have dietary restrictions or are watching your sugar intake, chances are Enjoy Life has a cookie for you.
17. Oreos
Oreo has become one of the world's most recognizable cookie brands, and its enormous variety helps explain its staying power. The classic combination of crisp chocolate wafers and sweet creme remains hard to beat, while flavors and limited editions keep giving fans reasons to browse the cookie aisle. Whether you dunk them, twist them apart, or eat them straight from the package, Oreos remain remarkably versatile.
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18. Girl Scout Thin Mints
Yes, Thin Mints are technically Girl Scout Cookies. But they’re so good they deserve their own spot on this list. There’s something about biting into that thin chocolate cookie and hitting that cool, refreshing mint that hooks you. Plus, they’re even better when you stick them in the fridge.
19. Famous Chocolate Wafers
Famous Chocolate Wafers from Nabisco are your new baking companion. Whether you crush them up as a Checker’s Board Cake workaround or snack on them straight out of the package, these cookies are deliciously chocolatey with a satisfying crispness.
20. Levain Bakery
You know when you’re craving cookies but want something that feels more like dessert? Levain Bakery has your back. Sure, their cookies aren’t cheap. But you’re getting bakery-style cookies that are indulgent and chocolatey.
