How the cookie crumbles: The local cookie battle
Cookies are one of the most popular baked goods, yet I have found that it can be very difficult to find the perfect one. The perfect cookie depends on its consistency, taste, texture and especially the experience at the bakery itself. Bakeshops, some specializing in cookies, can be found throughout South Jersey; however, only some of the shops make the cut. Following thorough contemplation of these factors and taste testing, I was able to come to the conclusion that Sweet T’s Bakeshop, Dulce Artisanal Pastry, Downtown Cookies, Crumbl Cookies and Carlo’s Bakery make up the top five cookie bakeries in this part of South Jersey. Each of these stores shares something unique to the South Jersey region. In order to provide reasoning for my ranking, a further dive into each shop was necessary.
1st Place: Sweet T’s Bakeshop
When I stepped into Sweet T’s Bakeshop, I did not expect to find particularly amazing cookies, seeing that the shop seemed to solely promote its cake products. The Haddonfield bakery has a homey feel with friendly staff which created the ambiance of a small town bakery. I decided to purchase a chocolate chip cookie and a specialty “Cookie Monster” cookie (it should be noted that there was limited selection on the menu). The chocolate chip cookie was perfectly sweet, and it met the fine balance between having a crisp shell with a soft middle. The specialty cookie was oreo flavored with a basic cookie in the middle, and it managed to taste exceptional without becoming overwhelming. Sweet T’s bakes some incredible cookies, and I plan to return for more soon.
Address: 14 Kings Ct, Haddonfield, NJ 08033
2nd Place: Dulce Artisanal Pastry
Dulce Artisanal Pastry was an unlikely find along the streets of Collingswood. As a local patisserie, the shop offers a variety of pastries in a small but clean and welcoming environment. From Dulce, I purchased an oatmeal raisin cookie and a peanut butter cookie. The oatmeal raisin cookie had the perfect chewy consistency, but it was too sweet. Besides this, the peanut butter cookie truly left me speechless. The flavor of the peanut butter was mouthwatering, and the cookie had just the right consistency to make it absolutely delectable. My main complaint regarding the pastry shop is the small menu because I would’ve been happy to purchase even more cookies.
Address: 740A Haddon Ave, Collingswood, NJ 08108
3rd Place: Downtown Cookies
Style over substance: this just about sums up Downtown Cookies. Located in Downtown Haddonfield, the bakery has a charming, small town shop atmosphere, and it has an aroma of freshly baked cookies drifting out the door. The cookies on display have creative names, and they all simply look delicious. However, this is a front for rather adequate cookies. I purchased a chocolate chip cookie and a sea salt salted caramel cookie and both tasted incredible, but they lacked good consistency. Both cookies were dry due to how thick they were. Downtown Cookies has the perfect setting, but they missed the mark in selling the 100% perfect cookies.
Address: 123 Kings Hwy E, Haddonfield, NJ 08033
4th Place: Crumbl Cookies
A national sensation for the past year, Crumbl Cookies has taken the nation’s cookie industry by storm. Running on a rotating menu, the types of cookies change every week alongside the routine chocolate chip cookie. When I purchased Crumbl Cookies, the flavors offered were Mooncake, Dirt Cake ft. Otto, Banana Cream Pie, Yellow Sugar, and Minion Confetti – a selection inspired by the new “Minions: The Rise of Gru” movie. Personally, I found the cookies inconsistent, as some were overly sweet but had the perfect consistency, while others were made up of a delicious cookie but unappealing toppings. The shop itself is rather barren and unappealing due to its completely white interior and open kitchen. Crumbl does get points, however, for the fragrant chocolate chip cookie aroma inside the store.
5th Place: Carlo’s Bakery
Carlo’s Bakery, located in Marlton, is able to provide customers with just about any baked good they might be craving. The service is great, and the store itself is full of color and aesthetically pleasing treats. While I cannot vouch for their other goods, the cookies were simply average. I purchased a chocolate chip cookie and a sugar cookie, and each cookie was too thin for my liking. Each cookie tasted as I expected it to, ultimately lacking in a stand-out factor for my liking. The shop is definitely able to offer any baked goods a customer might need, but there is nothing truly remarkable about Carlo’s Bakery.
Address: 300 NJ-73, Marlton, NJ 08053
