Which are better, store-bought cookies or homemade cookies? The answer may seem obvious to some of you. Maybe you’re thinking that there is nothing better than a warm, homemade cookie fresh from the oven. Or, you may be thinking that store-bought cookies are better because you’re not a great baker, don’t have the time, or you simply have found your favorite cookie brands. For me, the answer is not so simple. So, how do I answer the question posed at the beginning of the article? I taste test them, of course!
Store-Bought
Oreos
Ah, milk’s favorite cookie! This is an American classic, is it not? Oreos originated in 1912 as a Nabisco brand cookie. I personally love Oreos, and refuse to eat them without dunking them in cold milk. I have even tried to find comparable “off-brand” or store brand Oreo-type cookies but have yet to find a good replacement for the real thing.
Chips Ahoy Chocolate Chip Cookies
These cookies are also part of the Nabisco family. They were introduced to the world in 1963 and are widely popular around the world. These cookies I could take or leave. They are not something I would personally purchase but may snack on at a friendly gathering. I also have to admit that store brands don’t seem to hold up to the real thing.
Homemade
Knowing what to expect from the store-bought cookies, I decided to compare them with my homemade versions.
Homemade Oreos ( recipe thanks to dessertnowdinnerlater.com)
Cookie ingredients:
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup Hershey’s special dark cocoa
- 1 tsp of baking soda
- ½ tsp of baking powder
- ¼ tsp of salt
- ½ cup of unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tbsp milk
Filling ingredients
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ⅓ cup coconut oil or shortening
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 tsp milk
Baking instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- Line cookie sheet trays with parchment paper or a silicone mat. (I sprayed my trays with cooking spray)
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside
- In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter with the sugars. Add eff, vanilla, and milk. Mix and scrape the bowl.
- Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix completely. Dough will be thick
- Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough, make into a ball, and place on cookie sheet. Use the bottom if a measuring cup to press half-way down on the ball. Grease bottom of measuring cup first to avoid sticking
- Bake 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 6-7 minutes or until cooked through
- Let rest for 3 minutes and allow to cool completely
- To make the filling, beat the butter and coconut oil or shortening until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk. Mix until smooth.
- Place filling into a plastic bag and cut the corner off. Pipe mixture onto cookie. Top with another cookie.
- Repeat until done
My Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe
- 2 sticks of butter, softened
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 3 cups of flour
- 1 tsp of baking soda
- 1 tsp of baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cups chocolate chips
- Preheat given to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- Grease cookie sheets
- Cream together butter, brown sugar, sugar, eggs and vanilla until fluffy
- Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt
- Fold in chocolate chips
- Combine fully, then spoon onto cookie sheets 2 inches apart
- Bake 10-11 minutes or until cooked through
My conclusive comparison review
After tasting all of these cookies I have come to a few conclusions:
- Don’t taste test a bunch of cookies in one sitting, you will have an upset stomach
- Oreos from Nabisco are better than the homemade version because let’s face it there is nothing else out there that compares to the original. The homemade ones are soft and would not be easily dunked in milk.
- Homemade chocolate chip cookies are better than store-bought. They are soft, even after they cool, which is how I prefer my cookies to be and the Chips Ahoy ones are on the crunchy side.
