Homemade cookies just about always beat store bought, prepackaged cookie doughs. They’re more fun to make – especially if you’re looking for an activity to do with your kids – they’re tastier and they don’t have any strange ingredients, like preservatives, in them. The only advantage of the prepacked doughs is that they’re quicker and more convenient if you absolutely don’t have time to make dough from scratch. Pillsbury recently introduced a new line of prepackaged cookie dough called simply Cookies that give packaged cookies a push closer to homemade. The real selling point is that they are not made with any artificial ingredients. In fact, the ingredient list of the cookies reads just like a recipe ingredient list would (flour, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, etc.). I had a chance to taste the Peanut Butter Cookies when I visited General Mills a few weeks ago and was quite impressed with them. They were nice and chewy, and they had a great peanut butter flavor. They are made with shortening (non-hydrogenated), so they don’t have a real buttery flavor to them, but that’s not a drawback in a peanut butter cookie where you want the peanuts to be the star.
Now, I’m still going to make my cookies from scratch, but I do think it’s nice to know that there is good store-bought option out there if I need some cookies in a pinch or if a friend who is short on time (or ingredients) needs a recommendation.
Nutmeg Nanny
September 22, 2009I have recently started noticing “Simply” line of cookies in the store. It’s great to read a review and good to know they are not half bad.
Dolce
September 23, 2009I saw them in a store and wondered how they were… Thank you for reviewing.
Hope
September 25, 2009My kids love cookies but being a busy mom, I don’t have much time to bake them from scratch. I appreciate reviews of different products so I may know what to try.
Thanks!
Matt
September 28, 2009Credit to the food companies for making an honest effort to get the hydrogenated fats out of their products. With all of the high-fructose corn syrup and trans fats in most foods marketed to kids, these are actually pretty good – and I concur that they don’t compromise the taste.