Chocolate chip cookies are a classic, easy treat to whip up at home. Sadly, we don't always have time to make them from scratch, so here's a handy ranked list of the 7 best places to grab a cookie on campus!
Byte 75
Where: Located in Lazaridis Hall, Byte 75 is the ideal spot to grab a snack to get you through the last minutes of group meetings.
Price: $1.99
Description: This is basically an ideal chocolate chip cookie; chewy, tender and packed with chocolate, it was a delightful experience for my taste buds. It was also HUGE and filled with so much warm chocolate that it almost melted in my hands! The only downside to this cookie was that it lacked the caramelized brown sugar flavour that the Starbucks, Second Cup and Tim's cookies have which made it slightly cloying. I give this cookie a 9/10
Second Cup
Where: Located on the first floor of the library, Second Cup is the perfect place to grab a cookie (or other sweet treat) and coffee to get you through those late night study sessions on the silent floor.
Price: $2.25
Description: This cookie was pretty much everything you could want in a chocolate chip cookie. Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and generously dotted with chocolate chips. When it's warmed up the texture is phenomenal. The sea salt helped to cut the sweetness without being too salty, and it tasted like it was made with high-quality ingredients. Overall I'd give Second Cup a 9/10 for this cookie. Try it with the Caramelo flavoured coffee with no sugar and a touch of cream for an afternoon pick-me-up.
https://secondcup.com/menu/sea-salt-chocolate-chip-cookie
Starbucks
Where: Starbucks is conveniently located in the concourse so you can quickly grab a coffee and a snack while you study or are going to and from class.
Price: $2.57
Description: This was a superior cookie experience, especially when warmed up – the cookie was so soft that it was almost collapsing on itself. It had a perfect ratio of chocolate to cookie and had a delicious buttery flavour as well. The holiday edition Gingerbread Latte pairs well with this chocolate chunk cookie since it's subtle spiciness offsets the sweetness of the cookie perfectly. Personally, I would have liked it to be more crispy on the edges but the texture was generally good. Overall I give Starbucks an 8/10, simply because of the price for what it is. However, if you're in the mood to treat yo'self, this is it.
https://www.starbucks.ca/
Tim Horton's
Where: Located in the Science Building, Timmy's is a broke college student's best friend. Good coffee, low prices, breakfast all day – what's not to love? Pair any baked good with a black coffee for a treat that won't cost you more than $5
Price: $0.99
Description: Tim's is known for their simple, cheap and delicious baked goods, and this cookie does not disappoint. It had a really nice caramelized taste which made me think they used brown sugar in it. Once again it had that lovely, homemade taste and the texture I love: chewy in the middle but crispy on the edges. The only thing I would change would be to add more chocolate chips but for $0.99, a girl can't complain. Overall, I give Tim's an 8/10, because it was a little bit dryer than the others and could have used more chocolate. However, Tim's wins in terms of value as it balances quality with affordability.
https://www.timhortons.com/ca/en/index.php
Williams Fresh Cafe
Where: Williams in the food court is the perfect place for a healthy lunch or a sweet treat to have with coffee.
Price: $1.20
Description: This cookie was a bit on the dry side, more crispy than chewy, and very firm. However, it did have that nice caramelized taste that was reminiscent of a homemade cookie. I think it would be even better if it were warmed up and had more chocolate chips. Williams does get points for value, however, because this was a big cookie for the price. Overall I rate Williams a 7.5/10 because it needed more chocolate and was a bit too dry for my taste.
https://williamsfreshcafe.com/
Subway
Where: Subway, conveniently located in the Bricker Academic building, is a great option for a healthier lunch that you can grab on your way to a lecture. Their cookies are also a sweet treat for dessert.
Price: $0.69
Description: Before I tried the other cookies I thought subway cookies were pretty good. Sadly, in comparison to the others, Subway was subpar. It has a distinctly "box cookie" taste, in that it tastes like something mass produced. It's not a bad choice as cookies go, especially for the price, but if cheap is what you're looking for I'd say spend the extra 30 cents and go to Tim's. Overall I rate Subway cookies a 6/10. They're just average, nothing special but not terrible
https://www.subway.com/en-CA
Mr. Sub
Location: Mr. Sub in the food court is another option if you're feeling a sandwich but don't want to go all the way to Bricker for Subway.
Price: $0.45
Description: This was the smallest cookie of all the options I tried. Once again, it had that commercial taste that wasn't altogether terrible but didn't measure up to the others. It gets points for convenience because you can get a quick dessert with your sub, but it's nothing special. I rate Mr Sub cookies a 6/10 overall.
https://mrsub.ca/menu/
Final Thoughts
The cookie that was the best value for money was definitely Tim Horton's because it managed to balance quality and price. However, the best cookie overall was from Byte 75, which was to me, the ideal chocolate chip cookie in both taste and texture. Don't take my word for it though, head to campus and try the 'cookie tour' for yourself!