While St. Louis isn’t particularly known for its cookies (like it’s known for its gooey butter bars and toasted ravioli), Wash U is surprisingly situated in something of a cookie lover’s paradise. Between on-campus options like Einstein’s chocolate chip cookie poppers and Café Bergson’s JEM and oatella cookies, and off-campus options like Insomnia, Dough to Door and Colleen’s Cookies, you can pretty much satisfy a cookie craving at any hour of the day (2 am cookie binge anyone?). But those cookie connoisseurs who have tried them all know that some crucial distinctions place certain cookies higher on the cookie totem pole than others.
To make your cookie decision a little easier, I took on the responsibility of visiting a few of the best cookie havens in STL. I present to you the down ‘n dirty on the pros, cons and cookies that simply blew my mind from the three most popular cookie joints near campus.
1. Colleen’s Cookies
Pros:
- Cute vintage shop
- Unique flavors like lemon ricotta and gooey butter
- Soft, thick cookies
- Great atmosphere, décor and seating
- Also offer a café menu as well as a variety of homemade signature shortbreads and cakes
Cons:
- The classic flavors were pretty bland, like the chocolate chip and the snickerdoodle
- No delivery; the walk is over a mile
- Cookies are not served warm
- Limited hours of operation
Best cookie:
Hands down the Gooey Butter cookie. In the words of my friend: “It tastes like clouds.” It may taste more like a powdery lump of sugar cookie dough than a gooey butter bar, but I’m not complaining. This cookie makes Colleen’s worth the trip.
Photo by Isabella Neuberg
Address: 7337 Forsyth Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63105
Hours: Monday – Friday 6:30am – 5:30pm, Saturday 7:30 am – 5:30pm, Sunday 7:30am – 3:00pm
2. Insomnia Cookies
Pros:
- Online ordering and delivery (practically no human interaction)
- Cookies arrive warm and melty, fresh from the oven
- Killer classics, like chocolate chip and M&M
- In-store ice cream option, so you can make your own chipwich
- Tied with Dough to Door for the least expensive cookie at $1.35 a piece
Cons:
- “Deluxe” cookies cost almost twice as much as regular ($2.75)
- You could make pretty similar tasting cookies yourself with homemade cookie dough
- Not a lot of seating in the store; lacks a warm atmosphere
- Minimum of $6 for delivery
Best cookie:
The S’mores Deluxe cookie simply stole the show. With chunks of graham cracker and globs of marshmallow, it truly tastes like a s’more, which is no small feat. Insomnia also wins for best chocolate chip cookie in the bunch. Sometimes, going back to basics is the move.
Photo by Isabella Neuberg
Address: 6301 Delmar Blvd., St Louis, MO, 63130
Hours: Sunday – Saturday 12pm – 3am (delivery), 11am – 3am (in-store pick up)
3. Dough To Door
Pros:
- They deliver (hence the name)
- Cookies arrive warm in a tin-foil-lined box
- Thinner and crispier than Insomnia
- Create-your-own option makes for endless possibilities: mix-ins include Oreos, Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, marshmallows, Rolos and even dried fruit for that one healthy friend trying to justify his/her cookie eating; The menu gives you a few ideas to spark your imagination like “Gooey Pretzel,” with plain dough, pretzel M&Ms and caramel chips (drooling right now…)
- Only $1.35 per cookie and about $1.50 per custom cookie
Cons:
- No online delivery so you have to call
- Delivery tends to take a little longer than Insomnia delivery
- The classics were solid, but nothing to call home about
Best Cookie:
The Dough to Door snickerdoodle is truly superior. It is drenched in cinnamon, unlike Insomnia and Colleen’s snickerdoodles, which barely had any flavor. For spice lovers, this snicker doodle will definitely impress.
Photo Courtesy of studlife.com
Address: 6016 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63112
Hours: Monday 4pm – 12am, Tuesday – Thursday 12pm – 12am, Friday – Saturday 12pm – 2am
What’s the Consensus?
Colleen’s blows Insomnia and Dough to Door out of the water in terms of atmosphere. Its vintage décor and comfortable seating make it a great place for an outing with friends. These cookies are more artful and sophisticated in design and flavor; they would make for a great gift. But if you’re looking for your classic late-night, eating-all-your-feelings cookies, Insomnia is the way to go. They kill it with the traditional flavors, served fresh from the oven. And if you’re feeling more daring and creative, the Dough to Door create-your-own option is sure to please, as they offer a variety of toppings to satisfy any cookie craving.
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