We Found the Best Grocery Store Cookies (and the Worst, Too)

Some grocery store cookies are dangerously good, while others leave you wondering who approved the recipe. If you’ve ever grabbed a box on impulse and regretted it halfway through the first bite, you’re not alone. Cookie aisles are packed with options, but not all deserve a spot in your cart. We did the legwork to figure out which ones hit the mark and which fall flat. The results might just save you from your next cookie mistake.

Chips Ahoy! Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sometimes, the best Costco dessert is the one that takes you straight back to childhood. Chips Ahoy! cookies bring that classic crunch and are packed with real chocolate chips in every bite. Whether you dunk them in milk or munch them by the handful, they’re a no-fuss, crowd-pleasing favorite.

Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Cookies

If you’re after a cookie that tastes homemade without turning on the oven, these Thin & Crispy Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies from Pepperidge Farm are a solid pick. Made with real butter, smooth milk chocolate, and a hint of vanilla, they strike the perfect balance of rich flavor and light crunch. And if you’re feeling adventurous, Pepperidge Farm’s other cookie lines like Milano or Chunk, offer plenty more to love.

Famous Amos Cookies

If you like your cookies crisp and craveable, Famous Amos delivers every time. These bite-sized classics were born from Wally Amos’s dedication to quality ingredients and a family-inspired recipe. With just the right hint of salt to balance the chocolate chips, they’re the kind of cookie that disappears by the handful.

Entenmann’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

Soft, chewy, and rich with chocolate chips, Entenmann’s Chocolate Chip Cookies taste like they just came out of your oven—without the mess. These beloved cookies are a longtime favorite for their bakery-style texture and just-sweet-enough flavor. They’re perfect for lunchboxes, dessert platters, or sneaky late-night snacks.

Lofthouse Cookies

Okay, hear us out—Lofthouse Cookies might be controversial, but they’ve got a loyal fanbase for a reason. These ultra-soft sugar cookies are topped with thick, colorful frosting and cheerful sprinkles, making them feel like a celebration in every bite. If a unicorn were a cookie, this would be it.

Oreo

Craving a classic? Oreo cookies never go out of style. With two crisp chocolate wafers hugging a sweet cream center, they’re perfect for dunking in milk, twisting apart, or devouring whole. No matter how you eat them, they deliver that familiar flavor that’s been a favorite for generations.

Tate’s Bake Shop

Tate’s Bake Shop Chocolate Chip Cookies are thin, crispy, and loaded with buttery flavor—that’s what made them famous in the first place. These crave-worthy cookies come in plenty of other flavors too, like coconut crisp, oatmeal raisin, and white chocolate macadamia. Once you try one, don’t be surprised if you’re hooked.

Stauffer’s

These nostalgic animal-shaped cookies may look fun, but a peek at the ingredients tells a different story. Stauffer’s Animal Crackers and Iced Animal Cookies rely heavily on high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, and synthetic dyes like Red 40 and Yellow 6. Even the bright white icing contains titanium dioxide, raising concerns for those who prefer cleaner treats.

Mother’s Cookies

Mother’s Circus Animal and Mythical Creatures Cookies bring the fun with their pink frosting and rainbow sprinkles, but their ingredient list reads more like a science experiment. Loaded with added sugars, hydrogenated oils, and a rainbow of artificial dyes including Red 3, which will be banned in California by 2027, these cookies raise red flags for quality-conscious eaters. While they may be nostalgic, they’re far from clean-label.

Smart Way

Smart Way cookies may look like a bargain, but they’re packed with low-quality ingredients that leave much to be desired. High fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, and alkali-processed cocoa are just the beginning. Add in artificial colors like Yellow 5 and preservatives like dextrose and caramel color, and it’s easy to see why these cookies fall short on both taste and nutrition.

Great Value

Walmart’s Great Value cookies deliver on cost but come up short in quality. Varieties like Peanut Butter Sandwich and Fudge Striped Shortbread rely heavily on high fructose corn syrup and invert syrup—both known for spiking blood sugar. For pastry professionals, these low-cost ingredients are a red flag that flavor and integrity have taken a back seat to affordability.

Grandma’s

Despite the nostalgic packaging, Grandma’s cookies are far from homemade. Even classic varieties like chocolate chip are loaded with processed additives—think high fructose corn syrup, polydextrose, soy lecithin, and ammonium bicarbonate. While the name suggests old-fashioned charm, the ingredient list tells a very different story.

Voortman Bakery Sero Sugar Shortbread Cookies

These sugar-free shortbreads surprise more than they disappoint. While they don’t mimic the buttery crumble of traditional shortbread, they avoid the bitter aftertaste common in many sugar-free treats. The texture leans dry and slightly gritty, but for those watching their sugar intake, they’re a respectable option that doesn’t taste like punishment.