If you asked anyone on TikTok for their cookie recommendation, they would tell you to head to Crumbl. Crumbl has blown up in popularity since its first opening. Having started as a small bakery in Utah, the company now boasts over 1000 locations across the country. RamPage partnered up with Jamesville-DeWitt Middle School’s newspaper team to rank some of the most popular cookie flavors to see if the company lives up to its hype.
The History of Crumbl
Crumbl started as a small business in Logan, Utah. Jason McGowan moved to America in the hopes of fulfilling the “American Dream” and building a successful life for himself. Once he moved, he met his now wife, Whitney McGowan, and her cousin, Sawyer Hemsley. Hemsley was a college student at Utah State University with the drive to create a big business for himself. While the two sorted through ideas, they ended up on a bakery start-up. Although the store originally struggled to find its footing, the business began to pick up speed as they tested various cookie recipes.
There were two strategies that allowed the business to grow to the level that it is today:
First, a rotating menu. Crumbl releases 6 different cookie flavors every week, creating a sense of scarcity for whatever they have on display. The menu stems from the idea of being included. If the flavors were gone by next week, the customer would lose their chance to be “in the know” because they never had the opportunity to try it. This tactic isn’t a new one and companies such as Supreme or Nintendo already use it to capitalize off their fanbase. The cookies themselves are large and can easily reach up to 4 inches in diameter. They are also high in calories, with each cookie containing 800-1000 calories.
Secondly, Hemsley wanted to focus on the display of the cookie. He believed that the key to success wasn’t a tasty cookie but instead a photogenic one. The two worked to create cookies that would look good on social media to attract an influencer fanbase. And it worked. Users of TikTok and Instagram began buying the cookies in swarms to be able to post them onto their feeds. The cookies were aesthetically pleasing and matched well with Instagram’s theme of posts. To add to that, Hemsley worked alongside Utah State University students to create the now-famous Crumbl box. The box would become an instant symbol of the company, allowing the company to gain further traction.
However, that isn’t to say there haven’t been bumps in the road for the cookie business. As their company gained more popularity, the negative press around them also grew. Food reviewers claimed that the cookies were too sweet, raw, and contained an abnormal amount of calories. There were also child labor violations and lawsuits filed for “copying” their company.
Crumbl currently has a mixed media presence. While they have several fans, it’s also safe to say that there are many people out there who view the company as less than savory.
Jamesville-DeWitt Middle School Chimes In
Galaxy Brownie
The galaxy brownie, resembling Little Debby’s Cosmic Brownie, was rated the lowest. The dessert itself is not a cookie and is instead a brownie, as noted in the name. The brownie has a dark brown base with a layer of chocolate frosting that is dusted by rainbow sprinkles. Fifth grader Olivia Zhang says that the cookie is “Not as sweet and I feel like it’s a bit too sticky.”
Overall, the cookie was described to be overly chocolatey and too rich, receiving a 7.1/10
5. Cake Batter
The cake batter cookie is described as having a pound cake base with a cream cheese frosting. Crumbled-up cookie bits are sprinkled on top. While the cookie had an overall higher rating, the opinions were very polarized. Fifth grader Bella notes that the cookie looks visually appealing and has a chewy texture. However, other students had remarks that claimed the cookie was doughy, cakey, yet crunchy.
The cookie received a combined rating of 7.3/10
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunk
The semi-sweet chocolate chunk cookie is one of the original cookies that McGowan and Hemsley released, making it a Crumbl classic. The cookie itself looks very standard, with a vanilla dough base. What makes it unique is the large chunks of dark chocolate that peak out through the cookie, giving it its name. Eighth-grader Claire Hayes claims that the cookie “tastes like a less sweet cookie” and notes that she meant it as a positive thing. The cookie received a generally positive review among the students, although most noted that it was just okay.
An overall 7.4/10
Strawberry Cheesecake
It is worth noting that this is also not a cookie. The strawberry cheesecake is exactly what it sounds like – a graham cracker crust filled with cheesecake filling and topped with a layer of strawberry jam and a dollop of whipped cream. The cheesecake is dense and on the heavier side. Similar to the opinions surrounding the brownie, the reporters had varying opinions on the cheesecake. Some claimed that it was moist and had a nice berry taste to it. Others claimed that it was too heavy and lacked taste.
The cheesecake received an overall rating of 7.5/10
Snickerdoodle Cupcake Cookie
The Snickerdoodle cupcake cookie is composed of a classic cinnamon sugar cookie base with cream cheese frosting and a dusting of cinnamon. The cookie was quite popular with people around the nation, with the Crumbl X account commenting that it was the best-selling cookie of 2022. The reporters at JDMS agreed, with Hayes and Zhang both mentioning the cream frosting. Zhang relates the desert to a cinnamon pie.
The cookie received a rating of 8.6/10
Cookies and Cream Pie
Ironically, the most loved dessert at Crumbl was not a cookie. Instead, the cookies and cream pie received the highest rating. Crumbl claims that the pie is composed of a cookies and cream crust, a cookies and cream filling, and topped with a whipped cream border with pieces of cookie crumbs. The pie received overwhelming support from across the board, with fifth grader Bre describing it as “speechless, creamy, beautiful”. Others said that they found the pie to be heavenly and perfect. While it was messy to eat, the support it received allowed the pie to dominate the cookie options that Crumbl offers.
The cookies and cream pie won with an overall rating of 8.8/10
Cost and Health
Despite the cookies receiving high scores from the students of JDMS, there is something to be said about the absurd prices. For a six-pack of cookies, it costs $24.29. However, there is an extra fee for the cheesecake and pie, each adding an additional $1.49 to the price. While the cookies might taste good, they are definitely on the pricey side for the average person.
In addition to that, the cookies themselves are far from healthy. Although cookies are not designed to be healthy, Crumbl takes it to the next level. The cookies are incredibly high in butter and sugar, contributing to their high caloric content. It is recommended that the average person consumes 1200-1500 calories per day and Crumbl’s cookies walk the edge of that limit. While nutritional diet varies from person to person, it is overall safe to say that Crumbl cookies are not safe for the average person to consume every day.
Is Crumbl Worth the Hype?
It seems that the cookie company may deserve its attention. Although there are concerns surrounding the company, the cookies themselves are flavorful and well-liked. They could serve to be a delicious treat or a reward if students are looking for a sweet treat.
A special thank you to Jamesville-DeWitt’s Middle School Newspaper for letting RamPage visit!