Is this TikTok-famous bakery worth the hype?

Crumbls+party+box+which+comes+with+a+dozen+of+their+large+cookies.+

Skylar Penland

Crumbl’s “party box” which comes with a dozen of their large cookies.

Crumbl
opened up in Schaumburg, Ill. on Saturday, April 16. This cookie bakery has been receiving a lot of attention from it’s other locations all over the country on TikTok. When I arrived there on Saturday, April 16 to pick up my curbside delivery order, the parking lot was packed and there were nearly 200 people in a line that reached all down the stripmall. 

Crumbl has an interesting menu. It rotates every week so only some flavors are available, beside their chocolate chip and sugar cookie, which you can always get. This week’s flavors were banana bread, cotton candy, biscoff lava, funfetti, chocolate chip, and sugar cookie. We ordered one of each to get the most out of our tasting experience. 

“We have a rotating menu with 120 plus specialty flavors in addition to our chilled sugar and award-winning milk chocolate chip cookies,” said Crumbl. “Our flavors are inspired by desserts of all kinds – from pies to cakes to candies and more…Each week is a totally unique cookie-eating experience.”

Slices of each of the cookies mentioned in the article. (Skylar Penland)

While there was a very long wait before we got our order, even with curbside service and ordering in advance (it was about an hour wait), this was expected given their popularity and the fact that we went on the day they opened. Additionally, despite their busyness, all of the workers were very nice and helpful. The service was great, and given how busy they were, the wait wasn’t too bad. 

As for the flavors, they were not what my family and I expected. We all tasted and rated all the flavors and here is our rundown. 

The contents of the box we ordered when we opened it, including one of each of the six flavors and some extras. (Skylar Penland)

Banana Bread: Served warm, this cookie was relatively as one would expect. It was soft like the rest with a gooey center and some icing on top.

Ratings: Me: 5/10 My boyfriend: 4/10 My brother: 7/10 My mom: 7/10 My dad: 5/10

Averaging a 5.6. This cookie we were, overall, flat on. It was fine. 

Things to note: My family does have a pretty high standard for cookies and that we do in general enjoy crispness, which none of these cookies had (the style of Crumbled cookies is more big and soft).

Cotton Candy: Served warm, this cookie consisted of a relatively simple base and extremely sweet, cotton candy tasting frosting. 

Ratings: Me: 1/10 My boyfriend: 8/10 My brother: 7/10 My mom: 2/10 My dad: 7/10

Averaging a 5.0, this one opened up some controversy within my family. My mom and I found the frosting to be much too sweet and not at all enjoyable. However, the boys all really enjoyed this one. 

Things to note: I don’t like cotton candy. 

Biscoff lava: Served warm, this cookie seemed relatively similar to a chocolate chip without the chips and with a crunchy crumble of something on top.

Ratings: Me: 3/10 My boyfriend: 3/10 My brother: 4/10 My mom: 0/10 My dad: 1/10

Averaging a 2.2, this one confused us a little bit. Given the name one would assume that it would be filled with something or have a gooey center but this cookie had neither. I found it boring and nothing special while my mom disliked it so much that she said that she regretted the calories from the one bite she took. 

Things to note: Previously none of us knew what biscoff was and are still a bit unsure.

Funfetti: Served warm, this cookie was simple with a basic, soft base with sprinkles mixed in. 

Ratings: Me: 8/10 My boyfriend: 3/10 My brother: 4/10 My mom: 8/10 My dad: 5/10

Averaging a 5.6, none of us hated this one. My mom and I thought that it was a pretty solid cookie however the boys were flat on it.

Things to note: It was very plain. 

Chocolate chip: Served warm, this is a soft cookie with milk chocolate chips. 

Ratings: Me: 8/10 My boyfriend: 7/10 My brother: 7/10 My mom: 8/10 My dad: 2/10

Averaging a 6.4, this was one of the more popular ones. While most of us agreed that this was a pretty good cookie, it was nowhere near the best chocolate chip we had ever eaten. 

Things to note: Our standard for chocolate chip cookies is even higher than for others. This cookie was very good, but not outstanding. 

Sugar cookie: Served chilled, this iced cookie was similar to the cotton candy cookie in that the cookie was simple but the icing was extremely sweet. 

Ratings: Me: 0/10 My boyfriend: 1/10 My brother: 4/10 My mom: 3/10 My dad: 4/10

Averaging a 2.6, this one was not popular. I found it to be inedible because of how sweet the frosting was. None of us loved it.

Things to note: Very sweet. 

Overall, we decided that we would not go again. It was not worth the drive and the wait. However, if you enjoy large, soft, very filling cookies and like things extremely sweet, this is the place for you. Compared to its competitors like Insomnia, I would definitely pick Insomnia. It is all about preference and how you like your cookies, but if it was up to me, I would not recommend.