Cookies on demand, delivered to my door within 20 minutes because I want them right now? Seems kind of like a joke and a little preposterous, but that is exactly what Doughbies sets out to be for the I want it now generation. Yes, just like Veruca Salt. Seemed like an odd thing to be as a start-up, in addition to a limited selection and a strange business model. Being the consummate cookie fiend I am I was totally game to give them a try and see if my cookie dreams would come true.
They have a limited time window for order/delivery--12-4pm Monday through Friday--I'm guessing that coincides with the "I need an afternoon snack" time for most people. Currently, they also only have two choices--chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies in packs of 3 for $8, 6 for $12 or 12 for $22. I really wanted a combo pack but that wasn't offered (HINT HINT) you have to get either one or the other. I picked 2 six packs of each cookie for a total of $24 (yes my gluttony knows no bounds!). That made them $2 a cookie which does put them on the high end of cookies in this town, along the lines of Craftsman & Wolves, Tout Sweet Patisserie, Specialties, etc. I decided to look at the splurge as part of my food reviewer research duties (riiiigghht!).
I clicked the purchase button and immediately got an email confirmation. About 5 minutes later, got another email that cookies were on the way and link to a map where I could follow my delivery driver and be at the curb to meet them. Thus, they deliver, but curbside only, they won't come up to your office or apartment. I watched the dot come down the street to my place and then roll right on by. I live on one of those funky streets where it's name inexplicably changes right in the middle of it for not reason and it can be confusing to folks when they deliver here for the first time. And, ding, there is the driver calling me. I explain how the street works and watch his dot circle around and voila, there he is pulling up to my curb with my cookies. It takes a little more than 20 minutes but since he hasn't been here before no big whoop on that and props for hitting the times pretty well.
Nice guy, very cheery. He hands me four boxes, each with 3 cookies, thanks me and drives off to deliver all the rest of the boxes you see in the pic. I scurried up to my apartment with my boxed treasures and unpacked my loot.
The chocolate chips were actually bigger than I thought they'd be, though not as big as one you'd get at Cafe Madeline or TwoFish Baking Company. They were a lovely golden brown, crunchy around the edges, soft inside and had a healthy sprinkle of sea salt on top. Nice, but what it needed was more chocolate chips. As it is, the chips are few and far between and you get more bites without than with, a flaw that could be easily remedied by adding another cup to the mix. It's a solid, if unspectacular cookie and will fill an instant cookie hunger need, but I can't really say it stands out as one of the better ones I've had in town. Warming them up didn't do much, though I will say it did, oddly, taste a little better the next day, but it still needed more chocolate.
The peanut butter were more like smallish balls than flat cookies. They were crisp and crumbly and a little dry. Plus I can't say I was a big fan of the sugar they were coated in. For me it wasn't necessary and I might have liked these better if they were shape and size of of the chocolate chips and just a little soft and chewy. They kind of reminded me of store bought cookies as opposed to the homemade, handmade thing Doughbies is pushing. Not terrible mind you, just not what I was hoping for.
Honestly, I'm not totally bummed that the cookies were just okay. I like the idea of this and can see it as something fun to do for coworkers or surprise friends with kind of thing. I think with a few tweaks it could be really good. Like offering cookie combo packs and strengthening the cookie recipes a bit. Otherwise, if you are looking for a fun cookie fix and you want it right now without having to get dressed and go out, Doughbies is an option that works like it says it does. Now if they just get the cookies adjusted, they'd also taste like they say they do.
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