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Imagine the sheer delight of receiving a package every month filled with an assortment of freshly baked, gourmet cookies delivered right to your doorstep. This is the magic of cookie clubs or subscriptions - the ideal treat for anyone with an insatiable love for cookies or for those eager to gift a delicious surprise to someone special.
Variety is the spice of life, they say, and what better way to experience it than through a plethora of cookie flavors? From classic chocolate chip and chewy oatmeal raisin to exotic flavors like salted caramel, peanut butter and jelly, or even lavender shortbread, the options are endless. Each month brings a new adventure as you eagerly anticipate the discovery of unique and tantalizing flavors crafted by skilled bakers.
Friday, February 14th
Tracy Mattson is the baker behind COOKIE... take a bite! Trained as a professional pastry chef, she worked under some of the biggest names in the industry before establishing her home base in Sonoma County, CA. This bakery specializes in cookies they describe as "a bit left of center”, or in other words, new twists on familiar favorites and brand-new flavors too. Inspired by European cafes and bakeries, these cookie recipes are made to be satisfying but not too sweet, just the right size for a little treat or an after-dinner dessert with a glass of milk (or wine, we won't judge!).
2-5 different cookie flavors in each delivery
Each month in this cookie club brings you two dozen cookies, usually in 2-5 different flavors. Here's an idea of what was sent out in some previous boxes of the COOKIE... take a bite! club:
Subscriptions for 3, 6, or 12 months
You can subscribe to this cookie club for 3, 6, or 12 months. The longer the plan, the less expensive it is: starting at $42.85/month for the 3-month plan (or slightly more for the gluten-free option at $45/month), down to just $36.85/month when you go for a full year. In addition to the free shipping offered on all clubs, we appreciate that you don't have to pay for the full subscription upfront and can just be billed month to month. But, COOKIE... take a bite! does ask for a 30-day written notice if you need to cancel or change your subscription, and they reserve the right to charge for the full term.
Makes for a great gift
This cookie subscription makes for a terrific gift, mostly because each set of two dozen cookies comes in a beautiful tin, no extra gift wrap required. You'll indicate that it's a gift during checkout, where you can put in a special message along with any other notes you'd like COOKIE... take a bite! to take into account for your order.
Let them know about allergies or preferences
We reached out to the support team at COOKIE... take a bite! to ask whether or not customers know the flavors in advance. One of our favorite cookie fans absolutely hates peanut butter, so we make it a point to find out which cookie clubs would let her skip a month if the dreaded PB was the foundation of any flavors on the roster. It took about a day for the team to respond to our message via Facebook, but we got a very pleasant reply: at COOKIE... take a bite!, they don't tell you in advance which flavors are going to be in the box, simply because it can change. However, if you put in your notes any allergies or flavor preferences, they'll take that into account when they fill your box. Also, just FYI, they tend to avoid using peanut butter at all, specifically because of the high potential for allergic reactions.
Satisfaction guaranteed
Everything in this cookie club is backed by a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee. If you're not happy for any reason, just reach out via phone or the online Customer Care form so that they can make it right.
5-star reviews
But, you probably won't have any need to do that, because almost every single customer gives COOKIE... take a bite! a perfect 5-star review. From the flavors of the cookies to the responsiveness of the owner herself, there's just nothing to complain about. Really, the only even slightly negative comment we found was from a few people who wished the cookies were bigger. (Cookie Monster would say "Me too, Karen!” to that! Om-nom-nom!)
Still #1 among cookie clubs
We really love supporting small businesses, and everything about COOKIE... take a bite! continues to earn our most enthusiastic recommendation. You'll get to try lots of different flavors (with some flexibility if there's an ingredient you're allergic to or just plain don't like), your satisfaction is guaranteed, and you'll get 24 cookies right to your doorstep for around $40. What's not to love? We'd encourage you to "take a bite” too, the next time you're looking for a cookie club to enjoy. COOKIE... take a bite! remains at the top of our list with a 5-star rating.
When it comes to all kinds of subscriptions, Amazing Clubs is a regular favorite with our experts (and, of course, with over 3 million customers too). There are over 40 different options here, ranging from neckties and teddy bears to gourmet food like cheese and wine. Amazing Clubs' cookie club, while a winner in its own right, can easily be combined with any of the subscriptions on offer here. You won't find that kind of mix-and-match with any other cookie club on our list.
You'll know exactly what they've sent...
But, let's take a look at why the cookie club itself earns our highest rating. To start, every delivery with Amazing Clubs' subscription comes with a full two pounds of cookies in two different flavors. The company tells you exactly what they've sent over the last 12 months, so you can know right away if it's the kind of cookie club for you. For example, flavors from recent months included traditional faves like Chocolate Chunk and Oatmeal Raisin, but also novel flavors like Blueberry Muffin and Lemon White Chocolate Chip.
...and you'll know what's coming
It doesn't stop there. Once you've subscribed, you'll get an email every month letting you know what flavors are slated for the next delivery. See something you don't like? We get it: someone we gifted with an Amazing Clubs' cookie subscription wouldn't touch peanut butter with a ten-foot pole. She was thrilled that she knew exactly when any kind of peanut butter cookie was scheduled to come, and all it took was a quick call to Amazing Clubs to ask them to skip that month and add a delivery on to the end of the subscription.
Unparalleled customer service
Speaking of customer service, Amazing Clubs is really the best. They back everything they ship, from cookies to candles, with an ironclad "They'll Love It!” guarantee. We've put it to the test more than once, and we've been nothing but, well, amazed by how we've been treated. It doesn't happen often, but when something doesn't line up with your expectations (maybe the cookies come in bad shape or they don't come at all), you can expect a prompt, even a little over-the-top-with-kindness response. Whether you want a refund, a replacement, or even to switch to a different club, the attitude at Amazing Clubs is "we can absolutely do that”.
Tons of flexibility
But, let's jump back to the cookie club. You've got a lot of flexibility with how you set it up. You can pay as you go or pay upfront; it's always the same price, ranging from $47.95 to $49.95 per month, depending on the length of the subscription term. You can opt for 3, 4 (quarterly), 6, or 12 deliveries, and you can have them come monthly or every other month. You can also go for ongoing-until-you-cancel cookie shipments.
Gift-giving couldn't be easier
All of that flexibility is part of the reason why Amazing Clubs' cookies are awesome for gift-giving. We also think that the monthly newsletter, The Crumbled Cookie, adds a fun touch you won't necessarily see with other subscriptions: it tells you where the cookies came from, shares some fun facts, offers serving suggestions, and more. Plus, when you set up your cookie club here as a gift, you can choose a free gift message to send via email on the date of your choosing, to print out yourself and present in person, or have it mailed to you or your recipient for $2.99. However, keep in mind that regardless of when you want the announcement sent, the cookies themselves (as with the rest of the subscriptions at Amazing Clubs) will always ship out during the last week of the month.
Well-loved cookie club
And that's the only area where we've found any complaints: some people would like to be able to have cookies delivered at other times of the month. Beyond that, though, this cookie club has almost 500 reviews averaging 4.5 out of 5 stars. The shipments are described as generous, with enough to satisfy 12 people in the office breakroom with cookies to spare. "Best cookies I've ever had” is a comment that pops up in more than one review.
Earns our highest rating
What's the downside? There really isn't one. Amazing Clubs deserves our highest rating. We've given a rival cookie club our #1 spot on the list simply because we want to highlight a small business, but the two subscriptions share our enthusiastic recommendation.
Feed Your Soul's founder and owner, Mya Zoracki, did a hard pivot from being a trader on the American Stock Exchange and attending law school to creating a bakery that's putting good (and goodies) out into the world as a Certified B Corporation. Every purchase made at Feed Your Soul results in a donation made to Feeding America, and the bakery ships cookies monthly to Coalition for the Homeless in New York City. Since its founding, Feed Your Soul has donated over 100,000 cookies and 350,000 meals. This is absolutely a cookie club that spreads the love.
Expensive but worth it
We're going to say it upfront: you're going to pay more for this cookie club than most of its rivals on our list. Pricing ranges from $134.95 for a 3-month subscription to $515.40 for a 1-year plan, and there are only 12 individually-wrapped cookies in each box. But, those cookies are made with high-quality, simple ingredients with no artificial colors or preservatives, made to be eaten within 5 days of delivery (or frozen for up to 3 months), so you do get the quality you'd expect for the price.
No delivery preview but recipes look tasty
While Feed Your Soul doesn't tell you in advance which flavors will come in each cookie club delivery, they show you some of the tasty treats that have been on the roster in the past. Those include Lemonberry (lemon zest, dried cranberries, premium white chocolate, real butter), Snickerdoodle (their recipe includes white chocolate), Simply Sublime (fresh lime juice, real butter, pure cane sugar), and the classic chocolate chip recipe they call "The First Batch”.
Decent for gift-giving
You can keep this cookie club to yourself or send it as a gift. If you want to include a physical greeting card, though, you'll have to check the box and pay an extra $3 for the service. Whether you're buying for yourself or someone else, your cookies will always be shipped out around the same day of the month as the first delivery. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a way to specify a future date during Feed Your Soul's checkout, so expect your first cookie club to ship shortly after you place your order.
Wonderful cookies and customer service
Shoppers have lovely things to say about the Feed Your Soul cookies and about the customer service. They assure prospective customers that the cookies are delicious and well worth the money, with some being pleasantly surprised at how fresh they are even after being stored for a while in the freezer after delivery. One person described the customer service rep with whom they spoke as being the most pleasant CSR they'd ever encountered in their life. And, of course, there's the feel-good aspect of knowing that every purchase helps feed people in need.
Get great treats while doing good for others
Feed Your Soul is definitely worth considering when you're looking for a solid cookie club. It doesn't offer some of the bells and whistles found with some rival subscriptions we evaluated (like making it easy to know which flavors are coming ahead of time or robust gift-giving features), but that's easily balanced out by the high-quality cookies and the wholesomeness of the company in general. We're happy to give Feed Your Soul's cookie club an excellent rating.
Levain Bakery, founded by Pam Weekes and Connie McDonald in 1995, emerged from their shared passions for food, friendship, and athletics. Former competitive swimmers and triathletes, the duo's discussions on baking during workouts led to the inception of a small bread shop, affectionately named Levain Bakery after the French word for natural leavening agents.
The ultimate chocolate chip walnut cookie
Their journey took an unexpected turn when they crafted the ultimate chocolate chip walnut cookie as a fuel source for their training, only to find it quickly becoming a customer favorite. From its humble beginnings on West 74th Street, Levain Bakery evolved into a beloved neighborhood fixture and a must-visit spot for tourists from around the world. Committed to freshness and community, Levain bakes everything on-site daily, with leftovers donated to charity each night - a tradition upheld since the bakery's inception.
We like big cookies and we cannot lie
At first glance, you might not think you're getting much for your money with a Levain Bakery cookie club: only 8 cookies in each box. But, when you consider that their signature recipes result in huge treats that often weigh around 6 ounces, that's a lot of cookie (about 3 pounds in total). They come packaged in cellophane and a pretty box, making for a nice presentation.
Choose from various assortments or single-flavor subscriptions
We're also huge fans of the ways cookie fans can get exactly what they want with Levain Bakery, whether that's a surprise assortment of flavors in each delivery or a tried-and-true batch of chocolate chips each and every time. No matter which one you pick, it's $44.10 per month (and shipping is included). Here are all of your options:
Gift recipients choose their flavors... eventually
When you send a Levain Bakery cookie club as a gift, you'll prepay for a term of 3, 6, or 12 months. You don't get to specify the cookies that come in the first box, though: it'll just be an assortment, sometimes with classic flavors and other times with a new-flavor preview a month earlier than the cookies are made available to the public. But, a nice perk is that about a week prior to the next delivery, your recipient will get an email reminder along with the opportunity to choose the assortment they'd prefer.
Thousands of 5-star reviews
Wondering if these cookies are worth it? Buzz over to Levain Bakery's Yelp profile and wonder no more: across nearly 10,000 reviews (left for both in-person and online orders), the average is an impressive 4.6 out of 5 stars. The most common complaint? "These cookies are too big to finish” (that's a problem we'd like to have!).
Best box for big bites
If we were signing up for a cookie club today, Levain Bakery's subscriptions would be hard to pass up. We're huge fans of bigger-than-big cookies (even if there are only 8 in a box), and we love that customers (and gift recipients) can choose from so many different options for what comes in each box. For classic flavors that go heavy on chocolate (with some non-chocolate treats on offer too), Levain Bakery is one of the best choices for a cookie club.
The Cravory is based in San Diego and has been crafting cookies since 2009. They've created over 5,000 flavors since then, serving more than 10,000 customers nationwide. Best of all, you can get these cookies no matter where you live through The Cravory's cookie club.
6 unique flavors in every delivery
Every month, you'll get to try 6 new cookie flavors from The Cravory. And believe us when we tell you that they're not your mama's oatmeal raisin. For example, here's what was released for the upcoming month at the time of our visit to the site:
Great value for what you get
How many cookies would you like in each box? The Cravory lets you decide if you want a half-dozen, a dozen, or two dozen in your subscription. All subscriptions are prepaid, and you can get deliveries for 3, 6, or 12 months. What does it cost? You'll pay $6.95 in shipping fees on each box when you subscribe to the 6- or 12-cookie box, but it's free when you choose the 24-cookie plan. Pricing starts at $44.85 for a 3-month subscription of the half-dozen cookies option, and goes up to $539.40 for a year-long subscription with two dozen cookies in each box. That makes this one of the best values in cookie clubs that we've found.
No problem to send as a gift
It's also really easy to set up this subscription as a gift. You'll follow the same process as subscribing for yourself; just select your desired delivery date and add a gift message during checkout.
Want free cookies?
When you first visit The Cravory's website, look for a tasty pop-up: by providing your birthdate, email, and phone number (to subscribe to their marketing messages), you'll get a free half-dozen birthday cake cookies on your special day when it rolls around. It also promised a 15% discount on our first order, but we're not sure that applies to the cookie club. Try it and see!
Responsive customer service
We gladly sing the praises of The Cravory's customer service department. We popped open a chat to ask the question we pose to all of the clubs on our list: "if someone hates peanut butter, will they know in advance if there are cookies scheduled that they're going to dislike, and can they skip that month?” We were pleasantly surprised to get a response right away, and although it took the rep a little while to track down the answer, she worked hard to make sure we had all the info we needed.
You can skip flavors you don't like, if you're careful
And, for reference, here's the response: this cookie club does let subscribers know which flavors will be shipped out each month. And, while there's no formal "skip this month” button based on flavor alone, you can absolutely reach out to The Cravory to have them give you a pass on a particular delivery. That can be if you're going out of town or for any reason. Here's the one tricky part: you determine which date of the month your cookies are going to ship when you place your order, and they need at least a week of advance notice if you'd like to skip a delivery. So, if you're sending cookies to a picky eater (like yourself?), it would be smart to have your deliveries coming on a date a little later on in the month. That gives you enough time to see which flavors are coming and reach out a week ahead of time. Whew, got all that?!
Lots of love from people who like new flavors
What do customers say about The Cravory's cookie club? The most popular subscription, the 6-cookie plan, had almost 150 reviews at the time of our most recent visit, and they averaged an impressive 4.7 stars out of 5. If you really enjoy trying unique cookie flavors, you'll probably give this club a 5-star score too. Frequent compliments mention the novel combos, like Almond Strawberry or Cherry Cobbler, and lots of people have great things to say about the customer service. Even the Better Business Bureau gives The Cravory a perfect "A+”.
Not everyone is a fan
On the other hand, we found more than one comment that said that these cookies "aren't that great”. It's hard to tell if that "ho-hum” reaction is because they just didn't like the beyond-chocolate-chip varieties of the cookies, but seeing that from more than one person was enough to drop The Cravory's cookie club a little bit in our rankings.
Good for foodies who like trying new cookies
The Cravory's cookie subscription is, overall, one well worth trying. It's a great gift, especially for more adventurous eaters, and you'll never be bored when you unbox the six new flavors from one month to the next. It's not our absolute favorite, but it's still a company we can get behind for offering wonderful customer service.
Founded in 1979, David's Cookies is a well-established company known for its gourmet cookies and desserts. They pride themselves on using high-quality ingredients and traditional recipes to create a range of delicious treats, from cookies to brownies and cheesecakes. With a focus on craftsmanship and flavor, David's Cookies offers a variety of options to satisfy sweet cravings. They provide nationwide shipping, making their products accessible to customers across the country, and have earned a reputation for consistent quality and taste over the years.
Check out the cookie calendar
David's Cookies always lets you know what flavors you'll be getting in its cookie club: the calendar is posted right to the cookie club page. However, there's no way to pause deliveries or skip a month, so if you're sending them to someone with strong preferences or allergies (like our own favorite "cookie monster” who absolutely abhors peanut butter), they're not going to have much they can do here. But, here's an idea of what the calendar looked like during our evaluation:
Affordable subscriptions for 3-12 months
So, if there's a flavor you know you'll love (or hate), plan your subscription accordingly. You can get David's Cookies as a 3-, 6-, 9-, or 12-month subscription, with prices ranging from $84.95 to $335.95. There's also a $6.95 shipping fee on each cookie club delivery, so don't flinch if you get to the checkout and see that the total is more than you were expecting. However, we were pleasantly surprised to see that there was a shipping discount applied to our order (we're not sure how or why!) and so we only were charged the $84.95 for our 3-month cookie club with no delivery fee.
Popular among recipients
People are pretty enthusiastic about the cookie club at David's Cookies. Looking through the nearly 250 independently-verified reviews on the site, almost 200 of them were a perfect 5-star score. It seems that these cookies are often sent to older people as a gift, if the feedback is any indicator, and those folks say that the cookies are consistently delicious and arrive well-packed in a cute tin every month.
Very easy to set up as a gift
If you're also sending this cookie club as a gift, just look for the options during checkout to add a gift message. We really like that David's Cookies shows you exactly when the cookies are likely to arrive, either via standard or expedited shipping, or on a custom future date that you set.
Tasty cookies and trustworthy service
If you're looking for a cookie club that's reliable and delicious, David's Cookies is a great choice. One pound of cookies is just enough to finish each month and be ready for the next delivery, and the price is right considering you get a nice tin to keep too (regifters rejoice... or how about a place to keep sewing supplies?). David's Cookies gets a good rating from us for its cookie subscription.
The creator of the Little Red Kitchen Bake Shop, Susan Palmer, has a question for you. "Have you ever seen someone sad with a cookie in their hand?” The obvious answer is "no”, and her cookie club is designed to make the world a happier place by delivering delicious cookies nationwide.
12 cookies or 1 cookie "pie” every month
In this cookie club, your boxes will always come with either 12 cookies or 1 cookie "pie” to cut up on your own. It's priced at $40/month, regardless of whether you subscribe for 3, 6, or 12 months. And, every club at Little Red Kitchen Bake Shop comes with free shipping.
No preview on upcoming flavors
What cookie flavors can you expect from Little Red Kitchen Bake Shop? They won't spill the beans in advance, but they're happy to tell you what some previous months' boxes have included. For example, one month brought a large caramel snickerdoodle cookie "pie” to cut and share, while the February box was all about "Chocolate Love” with chocolate chip cookies, s'mores cookies, and triple chocolate cookies to share with a valentine.
Tell them about any allergies
When you view your cart or go to the checkout page, make sure to click where it says "Add a note to your order” if you are allergic to peanuts, gluten, tree nuts, or anything else. You won't know in advance what you're getting, so you can't skip a delivery based on flavor alone, but they'll take into account what you list so that they can avoid provoking an allergic reaction at the very least.
You set the date for the first box
In the checkout process, you'll also enter your preferred delivery date for the first box of cookies. After that, the cookie club usually ships out between the 25th and the last day of the month.
Where are the reviews?
So, given that this cookie club gives you fewer cookies at a higher cost than most of its rivals on our list, is it worth it? Maybe. It would be great if Little Red Kitchen Bake Shop could show the reviews that they say "claim [their] customer service is second only to the deliciousness of [their] cookies”. As it stands, we had to look at third-party sites where these cookies have been offered in the past to get any kind of feedback. Most people really like what Little Red Kitchen Bake Shop has to offer, with particular mention made regarding the old-fashioned goodness of the molasses cookies. But, because this cookie club doesn't show any reviews on its own site, it has a hard time competing with other subscriptions with numerous positive ratings from loyal subscribers.
Good overall but could use more feedback
The cookie club from Little Red Kitchen Bake Shop comes in as a just-above-average option compared with the other subscriptions in our evaluation. From what we can tell, the cookies tend to go over well, but you're paying more here than you will elsewhere. And, without tons of glowing customer reviews to consider, we have a hard time knowing why this cookie club would outpace the higher-ranked bakeries on our list. You may want to circle back to Little Red Kitchen Bake Shop if you don't find what you want with a competitor cookie club.
My Cookie Box is a cookie club offered through the Cratejoy platform, a well-loved source of all things subscription boxes. This club is described as bringing two dozen cookies plus "a brownie or two along with other homemade treats” in each delivery.
No guarantee what flavors you'll get
What flavors can you expect in your cookies here? We spotted one box that featured Spring Lime Tea Cookies, Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cookies, Cherry Cookies, and Mimosa Butter Cookies. At Easter, My Cookie Box has previously sent Bunny Sugar Cookies, Easter M&M Cookies, Italian Easter Cookies, and Spring Flower Spritz Cookies. But, you won't necessarily know in advance what you're getting, and there's no way to skip a delivery if you find out they're shipping a flavor you don't like.
Really affordable
You can get this cookie subscription for 1, 3, 6, or 12 months. You'll pay $28.99 per box if you just want one delivery, and the price drops by a dollar each time as you move through the 3-, 6-, and 12-month boxes. We also spotted a Cratejoy coupon offering half off the first box with any subscription of 3 months or more. We didn't find out until checkout that the shipping on My Cookie Box is included in the price, which makes this cookie club one of the least expensive on our list.
Easy-breezy for gift-giving
Cratejoy in general is an easy way to send gifts, and My Cookie Box is included in that. Just click where it says "this is a gift” and you'll be able to email a gift message (either right away, when the box ships, or on a future date you specify). Helpfully, any subscriptions (to My Cookie Box or any other Cratejoy club) don't renew automatically unless you toggle the button to do so, and so we suggest even setting up your own subscription as a gift so that you don't need to remember to cancel when it's done.
Definitely not enough details provided
My Cookie Box is a bit underwhelming when it comes to details. Although they theoretically show you what's currently shipping and what flavors are coming up next, at the time of our visit they were telling us that the "upcoming” box... was actually for a month almost two months in the past. It left us wondering how much attention is being paid to this Cratejoy subscription as a whole.
Not just cookies on offer, despite the brand name
My Cookie Box also has a bunch of totally unrelated subscriptions (like "My Corgi and Me”?!) that gives the impression that cookies aren't exactly the focus or specialty with this company. We had to laugh when we saw that the four (and only four) reviews for the cookie club were applied to the other subscriptions like "The Farmer's Wife” (honey, jelly, and other farmer's market items). Potential subscribers to those boxes might be scratching their heads wondering where cookies fit in with farmers and corgis.
Room for improvement
This cookie club just doesn't give us enough to go on. It's great that there have been a handful of 5-star reviews, but when you look at rival subscriptions whose positive reviews are in the hundreds (or thousands), it's hard to get excited about My Cookie Box even at such an affordable price. We have to give this subscription a below-average rating until they have a lot more feedback from satisfied customers.
Goldbelly says it plainly: they believe in the emotional power of food, to create memories, make connections, or just deliver good old-fashioned comfort. Joe Ariel, founder and CEO of the company, started Goldbelly on a mission to bring regional favorites from small shops, local restaurants, and passionate chefs right to your doorstep. That includes cookies.
Way too light on details
Sounds great in theory, right? Unfortunately, Goldbelly is annoyingly vague when it comes to spelling out what you can expect in your cookie subscription. They say that each box will "serve 6-8 people”, but come on: how many cookies can you eat in a sitting? We can eat a lot! It would be more helpful to know that if we're getting Minnesota's Humongous T-Rex Cookie Company's "GIANT” Cookies, that's just going to be 4 cookies for 8 people to share, or if we're lucky enough to receive NYC's famous Black & White Cookies from William Greenberg Bakery, we can count on getting at least a dozen. But, none of those details are provided, and those cookies we described are just examples of what you "may” receive. And when you're paying $49.95/month (with free shipping) for 3, 6, 9, or 12 months, you're probably going to want a little more detail than that.
Get your order in before the 24th for next-month delivery
Another aspect of Goldbelly's cookie subscription that we found a bit frustrating was the length of time we had to wait for our first delivery: nearly two months. That will depend on when you place your order, but as an example, if you pay for a subscription at the end of March, your first cookie box probably won't ship until May 17th and will take 3-5 business days to arrive. You'll have to get your order in by noon on the 24th in order for your cookies to start coming the following month.
Pop-up discount not valid on subscriptions
You might be tempted to give Goldbelly your email address and mobile number when you see the pop-up offering you a $20 discount on your first order. Unfortunately, that savings doesn't apply to subscriptions like the cookie club (according to the terms when you click next to "restrictions apply”), so you may want to keep your privacy intact for now.
Are they actually paying attention?
We just can't get excited about Goldbelly's attention to detail or commitment to customer service (or lack thereof on both counts). In the "More Info” section on the cookie club page, we scratched our heads wondering why they felt the need to tell us that last year's holiday orders would start to be sent in January of the current year... when that was well in the past. (And in another food category where we evaluated Goldbelly's offerings, they even spelled their own company name wrong in the customer service email provided).
Forget about refunds
You can also forget about getting your money back, as Goldbelly says they won't offer a refund unless there's "an error in the making of your order”. So, if you get cookies that taste bad, or there's a carrier delay, too bad and so sad. The only exception seems to be if your order is affected by extreme temperatures, but they say those inquiries are resolved "on a case-by-case basis”, and even then you may only get a replacement or a store credit.
Disappointing choice for a cookie club
The idea of Goldbelly is great, but the actual delivery is a disappointment. This extends to all of the subscriptions we've looked at here, not just the cookie club. Fortunately, there are lots of options on our list with similar small-business sourcing, with cookies from around the nation, who seem to take customer satisfaction much more seriously than Goldbelly does. They are kept from a lower ranking only by the fact that they have an "A-” and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau.
Cheryl's Cookies has its roots in the Midwest, with a famous buttercream recipe that has always had people coming back for more. Although Cheryl's is now part of the 1-800 Flowers group of brands, which includes other big names like The Popcorn Factory and Harry & David, the cookies still have the same homemade taste.
2 clubs to choose from
You have two cookie club options here: Buttercream Frosted Cut-Out Cookie of the Month or Cookie Flavor of the Month. Each subscription comes with 12 or 24 individually-wrapped cookies, with prices starting at $34.99 (though there was a promotion in place during our most recent visit, bringing the cost down to an impressively affordable $19.99). In either subscription, Cheryl's Cookies tells you exactly what to expect in each box: for example, the Cut-Out club will deliver frosted shamrocks in March and pumpkins in October, while the Flavor of the Month sends you frosted peanut butter cookies in March and frosted cinnamon pumpkin cookies in October.
Pay upfront or as you go
We appreciate that Cheryl's Cookies gives you the option to either pay as you go, with cookies coming every month until you reach out to cancel, or to pre-pay for a 6- or 12-month subscription. That gives you some flexibility for both your budget and for how long you'd like to keep the cookies coming.
Plenty of gift-giving features during checkout
These cookie clubs are super hassle-free to send as a gift (in theory, anyway, but more on that later...). In the checkout process, you can indicate where the cookies should be sent, which occasion you're gifting for, and add a gift message. If you're not feeling super creative, Cheryl's Cookies can even suggest a message for you. All of that is free, but you can pay $4.99 if you'd prefer to have your message on a personalized printed greeting card included with the delivery. They also want to make sure you don't forget this special occasion next year, letting you opt into reminders. You'll probably want to choose a prepaid cookie club, however, unless you want your gift to literally be one that keeps on giving indefinitely.
Extras available when you're ready to pay
Whether you're sending this cookie subscription to yourself or to someone special, you'll be given the opportunity to add some extras during the checkout process. During our visit, we were offered 36 frosted hearts for $35.99 or a "mystery box” of cookies for $24.
Celebrations Passport pays for itself quickly
Another decision you'll need to make is if you're planning on doing a lot of gift-giving through the 1-800 Flowers brand family. If so, you'll want to check out the Celebrations Passport. It costs $29.99/year, but you get free shipping on eligible items (like the cookie clubs at Cheryl's), plus points towards rewards. Given that the shipping fee is a hefty $12.99 on every cookie club delivery on the month-to-month plans, and over $70 on a 1-year prepaid subscription, that Passport membership pays for itself pretty quickly.
Hundreds of customer complaints
Despite having an "A-” grade from the Better Business Bureau, Cheryl's Cookies has gotten a lot of negative feedback with respect to customer service. In fact, out of 275 reviews left on Trustpilot, a whopping 89% only give the company 1 star (and would probably go lower if they could). One customer ordered birthday cookies to be delivered in May, and when Cheryl's sent them to the wrong address (in another state), they sent stale Easter cookies as an apology. Another had birthday cookies that got canceled with no notice, and then the customer service rep wanted them to submit a photo... of the cookies they never got? Comment after comment said they'd never do business with Cheryl's Cookies again, and that was particularly sad to hear from people who had been long-time customers there.
The cookies taste good, though
It's also too bad that Cheryl's Cookies doesn't seem to have its act together on the delivery, because most reviews on the treats themselves are positive. Look at any of the reviews left for the cookie clubs themselves, and you'll almost always see 4- and 5-star ratings, describing the cookies as tasty and well-received.
Not a cookie club we're excited about
While we'd like to give the cookie clubs at Cheryl's Cookies a higher rating on the nostalgia factor alone, the fact is that we just can't. When so many customers are reporting issues with getting help when orders don't arrive, that 100% satisfaction guarantee that the 1-800 Flowers' companies offer isn't worth much. And, let's face it, frosted sugar cookies aren't everyone's favorite cookie either, so the variety of cookies offered in these two clubs isn't going to "wow” some people. Cheryl's Cookies earns a lower rating in our review.
Convenience is key in our fast-paced world, and cookie subscriptions offer just that. No more rushing to the store to satisfy your cookie cravings or spending hours in the kitchen baking batch after batch. With a subscription, simply sit back, relax, and let the cookies come to you. It's like having your own personal cookie concierge, ready to indulge your sweet tooth on the regular.
And let's not overlook the sheer brilliance of giving a cookie subscription as a gift. Picture the joy on your loved one's face as they unwrap their first box of cookies, a delectable surprise at their door after a long day at work or school. It's a gift that keeps on giving, spreading happiness and indulgence month after month. Whether it's for a birthday, anniversary, or just because, a cookie subscription is a thoughtful and memorable way to show someone you care.
Which cookie club is going to best satisfy your sweet tooth? As you consider the tempting variety of cookie clubs out there, here are five factors to help you compare your options:
To help you find the perfect cookie club to satisfy your cravings for delicious treats, the cookie fanatics at Top Consumer Reviews have happily evaluated and ranked today's most popular options. Anyone have a glass of milk?
Select any 2 Cookie Clubs to compare them head to head