The unassuming cookie is a quintessential American snack. Whether from the supermarket aisle or a gourmet storefront in New York City, a warm, gooey chocolate chip cookie has always satiated our collective sweet tooth (unless you have dietary restrictions, of course). 

Students at the College of William and Mary are unable to partake in the nationwide tradition of late-night runs to Insomnia Cookies to satisfy their snack cravings. But for those so inclined to treat themselves to a few — or a dozen — specialty cookies from time to time, this review of the Crumbl Cookies in Hampton is for you.

Boasting over two million followers on Instagram, Crumbl Cookies bases its success on frequently rotating flavors, fun packaging, and guaranteed freshness. TikTok has surely aided in its popularity as people often post videos reviewing new flavors and singing the cookies’ high praise. We decided to investigate whether you should make the trip down south and pay a premium for a dessert you could get at Wawa for far less.

On a chilly, overcast March morning, we walked into a mostly empty, glass-paneled store. Inside, the squeaky white finish signaled to us that this was no homage-to-tradition cookie store; no, it was blatantly geared toward younger crowds who would eagerly tag Crumbl on Instagram and TikTok. Instead of ordering at the register, we tapped some icons on an electronic screen plastered to the wall and watched them prepare our cookies in the iconic pink box. 

Okay, let’s get down to business — are they worth the hype?

Mint Chocolate Chip

To our surprise, only the Milk Chocolate Chip cookie was warm out of the box. As one might expect, it tasted like a … chocolate chip cookie. Gooey and rich in flavor, but boring. It’s like the white t-shirt of cookies — a solid benchmark you can always count on but better when adorned with embellishments.

Cereal Milk ft. FRUITY PEBBLES

Put simply: a pleasantly warm birthday cake compressed into a cookie. Right after we ordered, a man in a military uniform came in and ordered a Cereal Milk cookie for himself, so you may consider this flavor army approved. Oh — we weren’t mad about the rainbow aesthetic either. 

Cinnamon ft. Cinnamon Toast Crunch

This one was THICK, and we think patrons of soft-baked cookies will enjoy it for sure. The cornflakes immediately fell off when we picked up the cookie, which defeated their purpose, but the icing on top was, well, the icing!

Cornflake Marshmallow ft. Rice Krispies

Noticeably smaller than the other cookies, this one resembled a round Rice Krispies treat more than a cookie. In hindsight, we’re fairly confident that it was a Rice Krispies masquerading as a cookie. The peanut butter flavor was strong; we’ll pass.

Chocolate ft. REESE’S PUFFS

It turns out that we had inadvertently ordered a cereal-themed box. Linda liked this one the most because the puffs’ texture created a delicious juxtaposition with the cookie and icing. This cookie tasted like a lightweight brownie with a hint of peanut butter — perfect for an afternoon pick-me-up.

Classic Pink Sugar

Last but not least, the #feminist cookie. Not really. Apparently, Crumbl put this on its semi-permanent menu due to popular demand, and we can see why. It’s cute without trying too hard. As for taste, they could’ve tried a little more.

Overall, the flavor profile was varied enough for us to shell out $24 for six cookies (granted, they were the size of our palms). Are they worth the 30-minute drive to Hampton?

Depends on who you ask. We think they would be perfect for gifts and events, but we have also heard that The Caf has fantastic vegan cookies too.