Taste Test: SDC Tries… Woolworths ‘Gourmet’ Bakery Cookies
- Replies 15
On a chilly Tuesday afternoon, a cuppa without a cookie just felt wrong. Luckily, with a Woolworths nearby, we were able to grab one of each of their latest offerings, a more gourmet bakery cookie range.
We’ve been chatting about this new range since it was launched. Personally, I was beyond excited to try the Salted Caramel Pretzel flavour as a sweet and salty flavour lover.
Each of the three offerings is priced at $5.50 for a 5-pack when not on sale, you’re looking at $1.10 per cookie.
Now, let’s take a look at whether this new range lived up to the hype and price tag.
Woolworths White Chocolate & Raspberry Cookies 5 Pack
Price $5.50 — Link to purchase
First up, we have the White Chocolate & Raspberry Cookie.
April’s review:
I enjoyed the soft, dense texture. There are a few crunchy pieces throughout (dried/dehydrated raspberry) that got stuck in my teeth and were a little uncomfortable/ painful to chew on. The raspberry is overpowering if it’s in a bite, so it depends whether that’s something you think you’d enjoy. The cookie base is quite subtle, almost bordering on bland.
Personally, I would rather have a jam drop.
Quality: 4
Affordability: 3.5
Jon’s review
Texture is a bit chewier than I’d like. The raspberry flavour is pleasing and definitely noticeable, though the cookie does have a slightly artificial ‘edge’ to it, and it (possibly because the raspberries are dehydrated?) overpowers the chocolate a bit.
Quality: 3.5
Affordability: 3.5 (works out to $1.10 per cookie—not bad as they’re decently sized)
Maddie’s review:
My initial thoughts are that it is not as bad as I thought it would be. I’m quite happy because it’s clear they have used real raspberries rather than artificial raspberry flavouring (you can see and taste the raspberry seeds). I really dislike artificial flavours so I was expecting to dislike this. It tastes quite similarly to a raspberry white chocolate muffin but in a cookie consistency.
I would recommend it if you’re a fan of raspberry and white chocolate flavoured sweets! I do think you will enjoy this one. I must admit though, I would rather just make raspberry and white chocolate muffins at home, although for only $1.10 per cookie, I’d say this cookie is cafe-style quality at a far cheaper price!
Quality: 4/5
Affordability: 3.5/5
Woolworths Salted Caramel Pretzel Cookies 5 Pack
Price $5.50 — Link to purchase
This is the flavour that prompted the taste test so we went in with high hopes.
April’s review:
Didn’t deliver any of the saltiness I was looking for, and the pretzel wasn’t crunchy. It might have been nicer with a pretzel on top instead of inside (it wasn’t soggy, but it wasn’t a standard pretzel crunch).
While it’s a tasty caramel flavour, I wouldn’t say I could taste the pretzel or really tell it was salted caramel specifically. Texture was soft, which I prefer. Would be great warmed up. It didn’t get stuck in my teeth like the raspberry and I had no sugar headache.
But do not buy this if you want something sweet and salty.
Quality: 3.5 (Good ingredients but not used optimally)
Affordability: 3 (A little disappointing, looks ‘fancy’ but doesn’t taste ‘fancy’)
Jon’s review:
Pretzel flavour didn’t come through much for me, and I didn’t get the pretzel ‘crunch’ I was expecting. Texture was slightly more to my preference than the white chocolate raspberry one, though the cookie itself seemed somehow less dense/substantial? Unsure if it was just the particular one I got, but the raspberry one seemed thicker so I’ve reduced affordability on these slightly since you seem to get less for your money.
Quality 3:
Affordability: 3
Maddie’s review:
I was so excited for this flavour, members! I absolutely love pretzels and, of course, I love caramel. I thought this would be a delightful and different flavour, but to be honest, I don’t think it is worth spending your money on. The pretzel doesn’t have any crunch, it was rather soggy, and the caramel flavour wasn’t really there. I also didn’t get any salty taste at all?
Perhaps some cookies are best kept simple. At $1.10 per cookie, I think you’re best spending your money on another flavour or perhaps buying a cheaper Arnott’s or homebrand alternative.
Quality: 2/5
Affordability: ⅕
Woolworths Chocolate Chunk Cookies 5 Pack
Price $5.50 — Link to purchase
The final flavour to be tested was the Chocolate Chunk Cookie.
April’s review:
A surprise winner; it’s on the crunchier end of the three. Worth noting that it is dark chocolate, not milk chocolate, so whether or not you enjoy dark chocolate will impact whether you enjoy this cookie. There was a lot more chocolate hidden inside than I expected.
I’ve paid $6 at a cafe for a similarly sized but way less tasty cookie before. The inconsistent sizing in the packet was shocking though.
Quality: 4.5
Affordability: 4
Jon’s review:
This one seemed even denser than the white choc raspberry. More crumbly biscuit than the others. Chocolate chunks were very generously sized and had a very strong and pleasing flavour and texture that left a nice aftertaste.
Quality: 4
Affordability: 4
Maddie’s review:
I might just be a bit of a simple woman, but the chocolate chunk cookie was by far my favourite. I really enjoyed the large, dark chocolate chunks mainly because I really enjoy dark chocolate. I also liked that it wasn’t very ‘moreish’. I was quite content with the bit I had, whereas the other cookies we tasted were quite sugary and left me wanting more. I think I could happily have half of this cookie with my afternoon tea.
At $1.10 per cookie, I would say this is absolutely cafe-style quality, at an affordable price. It is worth noting that some of the cookies were quite small compared to the others, which was a bit strange? But I guess that could also suggest these are handmade at Woolworths? Not a machine? But that’s just a guess, that is by no means fact!
Quality: 4/5
Affordability: 5/5
The final verdict:
The underdog, in first place is…
Chocolate Chunk
Quality: 4.16
Affordability: 4.33
A skip and a hop behind in second place is…
White Chocolate & Raspberry
Quality: 3.83
Affordability: 3.5
In a disappointing third place is…
Salted Caramel Pretzel
Quality: 2.83
Affordability: 2.3
This was a lot of fun to write, and I hope you all enjoyed reading! Our final thoughts are that the Chocolate Chunk Cookie is an all around favourite that’s sure to impress. The White Chocolate Raspberry is perfect if that’s your flavour preference (just be careful about the hard raspberry pieces), and the Salted Caramel Pretzel is not worth it.
I took a look online to see the reviews on the Woolworths website. In first place with 4.6/5 stars was Chocolate Chunk. In second place with 4.2 stars was White Chocolate Raspberry. Third place with 4 stars was Salted Caramel Pretzel. So it looks like we might have been a smidge too harsh with our ratings, but the order is consistent!
Interested in reading more? You might like to check out The Ultimate SDC Twisties Ranking or Battle of the Bikkie: Arnott's Assorted VS. Woolworths Assorted.
If you’ve tried this new range, we’d love to hear your thoughts! Or if there are any other new releases you would like to see reviewed, let us know!
P.S. A Coles ‘Dreams Crumb True’ cookie review is coming soon.
We were only able to create this content because of the financial support of SDC Rewards members. If you'd like to see more of this (and a lot fewer ads!), please consider supporting us and signing up for SDC Rewards today—it starts at under 20 cents per day.
We’ve been chatting about this new range since it was launched. Personally, I was beyond excited to try the Salted Caramel Pretzel flavour as a sweet and salty flavour lover.
Each of the three offerings is priced at $5.50 for a 5-pack when not on sale, you’re looking at $1.10 per cookie.
Now, let’s take a look at whether this new range lived up to the hype and price tag.
Woolworths White Chocolate & Raspberry Cookies 5 Pack
Price $5.50 — Link to purchase
First up, we have the White Chocolate & Raspberry Cookie.
April’s review:
I enjoyed the soft, dense texture. There are a few crunchy pieces throughout (dried/dehydrated raspberry) that got stuck in my teeth and were a little uncomfortable/ painful to chew on. The raspberry is overpowering if it’s in a bite, so it depends whether that’s something you think you’d enjoy. The cookie base is quite subtle, almost bordering on bland.
Personally, I would rather have a jam drop.
Quality: 4
Affordability: 3.5
Jon’s review
Texture is a bit chewier than I’d like. The raspberry flavour is pleasing and definitely noticeable, though the cookie does have a slightly artificial ‘edge’ to it, and it (possibly because the raspberries are dehydrated?) overpowers the chocolate a bit.
Quality: 3.5
Affordability: 3.5 (works out to $1.10 per cookie—not bad as they’re decently sized)
Maddie’s review:
My initial thoughts are that it is not as bad as I thought it would be. I’m quite happy because it’s clear they have used real raspberries rather than artificial raspberry flavouring (you can see and taste the raspberry seeds). I really dislike artificial flavours so I was expecting to dislike this. It tastes quite similarly to a raspberry white chocolate muffin but in a cookie consistency.
I would recommend it if you’re a fan of raspberry and white chocolate flavoured sweets! I do think you will enjoy this one. I must admit though, I would rather just make raspberry and white chocolate muffins at home, although for only $1.10 per cookie, I’d say this cookie is cafe-style quality at a far cheaper price!
Quality: 4/5
Affordability: 3.5/5
Woolworths Salted Caramel Pretzel Cookies 5 Pack
Price $5.50 — Link to purchase
This is the flavour that prompted the taste test so we went in with high hopes.
April’s review:
Didn’t deliver any of the saltiness I was looking for, and the pretzel wasn’t crunchy. It might have been nicer with a pretzel on top instead of inside (it wasn’t soggy, but it wasn’t a standard pretzel crunch).
While it’s a tasty caramel flavour, I wouldn’t say I could taste the pretzel or really tell it was salted caramel specifically. Texture was soft, which I prefer. Would be great warmed up. It didn’t get stuck in my teeth like the raspberry and I had no sugar headache.
But do not buy this if you want something sweet and salty.
Quality: 3.5 (Good ingredients but not used optimally)
Affordability: 3 (A little disappointing, looks ‘fancy’ but doesn’t taste ‘fancy’)
Jon’s review:
Pretzel flavour didn’t come through much for me, and I didn’t get the pretzel ‘crunch’ I was expecting. Texture was slightly more to my preference than the white chocolate raspberry one, though the cookie itself seemed somehow less dense/substantial? Unsure if it was just the particular one I got, but the raspberry one seemed thicker so I’ve reduced affordability on these slightly since you seem to get less for your money.
Quality 3:
Affordability: 3
Maddie’s review:
I was so excited for this flavour, members! I absolutely love pretzels and, of course, I love caramel. I thought this would be a delightful and different flavour, but to be honest, I don’t think it is worth spending your money on. The pretzel doesn’t have any crunch, it was rather soggy, and the caramel flavour wasn’t really there. I also didn’t get any salty taste at all?
Perhaps some cookies are best kept simple. At $1.10 per cookie, I think you’re best spending your money on another flavour or perhaps buying a cheaper Arnott’s or homebrand alternative.
Quality: 2/5
Affordability: ⅕
Woolworths Chocolate Chunk Cookies 5 Pack
Price $5.50 — Link to purchase
The final flavour to be tested was the Chocolate Chunk Cookie.
April’s review:
A surprise winner; it’s on the crunchier end of the three. Worth noting that it is dark chocolate, not milk chocolate, so whether or not you enjoy dark chocolate will impact whether you enjoy this cookie. There was a lot more chocolate hidden inside than I expected.
I’ve paid $6 at a cafe for a similarly sized but way less tasty cookie before. The inconsistent sizing in the packet was shocking though.
Quality: 4.5
Affordability: 4
Jon’s review:
This one seemed even denser than the white choc raspberry. More crumbly biscuit than the others. Chocolate chunks were very generously sized and had a very strong and pleasing flavour and texture that left a nice aftertaste.
Quality: 4
Affordability: 4
Maddie’s review:
I might just be a bit of a simple woman, but the chocolate chunk cookie was by far my favourite. I really enjoyed the large, dark chocolate chunks mainly because I really enjoy dark chocolate. I also liked that it wasn’t very ‘moreish’. I was quite content with the bit I had, whereas the other cookies we tasted were quite sugary and left me wanting more. I think I could happily have half of this cookie with my afternoon tea.
At $1.10 per cookie, I would say this is absolutely cafe-style quality, at an affordable price. It is worth noting that some of the cookies were quite small compared to the others, which was a bit strange? But I guess that could also suggest these are handmade at Woolworths? Not a machine? But that’s just a guess, that is by no means fact!
Quality: 4/5
Affordability: 5/5
The final verdict:
The underdog, in first place is…
Chocolate Chunk
Quality: 4.16
Affordability: 4.33
A skip and a hop behind in second place is…
White Chocolate & Raspberry
Quality: 3.83
Affordability: 3.5
In a disappointing third place is…
Salted Caramel Pretzel
Quality: 2.83
Affordability: 2.3
This was a lot of fun to write, and I hope you all enjoyed reading! Our final thoughts are that the Chocolate Chunk Cookie is an all around favourite that’s sure to impress. The White Chocolate Raspberry is perfect if that’s your flavour preference (just be careful about the hard raspberry pieces), and the Salted Caramel Pretzel is not worth it.
I took a look online to see the reviews on the Woolworths website. In first place with 4.6/5 stars was Chocolate Chunk. In second place with 4.2 stars was White Chocolate Raspberry. Third place with 4 stars was Salted Caramel Pretzel. So it looks like we might have been a smidge too harsh with our ratings, but the order is consistent!
Interested in reading more? You might like to check out The Ultimate SDC Twisties Ranking or Battle of the Bikkie: Arnott's Assorted VS. Woolworths Assorted.
If you’ve tried this new range, we’d love to hear your thoughts! Or if there are any other new releases you would like to see reviewed, let us know!
P.S. A Coles ‘Dreams Crumb True’ cookie review is coming soon.
We were only able to create this content because of the financial support of SDC Rewards members. If you'd like to see more of this (and a lot fewer ads!), please consider supporting us and signing up for SDC Rewards today—it starts at under 20 cents per day.
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