What’s in it: Betty Crocker Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix (1 lb. bag), One stick of butter, One egg

Price: $

Review:

I usually don’t like making baked goods from a mix because they usually turn out to be lacking in flavor and texture and are often artificial. I bought a bag of this cookie mix when I was craving fresh chocolate chip cookies and was blown away. I gave extras to some friends, and everyone asked me how I made them. No one suspected it was simply from a mix. I’ve made them a few times now, and every time they come out crispy and golden brown on the edges and perfectly soft in the center. The milk chocolate chips are melty and delicious. The recipe says you can make 22 small cookies or 10-12 larger cookies. I like making the larger ones because they turn out extra thick (chilling the dough for a bit also helps make them thicker if you like a thick cookie). They are best fresh out of the oven or the day you bake them. If I know I won’t eat all the cookies, I like to save the extra dough in the fridge to bake the next day, so I can eat them warm and gooey straight from the oven (and cooled for as long as I can restrain myself). Of course, these don’t compare to cookies made from scratch with dark chocolate chunks or incredible fresh ingredients, but they are still delicious. And as far as I know they are fool proof. I once made cookies from the mix when I only had a few drops of vegan eggs left. To replace the lacking eggs I added vegetable oil, and the cookies still came out perfect! I was shocked! I also love that unlike pre-packaged dough, I can still enjoy making the cookies myself without needing too many ingredients or taking too much time. I don’t feel bad saying I made them because I really did (just from a mix). You can even add extra ingredients to make them more interesting. I’ve added a cup of pistachio halva which gave the cookies a delicious sweet and salty flavor. I have found these cookies to be the perfect quick treat. It’s great to keep a bag on hand for a spur of the moment craving or a last minute casual guest.