SPOT.ph Roadtest: Is the Viral Manila Baker Chocolate Chip Cookie Really Worth It?

(SPOT.ph) Different cookies come and go, but ask anyone what the classic flavor is and the answer will always be the OG chocolate chip cookie. One version in particular was the talk of social media recently, thanks to a customer who loved it so much that she took two boxes from an unattended stall—and reached out to the shop online to pay for it only afterwards.

The customer, whose negative review ironically sent curious cookie lovers (including this author!) to The Manila Baker's stalls and social media accounts, grabbed twelve pieces of their Brown Butter Salted Chocochip Cookies. TMB describes it as the "best-kept cookie secret in town," so it's only natural for us here at SPOT.ph to try and see whether it's really worth grabbing.

Also read: Friendly Reminder: Don't Get Products From Unmanned Stalls, Even If You Plan to Pay Later on

What we discovered about The Manila Baker's choco chip cookie

Instead of visiting their physical stores, we ordered their famous cookies via social media. You can place an order through DM to guarantee a slot on a day you like, as long as you can pay within three hours of placing your order. In our case, we ordered a six-piece cookie box worth P400 on a Saturday, and got the cookies the following day. Note that you'll have to book your own rider for delivery from their pick-up point in Ortigas.

First impression

The cookies survived the midday trip from Ortigas to South Triangle, Quezon City and were neatly stacked in a box without breaking—a great feat considering that the cookies are soft and chewy. Each piece is two and a half inches in diameter, and immediately, you'll see streaks of chocolate and salt on top.

Taste

With just one bite, you'll see why some can't wait to get their hands on these babies. It's an explosion of chocolate all over, so if you're a big fan of gooey chocolate chips like me, you'd definitely love this. Indeed, it is chewy inside, crunchy outside and chocolatey all over. The salt on top gives it just the right balance to keep things from crossing over to umay territory.

You can taste the browned butter (which takes skill to achieve as the butter can easily burn) that gives the cookie dough a toffee color and more nuttiness and depth in flavor—a game-changer in chocolate chip cookies.

We asked others how this cookie fared against other versions. Granted, it can be a little bit too soft for some, but one thing's for sure: it melts in your mouth, and you can easily finish one or two within minutes. (Beware if you have any fellow cookie monsters in the house!)

Refrigerating cookies can help extend their shelf life, which is helpful when you're saving some for the rest of the week, or just can't finish all in one sitting (we, too, have our limits). How does theirs fare? We popped a few pieces the fridge for about an hour to check—and the resulting cookie is appealing in its own right. Cooling the cookie means the butter in the cookie dough and the chocolate to harden, giving the cookie more texture and snap with every bite. You might want to let it come to room temperature for a few minutes for a softer treat, though, or better yet, reheat it briefly in the toaster or microwave.

Accessibility and price

The cookie is worth P400 per box of six, so that's around P67 a piece. That does not include the delivery fee from Ortigas to Quezon City which was around P100, which you can take out of the equation if you visit one of their stalls (and please wait for a personnel to serve it to you).

While The Manila Baker only has five branches across Metro Manila—Uptown Mall BGC, SM Aura, Greenbelt 1, The Podium, and Shangri-La Mall—you can order their cookies and other goods via their social media accounts.

For the cookies, you can buy half a dozen for P400 or a dozen for P750.

For orders and inquiries, check out The Manila Baker's Facebook page.

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