Crumbl or Levain: Which Chain Bakes the Superior Cookie?

Over the last few years, it feels like cookie chains – including the likes of Crumbl and Levain — have taken over strip malls across the United States. These chains sell many different types of cookies, and sometimes other sweet treats too, so it’s only right to see how they stack up against each other. While these shops don’t have storefronts in every region, you may be able to get delivery or shipping and have your favorites sent right to your doorstep. 

I can understand the Cookie Monster’s fascination with these sweet treats, so I was eager to take on the task of reviewing Levain’s and Crumbl’s offerings. I bake cookies pretty regularly and love to experiment with new and unique ways to improve my own recipes, so I was excited to see what some chains I had never tried before had to offer. 

In order to decide which chain offered better cookies, I sampled four offerings from each brand and compared the taste, texture, and overall quality of each one. I also considered which chain offered cookies I wanted to keep eating, which ultimately helped me decide which one came out on top. 

Crumbl and Levain have very different business models. Crumbl is a Utah-based bakery with a weekly rotating menu. It has hundreds of locations but doesn’t offer shipping. I paid $4.99 for each cookie, though prices can vary based on location. I selected four cookies from its rotating assortment, however, since its selection rotates, your favorite flavors may be there one week and gone the next.

Unlike Crumbl, Levain hails from NYC, has fewer than 20 locations, and keeps its classics pretty consistent year-round. Levain also offers shipping for anyone who doesn’t live near one of its bakeries. I opted to try a combinations of year-round favorites, as well as its seasonal lemon cookie. Plus, when I went to buy the cookies, a person behind me boasted about how delicious the lemon cookie was, which really solidified my decision. Levain’s cookies were priced at $5.25 each. 

Chocolate chip cookies are a beloved sweet, and there are no shortage of different grocery store-brands of it to try. So, it’s no surprise Crumbl offers one of its own. Its semi-sweet chocolate chunk cookies feature exactly what’s in the name — with the addition of flaky sea salt on top. Given that this is such a classic, I was excited to see it on the menu the week I did my review. In my experience, it’s pretty difficult to mess up a chocolate chip cookie, and a professional cookie company is bound to do it justice. Not to mention, Crumbl cookies are huge, and I was ready to sink my teeth into them.

Unfortunately, this is likely going to be the most positive review I have of Crumbl from here on out. I will say that this was arguably the most palatable Crumbl cookie that I tried, but I’m not sure that’s saying much. Much like the other Crumbl cookies I tried, it was soft and was chewy enough, but was overall quite sweet. The semi-sweet chocolate chips only made the cookie sweeter. While the salt on top helped balance the flavor, I still didn’t care for it. Ultimately, it ended up being the only Crumbl cookie that I could handle taking more than a bite of.

Since I tried Crumbl’s interpretation of a chocolate chip cookie, it was only right to try Levain’s equivalent. The two chip chocolate chip cookie contains, as the name suggests, two types of chocolate chips: semi-sweet and dark. It may seem like there’s more chocolate than cookie, but for some, that’s the ultimate goal.

As expected, this cookie was a chocoholic’s dream. It was the perfect chocolate chip cookie for anyone who thinks a chocolate chip cookie could always use a touch more chocolate — and I couldn’t agree more. The outside of the cookie was crisp, while the inside was warm, soft, and melty. I think it could benefit from a sprinkle of salt on top, but ultimately it was pretty well-balanced as is. In fact, several people in line ahead of me also ordered this cookie, so it’s clear that it’s a fan favorite. It ended up being my second favorite cookie, and it’s something I would absolutely order again if I ever made my way back to the bakery. If anyone needs a good intro cookie to Levain, the two chip chocolate chip cookie is the way to go.

Unfortunately, this cookie arrived at my home in worse condition than when I picked it up, which is why I wouldn’t recommend having it delivered. The cookies didn’t perfectly fit in the large box, which caused some to rest on top of the others and jostle around on the bumpy ride home. That being said, I was able to carefully replace the frosting that slid off and remove any marshmallows that hitchhiked to the other cookies. 

I was excited to try both of Crumbl’s cereal cookies because they are inspired by some of my favorite sugary cereals. This Mallow Creme cookie is supposed to be filled with “white drops” (which I could only assume are similar to white chocolate) and covered in marshmallow frosting and Lucky Charms marshmallows. 

I was left quite disappointed by its taste. The cookie itself was too sweet and the marshmallow icing only added to it. Even the Lucky Charms marshmallows left something to be desired. They were soft and squishy in a way that was very unlike what you’d experience opening a fresh box of the cereal. While they added a great pop of color and make the cookie aesthetically pleasing and very Instagrammable, they didn’t add much else. Perhaps the Mallow Creme would be better suited for a kid looking for a quick sugar high, but this cookie missed the mark for me. 

I see Levain-inspired cookie recipes all over Pinterest, so I was stoked to see what the bakery had to offer. The cookies are big, and I expected them to be decadent and packed with flavor. This lemon cookie is one of its spring offerings; it features a lemon-flavored dough with lemon chips peppered throughout. Honestly, it sounds like a dream for citrus lovers. 

Quite frankly, this was the best option for me to try post-Crumbl. It was beautifully balanced, with a sweet dough base and tart lemony zing that wasn’t overpowering. It’s the perfect cookie for anyone who loves lemon, though I can imagine folks who aren’t citrus fans wouldn’t like it as much. The center of the cookie was soft and chewy, and I loved the addition of the lemon chips because they offered an unexpected creaminess. 

My favorite kind of cookie is one that has a crispy outside and soft, almost underbaked inside, and this cookie delivered just that. This wasn’t my favorite cookie from the review, but if I had to rank them, it would be in the top three.

I was excited to try this Fruity Pebbles cereal cookie. Milk Glaze is a cereal milk-flavored cookie with a milky glaze and Fruity Pebbles cereal. From the description alone, it sounds amazing. The crunchy, artificial fruit flavors are indulgent and evoke childhood memories, while the colors make for fun photos. I love donuts topped with Fruity Pebbles, so I figured a cookie would be just as delightful.

However, I was sorely disappointed. Of course, desserts are meant to be sweet, but a well-balanced one should have different elements to keep it from being too overpowering. This cookie simply did not have that, and sugar was at the forefront of every bite. Honestly, I would’ve preferred just a spoonful of the cereal on its own. The only positive I can give this cookie is that it had a great texture. The crunch from the Fruity Pebbles helped diversify the mouthfeel, but the cookie itself was very one-note — and that note was sweet.

I consulted the spring assortment when deciding which cookies I wanted to try from Levain. This collection also includes the caramel coconut chocolate chip cookie. Each monstrous cookie is filled to the brim with chocolate chips, shredded coconut, and ribbons of melty caramel. It was originally a limited release flavor, but customers encouraged the company to make it a permanent menu item. After taking just one bite, I immediately understood why.

Spoiler alert: This was my favorite of all the cookies I tried. Overall, it had great textural variations and depth of flavor, with the sweet caramel paired with the slightly bitter chocolate and crisp coconut. I wasn’t able to eat the cookies until a few hours after I bought them, so it might be different for you if you bite into it while it’s still warm. But I loved it regardless. 

The caramel that pooled along the edges of the cookie added an unexpected crunch that may not have been as noticeable if I had eaten it while it was still warm. I was honestly sad to realize that I had finished my last bite of this cookie. It’s one I will definitely buy every time I visit Levain.

It seems like this cookie makes frequent appearances on the rotating menu. The sugar cookie features a pink, almond-flavored frosting on top. It looks like a classic, soft sugar cookie you would find in a grocery store, but with a nutty twist. At the very least, I expected that the texture of Crumbl’s offering would be similar to what I would find in a grocery-store sugar cookie. It should be soft and doughy, but not too dry — with a creamy and sweet icing to top it off. The cookie and frosting, however, did not end up meeting those expectations.

I love pretty much anything almond-flavored, so I figured I would like this cookie. The almond flavor itself was pleasant, but the texture of the cookie and the frosting was fragile and gritty. I had difficulty picking up the cookie without the sides falling off and leaving a mess of crumbs in their wake. The texture of the frosting was also akin to wet sand — like the kinetic sand I remember playing with as a kid. It simply wasn’t enjoyable to eat. Taste-wise, it wasn’t bad, albeit a little heavy-handed with the sugar. Perhaps if I paired this with lavender ice cream, I would’ve found it more enjoyable. But on its own, I found it difficult to get through. I liked it more than the two cereal-themed cookies, but I’m not sure that’s saying much.

The last of the cookies I tried was the oatmeal raisin. I personally love this type of cookie, and I think it gets a bad rap. It’s sweet, chewy, and decadent in its own way, and sometimes you just need a break from chocolate. Oatmeal raisin cookies taste great at any time of day, especially as a post-breakfast treat. I also love the texture and tartness that dried fruits add to a baked good that’s typically pretty sweet. Based on my experience with the other cookies in this review, I figured that Levain could be trusted to do the oatmeal raisin cookie justice.

And it did. The oatmeal raisin was my least favorite of the cookies from Levain — but it was by no means bad in any way. In fact, I still loved it and would order it again. Overall, the cookie was soft, chewy, and had great bursts of sweetness from the raisins. It was a very good cookie, but it was pretty in line with the oatmeal raisin flavor I was hoping for. There wasn’t anything overly exciting, but honestly, I’m not necessarily looking to be surprised by the foods I’m eating. The oats and raisins offered a delightful textural element to this old-school favorite, and like the other Levain cookies, it had a nice, crisp outside with a warm, chewy center.

Although I have a major sweet tooth, even Crumbl was too much for me. And while it offers different flavors every week, I don’t think I would go back to try its other cookies again. Although Levain is not available in every region, it does sell its cookies online, so you can still enjoy them regardless of where you live. And after pitting them against Crumbl in the taste and quality department, I would highly recommend ordering them. Overall, Levain’s cookies are just better. They have a better structure, they’re more decadent without being too sweet, and they are cookies that I can go back to time and time again. And since Crumbl changes its menu every week, you never know what you’re going to get.

One bite of each Crumbl cookie proved to be more than enough for me. I would hope that, in the future, it chooses to offer treats with more depth of flavor, though it has built its empire on sweet-leaning offerings. The size of Crumbl’s cookies was pretty daunting and made getting through something so sweet nearly impossible for me. Paired with its seemingly endless list of controversies over the years, Crumbl is a company I won’t be frequenting any time soon. Does that mean Levain makes the best cookies I’ve ever had? Not necessarily. But if you had to choose between Crumbl or Levain, I would recommend the latter every single time.