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Kids Taste-Testing Holiday Cookies

Elegant bakeries brought forth their chicest offerings for a panel of children to try—here’s what happened

There’s nothing like a syrupy sweet, overly frosted sugar cookie to please a child’s palette, but what happens when kids are presented with much more elevated flavors? DuJour set up a tasting of the fanciest holiday cookies available in New York City, and here are the (pretty perfect) reactions.

THE JUDGES

Name: Theo
Age: 6

Name: Ollie
Age: 3 

Name: Colette
Age: 4

Name: Emilia
Age: 4 (Colette’s twin)

Name: Toni
Age: 4 

Lomaxine’s Peppermint Chocolate Sables

INITIAL REACTIONS

TKO (Thomas Keller Oreo)

Colette: “It looks like an Oreo! It also looks like a flower! It’s so pretty.”
Emilia: “It looks like a s’more! Is there marshmallow in it?”
Theo: “Looks really good. Like a flower.”
Ollie: “It looks brown. Looks like Darth Vader.”

Whimsy & Spice’s Chocolate Gingersnaps from Mouth

Colette: “Um, it looks like a chocolate circle with small rocks on it. It looks shy.”
Emilia: “It smells like chocolate! I want to eat this one first. Is that salt on it? Is it a pretzel?”
Theo: “I like the sugar on top. Looks yummy.”
Ollie: “Looks good.”

Lomaxine’s Peppermint Chocolate Sables from Mouth

Colette: “It looks tasty! It has candy canes on them! Why are the candy canes broken? It’s the prettiest cookie.”
Emilia: “It looks like a chocolate ice cream pancake with sprinkles.”
Theo: “Looks like a chocolate cookie with dried chocolate and candy cane.”
Ollie: “I like the candy cane on top.”

Eli Zabar’s Customized Gingerbread Man

Colette: “Fabulous! It has my name on it! Is it for me? Can I play with him?”
Emilia: “It’s so friendly. He looks like a nice guy.”
Toni: “My name is pretty. I love my name.”
Theo: “It looks like a man.”
Ollie: “I like the dried up white things. It looks like a flat man.”

Eli Zabar’s Customized Gingerbread Man

THE TASTE TEST

TKO (Thomas Keller Oreo)

Toni: “It’s chocolate. That’s why I like it.”
Theo: “I like all of it.”
Ollie: “I like the frosting.”

Whimsy & Spice’s Chocolate Gingersnaps from Mouth

Colette: “It smells so good! I think it would be better with milk or ice cream.”
Emilia: “I love the smell. The [ginger] tickles my nose. It’s very crumby.”
Theo: “Tastes like a chocolate chip cookie with sugar on it.”
Ollie: “Yum! Tastes good!”

Lomaxine’s Peppermint Chocolate Sables from Mouth

Colette: “It tastes like a chocolate candy cane. Santa might like these.”
Emilia: “It’s super chocolately! I want to give it a hug.”
Theo: “I like the mix of mint and chocolate.”
Ollie: “Yum. Tastes minty.”

Eli Zabar’s Customized Gingerbread Man

Colette: “It’s a little too spicy. I think it will give me a headache. I’m not going to eat anymore. I want to bring him to my dollhouse.”
Emilia: “I’m calling him Mr. Tasty. I didn’t think I liked gingerbread, but this is so yummy. This is my favorite.”
Toni: “I’ve had this before. I love them in my tummy.”
Theo: “I like the frosting mixed with peppermint.”
Ollie: “I like the frosting.”

Whimsy & Spice’s Chocolate Gingersnaps