M&S’s Plant Kitchen range has some really great products; their vegan pizza is one of the only off-the-shelf plant-based pizzas I’ve tried that I genuinely enjoyed. I’m also a big fan of their Victoria Sponge cake, New York style no-salt beef sandwich, and British Banger sausages (another candidate to review for The Quest). Sitting on the shelf alongside their ‘normal’ cookie options (which are also fantastic if you’re happy to go vegetarian), are these vegan chocolate chunk cookies. Do they live up to the high standards of the brand’s other vegan products?
Tastes good?
Absolutely! No need for me to hold back here, these are incredible. I love cookies, but there is a wide variety of styles; some are drier and more biscuit-y, some are soft and gooey, and different cookie brands are strung out between the two extremes. I like them all, but my favourite is a softer cookie, and these fit that mould. They are firmer than, say, a Millie’s Cookie, but I think I prefer that. Importantly, I don’t think anyone would know these are vegan. The choc chunks are dark but still indulgent (I like dark chocolate anyway, but my children who aren’t as keen still all love these). They are sweet, a bit crumbly, a bit messy and extremely tasty. Honestly, at times when I have been in a vegetarian phase, I’ve still bought these over normal dairy options because I like them so much. I can’t think of any good reason to dock any points.
A proper treat?
Yes indeed. I don’t even think of these as vegan treats, just as treats. If you’re not a fan of dark chocolate you may not think these are as indulgent as a milk chocolate cookie, but the choc chunks aren’t hardcore bitter dark chocolate; they are still very sweet and the whole thing tastes amazing. These are also a decent size, so you don’t feel short changed by the portions. Again, can’t think of a reason to give anything less that full marks.
Value for money?
Surprisingly, yes. M&S are not a cheap brand; you frequently pay above the average supermarket price for M&S food items. But these are only £2.50 and you get five in a bag. FIVE! Amazing stuff. Compared to the Morrisons ‘The Best’ cookies (my go-to for when I’m off the vegan wagon) which are £2, they are a bit more expensive, but then Morrisons only come in packs of four (full disclosure, Morrisons also do a standard range of cookies which come in packs of five and are only £1.50, but I don’t tend to buy those ones…). So yes, they are decent value for money. I’m going to be fair and not give them full marks because there are non-vegan cookies available in supermarkets for a pound or so cheaper, but these are so good that I don’t feel it’s right to penalise them more than half a mark.
FINAL VERDICT
Perhaps it’s the case that I will never review a five star product, because there is always some small thing that can be found as a drawback to even the most fantastic food stuff. But four and half stars is entirely warranted with these cookies; they are one of the best vegan sweet treats I’ve tasted. In fact, they’re just one of the best sweet treats, full stop. Highly recommended.
