Crumbl, a Utah-based cookie chain with a rotating weekly menu of delectable cookie flavors, opened its newest location Dec. 17 just steps from Vanderbilt’s campus in Hillsboro village.
Eager to learn more about the business, I paid a visit (along with some fellow Hustler staffers) to its charming pink and white storefront located just next to Pancake Pantry.
We stepped inside the store and found ourselves greeted by the aroma of freshly-baked cookies and a modern kitchen aesthetic. The bakery occupies most of the storefront, and with the current COVID-19 safety policies in place, there are no places to sit down. With that being said, Crumbl’s staff are happy to carefully pack warm cookies in their signature pink boxes for curbside pick-up, or to deliver to your door.
The business also hopes to attract repeat customers by introducing new and distinct flavors to their menu each week. While two fan-favorite flavors will always be available—the warmed chocolate chip cookie and chilled sugar cookie—four specialty flavors are introduced each week. Per manager Kelsey Maiorano, the new flavors are revealed every Sunday on Instagram and Facebook.
“It keeps you coming back, because every week we have new flavors to try,” Maiorano said. “And they’re really creative—it’s fun to have something different in the store.”
When we visited, we tried the two classic flavors and the week’s specialty flavors. These included the warm-and-gooey oatmeal chocolate chip, cornbread and buckeye brownie cookie.
We know what you’re thinking: cornbread? Believe it or not, the cornbread cookie was surprisingly super pleasant with drizzled honey over a sweet, almost corn muffin-like cookie. With that being said, the dark chocolate flavor of the buckeye with that salty peanut butter twist was difficult to beat.
The classic chocolate chip was also a hit, but there was something missing…milk! Luckily for us, we had the chilled cookies and cream milkshake flavor to offset the depth of chocolate.
Although Crumbl is new to Hillsboro, having just opened, it is not new to the Nashville area. There are other locations nearby in Murfreesboro, Franklin, Brentwood, Mt. Juliet and Chattanooga. Each location is owned separately within the area.
“My owner sees the potential of this area, which is great, because it is a good location with the hospital and college campuses right around here,”Maiorano said.
Opening during a pandemic certainly presented its own challenges, but Maiorano said that the business has succeeded thus far because they have been able to adapt to the safety measures in place.
“We opened the store knowing what needed to take place—we’ve seen a lot of deliveries and curbside pickup, which is nice since we can easily do both of those things to accommodate for COVID,” Maiorano said.
The next time you are craving a sweet late-night snack, be sure to check out this new dessert locale for their unique flavors and delicious offerings.
