Sorry, Nestlé Toll House, Another Popular Brand Just Has Better Cookie Dough

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Most of us can agree that store-bought cookie dough doesn't hold a candle to homemade versions. Then again, we also can't deny that the pre-made stuff is a lifesaver on any occasion when you need cookies now, but time doesn't allow for a scratch-made batch. Some ready-to-bake cookie dough brands aren't half bad, and perhaps the most surprising discovery we made when ranking store-bought cookie dough brands was that Nestlé Toll House, whose reputation sets the standard in the industry, wasn't quite as good as Pillsbury.

While both brands produced tender, chewy chocolate chip cookies, Pillsbury excelled in overall flavor, with a more buttery taste in comparison to Toll House, which was noticeably oilier. The chocolate chips were evenly scattered throughout the Pillsbury cookies, whereas Toll House's tended to be inconsistent. One big bonus: the Pillsbury brand is deemed safe to eat raw, just in case your dough tends not to make it into the oven.

If you have a little time and want to fool your guests into thinking you've whipped up a tray of treats from scratch, there are several baker-approved ways to make store-bought cookie dough taste homemade. Mixing in warm spices or nuts, or sprinkling the tops with sea salt or chopped candies when they're fresh out of the oven, are a few of the many ways you can put your own spin on Pillsbury ready-to-bake chocolate chip cookie dough.

The Pillsbury brand is sold in large logs of dough, so you can mold it into different shapes. For starters, you can make chocolate chip truffles by rolling the dough into orbs and coating each one in chocolate. Let the chocolate cool and harden in the fridge, then enjoy. Since this brand is safe to eat raw, creating no-bake truffles is a dream for anyone with a sweet tooth.

Instead of making individual ice cream sandwiches, why not make one giant one by rolling the cookie dough into two large circles and baking? Once cooled, fill the cookies with your favorite ice cream and serve the creation in slices. Or, press the dough into muffin tins to create cookie cups, which can be filled with frosting, pudding, ice cream, or an adult beverage, like Irish cream. Pillsbury cookie dough can even become a sweet "pizza crust," topped with fresh fruit, chocolate or caramel sauces, whipped cream, and whatever else sounds fabulous.