By Rabbi Rachel Esserman

Years ago, we rode bikes without wearing helmets, skated without knee and elbow pads, and used equipment on playgrounds that are now banned. Horror of horrors, we even ate raw cookie dough! That’s right: we used to lick the mixer’s beaters and spooned any dough remaining in the bowl right into our mouths. Of course, that was before we were told that it was unhealthy and/or dangerous to eat anything with uncooked eggs.
For those who missed eating rough dough or who want to share that delight with those too young to have partaken in it, Whoa! Dough now offers three flavors of safe cookie dough: chocolate chip cookie dough, sugar cookie dough and brownie batter dough. These gluten-free, dairy-free and egg-free cookies are safe to eat raw, although they do have to be kept refrigerated. To add to the fun, they are vegan and certified by the Orthodox Union.
When offered a chance to taste test the cookies, of course, I couldn’t resist. The company sent six packets: two of each flavor, with each packet containing two cookies. I thought it would be fun to do a taste testing in The Reporter office. In addition to myself, Diana Sochor, executive editor of the paper, and Kathy Brown, advertising representative, were present. Since there were four cookies available, I invited Shelley Hubal, executive director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Binghamton, to join us.
The cookies may be small, but they are chewy and dense, making them very satisfying to eat. If I hadn’t been doing a taste test where I needed to taste all three, I might have been satisfied with one cookie. Two per package are definitely enough for one sitting. As for flavors, Diana and Kathy’s favorite was the chocolate chip cookie. Shelley liked the sugar cookie best because it reminded her of when her mother made cookies and she used to lick the leftover dough. I originally leaned toward the brownie batter dough, which featured a rich, darker, semi-sweet chocolate, but finally decided on chocolate chip cookie as the one I also liked best. However, it was a tough choice. No one disliked any of the cookies, so the taste test was definitely a success!
To learn more about the cookies and other products offered by Whoa! Dough, visit www.whoadough.com.