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It seems like medals are handed out to bottles of booze at a breakneck pace in the whiskey and spirits world these days. It’s kind of true, a lot of bottles end up with little stickers or neck hangers touting medals from various awards. And hey, that’s great for them. But with so many medals hanging off those bottlenecks, how do you find the true “best” bottles from each competition?

You have to dig into the actual “best in category” bottles to see what truly rose to the top, that’s how. To that end, we were lucky enough to get the exclusive “best of category” winners from this year’s Ascot Awards. And while we love all spirits around here, we’re going to focus on the bourbon and Scotch whisky categories (with the rest of the winners listed below).

Just to quickly clarify, Fred Minnick’s Ascot Awards are the new kids on the block with this year being the second installment. The medals are “honorable mention,” “gold,” “platinum,” and “double platinum” based on a double-blind panel of judges making those calls one dram at a time. For this list, the double-platinum winners all went into the final’s Thunderdome for a best-in-category showdown before Minnick alone picks the “best in show” bottles.

I’m listing all the whiskey winners below with my own tasting notes, using the distiller’s or Ascot Awards judges’ notes where necessary. In the end, hopefully, you’ll be able to find a new whiskey for your own bar cart.

Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months

• The 50 Best Bourbon Whiskeys Of 2021, Ranked
• Every Winning Bourbon From Our 2021 Taste Tests, Blind Tasted And Re-Ranked
• The 100 Best Whiskeys Our Head Drinks Writer Tasted In 2021
• We Blind Tasted A Whole Bunch Of $30-60 Bourbons To See If Any Could Beat Weller
• The Best Ten-Year-Old Bourbon Whiskeys, Tasted Blind And Ranked

Scotch Whisky:

Best Single Malt Scotch Whiskey: Ardbeg Traigh Bhan 19 Batch #3

ABV: 46.2%

Average Price: $360

The Whisky:

This is Ardbeg’s yearly release of special batches of 19-year-old peaty malt. The whisky is Ardbeg’s signature peated whisky that’s bottled during a “haar.” That’s a thick and briny foggy morning on Islay, which imparts that x-factor into the whisky as it goes into the bottle.

Tasting Notes:

You’re drawn in with a super subtle waft of soft smoke with hints of sour cream, fennel, and cold-smoked salmon on a pine cutting board that’s been washed in the sea. The palate holds onto that briny seaside vibe as it veers towards sea salt-laden dark bricks of fudge bespeckled with dried orange zest and lavender. The end circles back around to a sooty smoke that feels like a warm granite rock that’s been dipped in the sea and then rolled around in the dying embers of a fire.

Bottom Line:

This is one of those whiskies that some would say “isn’t for everybody.” I reject that. This is a world-class whisky that’s so well (and deeply) layered, that you’re sure to find something that speaks to you in that pour.

Best Single Malt Scotch Up to 12 Years: Glenmorangie Lasanta

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $50

The Whisky:

The 12-year-old expression from Glenmorangie spends most of those years maturing in old bourbon casks. The juice is then transferred to Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez Sherry casks for a final maturation. It’s then proofed with Highland water and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a subtle spice next to sweet, almost toffee malts with a touch of honey. There’s some nice dried fruit next to a mild nuttiness. This is definitely a sherry cask finish. A touch of spicy orange and dark chocolate comes in late as those sweet malts linger.

Bottom Line:

This is a classic entry-level Scotch whisky that’s actually pretty good for bourbon stans. Dried fruits, nuts, and toffee all lend themselves nicely to the subtle malts at play in this one.

Best Single Malt Scotch No Age Statement: Ardbeg Uigeadail

ABV: 54.2%

Average Price: $102

The Whisky:

The mix of peated malts, yeast, and that inky lake water creates a spirit that’s already full of flavors. That hot juice is then aged in both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. When the whisky in the barrels is just right, they’re blending into this single malt expression and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Smoky plums in a Christmas cake mingle with a very distinct sense of dried flowers and a sugary banana. The star of this show is the balance between the sweet fruits and smoky malts as the spices fade in to accentuate, not overpower. The sip slows down when you add a few drops of water and really lets the smoke, spice, and fruit work together. The end is soft with a sense of urgency, driving you towards your next sip.

Bottom Line:

This is another smoky whisky that’s so much more than just “peaty.” This is a nuanced sipper that deserves a second chance even if you don’t dig that first sip.

NV William Grant & Sons ‘Fior’ 21 Year Old Blended Malt

ABV: 55.8%

Average Price: Limited Availability

The Whisky:

This is an ultra-rare one-off bottling from William Grant & Sons.

Tasting Notes:

None available.

Bottom Line:

The chances of finding this one are pretty slim outside of very rare whiskey bars and vaults.

Bourbon Whiskey:

Best Craft Bourbon: Starlight Distillery Single Barrel Bourbon

ABV: Varies

Average Price: $55

The Whisky:

These barrel picks from Huber Winery’s Starlight Distillery are starting to light up the craft bourbon scene. The Indiana juice is real craft from a family going back to the mid-1800s on the same farm (this isn’t MGP). Depending on the barrel, the mash here is a unique one with 58 percent corn, 27 percent rye, and 15 percent malted barley. That whiskey is aged for at least four years before it’s considered ready for these barrel picks.

Tasting Notes:

Expect a big nose with vanilla birthday cake, sprinkles, and a scoop of chocolate ice cream next to a touch of peppery spice, old leather, and a hint of soft wood. The palate leans into the pepperiness and layers in orange and lemon oils with cream soda and subtle berries vibes. The end dries out a tad as the black pepper gives way to that vanilla cake with a mild dose of dry wood and black soil.

Bottom Line:

You’re going to be hearing a lot about Starlight in the coming months and years as their whiskey starts hitting more and more shelves outside of Southern Indiana. And, trust me, that’ll be a good thing. They rock.

Best Straight Bourbon: Bulleit Barrel Strength

ABV: 59.5%

Average Price: $92

The Whiskey:

This is the standard Bulleit but with a little more dialed-in flavor profile that allows the juice to shine on its own. The sourced bourbon is small-batched from hand-selected barrels and bottled at Diageo’s new Bulleit facility without any filtration or cutting down to proof.

Tasting Notes:

Expect sweet woody notes next to oily vanilla and a big note of black pepper. The taste delivers ripe peaches next to more peppery spice and a hint of Christmas spices, with the vanilla taking a backseat and the oak really stepping in to shine. The end is spicy, hot, oaky, and peachy, with a hint of caramel corn.

Bottom Line:

This isn’t very surprising. This is hard-core classic bourbon. It’s also bold enough to be the perfect base for a killer old fashioned or Manhattan. Or you can just enjoy it low and slow in a rocks glass on its own.

Best Single Barrel Bourbon, Up to 10 Years: Redemption High Rye Single Barrel Select

ABV: 52.5%

Average Price: $50

The Whiskey:

These bottles are the masterwork of chef-turned-master-blender David Carpenter. The juice is hand-selected MGP single barrels that provide a classic bourbon base that then leans a little softer on the palate.

Tasting Notes:

Vanilla wafers with flecks of orange zest open up toward red berries that are slightly tart yet sweet and dusted with cinnamon, clove, and anise. The palate refines those notes toward dried cherries dipped in chocolate next to a black pepper spice with a touch of lemon, a hint of cedar, and some olf glove leather. The finish softens toward a chocolate-mint ice cream pipe tobacco on the very end while the cherry, lemon pepper, and cedar all slowly fade away.

Bottom Line:

I just tested this in a double-blind today and it was great! It’s not something I often reach for but I think that might change.

Best Special Barrel-Finished Bourbon: Doc Swinson’s Exploratory Cask La Mente

ABV: 57%

Average Price: $85

The Whiskey:

For “The Mind,” a whiskey was created to challenge the mind. The five-year-old MGP barrels were batched and refilled into Oloroso sherry casks for a final maturation before bottling.

Tasting Notes (from the blender):

“NOSE – Holiday spice cake, almond paste, orange zest, and wildflower honey. PALATE – Dried apricots, candied citrus peels, roasted nuts, and baking spices. FINISH – An uplifting and fragrant bourbon full of seasonal fruits and citrus peels followed by honey and toasted oak.”

Bottom Line:

This sounds pretty delicious but more like a holiday sipper than an everyday one.

Best Small Batch Bourbon, Up to 5 Years: The Heart Distillery Small Batch Cask Strength Bourbon

ABV: 61.5%

Average Price: Limited Availability

The Whiskey:

This tiny Windsor, Colorado, distillery is grabbing some attention with this bottle. Beyond the fact that this is three or four years old, not much else is known.

Tasting Notes (from the distiller):

“Inviting aromas of oak, warm vanilla, and decadent caramel swirl with sweet candied orange and rich plums. The delivery is masterful – silky and full, with slight notes of lingering char playing with the complex sweetness and spice. The finish greets you as an old friend, gracefully revisiting all of the flavors and aromas that met you with the first sip.”

Bottom Line:

This sounds straight-up delicious. I think I might order one today and not wait until the next time I’m in Colorado.

Best Small Batch Bourbon, 6 to 10 Years: Moylan’s Cask Strength Bourbon

ABV: 56%

Average Price: $47

The Whiskey:

Moylan’s is crafty bourbon from Stillwater Spirits in Petaluma, California. This four-year-old whiskey is finished in French Chardonnay barrels before it’s bottled at cask strength.

Tasting Notes (from the distiller):

“Aromatics of rich vanilla and fresh toasted coconut conquer the nose with a soft oaky notion. The brilliant golden-amber hue promises a delicious, elegant complexity of faint coffee bean and restrained citrus sweetness.”

Bottom Line:

This sounds a little young with that coconut note. That said, it’s worth giving a shot given its placement at this whiskey event.

Best Small Batch Bourbon, 11 Years and Older: Cinder & Smoke 16 YEAR

ABV: 50%

Average Price: Coming Soon

The Whiskey:

Beyond the fact that this is a sourced bourbon blended by The Bard Distillery in Kentucky, not much else is available about what’s actually in the bottle.

Tasting Notes (from the Ascot Awards):

“Chocolate, vanilla, and graham cracker s’mores! YUM!”

Bottom Line:

This sounds like a backyard firepit whiskey. We need more of those so I’m in!

Best Wheat Bourbon: W.L. Weller Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 57%

Average Price: $400

The Whiskey:

This expression is Weller in its purest form. There’s no water added. There’s no filtration. There’s no single barrel supplying the juice in the bottle. This is a marrying of the best barrels wherein the whiskey stayed at 114 proof from going into the barrel to coming out of it.

Tasting Notes:

Imagine red Bing cherries soaked in vanilla syrup then dipped in caramel and allowed to harden then sprinkled with a pinch of sea salt and dusted with mild, powdery cinnamon on the nose. The palate holds onto that mild cinnamon and vanilla but then builds this big, layered vanilla cake with a buttery frosting full of caramel and baking spices with a hint of cherry tobacco and soft, dry cedar in the background … kind of like smoked stained wood paneling in an old bakery. The finish lingers and really leans into the buttery vanilla notes and, eventually, you’re left with this velvet warmth and a distant echo of dark chocolate.

Bottom Line:

I highly doubt anyone is surprised Weller made it to the top of a wheated bourbon award. This stuff is beloved for a reason and really does kind of live up to the hype around it.

Best Blend of Straight Bourbon: Penelope Bourbon Private Select Batch 21

ABV:57.5%

Average Price: $60

The Whiskey:

This new-ish whiskey from Penelope really helps solidify the brand as a powerhouse in blending. The whiskey in the bottle is a blend of three bourbon mash bills (one is 21 percent rye, another 90 percent corn, and a 45 percent wheated bourbon — all from MGP), which create a four-grain (corn, wheat, rye, and barley) bourbon. Beyond that, this is about masterfully blending of four to five-year-old barrels into something bigger than the individual parts.

Tasting Notes:

You get a sense of dry cornmeal on the nose next to apple crumble, plenty of wintry spice, a hint of mulled wine, wet brown sugar, and a thin layer of wet yet sweet cedar. A hint of brandy-soaked cherries arrives on the palate with a dusting of dark chocolate powder next to more apple pie filling, spice, and buttery crust alongside a sweet, toffee-heavy mid-palate. The end arrives with a dry wicker vibe, cherry tobacco chewiness, and a hint of that dark chocolate.

Bottom Line:

These always rule. They’re fun, fresh, and deliver on a serious flavor profile that’s never overwhelming. Wins all around.

Best Tennessee Whiskey: Jack Daniel’s 10

ABV: 48.5%

Average Price: $400

The Whiskey:

This new age statement released from Jack Daniel’s feels like a throwback to a bygone era in Tennessee Whiskey. The whiskey is aged for at least ten years. During that time, the barrels spend time in the “Buzzard’s Roost” at the top of the rickhouse. Once they hit the right flavor profile, those barrels are moved to the bottom floors of other warehouses to slow the aging down. Finally, the whiskey is vatted, proofed, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

This opens with a rich matrix of cherry syrup, apple cores, sticky toffee, vanilla ice cream, and a thin line of wet and sweet wood. The palate opens up towards the dark fruit but dries it out and married it to a sticky and spicy tobacco leaf while toasted cedar soaked in salted caramel vibes with dry corn husks that are just singed. The finish really takes its time as the cherry attaches to an old cinnamon stick and the tobacco takes on a sticky chewiness with a mild savory fruit edge.

Bottom Line:

This was one of the best overall whiskeys of all of 2021, so it’s no surprise to see it picking up awards this year. If you can find one, grab it. It’ll change how you see Jack Daniel’s.

Winners from Other Categories:

Other Whiskeys Categories:

Best Special Barrel-Finished Rye: Old Scout Rye Port Cask Finish
Best American Whiskey: Old Carter Straight American Whiskey
Best American Whiskey: Single Barrel: 291 Colorado Whiskey Finished with Aspen Staves, Barrel Proof Single Barrel
Best American Rye Whiskey: O.H. Ingram River Aged Straight Rye Whiskey
Best American Rye Whiskey Single Barrel: Middle West Spirits Straight Rye Whiskey – Dark Pumpernickel Cask Strength
Best Light Whiskey: Penelope American Light Whiskey
Best Craft Whiskey: Chattanooga Bottled in Bond Fall 2017 Vintage
Best Special Barrel-Finished Whiskey: Saints Alley Heretic
Best Blend of Straight Rye: Smooth Ambler Contradiction Rye
Best Whiskey Club Barrel Pick: 5280 Whiskey Society – Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel “Thunder Chicken” and Naptown Bourbon Club Pick – Backbone Bourbon Uncut
Best Blend of Straight Whiskies: Bardstown Triple Blended Stave Finish Distillery Exclusive
Best Blended Malt: Lost Lantern American Vatted Malt Edition No. 1
Best American Single Malt: Cloudsplitter Single Malt Whisky and Old Line American Single Malt Sherry Cask Finish
Best Corn Whiskey: Paradigm Spirits Co. 2020 Heritage Collection
Best Wheat Whiskey: Journeyman Distillery Corsets Whips and Whiskey
Best Flavored Whiskey: Tennessee Legend Salted Caramel
Best Moonshine | Flavored: Tennessee Legend Apple Pie Moonshine
Best World Whisky: Archie Rose Distilling Co Single Malt Whisky
Best Light Whiskey: Penelope American Light Whiskey
Best Canadian Whisky: Paradigm 2022 Heritage Collection
Best Blended Irish Whiskey: The Quiet Man Traditional Blend

White Spirits:

Best Flavored Vodka: Deep Eddy Lemon
Best Vodka: Deep Eddy Lemon
Best Gin: Wilder Gin
Best Flavored Gin: Tinkerman’s Gin – Sweet Spice
Best Aged Rum: Privateer Rum Distiller’s Drawer – Intrepid
Best Flavored Rum (Spiced): Bohique Spiced Rum
Best Unaged Tequila: Campovaso Blanco Tequila
Best Reposado Tequila: Familia Camarena Reposado Tequlia
Best Anejo Tequila: E. Cuarenta Anejo Tequila
Best Flavored Tequila: Antano Valencia Orange Flavored Tequila
Best Mezcal: Cutwater Spirits Mezcal Joven
Best Sotol: Cazul 100 Sotol Blanco
Best American Agave Spirit: Cutwater Spirits Mezcal Reposado
Best Baijiu: Ming River Sichuan Baijiu
Best Cognac: Flavored: Grand Brulot VSOP Cognac & Café
Best Apple Brandy: Starlight Distillery 10 Year Bottled-In-Bond Estate Apple Brandy
Best Grape Brandy: O’Neill Vintners & Distillers BRANDYLAB
Best Plum Brandy: Yebiga Bela Plum Brandy

White Liqueurs:

Best Liqueur, Herbal/Botanical: Foro Amaro
Best Liqueur, Chocolate: Faretti Biscotti Chocolate
Best Liqueur, Coffee: Granddad Jack’s Barbershop Coffee Liqueur
Best Liqueur, Cream/Dairy: Evan Williams Egg Nog
Liqueurs, Aperitif: Foro Rosso Vermouth di Torino
Best Liqueur, Fruit: PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur and Ferrand Dry Curaçao
Best Liqueur, Nut: Watershed Nocino

Ready to Drink:

Best Ready-to-Drink Seltzer: Deep Eddy Ruby Red Vodka + Soda
Best Ready-to-Drink Cocktail: Cutwater Spirits Tiki Rum Punch
Best Mixers Non-Alcoholic: Betty Buzz Sparkling Lemon Lime

You can check out Fred Minnick’s pick for “Best in Show” live on Friday, May 27th, on his YouTube channel.

Those May-June flowers are out there with plenty of pollen to feed your allergies, so if you need to stay inside, there’s plenty of fresh content for you from Netflix. The streaming platform’s bringing back The Umbrella Academy for extra family drama amid the already scrappy set of superhero-powered siblings. And finally, Peaky Blinders fans can watch bloody hell unfold in the final season while a new Chris Hemsworth thriller and a dramatic Adam Sandler turn is landing on streaming devices, too.

Don’t forget about comedy, though. The recent Netflix is A Joke festival helped to crank out some specials coming your way. That includes entries from Pete Davidson and David Letterman along with a Bob Saget tribute. Bill Burr’s got another comedy special coming, too, and several Mission: Impossible movies arrive in the library while Tom Cruise readies more sequels for theatrical runs.

Here’s everything coming to (and leaving) Netflix in June.

The Umbrella Academy: Season 3 (Netflix series streaming 6/26)

The formerly ghostly Ben (Justin H. Min) is back, and he’s not sweet and nice and only antagonizing Robert Sheehan’s Klaus. He’s got it out for the Hargreeves family that we know and love, and in another timeline, he’s part of the Sparrow Academy. Get ready for Elliot Page’s Viktor to rise along with the rest of the familiar siblings, and hopefully Klaus and his savvy dance moves, while they all gather around to repair another riff in the universe. Lila will even join forces with Viktor, which should only add to the chaotic mess that is this live-action realization of Gerard Way’s comic book series. Will these rampant apocalypses ever end? Let’s hope not.

Peaky Blinders: Season 6 (BBC One/Netflix series streaming 6/10)

This season’s been sitting pretty for months now across the pond, but stateside viewers will finally get to see Cillian Murphy’s Tommy Shelby kicking ass and fending off new rivals as he preps to head toward North America. The family’s missing its matriarch now (due to actress Helen McRory’s death), and it’s all coming down to a final batch of a half-dozen episodes, although one should expect some movies and spinoffs to eventually arrive. Dig that cockney rhyming slang!

Hustle (Netflix film streaming 6/8)

Adam Sandler’s getting dramatic again (finally) and leaving those Hubie Halloween-type characters behind to portray a down-on-his luck scout who discovers the next basketball star. He takes a long shot to get this player into shape for an NBA run while also fighting against a less than savory set of past behaviors. The Sandman is back, y’all.

Spiderhead (Netflix film streaming 6/17)

Chris Hemsworth follows up on his Extraction success with a less-actiony story to portray an unsettling researcher who’s pulling strings at a tech-heavy prison awash with mind-altering experiments. Two inmates will nonetheless form a valuable connection, and this story’s based upon George Saunders’ “Escape From Spiderhead,” so get ready for a tense ride from a bespectacled Hemsworth.

Pete Davidson Presents: The Best Friends (Netflix comedy special streaming 6/13)

Yes, Pete Davidson will joke about Kanye West while curating and hosting this special chock full of his fellow stand-up comedians. Expect this to arrive with some controversy of course, even though he’s gone rather mainstream in his romantic life. Pete recently said goodbye to SNL, and plenty of eyes await his upcoming films and, of course, what he’ll do while being funny.

That’s My Time with David Letterman (Netflix comedy special streaming 6/7)

David Letterman’s already got a series on Netflix (as you can see in the above trailer for that project), and here, he highlights six up-and-coming comedy stars for a mini-sets and a nice chat in the aftermath. It’s a way for the legend to help others rise to public view, so expect to see Rosebud Baker, Phil Wang, Sam Morril, Brian Simpson, Robin Tran, and Naomi Ekperigin. Oh, and that famous Letterman folksy charm.

Dirty Daddy: The Bob Saget Tribute (Netflix comedy special streaming 6/10)

Bob Saget’s legacy will (at least partially) get its due here as his co-stars and friends gather around to pay their comedic respects following his untimely death. Saget, of course, left an enormous void, but there’s a therapeutic benefit to laughter. Whew.

Avail. 6/1
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
Dear John
Dumb and Dumber
Edge of Seventeen
Eraser
His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass
Lean on Me
Léon: The Professional
Life as We Know It
Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
Mission: Impossible II
Mr Bean’s Holiday
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
Soul Plane
Steel Magnolias
The Amazing Spider-Man
The Boy
The Departed
The Fighter
The Girl Next Door
The Hurt Locker
The Players Club
Titanic
Troy
Vegas Vacation
We Are Marshall

Avail. 6/2
Borgen – Power & Glory
The DUFF
Yuri Marçal: Honest Mistake

Avail. 6/3
As the Crow Flies
Floor Is Lava: Season 2
Interceptor
Mr. Good: Cop or Crook?
The Perfect Mother
Surviving Summer.
Two Summers

Avail. 6/5
Straight Up

Avail. 6/6
Action Pack: Season 2
Bill Burr Presents: Friends Who Kill

Avail. 6/7
That’s My Time with David Letterman

Avail. 6/8
Baby Fever
Gladbeck: The Hostage Crisis
Hustle
Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey

Avail. 6/9
Rhythm + Flow France
Stand Out: An LGBTQ+ Celebration

Avail. 6/10
Chickenhare and the Hamster of Darkness
Closet Monster
Dirty Daddy: The Bob Saget Tribute
First Kill
Intimacy
Peaky Blinders: Season 6
Top Gear: Season 27
Top Gear: Season 28
Trees of Peace
Vice

Avail. 6/11
Amy Schumer’s Parental Advisory

Avail. 6/13
Charlie’s Colorforms City: Mighty Movie Adventures
Charlie’s Colorforms City: Miss Weather and Friends
Pete Davidson Presents: The Best Friends
Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America

Avail. 6/14
Jane & Lily: Ladies Night Live
Halftime
The Mole: Season 3-4

Avail. 6/15
Centauro
Front Cover
God’s Favorite Idiot
Heart Parade
Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend
Maldivas
Web of Make Believe: Death, Lies and the Internet
The War Next-door: Season 2
The Wrath of God

Avail. 6/16
Dead End: Paranormal Park
Karma’s World Music Videos: Season 2
Love & Anarchy: Season 2
Rhythm + Flow France
Sing, Dance, Act: Kabuki featuring Toma Ikuta
Snoop Dogg’s F*cn Around Comedy Special
Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

Avail. 6/17
The Martha Mitchell Effect
Rainbow High: Season 2
She: Season 2
Spiderhead
You Don’t Know Me

Avail. 6/18
Alchemy of Souls
Charmed: Season 4
SPRIGGAN

Avail. 6/19
Civil
It

Avail. 6/20
Doom Of Love
Philomena

Avail. 6/21
All That: Seasons 2-3
The Future Of
Joel Kim Booster: Psychosexual
Kenan and Kel: Seasons 1-2
Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide: Seasons 1-2
Zoey 101: Seasons 1-2

Avail. 6/22
Bruna Louise: Demolition
The Hidden Lives of Pets
Love & Gelato
The Mist
Sing 2
Snowflake Mountain
The Umbrella Academy: Season 3

Avail. 6/23
Best of the Fest
Best of the Festival, highlights from throughout the 11-day Netflix Is A Joke: The Festival.
First Class
Queen
Rhythm + Flow France

Avail. 6/24
Angry Birds: Summer Madness: Season 2
Legacies: Season 4
The Man from Toronto
Man Vs Bee
Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area

Avail. 6/25
Grey’s Anatomy: Season 18

Avail. 6/27
Cafe Minamdang
Chip and Potato: Chip’s Holiday

Avail. 6/28
Blasted
Cristela Alonzo: Middle Classy

Avail. 6/29
BEAUTY
Extraordinary Attorney Woo
Pirate Gold of Adak Island
The Upshaws: Season 2 Part 1

Avail. 6/30
BASTARD -Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
Sharkdog: Season 2

Leaving 6/2
Documentary Now!: Seasons 1-3
Lady Bird

Leaving 6/6
The Night Shift: Seasons 1-4
Vampire Academy

Leaving 6/13
Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce: Seasons 1-5

Leaving 6/17
Silver Linings Playbook

Leaving 6/23
Reign: Seasons 1-3

Leaving 6/29
Criminal Minds: Seasons 1-10

Leaving 6/30
Corpse Bride
Desperado
Eagle Eye
Escaping the NXIVM Cult: A Mother’s Fight to Save Her Daughter
The Exorcist
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Godzilla
Happy Gilmore
Her
How to Train Your Dragon
Into the Wild
Joan Rivers: Don’t Start with Me
Just Go With It
Looper
Memoirs of a Geisha
Midnight in Paris
My Fair Lady
The Originals: Seasons 1-4
Shrek Forever After
Stand by Me

Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm-and-blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they really love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.

This past week was filled with some strong R&B and afrobeat releases. They include Omah Lay’s “Woman,” John Legend’s “Dope” with JID, Foushee’s “I’m Fine,” Sudan Archives’ “Selfish Soul,” Ravyn Lenae’s “Xtasy,” and a new video for Eli Derby and 6lack’s “Lately.”

Ravyn Lenae — Hypnos

In 2018, Ravyn Lenae gave us her Crush EP. Now in 2022, she returns with her debut album Hypnos and she’s better than ever. Sixteen songs take listeners on a luscious and ethereal journey with help from Steve Lacy, Mereba, Foushee, and Smino.

Jacquees — “Say Yea”

It’s been a little while since we’ve heard from the self-proclaimed “King Of R&B.” Jacquees’ last spotlight moment came with his 2019 sophomore album named after the title he wears so proudly. The Atlanta native is now ready to release his third album and he kicks off its rollout with the sultry and passionate “Say Yea.”

Xavier Omar — “Feelings 4 You”

Beautiful heart-warming music is something that you can expect to receive from Xavier Omar. His 2019 and 2020 albums, Moments Spent Loving You with Sango and If You Feel respectively, are both examples of that. Omar is about to give us more examples of that and it begins with “Feelings 4 You.”

THEY. — “Blü Moon”

Nearly two years after releasing their sophomore album The Amanda Tape, singer Dante Jones and producer Drew Love of THEY. are back in action with their new track “Blü Moon.” The tender record speaks to the duo’s hesitant feelings about a one-of-a-kind woman they’re growing feelings for.

Mahalia — Letter To Ur Ex

The last project we received from British singer Mahalia was her 2020 EP Plastic Hearts which followed her 2019 debut album Love And Compromise. While we’re still waiting for her sophomore album, Mahalia returns with her Letter To Ur Ex EP which presents five new songs to hold her fans over until her second album

Davion Farris — Moved

The latest generation of the Farris family has more to offer than SiR and D Smoke. Davion Farris, who is brothers with the aforementioned names, released Moved his first project in five years. “I want my fans to feel seen, heard, and understood,” Davion said about the 7-track release. “I want them to know that a strong black man can be vulnerable and that vulnerability helps make him whole.”

August 08 — Towards The Sun

After inking a deal with Def Jam, Los Angeles singer August 08 has arrived with his first project under the new label. Towards The Sun is now available for listeners to press play on and it touches down with sevens songs and a lone feature from Schoolboy Q. Additionally, Towards The Sun is the first half of his upcoming two-part debut Seasick, Towards The Sun, so you can expect more from August 08 soon.

Allyn – After Hours, Pt. 1

Sacramento-born singer Allyn gave us her Overthinking project towards the end of the summer last year. Less than a year later and Allyn is already back in action with a quickstrike project. After Hours, Pt. 1 arrives with four songs and a lone feature from fellow Cali native Phabo and surely the first of more to come soon from Allyn.

Leon Thomas & Benny The Butcher — “X-Rated”

He’s produced and co-written records for Ariana Grande, Ella Mai, Rick Ross, Drake, and more, and now, Leon Thomas has a record deal after signing with Ty Dolla Sign new label EZMNY Records. His first release under the imprint is “X-Rated” with Benny The Butcher, a record that’s supported by glitchy production and Thomas’ praises about a woman and her sexual freedom.

Lojay & Sarz — “Monalisa (Remix)” Feat. Chris Brown

There were many records that were highlights in the afrobeats world last year. Lojay & Sarz’s “Monalisa” is certainly one of them. Almost a year after the song was released, the duo gives it a special boost with help from Chris Brown, who supplies his own verse to the irresistible song.

Jada Kingdom — “Last Call”

Jamaican-born singer and songwriter Jada Kingdom is looking to make a name for herself this year. She takes another step towards achieving that with her new single “Last Call” which strikes as a sizzling and sultry number focused on her inability to remember the thrilling and excellent moments from the night before.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

While hot sauce is nothing new (we’ve been dousing our eggs, sandwiches, mac and cheese, and almost everything else with it for years), it feels like the culinary world is hot sauced obsessed in recent years. And we’re not just talking about a tad bit o’ heat. We’re talking about a trend of ridiculously hot, make-sure-you-have-milk ready, mouth-burning, day-ruining hot chips, crackers, mac and cheese, chicken, soda… the list is long.

While we don’t know where it at all began, we can likely thank the wide range of “Flamin’ Hot” chips for getting everyone obsessed with over-the-top, out-of-bounds hot-hot heat. Meanwhile, Hot Ones, hosted by Sean Evans, has amplified the idea of adding a little spice to your food by turning it into a sort of masochist challenge. So a Hot Ones chip was probably inevitable.

Recently, Pringles collaborated with Hot Ones to create limited-edition chips called Pringles Scorchin’ Hot Ones. The flavors are Pringles Scorchin’ Hot Ones The Classic Hot Sauce (only available at Circle K starting in July), Pringles Scorchin’ Hot Ones Los Calientes Rojo (only available at Walmart starting in June), and Pringles Scorchin’ Hot Ones Los Calientes Verde (available at retailers nationwide starting in June).

We got cans of all three flavors in advance of their release. Keep reading to see how they all stack up and find out which ones are worth trying and which ones aren’t.

The Flavors Ranked From Least to Most Hot:

3) Pringles Scorchin’ Hot Ones The Classic Hot Sauce

This flavor is described as a “timeless hot sauce flavor with an extra peppery kick that will keep snackers coming back for more.” We couldn’t agree more. When the can was cracked open, the smell was of classic, vinegar-based hot sauce. It was very reminiscent of a plate of hot, slathered, spicy chicken wings. Eating one continued this trend. It was fairly nostalgic in that way.

Covered in bright red powder, this chip doesn’t seem to be hot at first, but the heat builds. Behind the heat are slight notes of vinegar, cayenne pepper, a pleasing salty flavor, and a nice, unexpected tang that hits you in the back of your taste buds. Not as hot as expected, but we can imagine eating a whole can would leave your mouth on fire. In the hierarchy of the three, this is definitely the beginner flavor. It’s hot but not “call in sick to work”-hot like the other two.

Hotness Level:

1/5

2) Pringles Scorchin’ Hot Ones Los Calientes Verde

This iteration of spicy Pringles is described as a “punchy, smoky blend of serrano and habanero chiles, sweet fruit and tart tomatillo packed in one, crispy bite.” We think their description is perfect, but the nose was heavily dominated by habaneros and nothing else. That’s not such a bad thing as we love these ridiculously spicy peppers.

While the Classic Hot Sauce and Caliente Rojo flavors are covered in red dust, this one is a vibrant green. The flavor is surprisingly smoky with tart tomatillo flavor, spicy habanero, and serrano peppers. It has a nice mix of smoke, tart tomatillo, and spicy peppers. It might be the most well-rounded of the three. There’s a lot more heat than the Classic Hot Sauce Flavor but not remotely as much Caliente Rojo. If you’re working your way up in the heat index, this is step two.

Hotness Level:

3/5

1) Pringles Scorchin’ Hot Ones Los Calientes Rojo

These crisps are described as having the “perfect balance of sweet applewood-smoked red jalapeños and tangy habanero for a fiery blaze in every bite.” We aren’t positive we agree with their sentiment as the nose smells remarkably like barbecue-flavored chips. There might be a little pepper in there too, but it’s dominated by a fake-smelling barbecue sauce aroma.

Just like the Classic Hot Sauce-flavored crisps, these bad boys are covered in red dust. Slight smoky, salty, and with a healthy, potent kick of jalapenos and habaneros — these are a lot hotter than the classic hot sauce flavor. It only took one chip for me to start looking around for the glass of milk I had on standby. These are definitely not for novice hot sauce fans. Be prepared for a fairy numb tongue when you’re done.

Hotness Level:

5/5

The Bottom Line:

With the connection to Hot Ones, we expected all three of these flavors to be uncomfortably hot. But it makes sense that there would be a gradual climb in heat. There are three levels of heat perfectly suited for every level of spicy food fans. While they differ in heat, each is flavorful and memorable.

If they weren’t just available for a limited time, we’d make every one of these a permanent addition to our snacking arsenal.

Back in 2015, a group of over 1,000 musicians came together to perform a massive cover of Foo Fighters’ “Learn To Fly.” The performance was a stunt to get Foo Fighters’ attention and ask them to play a show in Cesena, Italy. It worked, as the band did end up performing in the city. Since then, the project, dubbed Rockin’1000, has continued to perform, and their first performance in nearly three years took place this past weekend.

The set was played to over 50,000 people in Paris and it included a tribute to the late Taylor Hawkins via a cover of “My Hero.” The caption of the performance’s official YouTube upload reads, “One thousand musicians dedicating this song to one drummer: Taylor Hawkins. ”

Worth noting is that “My Hero” comes from Foo Fighters’ 1997 album The Colour And The Shape, and Hawkins only joined the band after that album was recorded. Still, he has plenty of experience with “My Hero”: Since 1998 (Hawkins’ first full year with the band), Foo Fighters have performed the song over 900 times, according to setlist.fm. The site also offers further proof that “My Hero” is one of Foo Fighters’ signature songs: They’ve played it live 970 times total, making it the band’s third-most performed song, behind “Monkey Wrench” (997 times) and “Everlong” (1,086 times).

Watch Rockin’1000 perform “My Hero” above.

For Charlie Hickey, writing music is more than just a passion; It’s a way to cope. The 21-year-old songwriter makes music to manage his anxiety and OCD, particularly as he navigates the bewildering and uncertain transition from teenage years to adulthood. As the child of two musicians, Hickey grew up with an interest and appreciation for music from a young age. Eventually, he learned to lean on his transfixing, twang-infused voice to give a refreshing account of relatable growing pains through a soft rock lens.

Hickey translates youthful mishaps and ruminations into dazzling, acoustic-led ballads on his debut album, Nervous At Night. The LP is a collection of 11 warm-toned, introspective tracks that offer hazy vignettes of the singer’s life. To celebrate the release of Nervous At Night, Hickey sat down with Uproxx to talk his love of Elliot Smith, The National, and the kindness of Midwestern parents in our latest Q&A.

What are four words you would use to describe your music?

Melancholy, Neurotic, Optimistic, Searching

It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

I guess I would just like it to be remembered at all. I think the greatest marker of true success in an artist is how long their music sticks with people. All my favorite artists have careers that have spanned many different eras and musical trends and that’s my ultimate goal for my music.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform?

I loved playing in Montreal! I don’t even know why. The vibes were just great. Just something I can’t describe.

Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?

Probably Elliot Smith. He was my first favorite artist and the first time I heard that type of vulnerability in music and I knew that that was what I aspired to.

Where did you eat the best meal of your life?

Fiore in South Pasadena. Roast chicken sandwich. Go if you ever get the chance.

What album do you know every word to?

Definitely Cardinal by Pinegrove. Also, Saves The World by MUNA.

What was the best concert you’ve ever attended?

I saw an artist called Jesca Hoop play at the Highland Park Ebell. I’m a huge fan of her. It was just such a transcendent live show. It was just her and two other backup vocalists who played really minimal percussion. Perfect in every way.

What is the best outfit for performing and why?

Lately, I’ve been loving a white tank top under a blazer. Sexy and classy.

Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter and/or Instagram?

Steven Phillips Horst. He’s one of the co-hosts of my favorite podcast, Celebrity Book Club. Each episode is dedicated to a different celebrity memoir. Both him and his co-host Lily Marotta are hilarious and observant of culture in a really profound way.

What’s your most frequently played song in the van on tour?

“Mistaken For Strangers” by The National. I’ve had the opportunity to obsessively dive into the catalogue of artists I’ve always loved and I’ve done that with The National. One of the great bands of all time and this song is my current favorite.

What album makes for the perfect gift?

Maybe Boxer by The National. I got that album on vinyl for Phoebe Bridgers for her 20th birthday.

Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?

Honestly never crashed anywhere super weird. I’ve crashed with a lot of friends’ parents, which is the way to go, especially if they are Midwestern parents! They will want to make you food so badly.

What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?

I haven’t gotten a tattoo but me and my sister have the same birthday but three years apart. We’ve talked about both getting our birthday tattooed.

What artists keep you from flipping the channel on the radio?

If Sam Hunt comes on a country radio station, I’m not changing that.

What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?

I had a family friend growing up named Joe Henry, an incredible songwriter and producer and one of my earliest heroes. When I was like 15, he brought me up to sing his song “Trampoline” with him at his show at Largo. It was a very formative moment for me and I owe a lot to him!

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

Honestly, just to not worry so much about everything because things change so fast in a way that is so hard to grasp when you are that young and it feels like they never will. Just that none of this will matter in a year. Also, don’t vape!

What’s the last show you went to?

I’ve seen Wolf Alice play every night for the last month or so on tour. They are beyond incredible live. Feels like being at a rock show 20 years ago in the best way possible while also feeling so hip and current. Can’t say enough about how great those guys are. They are rockstars in the truest sense of the word.

What movie can you not resist watching when it’s on TV?

Maybe Knocked Up or Bridesmaids. Kinda random — both movies I loved as a kid when all I wanted was to see R-rated movies. They make me feel very nostalgic.

What’s one of your hidden talents?

I’m sort of good at doing push-ups.

Nervous At Night is out now via Saddest Factory Records. Get it here.

For the past few months, Chance The Rapper’s activity has picked up considerably, leading some to believe he’s rolling out his first major project since 2019’s The Big Day. He’s been calling his single releases “writing exercises,” dropping “Child Of God” in March and following up earlier this month with “Wraith,” which features longtime collaborator Vic Mensa. In addition, Chance popped up with a guest verse on Chicago rapper Supa Bwe’s February single “ACAB,” leading to more speculation that he’s actively working himself back into the rap spotlight.

It looks like he’ll continue the process — and slightly accelerate it — with another new release to close out the month of May. As usual, he teased the upcoming track, titled “A Bar About A Bar,” with a snippet of the song played over a video clip of Hyde Park painter Nikko Washington applying acrylics to a canvas. Chance also highlighted the finished painting in a separate tweet announcing that it’ll be on display at the Art Institute of Chicago until this Sunday.

If Chance truly is working toward a new album, these writing exercises could be just the sort of “back to basics” marketing rollout that will win back his goodwill among audiences and the lukewarm reception of The Big Day. Check out the teaser above.

Olivia Rodrigo‘s Sour tour has proven to be one of the most significant tours of the year. From striking visuals to using her platform to speak on social justice and political matters, Rodrigo is representing Gen-Z in an effective manner. Also, one of the most exciting elements of the Sour tour is the impressive covers she’s performed by other pop-rock icons.

So far, she’s covered “Just A Girl” by No Doubt, “Seether” by Veruca Salt, and “Complicated” by Avril Lavigne. On one tour stop, Rodrigo brought Lavigne out to the stage, and the two sang a duet version of “Complicated.” At her latest stop in Los Angeles at the Greek Theater, Alanis Morissette joined Rodrigo for a performance of Morissette’s 1995 classic, “You Oughta Know.”

According to Variety, Morissette sang the first verse of the song, then she and Rodrigo sang the chorus together, before Rodrigo sang the second verse solo.

Rodrigo and Morissette first met last year, during an interview for Rolling Stone‘s annual Musicians On Musicians issue.

“I love how you’re so honest and talk about stuff that normally isn’t talked about in songwriting,” Rodrigo told Morissette.

Morissette replied, “Well, you’re doing the same. I’m excited. I went down many rabbit holes knowing I was going to meet you.”

Empress Of’s Lorely Rodriguez has always put down gripping and emotive indie pop. But now it seems as though Rodriguez is entering the next phase in her artistry, that’ll have her mentioned in the same breath as some of progressive pop music’s best.

On her latest track, “Dance For You,” we get a full-on disco pop assault, produced by Charli XCX and Francis And The Lights beat maestro BJ Burton. Cascading synths and a driving dance floor thump feel akin to the sweaty, diva pop of Róisín Murphy and Robyn. Rodriguez releases her inhibitions and leaves it all out for the beat.

“I love the lyrics on this song,” she said in a statement. “I made this in Minneapolis with BJ Burton. It was freezing outside. I was in a cave-like studio in the snow literally dancing as I wrote this. ‘Surrender to me like this’ is a touching lyric for me because I’m not hurt over this person anymore. I’ve come out the other side.”

“Dance For You” joins the previously released “Save Me,” as the first two tracks to emerge from Empress Of’s newly announced EP, Save Me. The new EP is due out on June 24th.

Watch the video for “Dance For You” above. Check out the Save Me album artwork, tracklist, and upcoming live dates for Empress Of below.

1. “Save Me”
2. “Dance For You”
3. “Turn The Table”
4. “Kept Up”
5. “Cry For Help”

05/27 — Buena Vista Lake, CA @ Lightning in a Bottle Festival
06/18 — Brooklyn, New York @ Brooklyn Mag Festival
08/06 — San Francisco, CA @ Outside Lands

Save Me is out 6/24 via Major Arcana. Pre-order it here.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Growing up, my favorite Sesame Street character was the Cookie Monster. Elmo came off as an obnoxious, hammy infant and Big Bird’s whole vibe just depressed me, but the Cookie Monster had a singular goal and purpose — to eat cookies. That’s something that resonated with me as a small pudgy child and frankly, still resonates with me to this day. So when my editor asked me to review and rank the top five chocolate chip cookie recipes on the internet I gladly jumped at the chance, even knowing full well that not only would I have to make them all.

Eight sticks of butter, six hours, one broken mixer, and pounds of brown sugar and chocolate chips later, I’m still not sick of chocolate chip cookies. That’s how much I love them.

The chocolate chip is, in my opinion, the perfect cookie. It has this comforting brown sugar and butter flavor with subtle echoes of toffee and caramel and bursts of sweet chocolate in every bite. Even if it isn’t your favorite cookie, it isn’t polarizing like a snickerdoodle or oatmeal cookie — it’s a people pleaser. If you’re planning on making chocolate chip cookies from scratch, you deserve the very best, so we made, reviewed, and ranked the top five recipes on the internet in search of the best-tasting chocolate chip cookie you can make at home.

PART I — Methodology

For our five recipes we did a simple google search for “best chocolate chip cookies ever” and chose the top five results, which were from Joy Food Sunshine, All Recipes, Tasty, Once Upon a Chef, and Pinch of Yum. To keep the flavors consistent I used the same brand of flour, butter, chocolate chips, white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and eggs for every recipe. I also purchased a fresh box of baking soda instead of using the one in the back of my fridge.

The recipe for chocolate chip cookies is pretty simple, it’s a mixture of sugar, butter, vanilla, egg, flour, and chocolate chips. The only material differences between these five recipes were the ratios of each ingredient, the use of semi-sweet, sweet, or dark chocolate chips, and the technique by which the batter was mixed.

I followed each recipe’s respective preparations as written, which involved making five different cookie recipes in five different (but very similar) ways. This process showed me that the differences in technique — such as sifting flour, hand-mixing, and incorporating ingredients one at a time — didn’t have a major impact on the final result, but things like baking time and allowing your dough to sit did prove big factors. Since all of the recipes had a range of baking times, I prepared batches of the same recipes using multiple times. I’ll note where that is significant.

Now, let’s rank them on flavor!

PART II: A Pro-Tip On Making Aesthetically Pleasing Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you want chocolate chip cookies that look as delicious as they taste, invest in a cookie scooper or save some spare chocolate chips to place on your dough before throwing them in the oven. I don’t have a cookie scooper and I was making every recipe in a single day, so I rolled my cookie dough between my palm for speed and called it a day. That resulted in chocolate chips that stayed internal and hardly ever erupted through the surface of the cookie.

This doesn’t affect the flavor in any way, but if you’re trying to impress someone with your homemade cookies, it’s worth the extra effort.

PART III: The Rankings

5. Joy Food Sunshine

Recipe Notes:

Joy Food Sunshine is a blog created by Laura, a homeschooling mom, and former chemistry teacher. Her simple no-frills chocolate chip recipe has the number one spot on Google. Congrats Laura, I hope you’re raking in the dough (get it?! GET IT??????).

This dough recipe, which produced the highest yield at over 40 cookies doesn’t need to be chilled and calls for the dry ingredients to be mixed separately and makes a point of specifying that you should be using dry-ingredient measuring cups (leveled with a knife), not liquid measuring cups. This is great advice, always use dry ingredient measuring cups when working with flour!

This recipe differs from the others in its use of light brown sugar, baking powder, the highest cooking temperature, and the shortest baking time. Throughout the recipe Laura makes a point to say not to over-bake these cookies, writing “They will not look done when you pull them out of the oven, and that is GOOD.” She recommends a 9 minute baking time, which I followed and… the cookies looked light as fuck. Even when they cooled.

I did the next batch for 11 minutes, and then a final batch for 12 minutes. All look lighter than I’d want them to be. This probably has more to do with the light brown sugar than the bake time.

Tasting Notes:

They’re great, Laura promised a simple chocolate chip recipe, and this is definitely that. The texture is soft and you can give the cookie a slight bend before it breaks in half — probably because of the use of baking powder and baking soda. Not sure I need this pliability though.

Flavorwise, this cookie hits you with sweetness and ends with a salty aftertaste. It’s a bit too salty, and I blame the use of salted butter. If you like salty cookies, you’re better off using unsalted butter, and instead finishing each cookie with a pinch of sea salt after it bakes while it’s still hot. This would result in a more pronounced but less intrusive salty taste. When mixed into the cookie, this ends up with an aftertaste that is largely dominated by salt when it should be dominated by chocolate and sugar.

The Bottom Line:

A few tweaks away from being a great chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Follow Joy Food Sunshine’s recipe here.

4. All Recipes

Recipe Notes:

Before I had made a single one of these cookie recipes, a quick scan of the ingredients led me to assume that this was going to be the clear winner — it’s the only recipe of the five that actually adds a new ingredient: walnuts. I love walnuts, and I love the earthy nutty quality that nuts add to cookies in general, so I was expecting these to be great. They just slightly miss the mark.

This recipe differs from the last recipe in its use of unslated butter, less salt in general, and an extra teaspoon of vanilla extract. Technique-wise it calls for each ingredient to be mixed-in individually, and for the baking soda to be dissolved in hot water before incorporating. I have no idea if this actually changed anything but the cookies turned out a bit more uniform in this batch than any of the other recipes.

The cookies needed to be baked at 350 degrees for 10 mins and that checked out, getting my cookies to look exactly what I think they should look like: light tan to brown with crisped edges.

Tasting Notes:

Sweet and chocolatey, but not overwhelming so. There is a perfect balance of brown sugar, butter, and salty flavors but the walnuts infuse a sort of bitter and dirty aftertaste to the whole thing. Maybe it’s just a bad bag of walnuts, but I actually would’ve preferred this recipe sans nuts.

The Bottom Line:

Delicious but if you’re going to add nuts make sure you get the good stuff. My walnuts came prepacked from the baking section of my grocery store, had I cracked my own walnuts I have no doubt this recipe would’ve come out better and ranked higher.

Follow All Recipes recipe here.

3. Pinch of Yum

Recipe Notes:

Pinch of Yum is a blog written by Lindsay, a former 4th-grade teacher and full-time blogger living in Minnesota. I had some serious doubts about her small yield recipe which utilized less than a cup of chocolate chips, and the lowest amount of sugar. A half-cup of white sugar and a fourth of a cup of light brown sugar all but ensured these cookies were going to be as pale as what Joy Food Sunshine gave us. And I don’t like that!

This recipe also called for the least amount of salt and called for microwaving the butter before mixing it in. Don’t microwave your butter… just let it sit out for about 30 minutes and you’re good. Microwaving the butter risks you putting hot ingredients into your dough, which will cook it. You don’t want that. Lindsay’s recipe didn’t specify what type of chocolate chips to use, so I went with 60% cacao chips.

This recipe also suggested you make 12 large cookies with the dough. So that’s what I did, despite not being a fan of big cookies, personally speaking.

Tasting Notes:

Lindsay may have sold me on big soft cookies. I love this recipe, I had some serious doubts and the cookies are lighter in color than I want them to be, with an almost sugar-cookie-like appearance, but dammit are they good. Each bite is incredibly soft and sugary, with the chocolate chips serving as bursts of rich flavor.

You don’t get chocolate in every bite because of the big size, but when you do it’s ecstasy.

The Bottom Line:

Add more chocolate chips and swap that light brown sugar for dark brown sugar and you’ve got one of the best soft chocolate cookie recipes on the internet. If you like big soft cookies, work off of this recipe.

Follow Pinch of Yum’s recipe here.

2. Tasty

Recipe Notes:

I had no faith in Tasty’s recipe. The website looks like something out of the Geocities era of the internet and it called for me to hand mix the ingredients rather than use an electric mixer, and sift the flour — which I still think did little more than waste my time. This recipe calls for more sugar than any of the recipes, less baking soda, and a mix of semi-sweet and dark chocolate chips.

It also called for the longest bake time, at 12-15 minutes, and produced the least uniform and ugliest cookies of any of the recipes on this ranking. Having said that, who cares what they look like? They’re fucking delicious and that’s all that matters.

Tasting Notes:

This recipe specified that allowing the dough to sit for at least 30 minutes would result in richer flavors, so that’s what I did and it seems to have worked. While these cookies look ugly and have the least consistent shape despite me platting them on the baking sheet with the same method (a tablespoon of dough, palm rolled into a ball), the flavor is noticeably richer here.

There is a slight toffee-like quality to this brown sugar dominant cookie. The flavors shift — at first, you’re hit with buttery sweetness before you get bursts of bitter and rich chocolate ending in a slightly salty finish that is practically begging for a pinch more of sea salt sprinkled on top.

The Bottom Line:

I’m going to go ahead and suggest you go against the recipe and use an electric hand mixer to make this. Finish these cookies with a pinch of sea salt once they’re done baking and we guarantee you this will become your favorite cookie recipe on the internet.

Follow Tasty’s recipe here.

1. Once Upon A Chef

Recipe Notes:

The number four most popular result on Google and our personal number one choice, this cookie recipe rises above the rest. Once Upon A Chef is a blog run by Jenn Segal, a classically trained chef, cookbook author, and mom who used her culinary training to tweak the Tollhouse cookie recipe. It’s funny that the only person who listed culinary training in these recipes utilized a pre-existing and popular recipe but hey, if it’s not broke don’t fix it.

This recipe uses the same amount of sugar as Tasty’s but calls for more flour, which helps the sweetness spread out and results in a more balanced flavor. This was the only recipe that gave explicit mixing times for each ingredient, which I followed to a tee, whether I thought the dough needed more work or not.

Jenn did not lead us astray though, these turned out perfectly. This is the only recipe that suggests you leave your dough in the fridge for a few hours to overnight, so that’s what I did. I think this probably had the biggest impact on flavor, so I definitely suggest you let your dough sit no matter what recipe you make.

Tasting Notes:

Earthy rich brown sugar dominates the flavor here, with creamy chocolate notes in every bite and a toffee and caramel finish. The flavors continue to shift on the palate even when you’re done with the cookie, making this particular recipe especially addicting. Texture-wise this cookie is perfect, it’s perfectly balanced between being soft and pliable on the inside, and crispy and audibly crunchy on the outside.

This is the only recipe that doesn’t feel like it needs any tweaking, and for that, we’re giving it the number one spot.

The Bottom Line:

This requires a little bit of patience but it’s worth it. This is far and above the best cookie recipe on the first page of Google and the one you should work off of as you develop your own perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Follow Once Upon A Chef’s recipe here.