9 reasons to visit Doughlicious Yummy’s, a cookie dough café 25 minutes from Uptown

And what do I learn literally the day I moved out (as I scrolled through Instagram when I should have been putting random stuff in boxes labeled “Random”)?

That’s right: A cookie dough restaurant has opened in Mount Holly.

(Restaurant? Is that right? Should I call it a café? Bar? Store? I’m not sure how to navigate this situation. It’s like an ice cream parlor, but with cookie dough.)

Apparently, Doughlicious Yummy’s had been open for weeks, but I had missed it what with all the stress of moving and house foundations and making important decisions like whether or not to throw out that ugly, yet sentimentally valuable mug (I totally kept the mug).

Anyway, I’m not moving ridiculously far, so Doughlicous Yummy’s can still be my new boyfriend. Let’s talk about why it’s amazing:

The name. Say it out loud – “Doughlicious Yummy’s.” It’s so good. That is a name that does not care about being silly. That is a name that embraces being alive. That is a name that says, “Yeah. I sell cookie dough by the scoop. And it’s delicious. One of my flavors is called ‘Unicorn.’ You know you want some.”

And you do. You do want some.

Cookie dough. So, there’s a lot of cookie dough in this store (Restaurant? Café? Seriously, someone help me out here).

We’re talking red velvet, s’mores, oatmeal raisin, chunky chocolate, cheesecake, classic chocolate chip and even gluten-free chocolate chip. And it tastes amazing (I mean, I didn’t try the gluten-free chocolate chip, but I’m going to assume even that was good).

It’s cookie dough without the risk of salmonella poisoning, which is a little less exciting, but still insanely delicious.

Free samples. Holy moly, do these people give out free samples. Yes, I would like to try the Unicorn flavor! Oh, it tastes like technicolor sugar cookies! Excellent. Nutella? Piña colada? Mint chocolate chip? Bring it on!

Toppings. So one of the best things about ice cream parlors is the toppings. Also true here. All the classics are available – maraschino cherries, chocolate and butterscotch chips (Oh my good Lord, do I love butterscotch chips), sprinkles and more.

While buying a scoop of cherry cheesecake cookie dough with cherries on top (that’s right), I truly felt like I was living my best life.

Gelato. Not into cookie dough? Get the gelato.

Who isn’t into cookie dough, though? Who is that person? Tell me about your childhood.

Doughnuts. Ditto on the doughnuts. And they have milkshakes, too.

But seriously, you should make sure you get the cookie dough. I mean, it is beautiful and amazing that this store (Parlor? Should I call it a parlor?) is cookie dough-focused.

Family-owned. Have you been stressed out? Are you questioning the future of America? Then you should go to an adorable small town and buy something outrageously sugary from a family-owned business. For real. It makes you feel better about the world. The minute one of the teenage employees called the owner “Mom,” my heart warmed.

Kid friendly. Do good parents take their children to cookie dough parlors? Yes. Sure. Why not. Good parents take their kids to cookie dough parlors because good parents believe in joy.

(I am firmly committing now to calling it a parlor. That’s right. Parlor. It is happening.)

Doughlicious Yummy’s has kid-sized scoops. And they have kid-sized benches. And there are flamingos on the wall and what is life without a sugary adventure every now and then?

Maybe it’s fine. I wouldn’t know. I took my 3-year-old to Doughlicious Yummy’s, and he was all about it. Obviously.

You should probably just go. 

And so, this is what I have learned:

Mount Holly is just getting better and better, and yet I am leaving it. Let’s totally stay friends, Mount Holly!

Doughlicious Yummy’s is maybe the best name ever.

And my life has had a cookie-dough-by-the-scoop shaped hole in it, and now that’s being filled. By the Unicorn flavor. Because it’s pretty.

You should probably throw some sprinkles on top.

Doughlicious Yummy’s is located at 114 East Central Avenue in Mount Holly and is open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday (10 a.m. to 9 p.m.), Friday and Saturday (10 a.m. to 10 p.m.) and Sunday (noon to 9 p.m.).

Header photo by Katie Levans Loveluck