In the mood for a sweet bite and don’t wanna have to try everything (hello, whether you are a Freshie or not, those 15 pounds are always imminent)? I figured out the dining halls’ most popular desserts so that you know exactly what to try the first time. After surveying NU students about their favorite dining hall desserts (and trying a few of them – investigative journalism, people), I gathered these results:

1)  The HBIC – Cookie

Whether you’ve been eating dining hall food for a month or for over a year, you must have realized that cookies are a staple in dining halls (RIP hot cookie bar of yore though). The most popular desserts are, in fact, the classic chocolate chip cookies. The tricky part when choosing a cookie, though, is that they use different recipes on different days, so here’s the breakdown: the smaller, taller cookies like the sugar cookie above are more crunchy and crumbly, whereas the flatter, bigger cookies like the chocolate chip in the picture are more doughy and soft. They’re all very tasty, though, and great for that afternoon energy boost for studying.

2)  Brownie-mania

The second-most popular dessert is brownies. Whether they’re frosted, Oreo, M&Ms or plain matters not – they all usually taste amazing. Again, textures vary between batches, but the Oreo ones are less moist (and more crunchy, obviously) than the rest. M&M and frosted brownies give the feeling of eating a chewy brownie batter, as they are super moist. Pro tip: Take them back to your dorm and heat them up in the microwave.

3)  Icing Icing Baby – Cupcakes

These cuties are a great grab-and-go option for those who have to run from north to south and have lunch in a short period. The cake itself is very soft and creamy, but the icing ratio is usually a bit off, so you will probably only taste whatever is on top. The icing is pretty good, if a little dense. Pro tip: If you take a bit of the icing off, though, the combo gets perfect and turns into one of the best desserts in the dining halls. However, look out for the chocolate mint one, as the frosting tastes a tad too much like toothpaste.

4)  Last call – Strawberry Iced Cake

As strawberry season is almost over, these treats might be gone for a while; so if you want them, go and get them ASAP. Usually found in Allison, these are often served chilly, so they are kind of “refreshing.” This particular cake is not so moist and the icing is very sweet, so the strawberry gives a nice kick to balance everything out. If you’re in the mood for strawberries, iced cake or just something different, be sure to give it a go.

5)  The Underdog – Cereal Bars

The true underdogs of the dining hall. 

Before you judge these poor guys just because they are a bunch of cereal bundled together, I have to say they taste delicious (although I am a dessert freak, so I may be a little biased). The crunchiness and sweetness combine perfectly, and it's a creative way to consume your favorite cereal. Shout out to the M&M and Oreo ones from Sarge, though, because chocolate was the key to upgrade this dessert to the next level. If you’re feeling in the mood for something “healthier,” they also come in a granola version.

P.S.: Don’t hate on us if your favorite dessert is not here! Remember dining halls have a lot of options, so they might not have offered it while we were writing this. By the way, if you wanna see it reviewed, put it in the survey. Have a dessert-ful day!