Joshua Minsoo Kim of
Pitchfork regarded "Cookie" as the "most interesting selection" from the EP, calling "a weightless groove about courting a crush". Writing for
The New York Times,
Jon Caramanica placed the song at number 11 on his list of the 22 best songs of 2022, praising "its ease—no maximalism, no theater". He pointed out the way NewJeans "deploys its contemporary reference points in service of a throwback idea" through the employment of New Jersey club music on "Cookie". Han Seong-hyun of
IZM defined the song as a "small experiment for the next step and commented positively on the "odd" lyrics and the "
kitschy" rhythm.
Controversy The song received backlash due to allegations that the lyrics contained
sexual innuendos which many considered inappropriate for a group composed of teenagers. At the time of release, all members of the group were considered
minors under South Korean law. In a review for
NME, Carmen Chin noted the "lyrical innuendo that can only be described as concerning when delivered by a group of 14 to 18 year olds – some examples that listeners have flagged as distasteful are "Looking at my cookie / Do you ever smell it different? (Taste it) / What's with a bite isn't enough?" and "Made a little cookie / Come and take a lookie / Only at my house, come over and play'". NewJeans' agency ADOR denied the allegations, claiming that the song was "intended for fans" and does not contain a sexual meaning. == Chart performance ==