Unless I’m overcome with a nostalgic craving for Double-Stuf Oreos and ice-cold milk, most store-bought cookies are just not worth the calories they cost. Not that I’m watching my figure (it’s pretty much the same … fat), but I estimate that if you’re going to gorge yourself on sweets, why not indulge in the good stuff? Admittedly, I did have a thing for Pepperidge Farm Brussels, but even they have gradually lost their luster, blatantly falling victim to cheaper ingredients and large-scale mass production all in the name of profit. When it comes down to it, nothing can beat home-made cookies, particularly my cookies, fresh out of the oven.
So, since I generally ignore cookies in the grocery store (even the ones in the bakery), I never would have noticed or even tried Love, Cookie unless they sent me an email promoting their product and offering a free sample for my review. Who turns down free cookies?
Love, Cookie is a new, little offshoot of Baker Maid, a New Orleans-based company founded in 1953. Their focus is on small-batch cookies using fresh, quality ingredients and I have to say, you really can taste the difference. The PR folks sent me three different kinds, the Almond Toffee Crunch, Midnight Almond and Dark Chocolate Mint. I’m embarrassed to admit it, but all three bags were demolished in one evening by John and I. Need I say they were good? They were so good, in fact, that I went to Rouses the following day and purchased two more bags.
All of the flavors we tried are quite enjoyable, but naturally, we had favorites. John liked the Almond Toffee Crunch with chocolate chips, toffee and sliced almonds, and while I enjoyed their buttery flavor, I thought the cookie itself was a little too soft for something with “crunch” in the name. My favorite was the Midnight Almond pictured at the top of this blog. Though they look like cocoa-dusted plugs of dirt, they taste like heaven. Picture a rich, dark chocolate interspersed with a strong almond lace, an almost biscotti-like flavor (possibly some anise?) with a slightly softer than shortbread texture.
The Dark Chocolate Mint was also quite enjoyable, reminding me of Girl Scout Thin Mints in flavor with a crumbly, shortbread feel. Finally, I simply had to try the Lemon Coolers which is why I picked up a bag, plus more Midnight Almond, on my trip to the store the next day. In case you were wondering, those were equally delicious.
I wonder if I can get them to send me review samples of the other flavors like Espresso Chocolate Chip and Butter Pecan Praline? It’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it.
