Year
American snack culture is having a cookie renaissance, and I know I'm not the only one who's embracing it. Cookies are one of the few things we develop a sincere fondness for as children that isn't absolutely wrecked by the time we hit adulthood. A freshly baked cookie gushing with melting chocolate is as comforting now as it ever was, and that's something to be truly grateful for. The following is a list of my current cookie fixations, along with where you can find them.
Chip Cookies
In many ways, we have Chip Cookies to thank for the uptick in purveyors of cookie goodness. They propelled themselves straight out of Utah County and started the state's very first cookie-delivery service and are expanding like their gigantic, freshly baked goods. With a shop in Salt Lake City and another in Boise, Idaho, the folks behind Chip are riding a cookie-dough wave of success. Yes, the delivery aspect is genius—they cater primarily to those who desperately need a sugar rush in the middle of the night—but Chip's cookies are like warm hugs stuffed with chocolate chips. Easily the size of my fist, they come in boxes of four for $10. If you're wondering why you can't buy them one at a time, it's because they're so soul-filling that you're compelled to share them with somebody you love—or just pound the lot of them yourself—reveling in the pillowy texture and semi-sweet goo. Their chocolate chip cookie (pictured) is always available, but they sneak seasonal cookies onto their menu, too. Past examples include salted caramel, Lucky Charms marshmallows, and Cadbury mini eggs. This is a place that is absolutely unashamed of making cookies that defy logic, and I love them for it.
155 E. 900 South, Ste. 101, 801-889-2412; 159 W. 500 North, Provo, 385-225-9888, chipcookies.co
Tulie Bakery
There are myriad reasons to visit either of Tulie Bakery's locations. From their effortlessly hip interior design to their locally sourced ingredients, it's one of Salt Lake's coolest bakeries. Having lived fairly close to Tulie's 700 South location for several years, my wife and I grew fond of going on weekend cookie runs, giving us an excuse to try pretty much everything on the menu. To this day, the item that steals my heart is Tulie's ginger cookie ($2.50). It's a far cry from those familiar store-bought, brittle, sandy gingersnaps. The beautifully soft, coffee-colored squares are coated in granulated sugar. Each bite fills your senses with a rich, molasses-y sweetness, followed by the sharp tang of ginger that hits you in the back of the throat. They're the perfect way to begin a weekend in autumn, letting the deep flavors ruminate on the tongue as orange leaves pepper the ground outside.
863 E. 700 South, 801-883-9741; 1510 S. 1500 East, 801-410-4217, tuliebakery.com
Ruby Snap
Ruby Snap was perhaps the first place to show Salt Lake that you could build a viable bakery exclusively on cookies. Not only is their menu packed with enough variety to satisfy even the most discerning connoisseur, but they have absolutely nailed it with their pinup-girl-circa-1960 aesthetic. Every time I go in, I feel like I've temporarily gone back in time to a romanticized version of America's past. In keeping with that, all of Ruby Snap's creations are blessed with the pic and personality of a lovely lady. My vote for belle of the ball always goes to Vivianna ($2.50), a cookie that puts mango and dark chocolate on a citrus-dough dance floor and thrusts them into a sexy pasodoble. Granted, their monthly cookie often catches my eye, but there's something about Viv that keeps me coming back for more.
770 S. 300 West, 801-834-6111, rubysnap.com
The Chocolate
Any place that brands itself as a dessert café definitely speaks my language. I've been a fan of The Chocolate's gigantic layer cakes for years, but the item that works them handily onto this list is something called the Cazookie ($7.69). It's a take on the pizookie, a cookie that's baked like a pizza and topped with ice cream. The Cazookie is so named because the cookie dough is baked more like a cake—in a nice, deep ramekin that keeps it warm and melty while a pile of ice cream drizzles its way into the dessert. It's a cookie that eats like a cake, and that is never a bad thing.
212 S. State, 801-224-7334; 9120 S. Redwood Road, West Jordan, 801-566-5330, thechocolatedc.com
Over the Top Cookies
While it's true that I was initially drawn to Over the Top Cookies because it appeared to have been named after one of my all-time favorite Sylvester Stallone flicks, I became a regular because of their mad-scientist approach. Their jam is to mix popular candy bars in their dough instead of chocolate chips—though you can also place a solid bet on the house Naked Chocolate Chip ($1.99). I also like the fact you can by all of their cookie varieties in smaller versions, making it easy to try a whole bunch of 'em without getting completely sugared out. Whenever I channel my inner Lincoln Hawk, I turn my hat around and go head-to-head with the LemonLicious. It's a sugar cookie that's been doused in lemon icing and baked with bits of Lemonheads candy in the dough, providing a winning mix of tart and sweet. Its supercharged lemon flavor is perfect for these hot summer nights—just add milk. Want a bite? I'll arm wrestle you for it.
1665 Towne Center Drive, South Jordan, 801-495-5920, overthetopcookies.com
