Cookies by Design
Red Velvet with White Chocolate Chips
Oatmeal Raisin
Chocolate Chip
Chocolate Decadent
Chocolate Chip with Pecans
Suffice it to say that “Cookie Bouquets” were an unknown entity before a pharmaceutical representative entered the clinic porting several branded Sugar Cookies on sticks and although none were tried from that batch a decision was made to stop in, the fact that “Cookies by Design” is a nationwide chain also new information though it seems they’ve been in business for over three decades.
Described as “The original Cookie Bouquet Company” with both italics and ® added to the tagline, the fact that there are others not all that shocking in an era of “edible arrangements,” the reason many have probably not seen the Las Vegas franchise is it’s tucked away location in the back corner of a strip mall on Decatur, the signage not exactly eye catching and the woman running the shop not particularly pleasant, either.
Not currently in the market for Food-flowers, though a call made earlier that day confirmed individual Cookies are available, it was around 4:00pm that the store was entered and although only one man who appeared to be some sort of delivery guy was present it immediately felt like ‘business’ was disrupted – a curt “Can I help you?” answered by a request for “one each” of eight choices from a glass case though it turned out only five were available, the ones on display apparently not actual inventory but examples of what is kept in back.
Admittedly offering some cute ideas, the decorated Sugar Cookies embracing pop culture by way of Emojis, Unicorns and Build-a-Bear shapes, it was instead five flavors not that different from what one might find at CREAM or Sweet Addictions were selected at $1.50 each, first bites of Chocolate Chip and subsequently one with Pecans showing consistency from edge to middle that does not change and thus making one question ingredient quality as such a thing is pretty difficult to accomplish with just Butter, Flour, Eggs and Sugar.
Expectedly sweet, the fact that every grocery store and national brand of packaged Dessert has decided to eschew nuance in favor of Sugar and shelf-life part of the reason a truly good Cookie is hard to find outside of mom n’ pop bakeries or family recipes, those looking for the best of what Cookies by Design has to offer should probably consider one called “Chocolate Decadence,” the plethora of Cocoa Powder at least helping to rein things in whereas both Red Velvet and Oatmeal Raisin are probably equally mundane at half the price from Costco or Albertsons.
ONE AND A HALF STARS: Perhaps an acceptable option for someone ill in the hospital, a small child or ‘corporate gifting’ that will invariably end up in the dumpster the only real thing Cookies by Design has going for it is convenience and branding, neither of which should be motivating factors if one really wants to deliver a memorable present.
RECOMMENDED: Chocolate Decadence.
AVOID: Red Velvet, Oatmeal Raisin.
TIP: Each Cookies by Design is independently owned so perhaps other locations fare better.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor.
www.cookiesbydesign.com
