Everyone loves a homemade cookie. After a frustrating day at work or a scraped knee on the playground, the comforting embrace of a loved one and a good cookie is the perfect combination of sympathy and sweetness. New Orleans-based Baker Maid tapped into this sentiment and built on it with its new line of handcrafted treats: Love, Cookie.

The inspiration for Love, Cookie came from an observed lack of craft and innovation in the market of cookies sold in grocery stores, according to the company. “The category has seemed stagnant in a way; it got boring
,” said Greg Sorenson, Baker Maid’s owner. “As a fourth generation family-owned bakery, we knew we could provide a really delicious product and still remain competitive enough on price to offer a good value to customers while giving them an interesting, handcrafted alternative to mass-produced dessert items.”

Love, Cookie took great care in selecting indulgent flavor combinations while still attempting to keep the cookies, as Mr. Sorenson described, “fun and unpretentious.” The line includes Dark Chocolate Orange, Midnight Almond, Lemon Cooler, Almond Toffee Crunch, Espresso, Butter Pecan Praline, Dark Chocolate Mint,and Espresso Chocolate Chip varieties.  

“That was the most important stage — setting the goal of creating something that we actually wanted to take home and eat after dinner or for a treat during the day,” said Mr. Sorenson. Baker Maid creates all of its extracts in-house and locally sources raw materials in order to maintain freshness and a homemade quality. The company also cooks all of its own toffee and makes its own powdered chocolate coating.

Founded in New Orleans in 1953 by sugar chemist LL Doc Mullins, Baker Maid offers king cakes, biscotti and other baked goods with a distinct “Big Easy” flair. Mr. Sorenson expressed his desire for the company to stay true to its family roots with Love, Cookie. “We are doing more than running a business at Baker Maid; it’s an extended family,and we want you to taste the pride and love in every cookie,” he said.

Love, Cookies are currently stocked in grocery stores in the Gulf South region and are also available for purchase online at www.lovecookie.com. The suggested retail price is $3.99 for a 3.5-oz package, about a dozen cookies. Mr. Sorenson indicated that he wants to expand the line’s availability in retail stores but not at the expense of excellence. “Hopefully, one day, we will be able to turn it into a national brand, but we are taking things one step at a time,” he said. “Quality is the most important factor; our growth needs to accommodate that.”

Love, Cookie is highly interactive on social media; the associated Instagram and Facebook accounts are peppered with whimsical pictures and suggested wine and ice cream pairings for specific cookie flavors. With a personal touch, Love, Cookie is bringing handmade treats out of the kitchen and into the aisles of the grocery store.