Review: Cooper Street Twice Baked Cookies

Photo by Steve Campbell

By PAMELA BARKER
North Palm Beach Life

Cooper Street is a real street in Michigan and since 2011, Cooper Street Cookies are real, too.

Founded by Elaine Surnow and her sons, Max and Sam, one of their products, Twice Baked Cookies, are promoted as having local Michigan fruits. This women-owned, family-owned business promises irresistible, guilt-free treats from the Cooper Street kitchen.

I don't know about you, but I for one cannot resist a tagline that proclaims, “A Recipe For Snack-Cess!” Yes, thank you. Plus, is anyone ever not tempted by cookies? Healthy cookies just take it up a few notches. Just ask the Cookie Monster on Sesame Street. The Cookie Monster knows, and now, so do I.

How fun is it to open a box and discover some colorful packages filled with twice-baked, part-biscotti, part-cookie, two-bite snack cookies. The first question for me before I leap into the review process was how to choose between Orange Cranberry, Brownie Chocolate, Cinnamon Chocolate Chip, Cherry White Chip or Blueberry Lemon. Such decisions must never be made alone.

Too big a task for me alone, I enlisted the assistance of others I trust when it comes to taste in food. Plus, cookies should always be shared -- I learned that from my parents, didn't you? It was time to enlist the aid of Gourmet Chef, Steve Campbell, Gourmet Taster, David Campbell, and life-long lover of all things sweets, Gerry (pronounced Gary) Barker. More on them later.

Back in 2011 in Birmingham, Michigan, Cooper Street Snacks were baked up utilizing a 100-year-old family recipe. As any good grandmother knows, you pass those great recipes right on down the line, and that is exactly what Elaine's grandmother did.

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​Cooking and baking together is a time-honored tradition and Elaine's family enjoyed baking cookies together at their cabin. Using simple, locally-sourced ingredients, she attended to every detail while updating the recipe to be simpatico with health-conscious snackers in the 21st Century. Only the best.

Now, it's Cooper Street Snacks time.

My fellow reviewers, beginning with Steve Campbell, offered the unified opinion of himself and David Campbell.

“This cross between a biscotti and a cookie is delicious. The fruit flavors are distinct, clear and fresh with no artificial flavors. The perfect, two-bite piece with a cup of coffee or tea. We personally will be adding these to our shopping list.”

“We loved them!” he added.

A true connoisseur of sweets, Gerry, chimed in.

“My go-to cookie was the Orange Cranberry, and it did not disappoint. The flavors came through in every crunch. They are great for snacking while watching a show or just hanging out.” 

Finally, it was my turn.

As I love to set the scene when it comes to food, well, everything to be honest, I chose the Brownie Chocolate Crunch. As a chocolate lover, this was a natural for me.

Go with me here. Brewing a lovely cup of Italian roast coffee, I reached for my favorite, inherited from my mother-in-law, Haviland Bone China, Apple Blossom, cup and saucer. The scene was set, time to dunk and taste. As described, they really are packed with rich cocoa, scrumptious white chips with just enough crunch to prevent sogginess making them perfect for dunking into any hot beverage. I appreciated the size -- not too large, truly two bites.

My tasting partners and I are all in agreement: Cooper Street Cookies began as a tasting for us, but we will be adding them to our sweet treats staples.

Especially meaningful to me on a personal level, this organization supports Make-a-Wish Michigan, Crohn's and Colitis Foundation and other foundations. The importance of giving back is something I grew up understanding through the same parents who taught me about sharing. Supporting a business with the nod to philanthropy makes buying their sweets even sweeter.

The nothing artifical ingredients company offers a variety of products, including peanut free, dairy free, soy free and more healthy treats

For more visit their Website, www.cooperstreet.com.

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Elaine Surnow and her two sons, Max and Sam