Carpe Cookie

A grade-A cookie lover's account of the best – and sometimes worst – cookies around.

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Oatmeal Raisin at Grand Central Bakery

Posted by on Dec 8, 2011 in Oatmeal | 0 comments

Grand Central Bakery
Various locations – Portland and Seattle
$1.65

Quite awhile ago I told you about the oatmeal raisin at New Seasons Market, a cookie that is baked on site at the New Seasons bakery –  from dough made by Grand Central Bakery.

The oatmeal raisin at New Seasons, however, is not the same oatmeal raisin cookie that you will find at an actual Grand Central Bakery. They are both very respectable versions of the oatmeal raisin category (one of my all time favorites, in case this isn’t obvious by now), but the one that Grand Central makes for their own bakeries wins my vote for 1st place between the two. I guess it only makes sense that Grand Central would send out their star player under their own brand. Sort of like Gap vs. Old Navy?  Maybe not quite, but…something like that.

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Hemp Seed Hazelnut Oatmeal with Carob at Laughing Planet Café

Posted by on Nov 17, 2011 in Oatmeal, Whole grain, Vegan | 8 comments

Laughing Planet Café
Portland – various locations (plus Eugene and Corvallis)
$2.50

Are you still here?  Because if it were me reading this post, I would have scoffed at “hemp seed”, my nose would have scrunched at “hazelnut”, and you would’ve lost me completely at “carob.”

And, as if it needed one more strike against it?  It’s vegan!

There is NO reason that this should be a good cookie.

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Maple Cream Pie at Whole Foods Market

Posted by on Oct 13, 2011 in Oatmeal | 8 comments

Maple Cream Pie
Whole Foods Market – Portland (Pearl District store, only.)
apx $3 (sold by weight at $7.99/lb)

To erase any confusion straight from the get-go, this is NOT, in fact, a pie.  It is, as you can see, a sandwich cookie.  One big, fat, muthafuggin sandwich cookie. I do not know why things like this –  desserts that have nothing to do with pie (like whoopie pies, for example)  – get called “pie.”  Because it’s totally not pie.

What it IS is this:  a big ass cookie. Two large oatmeal cookies, to be specific – with an obscene (i.e., way too much) amount of maple-y butter cream filling.

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Oatmeal Rasin at The Dessert Tray

Posted by on Sep 7, 2011 in Oatmeal | 0 comments

The Dessert Tray
11950 SW Broadway St. – Beaverton
$1.50

This is a very good oatmeal raisin cookie.  Nothing tricky, nothing fancy. No golden raisins, no cranberries, no cherries, no apricots. No hazelnuts, no pecans, no coconut. And mercifully, no shitty, waxy white chocolate chips.  Nothing but straight up oatmeal, dark raisins, and a subtle hit of cinnamon.

It is very thick, and fairly soft – not crispy. A little bit moist and gooey in the center.

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Ginger Oat Shortbread at Costello’s Travel Caffé

Posted by on Aug 30, 2011 in Ginger, Oatmeal, Shortbread/Sugar Cookies, Whole grain | 0 comments

Costello’s Travel Caffé
2222 NE Broadway – Portland
50¢/ea

I had driven by this place countless times over the past several years and never thought to stop in. I guess I just thought it looked and sounded kind of dopey: “Travel Caffé.”  Like it was trying too hard or something.  What the hell is a “travel café”, I would ask myself?  And anyway, I am not traveling, I live two miles from the joint.

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Maple Pecan Oatmeal at Wanda’s Café and Bakery

Posted by on Jul 15, 2011 in Oatmeal, Whole grain | 2 comments

Wanda’s Café & Bakery
Nehalem, OR*
$1.50

Something told me that the very minute I declared that I’ve never experienced a good bakery in any beach town that I would experience a good bakery in a beach town. Which is, in fact, what happened. Like, the very next day after I wrote it.

It was as if I were daring a good cookie to come my way.  And check it out…it did!  People, this is a good cookie. I would go a few miles out of my way (on foot, even) for this cookie. If you find yourself driving on US 101 anywhere near Manzanita and Nehalem, Oregon (and you fancy a hearty morsel of chewy oats), you should, too.

I will tell you why:

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