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Cookie Business

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How to Start a Cookie Business

Written by: Howard Tillerman

Howard Tillerman is the Chief Marketing Officer for Step By Step Business and an award-winning marketing professional.

Edited by: David Lepeska

David has been writing and learning about business, finance and globalization for a quarter-century, starting with a small New York consulting firm in the 1990s.

Published on May 21, 2021 Updated on May 24, 2024

Investment range

$4,550 - $9,100

Revenue potential

$36,000 - $108,000 p.a.

Time to build

1 - 3 months

Profit potential

$14,000 - $27,000 p.a.

Industry trend

Do you like baking and eating delicious cookies? If so, you should know that the cookie market is expanding both within the US and globally, offering real opportunity to a sharp baked goods entrepreneur. 

Of course, starting and running a successful cookie business takes research, careful planning, and passion. Fortunately, you’ve come to the right place, as this step-by-step guide will walk you through the process of developing and launching your own successful cooke business, from researching the market to raising capital and marketing your product offerings. 

Let’s get cooking!

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Form your business immediately using ZenBusiness LLC formation service or hire one of the Best LLC Services .

Step 1: Decide if the Business Is Right for You

The first step is to understand the cookie market. That way, you can develop strategies for gaining and maintain a competitive edge. Here’s what you need to find out early on.

Pros and cons

You’ll want to know the benefits you stand to reap by investing in a cookie baking business and the stumbling blocks you’re likely to encounter.

• Low startup capital required
• Growing demand for healthier baked goods
• Drawing initial interest is easy
• Start at home, reducing costs
• Highly regulated industry
• Relatively small profit margins
• Intense competition

Cookie industry trends

Growing health-consciousness is a key growth driver. Yet there’s also a trend toward indulgence, as the sale of convenience-store baked goods, from bagels to donuts to cookies, is growing at nearly 9% annually, according to market analyst Mordor Intelligence. 

Internationally, the outlook is even better. Research firm Market Data Forecast expects the global cookie market, which is already worth more than $30 billion, to see strong 5.3% annual growth through 2026.(( https://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/cookies-market ))

Industry size and growth

• Industry size and past growth – Market analyst Mordor Intelligence valued the US cookies market at more $11 billion in 2021(( https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/united-states-cookies-market )) while the US Census Bureau reported a steady growth in cookie and cracker manufacturing since 2018.(( https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=ASMAREA2017.AM1831BASIC01&n=311821&tid=ASMAREA2017.AM1831BASIC01&hidePreview=true ))
• Growth forecast – Mordor Intelligence expects the US cookies market to grow more than 3% annually through 2027.(( https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/united-states-cookies-market )) 

Trends and challenges

Trends in the cookie industry include:

• Shift toward healthier cookie, biscuit, and snack options, including natural ingredients, whole wheat, low-calorie sweeteners, and gluten-free
• Growing interest in ready-to-bake products as indicated by a 20% growth in the refrigerated cookie and brownie dough segment and a stunning 86% growth in the frozen cookie dough segment(( https://www.snackandbakery.com/articles/97074-state-of-the-industry-2021-cookies-see-growth-through-specialization ))
• Seasonal and limited edition cookies, which can enable producers to take advantage of holidays like Halloween, Easter and the Christmas season to offer appealing products and boost sales

Challenges faced by the industry include:

• Labeling to identify the ingredients used 
• Stiff competition from established brands
• Stringent government regulations

How much does it cost to start a cookie business?

Startup costs for a cookie business can be as little as $1,500 if you’re willing to operate from home, with minimal equipment, and rely on easy shipping. If you’re planning a larger operation with a commercial kitchen, you could spend up to $10,000 or more, though the average cost to launch a cookie business is about $5,000.  

How much can you earn from a cookie business?

Depending on prices and marketing success, a new cookie business often brings in somewhere between $2,000 and $5,000 per month. 

In your first year or two, you could work from home and sell 1,000 cookies per month at $3 each, bringing in $36,000 in annual revenue. This would mean around $14,000 in profit, assuming a 40% margin. As your brand gains recognition, sales could climb to 3,000 cookies a month. At this stage, you’d hire staff, reducing your profit margin to around 25%. With annual revenue of $108,000, you’d make a profit of $27,000.

What barriers to entry are there?

Competition from well-established players is the biggest barrier that new entrants into the cookie business face. Another major barrier is building relationships with wholesale suppliers and distribution channels, such as retail outlets, convenience stores and supermarkets, which tend to allocate shelf space to established brands.

Even so, you may benefit by locating your business in an area densely populated by your target market, while looking to build your brand through online sales.

Related Business Ideas

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How to Start a Cake Business

How to Start a Chocolate Business

Step 2: hone your idea.

Now that you know what running a cookie company entails, let’s take it a step further by digging in and developing your concept. 

Market research will give you the upper hand, even if you’re already positive that you have a perfect product or service. Conducting market research is important, because it can help you understand your customers better, who your competitors are, and your business landscape.

Why? Identify an opportunity

Your direct competition will be national brands and established cookie businesses in your area. It’s a good idea to research all of them to determine their best-selling products and common price points. You should also keep an eye out for market gaps. 

Is there a cookie you’re able to bake well that’s not out there on the market? Are your competitors over-charging for a popular cookie that’s cheap and easy to make? You just need to find a good opportunity and take your shot. 

What? Define what kind of cookies you’ll make

You might have the perfect recipes for traditional cookies such as chocolate chip cookies, crinkles, or oatmeal cookies. But it’s a good idea to find a niche before you start your cookie business. 

Some of the cookies you could specialize in are gluten-free cookies, cholesterol-free cookies, vegan cookies, custom decorated cookies, low-sugar cookies, and other innovative offerings. It’s a good idea to target large batch orders. You might also consider expanding beyond cookies and offering brownies, cakes, and pastries. 

How much should you charge for cookies?

Pricing primarily depends on the type of cookies that you’re baking. A gluten-free cookie, for instance, will cost more than a chocolate chip cookie.

Most cookie businesses charge between $0.50 and $6 per cookie depending on costs and packaging. Is it a bunch of cookies packaged together, like Pepperidge Farms, or a single large cookie? Or maybe it’s a roll of cookie dough that costs $9 and will make two dozen cookies. 

Again, you’ll want to survey your competitors to help you determine your pricing structure. Ideally, it would be best if you stay within industry rates. 

Once you know your costs, you can use this Step By Step profit margin calculator to determine your mark-up and final price points. Remember, the prices you use at launch should be subject to change if warranted by the market.

Who? Identify your target market

Your typical customer is likely to be families with disposable income. If you’re baking healthier cookies you might target people with diabetes, dieters, and gluten-intolerant people. Or you could just target health-minded successful professionals who also care about what their kids consume. Another option is to bake big, indulgent cookies and target the growing convenience-store segment, which is mostly blue-collar workers and college students . 

It’s a good idea to target businesses within a five to ten-minute walk from your baking location and a driving distance of seven to ten miles. Further, you may want to offer delivery services to events within your area, such as weddings, graduations, and birthday parties.

Where? Choose your business premises

Choosing the right premises for your cookie business and setting it up involves several key steps:

• Location : Select a location with good foot traffic and visibility. Consider the target market; a spot near schools, offices, or shopping areas can be ideal.
• Size and Layout : Ensure the space is sufficient for your operations. You’ll need areas for baking, storage, packaging, and possibly a small storefront if you plan to sell directly to customers.
• Health and Safety Compliance : The premises must comply with local health and safety regulations. This includes proper ventilation, sanitary facilities, and pest control.
• Equipment : Invest in quality baking equipment, like ovens, mixers, and refrigeration units. Also, consider display cases for a storefront and packaging materials for your cookies.
• Storage : Adequate storage for ingredients and finished products is essential. This includes both dry storage and refrigeration.
• Utilities and Amenities : Ensure reliable access to essential utilities like water, electricity, and gas. Internet access is also important for managing orders and marketing.
• Budget : Factor in rent, utilities, renovation costs, and equipment into your budget. Ensure the location aligns with your financial plan.
• Legal Requirements : Check zoning laws and obtain necessary permits and licenses for operating a food business.
• Visibility and Accessibility : A location that’s easily accessible by public transport or has parking facilities can attract more customers.
• Future Growth : Consider potential for expansion in the chosen location. You don’t want to outgrow your space too quickly.

As your business grows, you’ll likely need to hire workers for various roles and may need to rent out a storefront. You can find commercial space to rent in your area on sites such as Craigslist , Crexi , and Instant Offices .

Step 3: Brainstorm a Cookie Business Name

Here are some ideas for brainstorming your business name:

• Short, unique, and catchy names tend to stand out
• Names that are easy to say and spell tend to do better 
• The name should be relevant to your product or service offerings
• Ask around — family, friends, colleagues, social media — for suggestions
• Including keywords, such as “cookies”, boosts SEO
• Choose a name that allows for expansion: “Jim’s Cookies” over “Jim’s Vegan Cookies”
• A location-based name can help establish a strong connection with your local community and help with the SEO but might hinder future expansion

Discover over 420 unique cookie business name ideas here . If you want your business name to include specific keywords, you can also use our cookie business name generator. Just type in a few keywords and hit “generate” and you’ll have dozens of suggestions at your fingertips.

Once you’ve got a list of potential names, visit the website of the US Patent and Trademark Office to make sure they are available for registration and check the availability of related domain names using our Domain Name Search tool. Using “.com” or “.org” sharply increases credibility, so it’s best to focus on these. 

Find a Domain

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Finally, make your choice among the names that pass this screening and go ahead with domain registration and social media account creation. Your business name is one of the key differentiators that set your business apart. Once you pick your company name, and start with the branding, it is hard to change the business name. Therefore, it’s important to carefully consider your choice before you start a business entity.

Step 4: Create a Cookie Business Plan

Here are the key components of a business plan:

• Executive Summary: A concise summary outlining the core elements of the cookie business plan, providing a snapshot of the venture’s key points and goals.
• Business Overview: A brief overview of the cookie business, including its mission, vision, and the problem it solves in the market.
• Product and Services: Detailed information on the cookies offered, highlighting unique features, flavors, and any additional services provided.
• Market Analysis: Examination of the target market, customer needs, and industry trends to justify the demand for the cookie products.
• Competitive Analysis: Evaluation of competitors in the cookie industry, identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to the business.
• Sales and Marketing: Strategies for promoting and selling cookies, encompassing pricing, distribution channels, and promotional activities to attract and retain customers.
• Management Team: Introduction to the key individuals running the cookie business, emphasizing their skills, experience, and roles within the company.
• Operations Plan: Detailed insights into the day-to-day operations, including production processes, supply chain management, and facilities.
• Financial Plan: A comprehensive financial overview, encompassing projections, budgets, and key financial metrics to demonstrate the business’s profitability and sustainability.
• Appendix: Supplementary materials such as additional data, charts, or documents supporting and enhancing the information presented in the business plan.

If you’ve never created a business plan, it can be an intimidating task. You might consider hiring a business plan specialist to create a top-notch business plan for you.

Step 5: Register Your Business

Registering your business is an absolutely crucial step — it’s the prerequisite to paying taxes, raising capital, opening a bank account, and other guideposts on the road to getting a business up and running.

Plus, registration is exciting because it makes the entire process official. Once it’s complete, you’ll have your own business! 

Choose where to register your company

Your business location is important because it can affect taxes, legal requirements, and revenue. Most people will register their business in the state where they live, but if you are planning to expand, you might consider looking elsewhere, as some states could offer real advantages when it comes to cookie businesses. 

If you’re willing to move, you could really maximize your business! Keep in mind, it’s relatively easy to transfer your business to another state. 

Choose your business structure

Business entities come in several varieties, each with its pros and cons. The legal structure you choose for your cookie business will shape your taxes, personal liability, and business registration requirements, so choose wisely. 

Here are the main options:

• Sole Proprietorship – The most common structure for small businesses makes no legal distinction between company and owner. All income goes to the owner, who’s also liable for any debts, losses, or liabilities incurred by the business. The owner pays taxes on business income on his or her personal tax return.
• General Partnership – Similar to a sole proprietorship, but for two or more people. Again, owners keep the profits and are liable for losses. The partners pay taxes on their share of business income on their personal tax returns.
• Limited Liability Company (LLC) – Combines the characteristics of corporations with those of sole proprietorships or partnerships. Again, the owners are not personally liable for debts.
• C Corp – Under this structure, the business is a distinct legal entity and the owner or owners are not personally liable for its debts. Owners take profits through shareholder dividends, rather than directly. The corporation pays taxes, and owners pay taxes on their dividends, which is sometimes referred to as double taxation.
• S Corp – An S-Corporation refers to the tax classification of the business but is not a business entity. An S-Corp can be either a corporation or an LLC , which just needs to elect to be an S-Corp for tax status. In an S-Corp, income is passed through directly to shareholders, who pay taxes on their share of business income on their personal tax returns.

We recommend that new business owners choose LLC as it offers liability protection and pass-through taxation while being simpler to form than a corporation. You can form an LLC in as little as five minutes using an online LLC formation service. They will check that your business name is available before filing, submit your articles of organization , and answer any questions you might have.

Form Your LLC

Choose Your State

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Step 6: Register for Taxes

The final step before you’re able to pay taxes is getting an Employer Identification Number , or EIN. You can file for your EIN online or by mail or fax: visit the IRS website to learn more. Keep in mind, if you’ve chosen to be a sole proprietorship you can simply use your social security number as your EIN. 

Once you have your EIN, you’ll need to choose your tax year. Financially speaking, your business will operate in a calendar year (January–December) or a fiscal year, a 12-month period that can start in any month. This will determine your tax cycle, while your business structure will determine which taxes you’ll pay.

The IRS website also offers a tax-payers checklist , and taxes can be filed online.

It is important to consult an accountant or other professional to help you with your taxes to ensure you are completing them correctly.

Step 7: Fund your Business

Securing financing is your next step and there are plenty of ways to raise capital:

• Bank loans: This is the most common method, but getting approved requires a rock-solid business plan and strong credit history.
• SBA-guaranteed loans: The Small Business Administration can act as guarantor, helping gain that elusive bank approval via an SBA-guaranteed loan .
• Government grants: A handful of financial assistance programs help fund entrepreneurs. Visit Grants.gov to learn which might work for you.
• Venture capital: Offer potential investors an ownership stake in exchange for funds, keeping in mind that you would be sacrificing some control over your business.
• Friends and Family: Reach out to friends and family to provide a business loan or investment in your concept. It’s a good idea to have legal advice when doing so because SEC regulations apply.
• Crowdfunding: Websites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo offer an increasingly popular low-risk option, in which donors fund your vision. Entrepreneurial crowdfunding sites like Fundable and WeFunder enable multiple investors to fund your business.
• Personal: Self-fund your business via your savings or the sale of property or other assets.

Bank and SBA loans are probably the best options, other than friends and family, for funding a cookie business. You might also try crowdfunding if you have an innovative concept.

Step 8: Apply for Business Licenses and Permits

Starting a cookie business requires obtaining a number of licenses and permits from local, state, and federal governments.

Federal regulations, licenses, and permits associated with starting your business include doing business as (DBA), health licenses and permits from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration ( OSHA ), trademarks, copyrights, patents, and other intellectual properties, as well as industry-specific licenses and permits. 

You may also need state-level and local county or city-based licenses and permits. The license requirements and how to obtain them vary, so check the websites of your state, city, and county governments or contact the appropriate person to learn more. 

You could also check this SBA guide for your state’s requirements, but we recommend using MyCorporation’s Business License Compliance Package . They will research the exact forms you need for your business and state and provide them to ensure you’re fully compliant.

This is not a step to be taken lightly, as failing to comply with legal requirements can result in hefty penalties.

If you feel overwhelmed by this step or don’t know how to begin, it might be a good idea to hire a professional to help you check all the legal boxes.

Step 9: Open a Business Bank Account

Before you start making money you’ll need a place to keep it, and that requires opening a bank account .

Keeping your business finances separate from your personal account makes it easy to file taxes and track your company’s income, so it’s worth doing even if you’re running your cookie business as a sole proprietorship. Opening a business bank account is quite simple, and similar to opening a personal one. Most major banks offer accounts tailored for businesses — just inquire at your preferred bank to learn about their rates and features.

Banks vary in terms of offerings, so it’s a good idea to examine your options and select the best plan for you. Once you choose your bank, bring in your EIN (or Social Security Number if you decide on a sole proprietorship), articles of incorporation, and other legal documents and open your new account. 

Step 10: Get Business Insurance

Business insurance is an area that often gets overlooked yet it can be vital to your success as an entrepreneur. Insurance protects you from unexpected events that can have a devastating impact on your business.

Here are some types of insurance to consider:

• General liability: The most comprehensive type of insurance, acting as a catch-all for many business elements that require coverage. If you get just one kind of insurance, this is it. It even protects against bodily injury and property damage.
• Business Property: Provides coverage for your equipment and supplies.
• Equipment Breakdown Insurance: Covers the cost of replacing or repairing equipment that has broken due to mechanical issues.
• Worker’s compensation: Provides compensation to employees injured on the job.
• Property: Covers your physical space, whether it is a cart, storefront, or office.
• Commercial auto: Protection for your company-owned vehicle.
• Professional liability: Protects against claims from a client who says they suffered a loss due to an error or omission in your work.
• Business owner’s policy (BOP): This is an insurance plan that acts as an all-in-one insurance policy, a combination of any of the above insurance types.

Step 11: Prepare to Launch

As opening day nears, prepare for launch by reviewing and improving some key elements of your business. 

Essential software and tools

Being an entrepreneur often means wearing many hats, from marketing to sales to accounting, which can be overwhelming. Fortunately, many websites and digital tools are available to help simplify many business tasks. 

You may want to use industry-specific software, such as GoFrugal , Lightspeed Retail , and Salesflare to plan your daily production, track inventory, manage employees, and simplify customer relations. 

• Popular web-based accounting programs for smaller businesses include Quickbooks , Freshbooks , and Xero . 
• If you’re unfamiliar with basic accounting, you may want to hire a professional, especially as you begin. The consequences for filing incorrect tax documents can be harsh, so accuracy is crucial.

Develop your website

Website development is crucial because your site is your online presence and needs to convince prospective clients of your expertise and professionalism.

You can create your own website using website builders . This route is very affordable, but figuring out how to build a website can be time-consuming. If you lack tech-savvy, you can hire a web designer or developer to create a custom website for your business.

They are unlikely to find your website, however, unless you follow Search Engine Optimization ( SEO ) practices. These are steps that help pages rank higher in the results of top search engines like Google. 

Here are some powerful marketing strategies for your future business:

• Professional Branding — Reflect the warmth, deliciousness, and handcrafted quality of your cookies through your logo, packaging, and digital presence.
• Website Optimization — Create a captivating website that showcases your cookies, allows for online orders, and shares your business story, optimized for search engines targeting cookie and dessert enthusiasts.
• Local SEO  — Regularly update your Google My Business and Yelp profiles to strengthen your local search presence.
• Direct Outreach — Form partnerships with local cafes, markets, specialty food stores, and event planners to supply your handcrafted cookies.
• Social Media Engagement — Utilize Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest to display enticing images of your cookies, share customer testimonials, and announce new flavors or promotions.
• Content Marketing — Maintain a baking blog with posts about baking tips, the origins of your recipes, and business insights, supplemented by how-to videos and simple recipes.
• In-Person Experiences — Host pop-up sales at local events and cookie decorating workshops to engage directly with customers and demonstrate your products’ appeal.
• Local Collaborations — Collaborate with nearby coffee shops or restaurants to have your cookies featured on their menus, enhancing your local business network.
• Customer Loyalty Programs — Introduce a loyalty program that rewards frequent customers with discounts or free products after certain purchase milestones.
• Targeted Online Advertising — Employ targeted advertising on online platforms, local food blogs, and community pages to reach a broader audience.
• Email Marketing — Develop a robust mailing list to inform customers about new cookie flavors, special seasonal offers, and exclusive promotions.

Focus on USPs

Unique selling propositions, or USPs, are the characteristics of a product or service that set it apart from the competition. Customers today are inundated with buying options, so you’ll have a real advantage if they are able to quickly grasp how your cookie business meets their needs or wishes. It’s wise to do all you can to ensure your USPs stand out on your website and in your marketing and promotional materials, stimulating buyer desire. 

Global pizza chain Domino’s is renowned for its USP: “Hot pizza in 30 minutes or less, guaranteed.” Signature USPs for your cookie business could be:

• Wild flavor combinations like strawberry chocolate swirl 
• The best ready-to-bake cookie dough! 
• Healthy, all-natural, locally-sourced ingredients 

You may not like to network or use personal connections for business gain. But your personal and professional networks likely offer considerable untapped business potential. Maybe that Facebook friend you met in college is now running a cookie business, or a LinkedIn contact of yours is connected to dozens of potential clients. Maybe your cousin or neighbor has been working in the cookie industry for years and can offer invaluable insight and industry connections. 

The possibilities are endless, so it’s a good idea to review your personal and professional networks and reach out to those with possible links to or interest in cookies. You’ll probably generate new customers or find companies with which you could establish a partnership. Online businesses might also consider affiliate marketing as a way to build relationships with potential partners and boost business.

Step 12: Build Your Team

If you’re starting out small from home, you may not need any employees. But as your business grows, you will likely need workers to fill various roles. Potential positions for a cookie business would include:

• General Manager
• Marketing Lead

At some point, you may need to hire all of these positions or simply a few, depending on the size and needs of your business. You might also hire multiple workers for a single role or a single worker for multiple roles, again depending on need. 

Free-of-charge methods to recruit employees include posting ads on popular platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, or Jobs.com. You might also consider a premium recruitment option, such as advertising on Indeed , Glassdoor , or ZipRecruiter . Further, if you have the resources, you could consider hiring a recruitment agency to help you find talent. 

Step 13: Run a Cookie Business – Start Making Money!

A day in the life of a cookie business owner starts by prepping the cookie dough. This involves purchasing and mixing the appropriate ingredients, then backing and packing the cookies for shipping or local delivery. Or, if you choose to offer ready-to-bake products, you’ll be packing your cookie dough for shipping and delivery prior to baking. 

Most cookie businesses operate from 8 am to 6 pm six to seven days a week, but assuming you’re not running a bakery store, you can do your baking whenever you like. 

You’re now ready to start baking and making good money! 

• Cookie Business FAQs

Yes, a cookie business can be profitable. Selling cookies from home or a shop can provide a sustainable income if you cater to your target customer’s preferences. Offering popular varieties like chocolate chip cookies to a young demographic can boost sales.

To start a cookie business, you need to understand the laws governing food sales in your area and decide on the types of cookies you want to make, considering customer demand. Additionally, familiarize yourself with all the steps necessary to launch a business that can generate consistent income, as outlined in relevant guides or articles.

The price of homemade cookies typically starts at around $4 and can go up to $25, depending on the ingredients, baking time, and design complexity. Cookies made with expensive ingredients or those that require considerable effort and unique designs can be sold at higher prices.

Promote your cookie business by establishing a strong online presence through a professional website and active social media profiles. Participate in local events and collaborate with other businesses. Offer personalized or custom cookies for special occasions to attract a wider customer base.

A high-quality cookie is characterized by premium ingredients, a perfect balance of texture, well-developed flavors, attractive appearance, and freshness.

Consider using sealed bags, gift boxes, clear containers, or customized packaging that aligns with your brand image and maintains freshness. Individual packaging may also be suitable for single servings.

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• Decide if the Business Is Right for You
• Hone Your Idea
• Brainstorm a Cookie Business Name
• Create a Cookie Business Plan
• Register Your Business
• Register for Taxes
• Fund your Business
• Apply for Business Licenses and Permits
• Open a Business Bank Account
• Get Business Insurance
• Prepare to Launch
• Build Your Team
• Run a Cookie Business - Start Making Money!

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How to Start an Edible Cookie Dough Cafe

An edible cookie dough cafe serves cookie dough, usually without eggs and other pathogen-carrying ingredients. Many edible cookie dough businesses serve their dough in cartons or on cones in a similar way to ice cream cone. It's sweet tooth heaven. Bakers or baking enthusiasts who open edible cookie dough shops help their customers relive their childhood memories—eating cookie dough off the beaters or licking the bowl and spatula clean. They help them escape the hustle and bustle of life and relax in a fun environment.

You may also be interested in additional unique business ideas .

Learn how to start your own Edible Cookie Dough Cafe and whether it is the right fit for you.

Ready to form your LLC? Check out the Top LLC Formation Services .

Start an edible cookie dough cafe by following these 10 steps:

• Plan your Edible Cookie Dough Cafe
• Form your Edible Cookie Dough Cafe into a Legal Entity
• Register your Edible Cookie Dough Cafe for Taxes
• Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
• Set up Accounting for your Edible Cookie Dough Cafe
• Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Edible Cookie Dough Cafe
• Get Edible Cookie Dough Cafe Insurance
• Define your Edible Cookie Dough Cafe Brand
• Create your Edible Cookie Dough Cafe Website
• Set up your Business Phone System

We have put together this simple guide to starting your edible cookie dough cafe. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas .

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

What will you name your business?

• What are the startup and ongoing costs?
• Who is your target market?

How much can you charge customers?

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Edible Cookie Dough Cafe Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship , you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name , we recommend researching your business name by checking:

• Your state's business records
• Federal and state trademark records
• Social media platforms
• Web domain availability .

It's very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

Want some help naming your edible cookie dough cafe?

Business name generator, what are the costs involved in opening an edible cookie dough cafe.

Costs involved in starting a small cafe are modest. For less than $500, you can buy all or most of the supplies you need and start selling out of your home. Business licensing and permits may be required to do this, however.

What are the ongoing expenses for an edible cookie dough cafe?

Ongoing expenses for this business are modest and include costs for maintaining liability insurance, licensing, permitting, and of course supplies. You may find yourself spending between $500 and $2,000 per month for a small operation, up to $10,000 per month for a large operation on these expenses.

Who is the target market?

The target market for this product is wide, but the core market is young families. Young children tend to love cookie dough, but so do young adults.

How does an edible cookie dough cafe make money?

Cafes make money by charging customers for edible cookie dough.

This is a premium product, so you can charge between $5 and $7 for a 4 oz serving, or between $8 and $20 for a 16 oz serving.

How much profit can an edible cookie dough cafe make?

Edible cookie dough has a high markup. While this industry is still new, some businesses have a profit margin between 5% and 10%. A highly profitable business would have profit margins exceeding 10%.

How can you make your business more profitable?

Make your business more profitable by selling related products like various candies and ice cream, sodas, and milkshakes. You could also sell miniature mixing spoons with chilled cookie dough caked on them, similar to an ice cream cone or a "cookie dough on a stick" product concept.

Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC's free Small Business Startup Guide - a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

The most common business structure types are the sole proprietorship , partnership , limited liability company (LLC) , and corporation .

Establishing a legal business entity such as an LLC or corporation protects you from being held personally liable if your edible cookie dough cafe is sued.

Form Your LLC

Read our Guide to Form Your Own LLC

Have a Professional Service Form your LLC for You

Two such reliable services:

You can form an LLC yourself and pay only the minimal state LLC costs or hire one of the Best LLC Services for a small, additional fee.

Recommended: You will need to elect a registered agent for your LLC. LLC formation packages usually include a free year of registered agent services . You can choose to hire a registered agent or act as your own.

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It's really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website . If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil .

Open a business bank account

Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:

• Separates your personal assets from your company's assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
• Makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.

Get a business credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

• Separate personal and business expenses by putting your business' expenses all in one place.
• Build your company's credit history , which can be useful to raise money later on.

Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

Federal Business Licensing Requirements

There are federal regulations regarding what can and cannot be added to, sold as, and processed with food. Attached is a resource from the Food and Drug Administration detailing the process of starting a food business: How to Start a Food Business

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

In most states, it is necessary to obtain a business license. Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a cookie dough business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits .

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses .

Certificate of Occupancy

An edible cookie dough business is generally run out of a storefront. Businesses operating out of a physical location typically require a Certificate of Occupancy (CO).  A CO confirms that all building codes, zoning laws and government regulations have been met.

• If you plan to lease a location :
• It is generally the landlord’s responsibility to obtain a CO.
• Before leasing, confirm that your landlord has or can obtain a valid CO that is applicable to an edible cookie dough business.
• After a major renovation, a new CO often needs to be issued. If your place of business will be renovated before opening, it is recommended to include language in your lease agreement stating that lease payments will not commence until a valid CO is issued.
• If you plan to purchase or build a location :
• You will be responsible for obtaining a valid CO from a local government authority.
• Review all building codes and zoning requirements for your business’ location to ensure your edible cookie dough business will be in compliance and able to obtain a CO.

Food Regulations

When selling food, you will need licensing from a local health department; all establishments serving food are required to pass a health inspection. Tips for faring well on a health inspections

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance . This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance . If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers' Compensation Coverage.

FInd out what types of insurance your Edible Cookie Dough Cafe needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Edible Cookie Dough Cafe.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you aren't feeling confident about designing your small business logo, then check out our Design Guides for Beginners , we'll give you helpful tips and advice for creating the best unique logo for your business.

Recommended : Get a logo using Truic's free logo Generator no email or sign up required, or use a Premium Logo Maker .

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator . Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market an edible cookie dough cafe

Promoting your business doesn't have to be expensive. Start small and distribute fliers, go to networking events, and run ads in the local paper or online.

How to keep customers coming back

Retaining customers and turning them into repeat business is simple if you sell a good product and stay in front of them. Consider collecting email addresses from customers. Enter them into a monthly contest for free cookie dough. Then, send out frequent emails reminding them to come back in to try your latest flavors.

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business .

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:

• All legitimate businesses have websites - full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
• Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
• Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Recommended : Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders .

Other popular website builders are: WordPress , WIX , Weebly , Squarespace , and Shopify .

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2023 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com

Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it's fair pricing.

Is this Business Right For You?

This business is perfect for professional bakers or baking enthusiasts, stay-at-home moms who are looking to transition back into the workforce, or anyone who is passionate about cooking or baking and has a basic understanding of how a business is run.

Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?

Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!

Entrepreneurship Quiz

What happens during a typical day at an edible cookie dough cafe?

Just like any bakery, an edible cookie dough cafe has a very specific setup and breakdown process for the day. The business owner and/or his or her employees start the day early by prepping their work areas and cleaning all working surfaces.

They perform a basic accounting of existing supplies and stock as well as any overnight shipments. Some shops chill their dough overnight while others prefer to make their product fresh for the day and "quick chill" before serving customers.

Employees take orders, fulfill customer requests, while business owners keep tabs on the accounting books, order supplies, and monitor employees. At the end of the day, everything needs to be cleaned up and put away. It's a hectic business that never stops, which is why it's suited to a specific type of personality.

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful edible cookie dough cafe?

Being good at this business means having a keen eye and skill for baking. Professional bakers typically make the best cafe owners (at least in theory), but you also need good business sense. This is especially true if you plan on shipping your product across the country.

What is the growth potential for an edible cookie dough cafe?

Growth potential is huge, though many shops remain a small operation. Since this is a niche product, often seen as a specialty item, most business remain one or two-shop operations. Some companies may expand with branch locations throughout a state. Some brands, like Sweet Megan Edible Cookie Dough are shipped all over the U.S., however. Smaller cafes are realizing they can ship nationwide and forego the need for a large chain business.

TRUiC's YouTube Channel

For fun informative videos about starting a business visit the TRUiC YouTube Channel or subscribe to view later.

Take the Next Step

Find a business mentor.

One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.

Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.

Learn from other business owners

Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.

Resources to Help Women in Business

There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:

If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.

What are some insider tips for jump starting an edible cookie dough cafe?

Start off by selling product in your local neighborhood, at PTA meetings, and local community events. Family, friends, and business associates or partners may also be a good way to jumpstart sales.

How and when to build a team

You will probably need a small team to start out — at least 3-5 people. However, it is at all possible, you may want to start the business alone from home. A small cafe running out of a storefront should have enough staff to cover all shifts, Monday through Friday, minimum. Weekends tend to be busy for this kind of business, so you'll want weekend shifts covered as well. In fact, weekends should be your priority shifts.

Useful Links

Industry opportunities.

• Discover more Unique Business Ideas

Real World Examples

• The Cookie Dough Cafe
• Eat Detroit Dough

Further Reading

• 4 Simple Edible Cookie Dough Recipes
• A Story from the Founders of Edoughble

Have a Question? Leave a Comment!

Cookie Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 5,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their cookie businesses. On this page, we will first give you some background information with regards to the importance of business planning. We will then go through a cookie business plan template step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

Download our Ultimate Cookie Business Plan Template here >

What Is a Cookie Business Plan?

A business plan provides a snapshot of your cookie business as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategy for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.

Why You Need a Business Plan for Your Cookie Business

If you’re looking to start a cookie business or grow your existing cookie business you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your cookie business in order to improve your chances of success. Your cookie business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.

Source of Funding for Cookie Businesses

With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for a cookie business are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans and angel investors. With regards to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to confirm that your financials are reasonable. But they will want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business.

The second most common form of funding for a cookie business is angel investors. Angel investors are wealthy individuals who will write you a check. They will either take equity in return for their funding, or, like a bank, they will give you a loan. Venture capitalists will not fund a cookie business.

Finish Your Business Plan Today!

Your business plan should include 10 sections as follows:  

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your cookie shop business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.

The goal of your Executive Summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the type of cookie business you are operating and the status; for example, are you a startup, do you have a cookie business that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of cookie businesses.

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan. For example, give a brief overview of the cookie business industry. Discuss the type of cookie business you are operating. Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers. Provide a snapshot of your marketing plan. Identify the key members of your team. And offer an overview of your financial plan.

Company Analysis

In your company analysis, you will detail the type of cookie business you are operating.

For example, you might operate one of the following types:

• Specialty Cookies : this type of cookie business produces cookies that cater to dietary restrictions (i.e. gluten-free; vegan; etc.). 
• Retail Bakery : this type of cookie business is typically located in a retail area or mall, and will serve cookies and possibly other food such as pastries and desserts.
• Home-based cookie business : this type of cookie business does not operate a storefront, but takes special orders or partners with other food service companies.

In addition to explaining the type of cookie business you operate, the Company Analysis section of your business plan needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to question such as:

• When and why did you start the business?
• What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include sales goals you’ve reached, new store openings, etc.
• Your legal structure. Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

Industry Analysis

In your industry analysis, you need to provide an overview of the cookie business.

While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the cookie business industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating. 

Secondly, market research can improve your strategy particularly if your research identifies market trends. For example, if there was a trend towards gluten free cookie consumption, it would be helpful to ensure your plan calls for plenty of gluten free options.

The third reason for market research is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your cookie business plan:

• How big is the cookie business (in dollars)?
• Is the market declining or increasing?
• Who are the key competitors in the market?
• Who are the key suppliers in the market?
• What trends are affecting the industry?
• What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
• What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential market for your cookie business. You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section of your cookie shop business plan must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: college students, families, teens, baby boomers, etc.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of cookie business you operate. Clearly baby boomers would want a different atmosphere, pricing and product options, and would respond to different marketing promotions than teens.

Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, include a discussion of the ages, genders, locations and income levels of the customers you seek to serve. Because most cookie businesses primarily serve customers living in their same city or town, such demographic information is easy to find on government websites.

Importantly, if you are selling to distributors (e.g., selling to a local coffee shop who will sell your cookies to their customers) detail the needs of these distributors here too.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can understand and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.

Finish Your Cookie Business Plan in 1 Day!

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your business plan?

With Growthink’s Ultimate Cookie Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less!

Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are other cookie businesses.

Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t direct competitors. This includes other baked goods such as cupcakes, brownies and scones, and other dessert items. 

With regards to direct competition, you want to detail the other cookie businesses with which you compete. Most likely, your direct competitors will be cookie businesses located very close to your location.

For each such competitor, provide an overview of their businesses and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as:

• What types of customers do they serve?
• What products (e.g., flavors/varieties) do they offer?
• What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
• What are they good at?
• What are their weaknesses?

With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective.

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

• Will you provide superior products?
• Will you provide products that your competitors don’t offer?
• Will you make it easier or faster for customers to acquire your products?
• Will you provide better customer service?
• Will you offer better pricing?

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.

Marketing Plan

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a cookie business plan, your marketing plan should include the following:

Product : in the product section you should reiterate the type of cookie business that you documented in your Company Analysis. Then, detail the specific products you will be offering. For example, in addition to regular cookies, will you offer items such as cupcakes, cookie bars, and other pastries?

Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of your marketing plan, you are presenting the menu items you offer and their prices.

Place : Place refers to the location of your cookie business and should be included if you are operating retail locations. Document your location and mention how the location will impact your success. For example, is your cookie business located next to a heavily populated office building, or in a mall, etc. Discuss how your location might provide a steady stream of customers. Also, if you operate or plan to operate kiosks, detail the locations where the kiosks will be placed.

Promotions : the final part of your cookie business marketing plan is the promotions section. Here you will document how you will drive customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

• Making your cookie business’ storefront (if applicable) extra appealing to attract passing customers
• Distributing samples outside the cookie business
• Social media marketing
• Advertising in local papers and magazines
• Reaching out to local bloggers and websites 
• Partnerships with local organizations (e.g., gym members get a free cookie with each cup of coffee they purchase)
• Local radio advertising
• Banner ads at local venues

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your cookie business such as serving customers, procuring supplies, keeping the store clean, etc.

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to serve your 1,000th customer, or when you hope to reach $X in sales. It could also be when you expect to hire your Xth employee or launch a new location.

Management Team

To demonstrate your cookie business’s ability to succeed as a business, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company. 

Ideally you and/or your team members have direct experience in the cookie business. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act like mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in the cookie businesses and/or successfully running retail and small businesses.

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statements.

Income Statement : an income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenues and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you serve 100 customers per day or 200? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

Balance Sheets : While balance sheets include much information, to simplify them to the key items you need to know about, balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. For instance, if you spend $100,000 on building out your cookie business, that will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a bank writes you a check for $100.000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

Cash Flow Statement : Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and make sure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt. For example, let’s say a company approached you with a massive $100,000 cookie/catering contract, that would cost you $50,000 to fulfill. Well, in most cases, you would have to pay that $50,000 now for supplies, equipment rentals, employee salaries, etc. But let’s say the company didn’t pay you for 180 days. During that 180 day period, you could run out of money.

In developing your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a cookie business:

• Location build-out including design fees, construction, etc.
• Cost of equipment like ovens, blenders, refrigerators
• Cost of ingredients and maintaining an adequate amount of supplies
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff
• Business insurance
• Taxes and permits
• Legal expenses

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your store design blueprint or location lease.

Cookie Business Plan Summary

Putting together a business plan for your cookie business is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will really understand the cookie business, your competition and your customers. You will have developed a marketing plan and will really understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful cookie business.

Download Our Cookie Business Plan PDF

You can download our cookie business plan PDF here . This is a business plan template you can use in PDF format.

Cookie Business Plan FAQs

What is the easiest way to complete my cookie business plan.

Growthink's Ultimate Business Plan Template allows you to quickly and easily complete your Cookie Business Plan.

When Can I Download a Free Cookie Business Plan PDF?

You can download our cookie business plan PDF template here . This is a business plan template you can use in PDF format.

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your Cookie business plan?

OR, Let Us Develop Your Plan For You

Since 1999, Growthink has developed business plans for thousands of companies who have gone on to achieve tremendous success.   Click here to learn about Growthink’s business plan writing services .

Other Helpful Business Plan Articles & Templates

Start an Edible Cookie Dough Cafe

Baking" a Successful Business with Childhood Indulgences

EDIBLE COOKIE DOUGH CAFE

Related business ideas, discover your perfect domain, edible cookie dough cafe mini business plan, expected percent margins:, earnings expectations:, actions needed to achieve these numbers:, product management:, marketing & customer acquisition:, sales & customer experience:, cost control:, operational efficiency:, not what you had in mind here are more ideas, grab your business website name, step 1: determine if the business is right endeavor, breakdown of startup expenses, breakdown of ongoing expenses, examples on ways to make money, step 2: name the business, register the business name, step 3: secure financing, cost of financing, business plan, step 4: obtain licenses and permits, where to obtain licenses and permits, cost of licenses and permits, timeframe for obtaining licenses and permits, step 5: find a location, leasing or buying a space, securing the space, step 6: design the cafe, step 7: hire employees, training employees, establishing policies, setting expectations, step 8: promote the business, develop a website, step 9: open for business, explore more categories, take the next steps.

Do you know how to start a cookie business ? If you are reading this, you probably have a few questions about the things that you may need to know to start an edible cookie dough business . We completely understand because we have been in your shoes. You’ve come to the right place to get some quick and easy tips for what you need to know.

What is a Cookie Business?

When you think of a cookie business you may automatically think of Girl Scouts peddling boxes of cookies door to door. The trend in cookies these days are bypassing the door to door process and even the trouble of baking. The buzz is all about a cookie business that centers around the delicious batter, what we all know as cookie dough.

Did you ever sneak a finger into the mixing bowl as a kid to steal a taste of the raw cookie batter? If you were anything like us, that sweet treat was something you continued to be drawn to, even as an adult. Now you no longer have to sneak a taste, you can have your very own edible cookie dough & ice cream business and enjoy eating cookie dough whenever you want, and share the experience.

Know These Things First

Way before you can open the doors of your new business there are several things that you need to know first. Every business is unique, even if they are in the same niche. So, take some time to consider these things and learn all that you need to before taking the leap.

Skills and Experience Needed

What skills and experience do you have that make starting an edible cookie dough business a possibility? This may seem like a difficult question, especially if you have no idea what running a business may entail. The big parts to consider is problem-solving skills, being cool under pressure, and a desire to serve the public. Customer service is that backbone of any service-based business, even if you are not the one that is face to face with the public.

Other important skills include accounting, scheduling, personal time management, and organizational skills, as well as inventory management.

Don’t worry if you have no idea if you have what it takes to start a cookie business, we are here to assist in any way we can.

One of the biggest things to consider before you start any business is cost. This is not limited to the cost of starting the business , but the recurring costs that will be required as the business moves forward. In general, most business advisors will suggest that new businesses expect to run in the red, mean not making any income above expenses, for a minimum of 1 year, and as much as 5 years. This means that you need to consider, building fees such as rent or mortgage, employee costs, insurance, inventory, etc.

Law and Licensing Requirements

Edible cookie dough is definitely a food product. In most areas, food-based businesses have specific licensing requirements and ongoing certifications to ensure that the food is prepared to specifications that provide the public with the safest product. Cities and states each may have their own business regulations, so you will have to check with the municipality of the area you are considering for specifics. Often this information can be found on a city’s main website, or appropriate contact information to get the info.

How to Start a Cookie Business – A Step-By-Step Checklist

Sometimes you just need an easy to follow list to keep you on track. This checklist includes a few more things that you need to know before starting your cookie business. We hope this helps guide you toward your dream business.

Step 1. Make a Business Plan – This will be important if you need to get a small business loan to start your business. Most banks and lending companies require a detailed business plan to start the process. A well-designed business plan will include:

• Cost analysis of all expenses expected for the first 12 months
• Income projects
• Target market
• The name of your business
• Financial backing
• Investment or Franchise Information

Step 2. Form a Legal Business – This will protect you from potential liabilities and allow you to separate your personal and business taxes and income. In the long run, a business that has been set up correctly will save you money in taxes and fees.

Step 3. Register the Business – City, State, and Federal registrations may be required. You should also register for a tax identification number with the Internal Revenue Service.

Step 4. Open a Bank Account For Your Business – Part of operating a business as a separate entity from you the individual is to keep your finances separate from the business finances. Your bank will help you set this up. They may require the tax identification number mentioned above.

Step 5. Get An Accountant – Business accounting and taxes can quickly become too much for some people to handle. Unless you are well versed in business accounting, hiring the services of an accountant can save you a ton of money.

Step 6. Insurance – All business must carry insurance, including liability and worker’s compensation insurance. Other requirements may be different depending on your location.

Step 7. Partner with a Great Franchise – There is no reason to go it alone. When you start with a franchise that has a proven track record for great customer service, the best-tasting cookie dough, around, and a dedication to your success, you will start your cookie business on the right foot.

Ready to Build Your Cookie Dough Empire?

Are you excited? Maybe a bit inspired? When you are ready to take the next step toward owning your own franchise, check out our franchise opportunities , send us your contact information and get ready to conquer your franchise goals. With DoDo Edible Cookie Dough & Ice Cream, we are here to make you sweet dreams come true.

5 responses to “10+ Things To Know Before Starting A Cookie Business”

i am interested in this franchise, please provide full guidelines or details or requirements. Thanks.

How may we have further details?

what about employees? what advice do you have?.

Pls send info

Does anyone have spare time to direct message me about this subject perhaps

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• Sample Business Plans
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Cookie Business Plan

Breakfast or any other snack time is incomplete without cookies being served. So, starting a cookie-making business will be a smart move for aspiring entrepreneurs given the high demand for cookies in the current market.

Are you looking to start writing a business plan for your cookie business? Creating a business plan is essential to starting, growing, and securing funding for your business. We have prepared a cookie business plan template for you to help in start writing yours.

Free Business Plan Template

Download our free business plan template now and pave the way to success. Let’s turn your vision into an actionable strategy!

• Fill in the blanks – Outline
• Financial Tables

How to Write a Cookie Business Plan?

Writing a cookie business plan is a crucial step toward the success of your business. Here are the key steps to consider when writing a business plan:

1. Executive Summary

An executive summary is the first section of the business plan intended to provide an overview of the whole business plan. Generally, it is written after the whole business plan is ready. Here are some components to add to your summary:

Start with a brief introduction:

Market opportunity:, mention your services:, management team:, financial highlights:, call to action:.

Ensure you keep your executive summary concise and clear, use simple language, and avoid jargon.

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2. Business Overview

Depending on what details of your business are important, you’ll need different elements in your business overview. Still, there are some foundational elements like business name, legal structure, location, history, and mission statement that every business overview should include:

About the business:

Provide all the basic information about your business in this section like:

• The name of your cookie shop and the types of products you will sell. Will it only be cookies or some cakes too, will it be handmade or machine-made?
• Company structure of your cookie business whether it is LLC, partnership firm, or some other.
• Location of your cookie outlet and the reason why you selected that place.

Mission statement:

Business history:, future goals:.

This section should provide an in-depth understanding of your cookie business. Also, the business overview section should be engaging and precise.

3. Market Analysis

Market analysis provides a clear understanding of the market in which your cookie shop business will run along with the target market, competitors, and growth opportunities. Your market analysis should contain the following essential components:

Target market:

Market size and growth potential:, competitive analysis:, market trends:, regulatory environment:.

Some additional tips for writing the market analysis section of your business plan:

• Use a variety of sources to gather data, including industry reports, market research studies, and surveys.
• Be specific and provide detailed information wherever possible.
• Include charts and graphs to help illustrate your key points.
• Keep your target audience in mind while writing the business plan

4. Products And Services

The product and services section of a cookie business plan should describe the specific services and products that will be offered to customers. To write this section should include the following:

List the services:

• Describe the types of cookies you’ll be offering, including any new or unique flavors you will introduce in the market. Also, mention if there are any customization options available for special occasions.
• Provide information on the ingredients you use and how you make your cookies yummy and special. If you use high-quality or locally-sourced ingredients or you import them, mention everything.

Packaging and labeling:

Overall, the product and services section of a business plan should be detailed, informative, and customer-focused. By providing a clear and compelling description of your products, you can help potential investors and readers understand the value of your business.

5. Sales And Marketing Strategies

Writing the sales and marketing strategies section means a list of strategies you will use to attract and retain your clients. Here are some key points to include in your marketing plan:

Develop your unique selling proposition (USP):

Determine your pricing strategy:, marketing strategies:, sales strategies:, customer retention:.

Overall, the sales and marketing strategies section of your business plan should outline your plans to attract and retain customers and generate revenue.

6. Operations Plan

When writing the operations plan section, it’s important to consider the various aspects of your business operations. Here are the components to include in an operations plan:

Explain your production process:

Operational process:, technologies:.

By including these key elements in your operations plan section, you can create a comprehensive plan that outlines how you will run your cookie business.

7. Management Team

The management team section provides an overview of the individuals responsible for running the cookie shop business. This section should provide a detailed description of the experience and qualifications of each manager, as well as their responsibilities and roles.

Key managers:

Organizational structure:, compensation plan:, board of advisors:.

Describe the key personnel of your company and highlight why your business has the fittest team.

8. Financial Plan

When writing the financial plan section of a business plan, it’s important to provide a comprehensive overview of your financial projections for the first few years of your business.

Profit & loss statement:

Cash flow statement:, balance sheet:, break-even point:, financing needs:.

Remember to be realistic with your financial projections, and to provide supporting evidence for all of your estimates.

9. Appendix

When writing the appendix section, you should include any additional information that supports the main content of your plan. This may include financial statements, market research data, legal documents, and other relevant information.

• Include a table of contents for the appendix section to make it easy for readers to find specific information.
• Include financial statements such as income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements. These should be up-to-date and show your financial projections for at least the first three years of your business.
• Provide market research data, such as statistics on the size of the cookie industry, consumer demographics, and trends in the industry.
• Include any legal documents such as permits, licenses, and contracts.
• Provide any additional documentation related to your business plans, such as marketing materials, product brochures, and operational procedures.
• Use clear headings and labels for each section of the appendix so that readers can easily find the information they need.

Remember, the appendix section of your cookie business should only include relevant and important information that supports the main content of your plan.

The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan

Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.

This cookie business plan sample will provide an idea for writing a successful cookie business plan, including all the essential components of your business.

After this, if you are still confused about how to write an investment-ready cookie business plan to impress your audience, then download our cookie business plan pdf .

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Frequently asked questions, why do you need a cookie business plan.

A business plan is an essential tool for anyone looking to start or run a successful cookie business. It helps to get clarity in your business, secures funding, and identifies potential challenges while starting and growing your cookie business.

Overall, a well-written plan can help you make informed decisions, which can contribute to the long-term success of your cookie business.

How to get funding for your cookie business?

There are several ways to get funding for your cookie, but one of the most efficient and speedy funding options is self-funding. Other options for funding are!

• Bank loan – You may apply for a loan in government or private banks.
• Small Business Administration (SBA) loan – SBA loans and schemes are available at affordable interest rates, so check the eligibility criteria before applying for it.
• Crowdfunding – The process of supporting a project or business by getting a lot of people to invest in your cookie business, usually online.
• Angel investors – Getting funds from angel investors is one of the most sought options for startups.
• Venture capital – Venture capitalists will invest in your business in exchange for a percentage of shares, so this funding option is also viable.

Apart from all these options, there are small business grants available, check for the same in your location and you can apply for it.

Where to find business plan writers for your cookie business?

There are many business plan writers available, but no one knows your business and idea better than you, so we recommend you write your cookie business plan and outline your vision as you have in your mind.

What is the easiest way to write your cookie business plan?

A lot of research is necessary for writing a business plan, but you can write your plan most efficiently with the help of any cookie business plan example and edit it as per your need. You can also quickly finish your plan in just a few hours or less with the help of our business plan software.

About the Author

Upmetrics Team

Upmetrics is the #1 business planning software that helps entrepreneurs and business owners create investment-ready business plans using AI. We regularly share business planning insights on our blog. Check out the Upmetrics blog for such interesting reads. Read more

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Cookie Company Business Plan Example

Published Mar.07, 2014

Updated Apr.22, 2024

By: Brandi Marcene

Average rating 5 / 5. Vote count: 3

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Table of Content

Cookie Company business plan for starting your own business

Food is one of the most lucrative businesses on the planet. If you want to enter this industry, opening a cookie company can be a very good option. In this cookie bakery business plan, we will look into how you can open such a business and run it in a profitable manner. This homemade cookies business plan will explain all the aspects of running the business. If you want to know how to start a cookie business, all you need to do is to read this document to the end. You can also use this document for creating a franchise business plan .

Executive Summary

2.1 the business.

For this cookie dough business plan, we will use the example of Steve Bakes. This will be a cookie company based in Houston, Texas. Steve Baker is starting a cookie business because it is his family business.

2.2 Management of Cookie Company

For anyone who wants to know how to start a cookie business, it is important to have a clear idea of how the company will be managed. To run the business the right way, Steve will hire managers to run the day-to-day affairs of the company. Steve will be the CEO of the company and all matters will be brought to his notice on a daily basis. Having a well-defined management structure of the company is not only necessary to run the business in a profitable manner but also for creating a business plan for a bank loan .

2.3 Customers of Cookie Company

Just like starting a coffee bean business , it is important to have an idea of the customers that you’ll be dealing with when you start a cookie company. The main customers of the company will be:

• Private buyers who need the cookies for themselves.
• Local retailers who need the cookies for their business.
• Hotels, cafes and restaurants.
• Hand-made cookie exporters.

2.4 Business Target

The next important thing that needs to be done before starting a business is to set a business target. The target of Steve Bakes will e to:

• Become the best cookie maker in the city.
• Expand the business to three more locations by the end of year one.
• Start making $178,900 in profits by the end of year two.
• Establish the name of the business as a top cookie brand in all of USA.

Company Summary

3.1 company owner.

The business plan for homemade cookies needs to cover the owner of the company too. Steve Baker has been working in a bakery since he was 10. He knows a secret cookie recipe that is a part of his family’s legacy.

3.2 Why the Cookie Company is being started?

Steve wants to start a cookie business because he knows that no one can make better cookies than him. He wants to capitalize on the secret cookie making technique passed on to him by his father and his love for cookies. With such a fantastic technique and passion, nothing can stop him from starting this business.

3.3 How the Cookie Company will be started?

The steps involved in starting the cookie company are more or less the same as those seen in the restaurant business plan template . Here’s how this business will be started.

Step1: Market Survey

Like any other business, the first thing to do is to determine  how profitable is a cookie business and to do that, it is important to conduct a market survey. This will tell us the demand of the product and the profit margin we have. The cookie shop names will also be finalized on this stage.

Step2: Marketing

The next step in how to open a cookie business is to market the business. You need to reach as many people as you can in order to make sure that the business gets adequate customers once it is functional.

Step3: Establishing the Bakery   

Once you have started the marketing effort, it is the time to establish the bakery where the delicious treats will be made. Just like the juice corner business plan , you need to make sure that the capacity of the production unit is in line with the demand of the product.

Step4: Going Online

Once the bakery is being built, you need to establish a website and make an online presence so that your customers can order the cookies easily. As all businesses these days have an online presence, this is very important to compete in the market.

A cookie company might appear to be a straightforward business but, as a matter of fact, you can include a number of different services in your cookie shop business plan.

Remember, the more services you offer, the more profit you can make. This cookies business plan sample includes some of the services that you can provide. You can also include more if you want.

The services that are a part of this cookie business plan template are:

Hand-Made Cookie Production

The basic service of the business will be the production and delivery of hand-made premium cookies.

Custom Cookies

People who want custom-made cookies can commission us to make cookies as per their demands.

Custom Cakes

Custom birthday, wedding, and other celebration cake designing, and production will also be one of the services provided by Steve Bakes.

Bakery Training

We will also include an apprenticeship program in the services for aspiring bakers to come and learn from our cookie making.

Marketing Analysis of Cookie Company

The single most important thing that you need to do to start cookie business I the marketing analysis of the business and the market you are going to enter. This is important because no matter how good you know how to sell cookie dough, if you are not aware of market dynamics, you’ll fail.

Let’s now explore more details of the boat RV storage business plan.

5.1 Market Trends

If you know how to create your own cookies, the thing that you need to know next is the market trends of the business so that you can run it in a profitable way. There are a number of different cookie marketing ideas that can be used to advertise the business and attract customers. However, none of them will work if you do not know how to start your own cookie business.

5.2 Marketing Segmentation

The next thing that you need to know in order to start a successful cookie business is to have an idea of market segments that you will be serving. Here’s a rough idea of the market segments you’ll be dealing with:

5.2.1 Private Customers

People who like cookies and want to buy premium hand-made cookies will be the main customers of the business.

5.2.2 Retail Stores

Retail stores in the area who want to add cookies to their stock will be another market segment for us.

5.2.3 Cafes, Bars and Restaurants

Local cafes, bars, and restaurants will also be among the market segments and will buy the product in bulk.

5.2.4 Exporters

Export businesses specializing in hand-made cookies will also be a lucrative market segment for the business.

5.3 Business Target

When people explain how to open a cookie business, they tend to forget business targets. Here are the targets set by Steve Bakes.

• To become the best premium hand-made cookie maker in the city.
• To provide healthy and tasty cookies to everyone.
• To expand the business to other cities and then states.
• To make a ton of money.

5.4 Product Pricing

Just like we did in the business plan for cafe , we will price the product at the market average. Our product will be of better quality than any of the competitors and having a price similar to what people are already paying will help us get customers. Once we start getting enough customers, we can then increase the prices.

Marketing Strategy

The next thing that you need to start this business is a solid marketing plan for cookie business. The business plan for a bakery cannot be complete without it. Especially, if you are starting a cookie business at home, you need to be clear about how the business will be started and how it will be marketed. This part of this cookie making business plan deals with the marketing part of the business. This is because no cookies business plan sample can be complete without it.

6.1 Competitive Analysis

Here’s the competitive analysis of this cookie bouquet business plan:

• No one in the area offers handmade and custom cookies.
• The cookies available in the area are expensive and really not up to the mark.
• The bakeries that do offer cookies are often out of stock.
• Once we attract enough customers, we can sell the cookies at whatever price we want.

6.2 Sales Strategy

• The business will be advertised over all the local and national marketing channels. This will make the business known to everyone who a customer can be.
• The focus of the business, in the start, will be to earn customers rather than making huge profits.
• Discounts and special offers will be offered to the repeat customers and bulk buyers.

6.3 Sales Monthly

6.4 Sales Yearly

6.5  Sales Forecast

Personnel plan

The next important part of this cookie bakery business plan is the personnel plan. This is the part where we discuss the manpower required to run the business. As the main products of the business will be handmade and custom cookies, we will need quite a bit of workers to run this cookie business from home. That means, while answering the question how to start an online cookie business, it is important to mention how many people will be needed to operate it.

7.1 Company Staff

The following people will be needed to run the business:

• Steve Baker, the owner, will be the CEO of the business.
• 1 shopkeeper for operating the factory outlet.
• 3 managers will be hired for sales, operations, and marketing.
• 3 delivery drivers.
• 1 accountant.

7.2  Average Salary of Employees

Financial plan.

When you offer homemade cookies for sale, the first thing that you need to decide is how much does a cookie cost you to manufacture. What most manufacturers fail to realize is the cost of the cookie is not just the cost of the dough used to make it. You need to include everything from the cost of starting the business to running it in order to get the correct estimate of the cost of the product.

The money needed to start this home bakery business plan will include:

• The cost of buying land to build the bakery.
• Marketing costs.
• Cost of making a website.
• Salary of the employees.
• Cost of raw materials to make the cookies.
• Cost of registration and insurance.

8.1 Important Assumptions

8.2 break-even analysis.

8.3 Projected Profit and Loss

8.3.1 profit monthly.

8.3.2 Profit Yearly

8.3.3 Gross Margin Monthly

8.3.4 Gross Margin Yearly

8.4 Projected Cash Flow

8.5 Projected Balance Sheet

8.6 business ratios, frequently asked questions of the cookie business.

Answer the following questions in your cookie business plan –

• Will you offer cookies online or sell locally, or both?
• If online, how you are going to ensure safety in shipping?
• What makes your recipes unique?
• How you are going to market cookies?
• Do you have proper licenses and permits to start your business?

Download Cookie Company Business Plan Sample in pdf

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Edible Cookie Dough Cafe Business Plan Template

Explore Options to Get a Business Plan.

Are you interested in starting your own edible cookie dough cafe Business?

Introduction

Global market size, target market, business model, competitive landscape, legal and regulatory requirements, financing options, marketing and sales strategies, operations and logistics, human resources & management, why write a business plan.

• Business Plans can help to articulate and flesh out the business’s goals and objectives. This can be beneficial not only for the business owner, but also for potential investors or partners
• Business Plans can serve as a roadmap for the business, helping to keep it on track and on target. This is especially important for businesses that are growing and evolving, as it can be easy to get sidetracked without a clear plan in place.
• Business plans can be a valuable tool for communicating the business’s vision to employees, customers, and other key stakeholders.
• Business plans are one of the most affordable and straightforward ways of ensuring your business is successful.
• Business plans allow you to understand your competition better to critically analyze your unique business proposition and differentiate yourself from the market.
• Business Plans allow you to better understand your customer. Conducting a customer analysis is essential to create better products and services and market more effectively.
• Business Plans allow you to determine the financial needs of the business leading to a better understanding of how much capital is needed to start the business and how much fundraising is needed.
• Business Plans allow you to put your business model in words and analyze it further to improve revenues or fill the holes in your strategy.
• Business plans allow you to attract investors and partners into the business as they can read an explanation about the business.
• Business plans allow you to position your brand by understanding your company’s role in the marketplace.
• Business Plans allow you to uncover new opportunities by undergoing the process of brainstorming while drafting your business plan which allows you to see your business in a new light. This allows you to come up with new ideas for products/services, business and marketing strategies.
• Business Plans allow you to access the growth and success of your business by comparing actual operational results versus the forecasts and assumptions in your business plan. This allows you to update your business plan to a business growth plan and ensure the long-term success and survival of your business.

Business Plan Content

• Executive Summary
• Company Overview
• Industry Analysis
• Consumer Analysis
• Competitor Analysis & Advantages
• Marketing Strategies & Plan
• Plan of Action
• Management Team

The financial forecast template is an extensive Microsoft Excel sheet with Sheets on Required Start-up Capital, Salary & Wage Plans, 5-year Income Statement, 5-year Cash-Flow Statement, 5-Year Balance Sheet, 5-Year Financial Highlights and other accounting statements that would cost in excess of £1000 if obtained by an accountant.

The financial forecast has been excluded from the business plan template. If you’d like to receive the financial forecast template for your start-up, please contact us at [email protected] . Our consultants will be happy to discuss your business plan and provide you with the financial forecast template to accompany your business plan.

Instructions for the Business Plan Template

To complete your perfect Edible Cookie Dough Cafe business plan, fill out the form below and download our Edible Cookie Dough Cafe business plan template. The template is a word document that can be edited to include information about your Edible Cookie Dough Cafe business. The document contains instructions to complete the business plan and will go over all sections of the plan. Instructions are given in the document in red font and some tips are also included in blue font. The free template includes all sections excluding the financial forecast. If you need any additional help with drafting your business plan from our business plan template, please set up a complimentary 30-minute consultation with one of our consultants.

Ongoing Business Planning

Want a bespoke business plan for your edible cookie dough cafe business, our expertise, edible cookie dough cafe business plan template faqs, what is a business plan for a/an edible cookie dough cafe business, how to customize the business plan template for a edible cookie dough cafe business, what financial information should be included in a edible cookie dough cafe business plan, are there industry-specific considerations in the edible cookie dough cafe business plan template, how to conduct market research for a edible cookie dough cafe business plan, what are the common challenges when creating a business plan for a edible cookie dough cafe business, how often should i update my edible cookie dough cafe business plan, can i use the business plan template for seeking funding for a edible cookie dough cafe business, what legal considerations are there in a edible cookie dough cafe business plan.

Cookie Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Business Plan Outline

• Cookie Business Plan Home
• 1. Executive Summary
• 2. Company Overview
• 3. Industry Analysis
• 4. Customer Analysis
• 5. Competitive Analysis
• 6. Marketing Plan
• 7. Operations Plan
• 8. Management Team
• 9. Financial Plan

Cookie Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

The revenue drivers for Cady’s Cookies will come from the cookie items being offered daily.

The cost drivers will be the ingredients and products needed to make the cookies (flour, sugar, chocolate, chocolate chips, cinnamon, baking soda, etc.) as well as the cooking materials (pans, bowls, mixers, utensils, etc.). A significant cost driver are the paper products that the cookies will be served in as well as the gift boxes. Other cost drivers will be the overhead expenses of payroll for the part-time employees and cost of the targeted ads on social media.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

Cady’s Cookies is seeking $50,000 in debt financing to open its start-up cookie shop. The funding will be dedicated for the build-out and design of the shop, kitchen, as well as the baking supplies and equipment, working capital, three months worth of payroll expenses and opening inventory. The breakout of the funding is below:

• Cookie Shop Build-Out and Design – $25,000
• Kitchen supplies and equipment – $10,000
• Opening product inventory – $5,000
• Working capital (to include 3 months of overhead expenses) – $5,000
• Social media targeted ads – $5,000

Key Assumptions

The following table outlines the key assumptions required in order to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and in order to pay off the business loan.

Initial Number of Customers Per Day: 50

Annual Lease: $10,000

Financial Projections

Income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement.

• Ingredients

How to Sell Frozen Cookie Dough like a Pro: Tips for Success

• by Lauren Thompson
• April 12, 2024

how to sell frozen cookie dough?

To sell frozen cookie dough, it is important to create a business plan that includes income statements, cash flow statements, and balance sheets.

Thoroughly test and perfect the recipes to ensure success.

Target the market primarily towards young families and young adults.

Create a strong brand through customer interaction, advertising, marketing, a well-designed website, and a strong social media presence.

Consider joining an edible cookie dough franchise for brand power, support structure, and experience in the business.

Offer convenient payment options such as Venmo, cash, or check.

Advertise through email campaigns using Canva to create a logo, promotional flyer, and baking instructions sheet.

Monitor the email account daily for new orders.

Have all legal and financial documents, licenses, and permits in order.

Budget for marketing and advertising expenses.

Finally, find a prime location with good foot traffic and parking spaces for maximum visibility.

Quick Tips and Facts:

1. Frozen cookie dough is said to have been invented by Ruth Wakefield, the creator of the original Toll House chocolate chip cookie recipe. She came up with the idea when she accidentally ran out of baker’s chocolate and used broken pieces of Nestle chocolate instead, which did not fully melt and resulted in chocolate chip cookies.

2. Did you know that freezing cookie dough actually enhances the flavor? When the dough is frozen, the fats in it solidify, leading to a richer and more intense flavor profile once baked. So, selling frozen cookie dough can provide customers with a more delicious cookie experience.

3. One little-known benefit of selling frozen cookie dough is its versatility. Frozen cookie dough can be used for more than just traditional cookies. It can be baked into cookie cups, cookie bars, cookie dough ice cream, and even cookie dough truffles. This versatility can attract creative consumers looking for unique ways to enjoy their frozen dough.

4. Selling frozen cookie dough can be a great fundraising idea! Many schools, sports teams, and community groups have successfully used frozen cookie dough sales as a way to raise money. It’s an enticing product that appeals to a wide audience, making it a popular choice for fundraising events.

5. Frozen cookie dough can be an ideal solution for those who love fresh-baked cookies but don’t have the time or baking skills. Selling frozen cookie dough allows customers to have the convenience of homemade cookies without the effort. It’s a convenient option for busy individuals or those who want to enjoy warm, fresh cookies at their own convenience.

Graphic Design And Promotional Materials

When it comes to selling frozen cookie dough , it’s important to consider the visual aspects of your business. One of the first steps is creating a logo and promotional materials that catch people’s attention. Canva, a popular graphic design software, is highly recommended for this purpose. With Canva’s user-friendly interface and numerous templates, you can easily create a professional-looking logo and eye-catching promotional flyers that represent your cookie dough business.

A well-designed logo creates a strong brand identity and helps customers recognize your business . It should reflect the essence of your product and target audience . Playful and vibrant colors can make your logo stand out, while a simple and elegant design can convey a sense of sophistication. Remember to choose a font that is legible , but also complements your overall branding.

Promotional flyers are another effective tool to spread the word about your frozen cookie dough business. These flyers can showcase your product offerings , delivery options , and any special promotions or discounts . Use appealing visuals and concise messaging to capture the attention of potential customers. Including your contact information and a call to action will make it easy for people to place an order or get in touch with you.

• Create a professional-looking logo
• Design eye-catching promotional flyers
• Reflect the essence of your product and target audience in your logo
• Use playful and vibrant colors or a simple and elegant design
• Choose a legible font that complements your overall branding
• Showcase product offerings, delivery options, and any special promotions or discounts in promotional flyers
• Use appealing visuals and concise messaging
• Include contact information and a call to action

Email Marketing And Monthly Subscription Model

Email marketing can be a powerful tool for promoting your frozen cookie dough business and reaching a wide audience . In our story, the boys successfully utilized email to spread the word about their venture. They offered frozen cookie dough ball delivery on a monthly subscription basis .

To capture the interest of their friends and family, the boys drafted an engaging and informative email . In this email, it is crucial to clearly explain the benefits of subscribing to the monthly delivery service . Highlight the convenience of having freshly baked cookies readily available. Also, emphasize the variety of flavors and customization options that your business offers.

To provide more information about your cookie dough offerings, consider attaching a well-designed flyer with details about pricing, subscription options, and any additional products or services that you provide.

Personalization is key in email marketing. Whenever possible, add a personal touch to your emails to make recipients feel valued and more likely to support your business. Additionally, regularly checking your email account for new orders and promptly responding to inquiries is essential for maintaining customer satisfaction and building a positive reputation for your cookie dough business.

Informational Flyer

A well-crafted informational flyer is a valuable tool for selling frozen cookie dough . It allows you to provide potential customers with all the necessary details about your product and business. When creating your flyer, use captivating visuals, enticing descriptions, and clear pricing information to capture the reader’s attention.

In your flyer, emphasize the unique selling points of your cookie dough. Highlight any special ingredients , such as organic or gluten-free options, as well as any unique flavors or seasonal offerings. Mention the quality and freshness of your dough, ensuring customers that they are getting a superior product . You can also include testimonials from satisfied customers to build trust and credibility .

Additionally, it’s important to prominently display your contact information , including your email address and phone number . This makes it easy for potential customers to get in touch with any questions or to place an order. Don’t forget to mention your delivery options and any relevant delivery fees or minimum orders . The goal is to provide all the necessary information in a concise and visually appealing manner , encouraging people to choose your frozen cookie dough .

Baking Instructions For Customers

Providing clear and concise baking instructions is crucial for ensuring customer satisfaction and achieving consistently delicious results with your frozen cookie dough. The boys in our story created a baking instructions sheet using Canva to guide their customers through the baking process.

When creating your baking instructions, consider the format that works best for your audience. You can opt for a step-by-step guide with visual illustrations or a more detailed description of each baking stage. Include important details such as oven temperature , baking time , and any additional steps or tips that can enhance the cookies’ flavor and texture.

In addition to the basic instructions, you can also include variations and customization options to cater to different preferences. For example, suggest adding chocolate chips , nuts , or other mix-ins to create unique cookie flavors. Encourage your customers to experiment and get creative with their cookie dough.

Remember to emphasize the convenience of having frozen cookie dough readily available whenever cravings strike. Highlight that your dough can be stored in the freezer for extended periods, creating a hassle-free baking experience . Your goal is to make the process enjoyable and straightforward for your customers, ensuring their cookies turn out perfect every time.

Order Management And Payment Options

Efficient order management and flexible payment options are crucial for selling frozen cookie dough. The boys in our story opted for a simple approach by accepting payments through Venmo, cash, or check. This allowed them to cater to different customer preferences and made it easy for their friends and family to support their business.

To ensure smooth order management , establish a system for tracking orders and inventory . Keep a detailed record of incoming orders, including customer information, order specifications, and delivery preferences. This will help you stay organized and provide a high level of customer service.

Consider utilizing technology to streamline the ordering process. Setting up an online ordering system or utilizing a mobile app can make it convenient for customers to place orders. With an organized system in place, you can efficiently manage and fulfill orders, ensuring timely deliveries and customer satisfaction .

• Establish a system for tracking orders and inventory
• Keep a detailed record of incoming orders, including customer information, order specifications, and delivery preferences
• Utilize technology to streamline the ordering process
• Consider setting up an online ordering system or utilizing a mobile app
• Efficiently manage and fulfill orders for timely deliveries and customer satisfaction.

Business Planning And Financial Considerations

Selling frozen cookie dough requires careful financial planning and consideration of various factors. Begin by creating a comprehensive business plan that includes income statements, cash flow statements, and balance sheets. This will give you a clear understanding of your projected revenue, expenses, and profitability.

When estimating your finances, it’s vital to be conservative and account for potential delays and obstacles, especially in the first year of your business . Plan for unexpected expenses and fluctuations in ingredient costs. By being prepared for unforeseen circumstances, you can ensure the sustainability of your business and minimize any financial risks.

List and account for startup costs meticulously in your financial plan. Consider all the necessary investments to start and sustain your business until it becomes profitable. This includes equipment, ingredients, packaging materials, and any additional resources required. By having a thorough understanding of your startup costs, you can develop a realistic budget and allocate funds accordingly.

Include marketing and advertising in your financial plan. Budget for promotional activities such as social media advertising, print ads, or collaborations with influencers to help generate awareness and attract customers. Continuously track and evaluate the effectiveness of your marketing efforts to optimize your spending.

To enhance your chances of success, thoroughly test and perfect your cookie dough recipes . Experiment with different ingredient combinations, ratios, and baking techniques until you achieve a product that is consistently delicious and distinct. Seek feedback from friends, family, and potential customers to ensure your cookies meet their expectations and preferences.

To ensure legal compliance, it’s important to complete all necessary legal and financial documents, licenses, and permits . Research the specific requirements and regulations in your area, ensuring you meet all the necessary standards for food handling and production. This will help you build trust with your customers and avoid potential legal issues down the line.

Consider the location of your business carefully. Find a prime location with good foot traffic and parking spaces to attract customers. Research the demographics of the area to ensure it aligns with your target market. A conveniently located storefront or a presence at local fairs and events can significantly boost your visibility and sales.

Build a strong brand image essential for the success of your frozen cookie dough business. Interact with your customers regularly, respond to their feedback, and create a sense of community around your brand. Utilize various marketing channels such as a well-designed website and a strong social media presence to reinforce your branding and engage with your target audience.

Lastly, consider joining an edible cookie dough franchise to leverage brand power, receive support in building your business structure, and benefit from their experience in the industry. Franchising offers a proven business model, established brand recognition, and an existing customer base, which can significantly increase your chances of success.

By following these tips for selling frozen cookie dough, you can approach your venture like a pro and achieve a successful and thriving business. Take the time to meticulously plan, perfect your recipes, create captivating visuals, reach your target market, and above all, provide delicious and high-quality frozen cookie dough to delight your customers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to start a business selling cookie dough.

Starting a business selling cookie dough requires careful planning and preparation. Firstly, it is crucial to determine if this venture is the right fit for you by assessing your passion for baking and willingness to dedicate the necessary time and effort. Once determined, creating a comprehensive business plan will help outline your goals, strategies, and financial projections.

Researching your target market is essential to understand the demand for cookie dough and identify your potential customers. This will enable you to tailor your products and marketing efforts accordingly. Additionally, considering forming a legal entity is crucial for protecting your personal assets and managing your business’s finances.

Mastering your recipes is another essential aspect of a successful cookie dough business. Experiment and refine your recipes until you have a unique and delicious product to offer. Pay attention to every detail and ensure that your cookie dough meets high-quality standards.

Next, dotting all your I’s and crossing all your T’s is crucial to comply with legal and health regulations. Obtain the necessary licenses and permits required for food businesses in your area to ensure you are operating legally and safely.

Finding a prime location is key to attracting customers. Consider options such as setting up a physical store or exploring online platforms for selling your product. Whichever route you choose, ensure that the location is easily accessible and visible to your target market.

Lastly, build a strong brand to differentiate yourself from competitors. Develop a unique and catchy name, design an appealing logo, and create a consistent visual identity. Invest in marketing strategies that align with your target market, such as social media campaigns, partnerships with other local businesses, and participation in community events.

By following these steps, you can lay the foundation for a successful cookie dough business and attract a loyal customer base.

How can I ship frozen cookie dough?

To ship frozen cookie dough, it is essential to ensure that it remains cold throughout its journey. One effective method is to employ an insulated box or cooler that offers ample space for ice packs. By packing the dough in the insulated container along with the ice packs, it can maintain a frozen state during transit. This safeguard allows the recipient to receive the cookie dough in perfect condition, ready to be baked into delicious treats.

Is cookie dough a good business?

Cookie dough is not only a delicious treat but also a great business opportunity. The sheer delight it brings to people is undeniable, and as the popularity of edible cookie dough continues to rise, so does the demand for such products. With a steady flow of customers who are happy and eager to indulge in your tasty creations, running a cookie dough business can be incredibly rewarding both in terms of profit and the satisfaction of bringing joy to people’s lives.

Is a cookie business profitable?

Running a cookie business can indeed be profitable. With profit margins ranging from 25-30%, there is room to make a healthy income. However, it is essential to determine the appropriate pricing strategy by considering market demand and what customers are willing to pay for similar cookies. Analyzing cookie pricing in grocery stores and farmers’ markets can provide valuable insights for setting competitive prices. By carefully pricing your baked goods and ensuring they meet customer expectations, a cookie business has the potential to generate sustainable profits.

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36 Trending Cookie Dough Cafe Businesses [2024]

Edible cookie dough shops sell dough free of eggs and pathogens. The low-fat cookie dough has health benefits, a factor that has increased cookie dough growth rate. Starting a cooking dough business in [[current_year]] could be a great business venture.

If you plan to start a cookie dough business, define your target market and choose a strategic location where your customers can easily reach your café.

Looking for some examples of a cookie dough cafe business?

Interested in case studies of a successful cookie dough cafe business? Check out our full list of success stories .

1. Doughp Cookie Dough

Nationwide shipping of edible, bakeable, and ridiculously tasty cookie dough. Want to visit? Come dig in at our cookie dough bar on the Las Vegas Strip.

Where they're located: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA Website traffic: 70K/month

2. Edoughble

Edoughble crafts premium eggless cookie dough that is 100% safe to eat. Edoughble offers a fun variety of cookie dough flavors that are edible & handmade.

Where they're located: Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Learn more about starting a cookie dough cafe business :

Where to start?

-> How much does it cost to start a cookie dough cafe business? -> Pros and cons of a cookie dough cafe business

Need inspiration?

-> Other cookie dough cafe business success stories

Other resources

4. Dough Dough

Dough Dough is a dessert food truck serving the Minneapolis and St. Paul area. Specializing is private events, including weddings, graduation parties, corporate events, late night wedding snacks, festivals

5. The Cookie Dough Cafe

Where they're located: Denver, Colorado, USA

6. cookiedoughbliss

Welcome to Cookie Dough Bliss & Creamery, where all your cookie dough dreams come true. We make premium, small batch, ready-to-eat cookie dough, all delicious and safe to eat without baking. 

Where they're located: Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA

7. outthedough

Here at Out The Dough, we believe in combining the two concepts of nostalgia and innovation by both retaining the classic texture and experience of cookie dough while preparing it with ingredients that allow for safe consumption without the need for an oven.

Where they're located: Mesa, Arizona, USA

8. Scoopwells

The edible cookie dough bar that's open late. Scoopwell's cookie dough is safe (and delicious) to eat unbaked. It can also be baked into warm cookies to satisfy every craving!

9. The Dough Dough

10. Wonderland Cookie Dough Co.

Edible Cookie Dough, Cookie Dough, Wonderland, Cookies, Ice Cream

Where they're located: Tampa, Florida, USA

11. Batter Cookie Dough

12. Crave Dessert Bar

Where they're located: Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

13. DOUGH T.O

cookie dough, Toronto, dessert, cater, food, delivery, shipping, bakery, sweets, ice cream

Where they're located: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

14. Dough Life

Spreading the love for cookie dough in Singapore since 2018! Dessert delivery to your doorstep every day! Islandwide dessert delivery for a friend or for yourself.

16. The Dairy

Home of the famous online cookie dough!

Where they're located: Municipio Puerto Villarroel, Cochabamba, Bolivia

17. Yo Dough

Cookie dough done properly. The one stop dough shop delivering the goods to your door. Now shipping nationwide. Order online now.

Where they're located: Newark, New Jersey, USA

18. Cookie Dough Shop

Edible raw cookie dough that's safe to eat! Visit our London Cookie Dough Counter at Camden Market or order online for dough direct to your door!

19. Vermont Cookie Love

Our gourmet cookie gift baskets are made in Vermont and shipped nationwide! We also sell frozen cookie dough and have a legendary ice cream stand - visit us!

20. Baked Cookies & Dough

Baked mixes up the most delicious gourmet edible cookie dough confections using only premium, all natural ingredients like real butter, pure cane sugar, and a made from scratch love you won’t find anywhere else!

21. Redirect Page

Where they're located: Birmingham, Alabama, USA

22. Welcome to Cookie Cupboard Gourmet Dough and Ellen's Cupboard Handcrafted Cookies

Cookie Cupboard Gourmet Dough™ – Ready to Bake Cookies and Brownies. We Make It – You Bake It!™ and Ellen's Cupboard™ Handcrafted Cookies – Ready to eat!

23. Spoonful, Edible Cookie

What's the best part of baking cookies? Getting to eat the batter, of course. Gourmet edible cookie dough shipped nationwide or visit our shop.

24. cookiedope

West Chesters favorite Dessert Shop. Featuring 8 Flavors of Gourmet Edible Cookie Dough, 12 Flavors of Bassetts Ice Cream, 20 Flavors of Snow Cones, Milkshakes, Waffle Sandwiches & More!

25. Cookie Dough Dream

Cookie Dough Dream allows you to eat cookie dough exactly how you always wanted to: straight out of the bowl! ,Melbourne, Australia

26. Dessert Shop New Orleans, LA

Cookie Dough Bliss NOLA is the newest and best dessert shop near me! Click here to get a scoop of "doughlicious" flavors of edible cookie dough!

27. CookieDOHdundas

The best edible cookie dough and dessert experience you've ever had. Hand crafted since 2017. Visit our cookie DOH! shop in Dundas, Ontario. Order on line at cookiedohdundas.com. Find us at event stadiums, entertainment facilities, Cineplex theaters, cafes and retailers. We make dessert dreams come true.

28. Sweet Tooth Boston Cookies

Sweet Tooth Boston is the premiere custom cake bakery and wholesale cookie, pastry, and scratch baked-goods shop in Boston MA. Custom bakery & cookies are us!

29. America's Fundraising Express

30. We'reDough

Be Weird. Eat Dough. We'reDough is a dessert bakery, cookie dough cafe, and ice cream shop in the Flint area

31. Cookie Dough Monster Cafe

Cookie Dough Monster Cafe is a casual cafe with gourmet grilled cheeses & clever burgers, plus milkshakes & scoops of cookie dough. We specialize in scratch made food! Come enjoy with us!

32. Duidough

Duidough Cafe & Cookie Lab is a locally-owned eatery located in Hollywood, CA. We specialize in breakfast, lunch, and cookies!

33. Cookie Dough Café – Cookie Dough's Fluffy Kitty World

34. Edible Cookie Dough (UK)

Buy Edible Cookie Dough made with all natural ingredients. Designed to be eaten raw. Order online. Cookie Dough for cheeky people.

35. The Dough Shoppe

Where they're located: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

• How Much Does It Cost To Start A Cookie Dough Cafe Business? (In 2024) 1 of 3
• 24 Pros & Cons Of Starting A Cookie Dough Cafe Business (2024) 2 of 3
• 5 Cookie Dough Cafe Business Success Stories [2024] 3 of 3

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Everyday Reading

All About Ella’s Frozen Cookie Dough Business

I’ve mentioned on Instagram that this summer, Ella started a little business called Dough at Your Doorstep.

Last summer, she and the other girls did a little cookie stand on the street corner, which was a surprisingly big money maker, and this year she was looking for something she could do on her own.

She came up with the name Dough at Your Doorstep , worked with Bart to design a digital flyer and Google Form to collect orders and then sent an email out to every person she could think of.

Here’s what the email said:

One of my favorite things is to make a batch of cookies. Even better is to have frozen cookie dough ready for emergencies. 2020 has been a crazy year and I’d like to sweeten it a bit by making sure you, your family, and your friends are always prepared for cookie dough emergencies! Dough At Your Doorstep does just what it sounds like – it’s a delivery service for frozen cookie dough balls, ready to be placed in your oven whenever the need arises. The attached flyer has a menu of offerings, and when you’re ready to order, just click on this link: Cookie Dough Sign Up and before you know it, I’ll be at your doorstep with a humble offering of happiness. Looking forward to sweetening your days and nights!

Did I die a little over that email? Yes, I certainly did (Bart helped her write it).

Here’s what the attached flier looks like

She currently offers four kinds of cookies:

• Double Chocolate M&M 
• Chocolate Chip
• Oatmeal Chocolate Chip
• Snickerdoodles

She offers an on-demand dozen for $10 or weekly deliveries of either a half dozen balls of frozen cookie dough ($16 a month) or a dozen balls of frozen cookie dough ($32 per month).

And she has big plans to offer one seasonal flavor each month through the end of the year.

Her very favorites have been orders placed from out-of-towners to be delivered on birthdays to friends and family living in the Provo area.

She’s hopeful that as the universities here open up, she’ll get more orders to deliver to college students living away from home. It’s such a fun surprise to show up at your door.

Ella paid for all her ingredients up front and I set aside a cupboard in our kitchen for her to store all of them. About once a week she makes new batches of cookie dough, scoops them into balls and flash freezes them.

We have a chest freezer in our basement and she stores bags of all the different kinds of frozen cookie dough in there.

When an order comes through or when it’s delivery day for her subscription, she packs the frozen cookie dough balls into a ziplock bag, puts it in a brown lunch sack and ties it with a ribbon with the baking directions written at the bottom edge of the bag.

Is frozen cookie dough the most lucrative business of all time? No, but it’s been a very fun project for her this summer and I’ve loved watching her develop so many skills, from figuring out pricing to marketing to the responsibility of fulfilling weekly subscription orders.

(By the way, I’ve gotten a bunch of messages asking what she’s saving up for and the answer is nothing. She is by nature not a spender at all (she definitely inherited this from me) and she has saved basically every dime she’s ever made).

Any other question about Dough at Your Doorstep ? Happy to answer!

If you liked this post about Ella’s frozen cookie dough business, you might like these posts too:

• How I make money on my blog
• My favorite parenting books
• 15 fun ideas for homeschool (or supplemental learning)

Photos by Heather Mildenstein

Reader Interactions

September 9, 2020 at 2:58 am

How amazing to have such a creative entrepreneur in your home. I hope she doesn’t stop, because this could grow into a lifelong business and could finance her future. I know you are so very proud of your girl!

September 9, 2020 at 4:26 am

Aww….I love this! If we lived in your area, we’d be customers for sure! Best of luck to her. 🙂

September 9, 2020 at 4:54 am

She is adorable. This is such a great project for her to do, and it’s great that she’s enjoying it as well. I wish I lived close enough so I can order some, but I’m all the way here in Canada. (I also loved the fact she has a weekly and monthly subscription available for her cookies!)

September 9, 2020 at 7:09 am

This is so great! I can see my daughter doing this! Did you have to do anything like a business license or have your kitchen approved for food grade sales?

September 9, 2020 at 8:42 am

If this was a bigger business, you’d probably need to look into that. Considering her customers are people in our neighborhood or family, we haven’t.

September 9, 2020 at 8:49 am

Doesn’t she need a license to sell food?

September 9, 2020 at 8:52 am

Since this is so small scale selling to neighbors and friends, she doesn’t. It’s the same way with a corner lemonade stand run by a few kids – you wouldn’t expect them to have a food license.

September 9, 2020 at 5:05 pm

Does she only deliver to Provo, or would she do Orem too?

September 9, 2020 at 5:29 pm

She does Orem too!

September 9, 2020 at 6:09 pm

How old is Ella? What a fun idea 🙂 good for her for taking the initiative and working so hard!

September 9, 2020 at 6:12 pm

She’s ten!

September 9, 2020 at 7:34 pm

This is seriously the most adorable thing I have ever seen. That letter! I’d die too.

September 10, 2020 at 6:48 pm

Ella is amazing! What exactly does flash freezing entail? Just curious. 🙂

September 11, 2020 at 6:20 am

You freeze them on a cookie sheet just until they’re frozen and then you put them in a bag for storage.

May 26, 2023 at 6:23 am

I’m just reading about this awesome endeavor! Wondered if Ella was still doing this and any tips you have since the start of the business! Can’t wait to share this with my 11 1/2 year old! She made over $400 selling lemonade last year. She’s a little entrepreneur, for sure!

[…] saw one of my favorite bloggers, Janssen of Everyday Reading, share that her oldest daughter started a frozen cookie dough delivery business and absolutely loved the idea. With time on their hands, my boys jumped at the chance to start a […]

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Trending : Sustainable Holidays Resource Guide

How To Start A Frozen Cookie Dough Business With Kids

Want to help your kids learn about starting a business, managing money, comparing costs, showing gratitude to customers, and more? Check out all the details on this frozen cookie dough ball business for kids. 

If you live in our area (southwestern suburbs of Philadelphia) and want some frozen cookie dough balls in your freezer ASAP, here’s the flyer below with more information and a link to the Google Form to sign up ! If you’re not sure if they deliver to you, email the boys at [email protected] and they’ll let you know.

As we settled into school, we realized the boys had a decent amount of free time. Thankfully, the boys’ teachers don’t need a full six hours of screen time to get through all the lessons.

I saw one of my favorite bloggers, Janssen of Everyday Reading, share that her oldest daughter started a frozen cookie dough delivery business and absolutely loved the idea. With time on their hands, my boys jumped at the chance to start a little business of their own.

Janssen’s idea was so good and my boys love to bake, so we did almost exactly what her daughter did. Mimicry is the best form of flattery (thank you Janssen!), and the boys are so stoked! She lives far from us, so I figured my little guys wouldn’t compete with her daughter. If she ever grows her business to Philly, we can honor her space. 💛

This past week, the boys made their first two deliveries. It’s been so fun to see them learn and watch them experience the excitement of each sale. If you’re interested, here are all the details about how they got started and how we’re making it work.

Decide on Cookie Recipes

First, the boys picked which cookie dough flavors they wanted to sell. They chose to start simple with just two flavors, chocolate chip and M&M. If they continue the business, they can expand their menu to offer more offerings, but for starters, two felt right. 

Find and Test Perfect Cookie Dough Recipes

We make cookies at home often, so we had several chocolate chip cookie dough recipes from past baking endeavors. We picked a couple of recipes that have worked well for us, and the boys made two batches for test recipes. They made one batch of chocolate chip cookies and one batch of M&M cookies.

They rolled cookie dough balls and placed them on a cookie sheet to freeze individually. After a few hours, they transferred the frozen cookie dough balls to airtight bags for storage so they would be available for their first order. 

Calculate Cost Per Batch

Set on a recipe, they needed to determine how much ingredients cost for each batch. From there, they determined how much to charge in order to ensure they made a reasonable but not outrageous profit. 

My older son made a spreadsheet, with some help from me, to list out the amount of each ingredient needed. Then he used the Wegman’s website to determine the price for each ingredient. 

This process involved quite a bit of math and the use of formulas in Excel. Most ingredients aren’t sold in the exact quantities needed for a full batch of cookies. Thus, he needed to convert each ingredient into the cost per unit and multiply the cost per unit by the total units in a batch of cookie dough. 

My older son really likes math and enjoys learning how to do new things in Excel. He’s the son of two accountants, what can I say. Even if your child doesn’t love math, this is a fun way to show how math matters in real life and give them a chance to practice math in a way that will matter to them. 

The biggest surprise from the exercise was the fact that butter represents nearly half the cost of a batch of cookies. Butter is expensive!

Compare Ingredients

As he researched his ingredients, he realized many ingredients had multiple versions available. In some cases, different alternatives of the same ingredient sold for significantly different prices. We talked about making decisions to buy brand name versus generic ingredients. We also discussed the pros and cons of buying organic and conventional ingredients. 

Each child might arrive at a different answer, but it was eye-opening to him to realize how many options there were and how different pricing can be. 

Determine Prices

Once he had his spreadsheet with his cost information, he selected a price that gave him a good profit margin while also weighing the desire to keep a price low for potential customers. Janssen’s daughter must have done a similar analysis because their prices were perfect, so we used the same ones.

Shop For Ingredients

The boys were so excited to visit the grocery store and buy supplies to fill their first orders. We walked through the store and revisited much of the analysis of different prices for organic versus conventional and brand name versus generic alternatives. I also showed them how the price markers on the shelves include a price per unit for each product, which made it easier to compare two similar products. 

At the risk of overstating the value of the cost comparison exercises on the spreadsheet and in the store, the experience was so helpful for our boys. They had little exposure to how much things actually cost and hadn’t really thought about different versions of the same product having such dramatically different prices. Even if you don’t want to start a real business, I highly recommend doing this exercise as a game with your kids.

Prepare and Bake Test Dough Balls

When we bake for ourselves, I let the boys lead even if they might not measure ingredients exactly right or leave a big mess behind. For these frozen cookie dough balls, however, I stressed the importance of accuracy and execution because the product was being delivered to someone else. Because their customers were paying for the product, they needed to ensure that the recipes were made properly and the cookies would bake well.

They made a practice batch of each flavor and baked a test run for each one. The chocolate chip cookies turned out beautifully. The first batch of M&M cookies left a little something to be desired. The boys adjusted the recipe a bit, tried it again, and found a recipe that worked.

Determine Packaging

We decided to use packaging we already had on hand before buying anything new. If you’ve been around the blog for a hot second, you know our low waste priorities always encourage using things we already have before investing in new things.

I had a package of small brown dessert boxes that I purchased a while back for a reason I do not recall. I showed the boys how to create the little brown boxes and package six frozen cookie dough balls inside a plastic bag in each of the little brown boxes.

They created baking instructions in Canva and printed out a small instruction sheet to go along with each box of frozen cookie dough balls.

They haven’t finalized how they will package the frozen cookie dough balls after using up the packaging we already have, but I’m sure we’ll find something perfectly suitable and simple for their little frozen cookie dough ball business. 

Create Email Address To Accept Orders

I wanted the boys to have their own email account to create the Google form and also to accept orders. Not only did I not want order information to get lost in my email, but I also wanted them to be able to take ownership of checking the email account, following up with customers, and sending thank you emails after delivery. 

We created a free Gmail account which also allowed the boys to have a space to create the Google order form separate from my Google Drive. I have access to the Gmail account from my phone, so the boys can easily check for new orders. 

Create Google Order Form

To create the Google order form , we simply copied the one Janssen’s daughter created. She did such a fantastic job with it that we couldn’t help ourselves. Thank you Ella for all your hard work; we owe you one. 

After setting up the Google Form, the boys created all of the questions and I double-checked their work to make sure everything made sense.

While it might seem easy for an adult to create a quick Google form, the boys struggled quite a bit to get this complete. It proved to be a lot of typing for their little hands. They stopped and started many times over the course of two days until the form was finally complete. 

On many occasions, I thought about completing the form for them. But I really thought it was important to ensure they did the work themselves. After all, this experience is really about understanding the level of work that goes into starting a business and also learning the skills necessary to get something simple up and running. 

Create Informational Flyer

Using Canva , the best graphic design software ever, I helped the boys create a little logo and promotional flyer to attach to the email. Not only does it include all the information a customer might need to order frozen cookie dough balls, but hopefully friends and family could also print it out or forward along the email to share with friends.

Draft Email To Tell Friends

Next up, the boys needed to spread the word about their new venture. I helped them draft an email to send to family and friends in the local area. If you’re curious, here’s what they wrote:

Hello! We love eating cookies, especially when they are fresh out of the oven. But who loves cleaning up a cookie dough mess? We’ve been hard at work doing virtual school from home, and we’ve had a little extra time on our hands to make cookies for our bellies and a few extras for you, your family, and your friends too. We decided to start TJ Cooks to offer cookie dough ball delivery to your home. Now you can have fresh, homemade cookies without all the work of making it on your own. We deliver frozen cookie dough balls when you would like them and on a monthly subscription basis. We’ve attached a flyer with more information about what we offer. We would love to bring delicious, warm cookies to your kitchen! When you’re ready to order, fill out this Cookie Dough Sign Up form and we’ll get you just what you want. With Lots of Sugar and Chocolate, [My Boys Names], Founders of TJ Cooks

For another version, head over to Janssen’s blog where she shared what her daughter included in her email as well. She took a different spin on her message, so you can use both for idea starters.

Create Baking Instructions Sheet

As I mentioned above, the boys used Canva to create a simple branded baking instructions sheet. I explained to them that they need to tell their customers how to bake the cookies so the customers can have a great experience with their product. They print and cut out a square piece of paper about 4 in by 4 in and tape it to the box of frozen cookie dough balls with each delivery.

Send Email And Wait For Orders

With all of the pieces put together, it was time to send out the email to friends and family to let them know the boys were in business. About once a day, the boys check the email account to see if any new orders have arrived. 

It is so adorable to see how excited they are with each new order. Smiles shine across their faces whenever they get to prepare and deliver another batch of frozen cookie dough balls to a friend or neighbor.

Fill Orders

When orders come in, I encourage the boys to fill the orders themselves. For the first couple of orders, I showed them what to do. Now they are seasoned veterans and can pretty much prepare an order entirely on their own. 

We do our best to deliver the orders as soon as possible, but of course, we work it around school, sports, and other family activities. As you would expect, friends and neighbors ordering frozen cookie dough balls from two young boys are generally pretty flexible about when they receive them. 

Send Emails to Acknowledge Orders, Coordinate Delivery, and Thank For Orders

I’ve also encouraged the boys to send confirmation emails when they receive an order to let the customer know that the order was processed and is being prepared for delivery. I helped them write the first email, and now they can pretty much write the email themselves. Truly, typing might be the hardest part at this point.

After delivery, they also write a thank you email telling the customer they appreciated their order, asking for any feedback, and suggesting the customer pass along the flyer to any friends or family in the local area who might also love frozen cookie dough balls in their freezer.

Cash Management

Last but not least, I manage the cash for the most part. They have bank accounts where they keep birthday money and such. I use my credit card to purchase ingredients and withdraw money from their bank accounts to reimburse me. 

They accept payments for cookie dough via Venmo, cash, or check. Electronic payments come to me, so I simply transfer money to them after each sale. We haven’t started a cash supply yet, but I plan to give them an envelope with a bit of cash to keep cash payments and give change for those who pay in cash. 

I expected my boys would thrive running a little business like this, and they have loved every minute of it just as much as I anticipated. It’s also offered so many opportunities for learning that I did not even foresee.

It took a couple of hours of my time to help them get everything set up. We generally work in deliveries in the afternoon or evening on our way to sports practices. They make the cookie dough balls after school, on the weekends, or during breaks between Zoom lessons. 

If you have any more questions, by all means, let me know. I’d be happy to answer them. You can also check Janssen’s post for her take on the idea. 

Lastly, if you live near us (in the southwestern suburbs of Philadelphia) and want some frozen cookie dough balls, get in touch and I’ll send you all the details! The boys would LOVE to have you as their newest customer. 

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Dirty Dough Makes its Mark in the Cookie Wars

The dessert chain is battling for market share in the red-hot cookie category with some help from a burgeoning platform company. 

Six years after launching inside an Arizona State apartment, Dirty Dough is surpassing 80 brick-and-mortar locations with dozens of units in development and 460 franchise territories sold. 

It also has the support of a fast-growing platform company that’s opening new horizons. The cookie chain joined Craveworthy Brands earlier this year, tapping into its supply chain, franchise development, and marketing muscle to gain a strategic edge in the so-called “cookie wars.”

Founder Bennett Maxwell credits Dirty Dough’s rapid ascension to three key factors. First and foremost is the flagship product. The brand’s indulgent treats are baked with layers, mix-ins, and fillings in the dough. Think sugar cookies filled with raspberry jam and coated with icing and sprinkles, or fudge brownie cookies loaded with Reese’s peanut butter chips and stuffed with peanut butter protein nougat. 

• Founder: Bennett Maxwell
• Headquarters: Lindon, Utah
• Year Started: 2018
• Annual Sales: $13 million
• Total Units: 80-plus locations open with 16 food trucks in operation

The second factor is a simple operating model. The company opted to centralize production at a manufacturing facility early on instead of having stores prepare their own dough. That goes a long way toward maintaining consistency and a low cost of goods for franchisees. It also helps lower the barrier of entry as far as upfront costs go since stores can run as small as 600 square feet with a single employee and minimal equipment.

READ MORE : Craveworthy Brands to Acquire Growing Cookie Chain Dirty Dough

“We found specialized machines that do stuffed cookies as well as two- and three-layer cookies, so you can have peanut butter dough on the outside, chocolate dough in the middle, and hot fudge filling inside,” Maxwell says. “You can mix thousands of cookies at a time and then ship those out to franchisees to be baked onsite. You don’t have any downside in the freshness, but you have a large upside in quality control.” 

The third factor is a highly publicized legal dispute with one of its primary competitors. That may seem counterintuitive, but Maxwell says Dirty Dough gained national attention after Crumbl—the largest player in the cookie space—filed a lawsuit accusing it of copyright infringement two years ago. It ended up selling hundreds of franchises because of the exposure. 

“People would go to our website to find out who this company is that Crumbl was suing,” he says. “They’d find a more unique cookie and a simplistic business model, and then they’d inquire about franchising.”

The cookie chains reached a settlement last fall, paving the way for Craveworthy to acquire an undisclosed but significant interest in Dirty Dough. It was one of the platform’s largest deals to date and marked its first foray into the snacking category.

Dirty Dough is the 11th brand to join Craveworthy. Led by founder and CEO Gregg Majewski, the platform of emerging and legacy fast-casuals formed in late 2022 when it acquired two existing chains, Wing It On! and The Budlong, and created two new brands, Krafted Burger + Tap, and Lucky Cat Poke Co. It later added Genghis Grill, Flat Top Grill, BD’s Mongolian Grill, Pastizza, Scramblin’ Ed’s, and Soom Soom Mediterranean. 

Majewski took over as the chief executive of Dirty Dough when the companies joined forces in January. Before that, he served as an adviser to the dessert concept. 

“The fact that we can stuff our cookies and own the production facility made this an interesting investment for us,” Majewski says. “There’s no one out there on a national stage that does what we’re doing with the stuffed cookie. Take that and add our operations to an already booming brand, and what we’re capable of doing is endless.”

The industry veteran says Craveworthy already is boosting margins for franchisees, with cookie costs falling by about 30 percent in the first few weeks thanks to the company’s purchasing power. 

His aspirations go a lot further than unit economics, though. For starters, he wants to evolve the brand from “just cookies” to “cookie-inspired.” That means adding more revenue streams, like coffee and other new products, into the pipeline. 

“Everything runs in fads, so we want to make sure we’re ahead of that at all times,” Majewski says. “We have a whole lot of coffees and some other surprises that we’ll be rolling out in the next year to help maintain the excitement around the brand, and more importantly, to differentiate ourselves.” 

Co-branding is on the horizon, too. Dirty Dough’s centralized distribution, low labor requirements, and ability to fit in small spaces make it ideal for pairing up with other concepts. That should help franchisees take bigger spaces for multiple concepts with minimal costs. 

“Instead of looking for a tougher-to-find 1,500-1,800-square-foot location, I can pick a 2,500-square-foot location and give 500 to Dirty Dough and 2,000 to the other brand,” Majewski says. “We definitely think of this as an add-on to our current locations and potentially new locations across the country.” 

The manufacturing facility offers another compelling opportunity. He believes it is underutilized but capable of doing upward of $200 million in sales by producing CPG products. Breaking into that arena has been on Craveworthy’s radar for a while. Genghis Grill, for example, is working on a line of frozen retail products with a co-packer. 

The company wants to leverage Dirty Dough’s excess production capacity to do something similar and develop products that will go into grocery stores. It also could use the facility to produce cookie dough for other companies.

Looking ahead to the rest of the year, Maxwell and Majewski expect to sell around 125 additional stores. They also anticipate opening 50 new locations before the calendar flips over into 2025, which will push it well past the 100-unit threshold. Longer-term, the pair envision the footprint growing to at least 1,000 stores nationwide. 

“We feel the brand is capable of reaching that number of open stores,” Majewski says. “We also feel Dirty Dough can be a brand that you’re making at home with your friends and families–sort of the new Nestlé of cookies. Whenever someone talks about cookies, they’re going to think about Dirty Dough, and we need to have the products available in all avenues to make sure that happens.”

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Sweet! They bake cookies and stuff them. Gourmet dessert shop readies for Durbin Park debut

Let's get down and dirty. Freshly baked cookies are craveable. And freshly baked gourmet cookies stuffed with sweet, indulgent fillings are craveable to the max.

Soon-to-open in Durbin Park, a new dessert shop specializes in freshly baked gourmet cookies "engineered from the inside out."

Husband and wife entrepreneurs Caleb and Jalen Hutchinson of St. Augustine are bringing the inaugural Dirty Dough shop to 90 Durbin Pavilion Drive Suite C-103 at The Pavilion at Durbin Park shopping center in Saint Johns.

The couple are targeting a June 15 opening. But because "there are a lot of moving pieces,' it might be pushed back to the second half of June, Caleb Hutchinson said.

"It's going to be grab-and-go style," he said of the 1,470-square foot dessert shop that also will offer custom, specialty sodas, ice cream and ultimately some edible cookie dough.

Dirty Dough — founded in Tempe, Ariz., in 2018 — is expanding its nationwide footprint. The Hutchinsons are at the forefront of the expansion in Northeast Florida.

The cookie shop will join Cinemark movie theater as well as multiple restaurants including Keke's Breakfast Cafe , Peterbrooke Chocolatier , Trattoria di Bernardone and Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux at the shopping center.

Hutchinson said their idea is to complement the existing food options such as the full-service and fast-casual restaurants nearby.

"We want people to have some quick dessert options that they will be able to take on their way back home or to eat in the Durbin Pavilion area," Hutchinson said.

What's with the name?

Dirty Dough stands out from its cookie competition because as the company says on its website: "it's what's inside that counts."

As for the name, the "Dirty" refers to all the fillings, mix-ins and layers that go into the cookie process, Hutchinson said.

'Pinnacle of sweet treats'

Dirty Dough cookies stand out, Hutchinson said, because they are triple layers, which is unique.

"They are probably the pinnacle of sweet treats," Hutchinson said of the cookies described by the company on its website as "super-stuffed cookie bombs."

"We will have five mainstays, cookies that will always be on the menu … Then every week we'll have two new cookies on our menu," he said, noting currently there are about 30 different cookies in the rotation. "Honestly, the menu is really changing and growing for those rotational cookies."

Mainstays that have proven most popular at other Dirty Dough locations include the stuffed chocolate chip cookie, which has milk chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate chips and is stuffed with edible cookie dough, he said.

Hutchinson said the Cookies N' Creme also is a customer favorite. It is a vanilla cookie loaded with Oreo cookie chunks and white chocolate chips then stuffed with creme filling and topped with white icing and Oreo crumbs.

In addition, the Brookie — a combination brownie and chocolate chip cookie that's filled and drizzled with caramel sauce — as well as the Chocolate Peanut Butter cookie, which is a chocolate cookie with fudge filling that is garnished with a chocolate drizzle and crushed Reese's peanut butter candy, also are popular.

Recent rotational offerings include the Smirk, which was a chocolate cookie "crowned with fudge frosting and caramel peanut candy bar pieces," the menu on the Dirty Dough website shows.

Another is the Carmadoodle, which is a brown sugar cookie "topped with sweet cream cheese frosting and gooey caramel. " And there is the Apple Crisp, which was an oatmeal cookie topped with cream cheese frosting and spiced apples.

Gluten-free options will be available.

Cookie prices range from $4.55 for one to $16.47 for a box of four, $23.18 for a half dozen a a dozen for $44.10, Hutchinson said.

"Our ice cream option can be ala mode or we can take any cookie on the menu that day and we'll put it in a shake and we'll grind it up with some ice cream. It's so good," he said.

Hutchinson said for the specialty sodas, they expect to have about 30 different flavors or combinations.

"We're going to be incorporating some toffee and try out some chocolates. We want to have a cold brew option. So there's going to be a plethora pf opportunities … It's going to be a lot of fun," he said.

Sweet inspiration

Hutchinson, 29, also owns his own marketing company — The Hutch Group . Jalen Hutchinson, 25, previously worked as general manager of a restaurant. They had been looking for investment opportunities as franchise owners.

Dirty Dough is their first restaurant. It evolved from their love of the high-quality cookies and the company's philosophy which summarized by the tagline: “Proudly unique, inside and out.”

"Part of the ethos of the business is what's on the inside that counts," Caleb Hutchinson said. "Everything we do is going to be focused on the center, the inside of the cookie. Like if you're eating a peanut butter cookie, having a glob of chocolate come out is a nice surprise."

The couple previously lived in Arizona, where Dirty Dough was founded. Out west, they were accustomed to have a lot of dessert options. A family favorite activity was getting multiple flavors, cutting the cookies into quarters then sharing the pieces so everyone could try them, he said.

"Something we feel like we missed here from when we lived out West is there were a lot of different dessert options," Hutchinson said. "I feel like here the majority of my dessert options are going to be ice cream focused, which don't get me wrong, I love ice cream nut something we absolutely loved was our cookies and soda mixes, which a lot of companies call them 'dirty sodas.'"

A "dirty soda," he explained is a base soda with multiple flavors, like maybe a strawberry, a vanilla or a creme. The couple wanted to bring that soda concept here.

So, it was a culmination of all those factors that helped them select Dirty Dough. The Durbin Park shop will be the first but not their last. The couple plan to open multiple stores in the area.

"We want to bring something that we love to the friends and families that we've built out here," Hutchinson said.

Company humble beginnings

Dirty Dough was acquired in January by Craveworthy Brands of South Elgin, Ill. A fast-casual restaurant platform company, Craveworthy lists 12 brands nationwide Genghis Grill , Flat Top Grill , Wing It On , Krafted Burger Bar + Tap and Sigri Indian BBQ.

The cookie company has 58 brick-and-mortar locations and 10 mobile units, along with at least 40 franchise locations in development, Franchise Times reported in January.

Hutchinson expects the Durbin Park shop hours to be 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. daily.

Teresa Stepzinski is the dining reporter for the Times-Union. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @TeresaStepz or reach her via email at [email protected].

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Dirty Dough

Review Highlights

“ I liked how they have more standards than crumbl because sometimes it is nice being able to get one you really like more frequently. ” in 7 reviews

“ Cookies N Creme and the Raspberry Toaster Tart are excellent. ” in 2 reviews

“ But I can confidently say that I love stuffed chocolate chip and a rookie from Dirty Dough. ” in 3 reviews

Location & Hours

Suggest an edit

13180 Market Square Dr

Fishers, IN 46038

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Overall rating

First time here and they are pretty good. Not too sweet like most cookie places and not too stuffed full is icing or cream or whatever. The vibe when you walk in is comfy and the people there were super nice. We got the churro, cookies n cream, Brooke annnnnd birthday cake. The churro was suggested and for me it was the WINNER! I don't know if we will be back ONLY because it's a little out of the way for us but they are definitely a fav as far as cookies go! 5 stars from me keep doing what you're doing Dirty Dough!

Birthday cake, Brookie, churro and cookies n cream

Omgggg 10/10 This is the perfect late night snack! I've been a little worn out on crumbl so I'm glad to have a new cookie option on the north side. The cookies are very fresh and I love the variety of options! That service was also great and friendly. Highly recommend this place!

Cute atmosphere and very kind staff. I was greeted when I came in and was given time to look at the menu since I was new. The cookies are soft and warm, and the flavors are so fun. I like that they have a rotating menu, as well as a standard menu. They are pricey, but they are fun cookies so you pay for the experience. You would have to pay a pretty penny, or come regularly to try everything. As a first timer, it would cost a lot to try every single cookie. I got 2 cookies from the standard menu, Cookies & Cream and Brookie. Both had stuffing that wasn't in your face and over powering. I also got two items from the weekly rotating menu, Carmadoodle and Cookie Butter. Again, the stuffing ratio was perfect, especially in the carmadoodle. I noticed there was less filling in that one, I am assuming because caramel is so thick and sticky. Definitely a great dessert option if you're looking for something fun!

Their cookie options are creative with a couple rotating flavors every week. The cookies are baked fresh and dressed before boxing. The cookies were very sweet. It's good for sharing so everyone can have a bit of each to try the flavors. There is plenty of parking and it's within walking distance of the other restaurants in the center. The employees were friendly and have a sense of urgency when helping customers.

Brookie, chocolate chip, raspberry, cookies and creme

Stopped in on a Saturday night to finally try this place out. The staff was very friendly, helpful and efficient. They had a steady line of customers. The disappointment was the cookie I had. It was nothing special. Maybe the other flavors are better but there was no real wow factor considering it's a $4 cookie.

catfish of cookies. These were supposed to be filled with gooey deliciousness and they were flat and DRY. The photos of the cookies and examples by the register are completely different. Cookies n Creme 7/10 - (Vanilla cookie loaded with Oreo cookie chunks and white chocolate chips. Stuffed with a creme filling and topped with white icing and Oreo crumbs.) Raspberry Fudge Brownie 7.6/10 - (Rich fudge brownie cookie mixed with white chocolate chips. Stuffed with raspberry filling and hot fudge. Topped with white icing drizzle.) Stuffed Chocolate Chip 6/10 - (Our specialty chocolate chip cookie is loaded with milk chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate chips.) Raspberry Toaster Tart 8.4/10 - (Our classic sugar cookie filled with raspberry jam and topped with icing and sprinkles.) - taste good but CATFISH Lime & Coconut 5/10 - (Tangy lime sugar cookie mixed with coconut and white chocolate chips. Stuffed with our signature sweet cream filling then rolled in sugar crystals and drizzled with lime glaze.)

See all photos from Sophie O. for Dirty Dough

I think these cookies are a good match to Crumbl! I like that they have more cos intent flavors, but still rotate in a few new ones. I had the Muscle cookie. They take the cookie out of the warmer and top it fresh so that the toppings aren't melted off or messy by the time you get it. The cookie I had was great. Very rich, but had a great flavor. I would go back to try a few new ones. The staff were friendly, but make sure you plan to take your cookie to go... the suite is very small, so there is no place to sit.

The Muscle cookie

Dirty Dough is a bit different than Crumbl-- these cookies are STUFFED in the middle. My absolute favorite is the inside our Reese's. They have a rotating menu similar to crumbl, but they seem to keep 3 or 4 on the menu at all times. Def recommend checking it out!

The staff was very friendly when we came in but I hate to say that is the best thing about my experience. The store was clean but had an odd smell of like sulphur in the air which wasn't the best. We took our cookies to go since there is no place to enjoy on site. We got a couple of different varieties and were disappointed by them all. The chocolate chip was not warm or gooey and appeared to be unfilled. The lemon was the same. We got two of the reverse cookies and while they looked amazing, the taste was not. They tasted like pure sugar and not very chocolate-y or peanut butter-y. Just disappointing when you pay almost $5 per cookie.

Reverse cookies

Happened to be on 37 today and have been wanting to try these huge cookies, so we stopped in. Now that 37 is finished with construction it seems hard to get to most of the bussiness in the area, luckily Dirty Dough is easy access from the double roundabout at 131 st. Cute, small and clean shop. They have 7 cookies all the time: stuffed chocolate chip, brookie, the reverse, cookies n creme, raspberry toaster tart, the muscle made with protein powder and gluten free oatmeal raisin. We ordered cookies n creme, dirty churro, brookie, party animal. Favorites were cookies n creme, party animal and dirty churro. All were huge cookies that looked amazing and tasted great but defiantly need to share they are super sweet but that is the point! I prefer Dirty Dough over crumble. These cookies tasted great right after purchase and even later for a sweet bit before bed, lol! They have reheating instruction in oven or microwave for 15 secs but honestly ours didn't last long enough to need that. Would say give it a try and find your favorite cookie indulgence! I will need to try more flavor combos lol!!!!!!

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Business | Magid: How to manage an EV battery

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Business | ‘biggest heat event of year’ about to settle into bay area, business | larry magid: how to manage an ev battery.

Battery chemistry matters

In almost all cases, the batteries are Lithium-Ion (Li-ion), but there are different chemical configurations that impact how they operate and how you manage them.

Most of the EVs currently on the road are equipped with nickel, manganese, and cobalt (NMC) batteries, but an increasing number now come with a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery. Newer Standard Range Tesla Model 3s, for example, use LFP, while the long-range use NMC, because NMC has greater density, which provides about 30% more energy from the same size battery. But LFP batteries have some advantages, including lower cost and longer life, because they can be charged more often with slower degradation than NMC. They are also less likely to cause a fire, though EV vehicle fires are extremely rare, especially compared with gasoline cars. LFP batteries are also said to be more environmentally responsible, because the materials they use are more abundant, safer to mine and safer to dispose of or recycle. And, unlike NMC batteries, they can be safely charged to 100% on a daily basis.

Tesla and some other EV carmakers recommend you charge cars with an NMC battery to 80% for daily driving, although Tesla recommends charging cars with LFP batteries to 100% at least once a week. It’s OK to charge any battery to 100% if you’re about to leave on a road trip, but don’t make it a regular habit and don’t leave it at 100% for a prolonged period because that can have a detrimental impact on battery health.

EPA estimates are not real-world

“When driven at a constant highway speed of 70 mph, some vehicles we tested fell up to 50 miles short of their advertised ranges, while others exceeded their advertised ranges—one by more than 70 miles,” Consumer Reports said.

If you’re in the market for a new car, LFP is probably a better (and less expensive) option if you plan to use your car mostly for local driving. For example, you can easily make a round trip to anywhere in the Bay Area on just about any late-model EV.  But if you like to take road trips, especially to places where you might have trouble finding a charging station, a long-range vehicle gives you greater peace of mind.

I drove a Model 3 with an estimated 264-mile range (actual range after 5 years was closer to 200 miles) and never ran out of juice on several long road trips, but there were a couple of stressful situations where I worried. I eventually replaced it with one with a a long-range EPA rated at 341 miles, mostly to reduce my stress levels on long trips.

The 80-20 charging rule

With the exception of cars with LFP batteries that can safely be charged to 100%, the general “80-20 rule” is to charge to no more than 80% on a daily basis and keep the car charged to at least 20% on a regular basis. Again, that doesn’t mean all the time. It’s fine to charge to 100% right before a road trip, so long as you burn off some of those miles relatively soon. I haven’t been able to determine exactly how long it’s safe to leave a car at 100%, but my strategy is to charge my car to between 70% and 80% on a daily basis. I generally charge to about 90% to 95% just before I leave on a long trip. If I’m at a charger and know it will be a long time before the next one, I might charge to 100%. However, the fuller your battery, the longer it takes to charge. Getting a car from 80% to 100% might take as long as getting from 20% to 80%, so if I know there are chargers within range, I’ll generally stop at 80%, unless I’m enjoying lunch and want that extra time to fill my belly as well as my car’s battery.

It’s fine to arrive at your destination with less than 20%. When you plan a long trip on a Tesla, the GPS system recommends charging spots that typically estimate your battery on arrival as low as 10%, and they often recommend very short charging stops because you’ll spend less time charging if you keep the levels low even though it might mean more stops. But I’m more conservative, because I want to be safe in case there is a long detour or some other unforeseen event. For example, I was once driving from Los Angeles to the Bay Area and had to take a windy road over the mountains because Pacheco Pass, the usual route, was closed. Had I followed Tesla’s recommendation, I would have likely run out of power before reaching a Supercharger.

Storing the EV in hot weather

If you’re parking your car for an extended period of time in what could be very hot weather, such as when you’re going to be away on a trip during the summer, it’s a good idea to reduce the charge level to about 50% or lower to avoid degradation from the heat.

Don’t trust the range estimator

EVs have range estimators similar to gas gauges on cars. In most cases, they will estimate both the percentage of remaining battery and the estimated number of miles left before you run out. These are good general guidelines, but you should not rely on them, especially the estimated remaining miles, which doesn’t necessarily account for terrain, your speed, temperature and other important factors. Teslas have a battery app that gives you a more accurate estimate, but even it’s not perfect. I just give myself some margin.

Relax, it’s going to be OK

Range anxiety is a common occurrence for EV drivers, but, especially if you have access to Tesla’s Supercharging network, it’s mostly misplaced. With some planning, you should be able to get almost anywhere on major highways, although you may need to do some extra planning if you go off the beaten path. If you do go to remote areas, consider finding hotels with overnight charging, which is often included in the room price. Use the app and website called A Better Route Planner , which does an amazing job helping you plan charging stops. I’ve driven more than 50,000 miles in an EV to all sorts of places, and despite some range anxiety, my EV has always gotten me there and back. Tesla is opening its extensive charging network to other EVs, so if you’re in the market for an EV, I highly recommend you pick one that will be able to charge at Tesla Superchargers. If you currently have a non-Tesla EV, check to see if there’s an adapter you can get for the Tesla network.

And try not to worry even if you occasionally fail to heed this advice. Modern EVs are equipped with battery management systems that do their best to mitigate battery degradation, regardless of what type of battery you have. If you’re looking for reassurance, search for “ 8 lessons about EV battery health from 6,300 electric cars ” for some statistics about EV batteries.

Larry Magid is a tech journalist and internet safety activist. Contact him at [email protected].

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