Logo cookies, like these ones for Backcountry Baby, are one of Jennifer Chopp’s favorite challenges.
We’ve all got our food related weaknesses, and cookies have always been mine. That’s not to say I’ve ever said no to a slice of cake, a cupcake or a scoop of ice cream, but offer me a cookie and watch your fingers because that’s where my dessert loyalties lie. So my ears perked up last week when I was delivering the new issue of Dishing all over town and made a stop into Backcountry Baby to talk to Monica, the owner. Monica started telling me about the clothing swap she’s hosting in the store Saturday and casually mentioned the cookies she’ll be serving by an underground baker here in town who has mastered the decorated, royally iced sugar cookie. Not all decorated desserts taste as good as they look, and Monica assures me these ones do.
Jennifer Chopp, the owner of Jennifer’s Cookies, has been passionately baking for almost 35 years. It’s a hobby as much as it’s a business, and not a cookie gets made without Jennifer fondly remembering her grandmother and the inspiration that she credits her with providing and the memories of being in the kitchen together. She believes strongly in the quality of her ingredients, which explains why she has European butter, Madagascar vanilla, and all the other ingredients shipped to her as needed so as not to stray from recipe perfection and consistency since she splits her time between here and Chapel Hill, N.C., throughout the year.
Four years ago, Jennifer created and added the Health Cookie to her repertoire. It has a base of butternut squash, carrots, flaxseed, walnuts and oatmeal, and it actually is healthy. She knows because she had it analyzed at Duke University and found out it only has 85 calories and 1.5 grams of fat. A cookie that has vitamins, nutrients and gives you energy in place of a false sugar high…yes please. I’ll be ordering these in the very near future.
Preferring to work on a word-of-mouth basis allows her creative freedom, where much of her time is spent brainstorming and sketching ideas for her clients. If you’re looking for a unique design call Jennifer with a minimum of seven day lead-time. Minimum orders of one dozen cookies are required, but after you reach the magic number no other requirements need be met. Cookies are 3½ to 4½ inches and cost $4 a piece, including packaging. If you want to see some of her cookie portfolio on Pinterest, then click here. Jennifer can be reached at (231)330-1728 or liferequirescookies@gmail.com.
Lucky me, one of my oldest and best friends back in New York gave birth to a beautiful little girl just a few days ago, so I have the perfect excuse to head to Backcountry Baby on Saturday to shop while they’re also hosting a clothing swap of maternity, baby, and toddler clothing, and of course sampling a sugar cookie (or two). Proceeds from the clothing swap will be donated to Turning Point and The Community Safety Network. For details on the swap click here and follow Backcountry Baby on Facebook for future sales and events.
And here’s one more quote from my favorite muppet — “Today I will live in the moment unless it’s unpleasant in which case I will eat a cookie.”
