Calling all cookie fanatics! I recently put out a question to all of my Memphis friends and family, asking where to find the best cookies in Memphis. I already had my personal list of favorites, but was hoping to add a few new places as well. So here you have it, from chewy to crunchy, sweet to salty, and everything in between, all the best cookies in the 901!
Frost Bake Shop
Locations: 394 S. Grove Park Road in East Memphis, 1016 W. Poplar Ave #107 in Collierville
* New location opening this fall in Lakeland at 9845 Lake District Drive North, Suite 113
Frost Bake Shop is known around town for its amazing collection of all things sweet. They have a huge variety of yummy and creative cakes and pies that taste like home, but my favorite are their cookies. Frost serves up classics like chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, lemon, ginger snap, snickerdoodles, and shortbread, all made from scratch daily. Then there are the sandwich cookies, soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies layered with either vanilla or peanut butter icing. My absolute favorite item here is the collection of "gooey" cookies. I could literally eat my weight in these melt-in-your-mouth bites from heaven. The only question is which flavor is your favorite; butter, chocolate, strawberry, or funfetti? With locations in East Memphis and Collierville, yummy cookies from Frost Bakery are never far away!
Makeda's Homemade Cookies
Locations: 2370 Airways Boulevard, 488 South Second Street
Makeda's Homemade Cookies is truly a Memphis treasure, a family-run bakery that's been around for over twenty years, making cookies that we love and will drive across town to get our hands on. Yep, you'll have to make the drive downtown for some of these crunchy cookies, but believe me, it will be worth it! All 16 flavors of cookies here are made fresh every day with a little bit of butter and a whole lotta love! Their cookie cases are piled high with chocolate chip, peanut butter, sugar, pecan, oatmeal, and iced lemon or strawberry, just to name a few. But the real gem at Makeda's is their classic butter cookie, dubbed on their website as "The Best Butter Cookies in the World", and I have to say I whole heartedly agree. You'll just have to try some and decide for yourself!
Insomnia Cookies
Locations: 545 S. Highland Street, 200 Beale Street
Got a late-night craving for the biggest, baddest, chewiest cookies around? Insomnia Cookies is your answer! With two locations open until 3 am, delivery service, AND shipping, you can indulge yourself in these fabulous cookies almost around the clock. I can't even begin to describe how good these cookies are. Let's start with the classics; chocolate chunk, M&M's, oatmeal raisin, snickerdoodle, sugar, and peanut butter chip. Want something a little different? Insomnia has creative cookie combinations like chocolate mint chip, bananas foster, blueberry cobbler, and double chocolate chunk, as well as a collection of vegan cookies that will make you forget they're vegan. What I come here for are the deluxe cookies. These bring an entirely new meaning to the phrase "go big or go home". Giant-sized chewy cookies, jam-packed with toppings and oozing with melted chocolate, salted caramel, peanut butter cups, and marshmallowy goodness. Enough said.
Ricki's Cookie Corner
Location: 5068 Park Avenue
If you're only going to do one thing, do it right. Ricki’s Cookie Corner brings this motto to a new level with its famous "Chipsticks". Handmade, kosher, dairy-free, and delicious, I was told by a friend that these chocolate chip cookies were "hands down the best cookies in Memphis". Apparently, the word has spread because these little morsels are being shipped all over the world! Let's hear what Ricki herself has to say about them.
Wow, what can I say about the Chipstick? This is the cookie that started it all. Since then, I've been blessed to bake over 10,000,000 of these and have shipped them all over the world; it seems that people just can’t get enough. They are soft and chewy loaded with real chocolate chips and, upon request, the finest quality walnuts. Take a bite and change your life-long perception of what a cookie should be. Of course I’ll ship them to you in a resealable package so you don’t have to eat them all at once! ~ Ricki's Cookie Corner website
Muddy's Bake Shop
Locations: 2497 Broad Avenue
I admit I never really thought of Muddy's Bake Shop as a cookie place. They are my go-to cupcake bakery, and I would drive there from any part of town and stand in line just for a single cupcake. But I recently discovered that they make really delicious cookies too! The special thing about Muddy's is that you never know what you're going to find there. The menu changes weekly, and there's always something new and delicious to try! If you happen to catch them when they have a batch of fresh chocolate chip cookies, buy them! Crunchy on the outside, moist and chewy on the inside, just the way a chocolate chip cookie should be. Are you a fan of super cute and yummy decorated cookies? They've got those too. If you're really lucky, you might happen upon Muddy's oatmeal cream pies, two oatmeal cookies with a layer of buttercream icing that is to die for. Technically these aren't cookies, but they also have amazing toffee bark and buttery crispy rice treats that are better than your grandma used to make. I know it sounds like blasphemy, but you've got to try them!
Whimsy Cookie Company
Location: 4704 Poplar Avenue
Speaking of super cute and yummy decorated cookies, have you tasted Whimsy Cookie Company's frosted sugar cookies? What started out as a hobby learned in the kitchen alongside her mother turned into a passion for spreading cookie love all across Memphis, and finally became a thriving business with locations in six states across the Southeastern United States. There's a reason the business is booming. The combination of scrumptious sugar cookies and their namesake's whimsical designs is enough to satisfy any sweet tooth on its own, but now there are even more cookie combinations to choose from. Peanut butter cookies, peanut butter buttercream sandwiches, chocolate chip with M&M’s, snickerdoodle, the cinnamon roll gooey, and a few more things that aren't cookies. Head over to the Whimsy House and find out what all the fuss is about!
Crumbl Cookie
Location: 711 South Mendenhall
If your taste buds are craving something new, then Crumbl Cookies is for you! Crumbl's menu rotates every week so you'll always have a variety of specialty flavors to taste and enjoy. Crumbl takes classics like frosted sugar and oatmeal cookies to the next level, and throws in unique creations like caramel pumpkin, galaxy brownie, and cookie dough cookies. That's right, cookie dough on top of cookies! Less adventurous cookie eaters will certainly not be disappointed either, with their signature milk chocolate chip cookie always available. Choose from in-store shopping, curbside pickup, delivery, and catering options; you have no excuse not to sample these crumbly and delectable cookies.
Smallcakes Collierville
Location: 2150 West Poplar Avenue, Suite 107
Cookies, cakies, and cookie cakes, oh my! At Smallcakes Cupcakery and Creamery, they have a tantalizing array of freshly made cupcakes and small batch ice cream to tempt your palate, but did you know that they also have some of the best cookies around? With more cookie flavors than you can shake a stick at, these little bites are what dreams are made of. What's that you say, you can't decide between cookies or cake? At Smallcakes you don't have to! Get one (or more!) of their "cakies", a soft and chewy cookie with a cake center. Whoever invented this was certainly inspired by the dessert gods. Last but not least are the giant cookie cakes. These aren't your ordinary cookie cakes either, they're thick like a slice of cake, but with all the gooey goodness of a chocolate chip cookie, and of course they're topped with sweet, creamy frosting and fun designs. Perfect for your next party, or if you've just had a really bad day.
Amy's Bakery
Location: Amy's Macarons on Instagram
You may not have heard of this small home-based bakery, but if you're looking for an alternative to the traditional cookie, Amy's Bakery may be just what you're looking for! Amy's Bakery serves up the most delightful macarons I've found in Memphis. After a few trips to France, I can confidently say that these light and airy macarons rival those I've had at any French pâtisserie. This small business can do it all, crafting beautifully decorated pastries with creative flavors that have a southern twist, such as sweet potato casserole, key lime pie, funfetti, margarita, honey lavender, and peppermint bark. My personal favorite has to be the hot chocolate from the Christmas collection. Whether you need a tray of 50 for a party, or a small box of six to indulge on your own, Amy's macarons will tickly your tummy and have you coming back for more!
Sweet Lala's Bakery
Location: 6150 Poplar Avenue, Suite 118
Sweet Lala's Bakery offers up freshly baked frosted sugar cookies, giant chocolate chip cookies, birthday packs, themed cookie cakes, and even has a cookie decorating kit you can take home! Not to mention the mother of all cookies, the Giant Lala! As one friend said, " their chocolate cookie is to die for"! While their cookies are mouth watering and possibly even heaven sent, the best thing about Sweet Lala's may just be the work they do for the Memphis area. They started out baking their cookies at JIFF, a juvenile intervention facility, and have since grown to impact an even wider community. Sweet Lala's partners with various charities and community programs throughout the city, and is on a mission to "Make Life Sweeter", one sweet treat at a time.
We created partnerships with local entrepreneurs and social enterprises and believe we all rise together when we work together. Our cookies have told stories about second chances and opportunities for young people. Our new products tell even more local stories. We have built a table big enough for us to share in the sweetness of life with friends, families and coworkers, so place your order today! ~ Sweet Lala's website
And if you're not in the mood for cookies, I've heard that they might have the best cinnamon rolls in Memphis. Sounds like I just found the topic for my next research project!
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Read my other Memphis food features:
4 Memphis food trucks you need to try
Have you been to these greasy spoons in Memphis?
Fall in love with craft beer in Memphis
Where to find the best brunch in Memphis
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