Cookie Lounge

Cookie Lounge

2222 Rio Grande, Bldg. B-120, 512/478-2253
www.austincookielounge.com

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Cookie Lounge

Satisfying a craving for a warm-from-the-oven, homemade cookie requires several activities: finding a recipe, shopping for quality ingredients, mixing, and baking. After you've eaten the one or two cookies that fulfill that initial need, you're left with extra ingredients, dirty dishes, and many extra cookies. What if there were a way to have one or two (or six or a dozen) freshly made cookies to feed that nagging cookie hunger without all the extra bother? Cookie Lounge is the answer to any impending cookie dilemma. This first of its kind venture is the brainchild of Austin entrepreneurs Artie Rogers, Stacey Gillar, and Paul Vaden, along with award-winning pastry chef Mark Chapman. Their chic new shop in the West Campus area offers a taste-tempting selection of cookie essentials just waiting for customization. Start with one of the six basic batters, choose up to three mix-ins (chocolates, nuts, candies, dried fruits), designate the size and number of cookies you would like, and put in an order. The possibilities are endless and could eventually lead to the discovery of the personally perfect cookie. (Mine is currently the toasted peanut butter dough with salted peanuts, Butterfinger bits, and dark chocolate chips!) Relax in the shop (or in the comfort of your home or office) for eight to 10 minutes, and then enjoy that custom-designed cookie, hot from the oven, with ice-cold milk (plain or flavored), creamy Blue Bell milkshakes, an eclectic selection of sodas, or French-press coffee. To really gild the lily (uh, cookie), order it à la mode or with drizzles of butterscotch caramel or dark or white chocolate. Cookies are never made in advance here, and the kitchen uses only the finest ingredients, such as Plugrá butter, Valrhona chocolate, Remember When Dairy milk, Torani syrups, Blue Bell Ice Cream, Bat City coffee, and Sesa Teas. These cookies make delicious and thoughtful gifts, and Cookie Lounge will gladly deliver in the central-city area.