Michael's Cookie Jar

This was my second visit to Michael's Cookie Jar.  The company has been around for several years in Houston, but only recently opened a retail bakery.  Although the bakery is next to a Post Office (how is that for high traffic), it is still off the beaten path.  So, if you visit the bakery, you have to really look for it when driving down Weslayan.  I like the open kitchen of the bakery.  I like the simplistic design of the store.  No thrills or frills.  The architecture focuses on the cookies -- as it should be.  I loved Michael's Cookie Jar the first time.  I liked it the second. 

I started with their Happy Face Cookie (otherwise known as an iced or decorated cookie).  It was super cute to look at, but nothing special to sample.  About what you would expect.  Not too sweet, not too dry.  But, super happy to look at!  Next up, their Ojarasca Cookie (a traditional Mexican cookie).  It was pretty good.  Ojarascas are covered in cinnamon sugar.  And, as soon as the cinnamon sugar hit my tongue, I was content.

Now, my favorite food in the whole, wide, large, big round Earth is....THE Brownie.  Clearly, trying a Michael's Cookie Jar Brownie was a necessity.  I have to say, I was disappointed.   No big chocolate taste.  No fudgy love.  No big cocoa flavor.  It was light (not the dense type of decadence one ordinary expects from THE Brownie).  I didn't even finish my Brownie!!  Can you even believe?!

I was, though, much happier with the Toffee Pecan Crunch Cookie.  It was moist.  It did not crumble.  The cookie had the perfect sweetness...not over the top sickly sweetness, but the type of sweetness you would expect from a "Toffee" Cookie.  The amount of pecans in the cookie were are a good balance to the Heath Bar toffee.  Yummy...I'll get it again.  Finally, I gave the good old American Chocolate Chunk Cookie a swirl.  It was fine.  It was moist.  It did not crumble.  If I had a chocolate chunk in my bite, the flavor was huge.  It was chocolatey.  It oozzed happiness in my mouth.  But, the cookie without a chunk was dull  and flat.  So, eat your Chocolate Chunk strategically and you are good to go with joy.