Anyone tried the Sweet Flour Bake Shop?

[Ediblethoughts]

I've read about how they do custom-cookie baking and I was wondering if it's worth the subway ride...

[bogie]

They make the best gluten-free chocolate chip cookie I've ever had, I eat it even though I don't have celiac disease!!!

FYI Sweet Flour's awesome cookies are now available at Pusateries for $2.50, an affordable indulgence to accompany your afternoon coffee. They do carry that chocolate-butterscotch one that sadbaker likes so much.

[sadbaker]

Yes! They're also available at Crema Cafe now.

I have also fallen in love with their gluten-free. Have you seen their decorated sugar ice cream cones? They're so cute! Tasty too!

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Crema
3079 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M6P1Z9, CA

[sweetcreations84]

As someone who bakes a lot herself and can create any combo I like hot out of the oven, I was interested to see how these cookies stacked up against mine. I was quite dissapointed as the actual cookies did not taste that good, I found them quite heavy and with a texture more like a muffin than a cookie. It is a cool idea, and they have lots of options, but I find the price a little steep for a so-so product.

[CeeQueue]

I think you hit the nail on the head -- it's the texture that put me off. I thought mine was undercooked, as it was still kind of doughy inside, but your description of it being muffin-like is bang on.

[Boodah]

Based on the fact that they're using some kind of hyper-speed oven to bake those cookies as fast as they are I'm guessing the recipe is quite a bit different from a standard cookie dough recipe to accomodate that, that likely results in the muffiny texture. Also, the cookie I had there tasted more of shortening than butter, I'm assuming butter doesn't do well in ovens like that and they may have dialed it way back or eliminated it altogether which would also affect the texture (and taste obviously).

[tochipotle]

We went once - I totally agree, it's a muffin. And it's so expensive, I'm actually shocked it's still around. Happy for them, but personally, I think of it as a one hit wonder - tried it once, been there, done that. (I am biased because my SO bakes the most fantastic cookies I've ever tasted.) I guess the appeal is that you could try out crazy taste combinations without having to commit to making a whole batch. But again, to me, so expensive it's hard to justify.

[sarnya]

They're not that expensive. Le Gourmand is known to have one of the best cookies in the city and they cost $2.36. I know this because I am terribly addicted to their cookies. LG runs out of cookies twice a day...they usually have a fresh batch in the morning and mid afternoon. Is it obvious how often I go?

Sweet Flour charges $2.50 and considering they are comparable in size, it's customizable and baked fresh, the extra 14 cents, it's not that bad. Chalk me up as somebody who doesn't mind paying that for a nice, warm, chewy cookie. I think it's reasonable given the size of the cookie.

I've been to Sweet Flour a couple times. I like their cookies but I'm rarely in that neighbourhood. I've found the owner to be very friendly and talkative with her customers.

[Boodah]

Le Gourmand only has "one of the best cookies in the city" if you happen to like giant, doughy cookies which many people, in fact, do not. I've had cookies from both places and find them to be similar in texture which is probably why I don't really like either of them.

[Manybears]

How did Sweet Flour compare to that Le Gourmand cookie? I'm curious... which do you prefer?

[sarnya]

I think Le Gourmand is still than Sweet Flour. They're both good cookies but I prefer any LG baked good to anywhere else in city.

It all comes down to taste and preference. If you want a thin, crunchy cookie then you're not going to like either of them. Personally, I strongly dislike thin crust pizza so no matter much someone tells how great Terroni or Pizzeria Libretto are, I still don't like it. That's what makes debating food quality so difficult. I have a friend from Jamaica who swears 7-11 Jamaican beef patties are the best... but I highly doubt that they are. Who's to say your favourite food isn't the best if it's the best to you?

[sadbaker]

I have to say that I wasn't too pleased with the bake in 2 mins cookie. I actually couldn't finish the whole thing. I was put off...but I gave it another go.

Have you tried their regular cookie selection?! They're fantastic. Made with butter, not shortening, so they melt in your mouth, they have great flavour and mouth feel and they're soooooo addictive.

Give it another go, and try something along the lines of their Butterscotch toffee, or the almond chocolate toffee. ...even the regular chocolate chunk is amazing with a glass of ice cold milk.

Again, I cannot eat the 2 min cookie. It's really gross to me. But their other stuff is amazing!

[Ediblethoughts]

For some reason I had the impression they were all made the same way...

[sadbaker]

I have studied baking for many years, I can taste the difference in the cookies and also in other products that I've come into contact with.

Are you able to taste the difference between regular coke and diet? The aspartame is such a distinctive taste, and the same goes for butter and shortening.

Mind you, they wouldn't tell me if I asked about the type of fat used (it could also be oil, lard, etc)...but it makes sense from a scientific gastronomy point of view to have shortening.

[Full tummy]

Why do you say they wouldn't tell you if you asked? Did you try? Most places should, and will, tell you, as there are people out there who don't eat butter and who would actually prefer a cookie made with shortening. Some people have allergies, don't eat dairy, etc. I have never had a problem receiving information when asking about ingredients in a bakery.

[Ediblethoughts]

I don't drink pop but when I encounter aspertame, I know it. Nasty.

I think I did try one of their regular cookies also but I don't recall how much it differed. I thought that butter-based cookies were more likely to be crunchy.

[sadbaker]

Next time, get a dough-to-go! It's the pre-baked cookie dough and it's fabulous! It's great for when you just want one cookie...but you don't want to have to go ALL the way down to SF.

Ahh...cookies for lazy people. :)

[Gourmista]

It is a lovely store and interesting concept. I thought the variety of ingredient choices was impressive, and the price is reasonable given how large the cookie is (very large - enough to share). I wasn't supremely satisfied with the end result, and after some thought, I think the dough was lacking salt. An extra pinch of salt may have given the cookie the zip it was missing. All said, a cute place, and I hope it survives.

[Ediblethoughts]

Also maybe a tad more butter to give it a bit more of that crispy/chewy thing. Of course, I rarely bake so maybe that wouldn't do the trick.

[pescatarian]

I haven't tried these cookies, but I find that cream of tartar helps with the crispy/chewy thing

[burningrome]

We hit this place about every month - great idea, great execution. I find the cookies great, but one is almost too much for me - better split. Coffee is great there as well, which is something that is lacking [IMHO] in BWV....lotsa coffee shops but little great coffee.

[Ediblethoughts]

I made the trek to SFB and I do think it was worth the trip for 3 reasons: dark chocolate chunks with juicy cherries; dark chocolate chunks with macadamia nuts; and short bread with vanilla cream filling. For the first two, I don't know any other cookie shop that does those combos (Mrs Fields did at least semi-sweet chocolate chip and mac nuts in the 80s but then they flipped to milk mac, darn them). And the short bread with vanilla cream icing was absolutely decadent. (I also tried the chocolate wafer--more like chocolate short bread---with the salt caramel and that was pretty good too.) Yeah, it's not a cheap cookie and it's not the best base in terms of being ultra tasty but it's decent and the fillings make up for it.

I'd make the trek again--and I'd get more of the short bread with vanilla butter cream icing.

[domesticgodess]

I have now made the trek twice. The first time, I went on my own and the second time I brought the kids. Its a great concept and the space is lovely and welcoming.
The kids loved the experience and I loved my coffee!! I'm sure we will be back again.

[Ediblethoughts]

Next time I'll have coffee!

[dannyboy]

go check it out - the cookies are great and the experience is cool, particularly for the kids...
and great (ideal) coffee for us ; )

[ms. cornbread]

I would say it's fun if you are in the area, or not too far away, but it's not really a destination place. The cookies are yummy, but what fresh baked cookie isn't? I also haven't tried any super exciting combos (toffee and chocolate for me). It's nothing exceptional, and pretty expensive. I enjoyed it when I went and would go back if I'm nearby , but don't know if I'd travel very far to go there.

Their sandwich cookies are quite nice, although the salted caramel filling was a little too salty for my taste.

[missmu]

Yes, if you have kids, they'll love it. The Ideal coffee and organic milk to go with your cookie is also very good.

[missmu]

If you love cookies straight out of the oven, then sure. The ingredients are decent, but not particularly exotic or rich-tasting. I have had more swoon-worthy cookies, even though they weren't straight out of the oven. I would weigh the time it would take to get there against the effort it would take to whip up your own batch. If you already have a shop nearby that gives you a good cookie fix, then I also wouldn't bother. For me, popping over for a warm cookie is no hassle, and I don't end up with a big batch of cookies, as I would if I made my own.