Michael's Cookie Jar

Support the Arts with Cookies!

2011-09-19T21:18:00.000-07:00

Our "official" one year anniversary is October 1st which is appropriate since it is also National Cookie Day (Really! look it up!). We've started a tradition of giving gifts on our birthday instead of receiving them. Last year we donated the proceeds from our grand opening to the Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization of Houston. As a matter of fact, I became a big brother in January. When I'm not in the kitchen, my little brother and I are hanging out!

As I mulled ideas in my head this year about which organization to support, I came up with some criteria. It had to be about kids (many of our best customers are kids!). It had to be local. And this year I wanted it to be about the arts. Living a good life is a work of art, so we should surround ourselves with good food, good music and good art.

I work with a lot of kids throughout the year through various schools and organizations. One group, The Children's Music Foundation, stood out in my mind. Their mission is to teach kids how to play the guitar (in fact, the kids receive their own guitar) but in return the child must "pay it forward," which means he or she must also teach someone to play the guitar. I love the idea of "pay it forward." It allows each one of us to accept the kindness and guidance of others while placing a responsibility on us to do the same for another person in our life.

If you'd like more information about the Children's Music Foundation, please click this link. Even better, come and see us on October 1st and decorate some cookies for a good cause!

Special Touches Bridal Open House

2011-09-19T20:54:00.000-07:00

Join us for an intimate evening of cookie decorating, tasty food, music, wedding planning advice and more! Michael's Cookie Jar is hosting its first ever Bridal Open House. We've teamed up with some of the finest wedding professionals in Houston to bring you a memorable evening of "Special Touches."

Visit our partners' website

and then meet them in person on September 29th!

Abuso Catering

Adam Nyholt Photography

A Day to Remember (event planning)

Please RSVP to: michael@michaelscookiejar.com

We're Turning One!

2011-06-20T16:06:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe our bakery has been open a whole year!

We are very grateful to all our customers
who have supported us!

And we look forward to serving you for years to come!

All this week, every customer will receive
a complimentary "number one" cookie!

Please stop in!

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-09T10:37:00.000-07:00

The summer heat is here and school is out. It's been especially warm this spring, but we still ramp up the ovens every morning at 6AM to bake the day's cookies. The ebb and flow of our customers has change a bit as people adjust to their summer schedules.

We were quite busy for graduation events and now we're looking forward Father's Day, which is the first holiday of the summer season.

We also have another milestone coming up in the next couple weeks. Our retail bakery opened to the public on June 22 of last year. We'll be celebrating by giving out tasty sugar cookies in the shape of the number "1" (More on that in the next post).

For now, dad's are on our mind and we've got a special cookie pie that the whole family will love!

Happy Easter!

2011-03-31T15:44:00.000-07:00

I think decorated Easter cookies may be my favorite of all the holidays. There's something about a bright yellow baby chick or a smiling bunny face that just makes me feel happy! Since Easter falls late in the year we get a little extra time to show off our decorated Easter cookies and Easter cookie gift bags.

One new item we're offering this year is a jumbo decorated rabbit. It stands 8" tall and comes in a gift bag with baby chicks and decorated egg-shaped cookies.

And we have our signature cookie cake on display at the bakery. It's all decked out for Easter. Stop by and have a look!

Our Signature Cookie Cake

On a side note, April 2 marks the one year anniversary that we moved into our current retail location. And you loyal customers already know that June 22 is the one year anniversary of opening our doors to the public. Thank you!

Our Mission Statement

2011-03-21T06:45:00.000-07:00

A mission statement is a "statement of purpose" or "guiding hand" for a business. In business school we are taught that it is one of the first things a new enterprise should define. After all, how will you know "what to do" if you don't define your purpose from the beginning?

Good or bad, we did not write a mission statement when Michael's Cookie Jar opened for business in the autumn of 2006. Back then we operated out of a shared commercial kitchen in Tomball. We knew at some point a mission statement would be a good idea, but at the beginning we were satisfied following our instincts and simply make "cookies that are beautiful to the eye with a taste that exceeds your expectations." That meant using real ingredients, like butter, sugar, eggs and natural flavors. It also meant using time-honored culinary techniques.

As we approach a milestone (on April 2nd we will celebrate the "move in" date to our current retail location) we have finally defined our purpose!

Writing a mission statement is not easy. It must be concise, accurate and inspiring. We knew there had to be something about great tasting cookies in the mission statement, but we wanted to be a little more than that. After all, cookies are not produced in a vacuum. It's really about people: the people who make the cookies, the people who eat the cookies and the community it creates.

With that, we present the "Official Michael's Cookie Jar Mission Statement." You feedback is welcome!

Michael’s Cookie Jar is dedicated to graciously serving our community exceptionally delicious cookies made with love, care and natural ingredients.

We will accomplish this by:

Creating an environment that nurtures our people and nourishes our community.
Respecting, developing and rewarding the labor, talents, and dedication of our people.
Using time-honored culinary techniques and real ingredients like butter, sugar, eggs, flour and natural flavorings.
Charging a fair price with the expectation of a reasonable profit.
Giving back to the community that supports us.
Accepting that every member of this organization plays a vital role in achieving these common goals

Generosity

2011-01-12T10:28:00.000-08:00

www.morrismalakoff.com

As we begin the new year, I was thinking about themes to work on for the month of January. Other months with major holidays have easy to identify themes, like Halloween or the 4th of July. January is a time of renewal and reflection as we assess the previous year and look forward to the new year.

One theme that keeps coming up for me is "generosity." True, there is a lot of injustice in our world today, but there's also a lot that works well. And often, what works well in our lives is simply the result of our own generosity and the generosity of others.

If you look around, you can see examples of generosity everywhere and everyday. I think it's important to be aware of those moments because that's what gives us hope and happiness that things will work out. Stinginess may put a few extra dollars in the bank, but it won't lift your spirits or give you the truest sense of security and well-being.

The theme of "generosity" is something we try to live by everyday at Michael's Cookie Jar. When I started the business in 2006, it was important to me that we go back to basics and provide people with something real and sustaining and delicious. To me, that started with using only butter, sugar, eggs, flour, fresh nuts, imported chocolate and natural flavorings in all our cookies. That wouldn't have been a very smart move if the final product didn't taste any better than our competitor's products, but they do. And the customer notices. At first I was worried about the cost of using these ingredients, but our food cost for 2010 was less than 15%. I'm glad we decided to not skimp on quality ingredients and I'm even happier that our customer notices and is willing to pay the little bit extra for it.

Beyond the ingredients, we have a commitment to making all our cookies by hand, in small batches. We offer samples to everyone the moment they enter our bakery. And most times when customers place special orders, they receive a few more cookies than they originally requested.

We've also started building relationships with area schools. I'm happy to say that we've provided many cookies for school benefits so they can raise much needed money to improve their educational programs.

We're building a business on the idea that giving generously will create loyal customers who visit us often and remember us for their special occasions. At Michael's Cookie Jar we hope to be part of what works well in the world. All the best to you in 2011.

Pumpkin Moon Cookie

2011-01-07T07:17:00.000-08:00

Ok, I'm very proud of this cookie...even though its debut is about four months late, which reminds me of something else. Customers always ask "what's my favorite cookie." Honestly, I love'm all (how many people are willing to name their favorite child?). I don't put a new item into our pastry case until I taste its specialness!

So that brings me back to the late debut of the Pumpkin Moon Cookie. We were testing recipes in the late summer, but not really liking the results. This cookie, which is really a little cake that is baked and then the bottom side is iced, had to be moist with a distinct taste of pumpkin and a hint of spice. We tried several versions of a recipe, but the results were disappointing.

Once we got into the autumn season, there was no time to test recipes anymore. The holidays were upon us and all our energy was focused on filling orders.

After Christmas, I remembered that a customer had brought me a recipe during the summer for a pumpkin cookie that she liked. Initially I didn't think much of it by looking at the ingredients. Well, later in the autumn, that same customer came in with a sample of her cookie for me to taste, and it was yummy! I revisited the recipe, made a few changes (omit shortening, replace with butter, etc) and started testing again. Moist! Pumpkiny! With a hint of spice! We added a cream cheese icing and....perfection!

Now, along with our classic Black & White cookies and Mocha Moon cookie, we present the Pumpkin Moon Cookie!

So, dear reader, which version do you like better? The chocolate swirl top or the one that is half dipped in demerera sugar?

Cold Weather Treats

2011-01-02T14:30:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! We had a great holiday season at Michael's Cookie Jar. When people ask how it went, I say we had a "tsunami of cookie orders!" We are very grateful for all our customers trusting us with their holiday cookie needs!

To start out the new year, we wanted to do something a little "out-of-the-box" for a bakery. Since the weather has turned cold (well, sort of....) we thought it might be nice to offer some satisfying, hot beverages. And true to our mission of making everything from scratch, with wholesome ingredients, we have some classically prepared beverages that will take the winter chill off you!

First, we start with hot coffee. Nothing fancy here, but we use a full-flavored, robust bean from Mexico that is organically grown and fair trade. Stepping up our game, we next have REAL hot chocolate. It's a brew of Valrhona chocolate, milk, cream and sugar. It's very rich and offered as an 8 oz portion.

Lastly, we have something that I just recently discovered myself. At Christmas, I visited Houston friends who are from Mexico. They serve "Ponche de Fruta (Fruit Punch). But this isn't your aunt Bea's fruit punch! This punch is served hot and with generous chunks of fresh fruit simmered in a broth of tamarind and hibiscus petals.

We'll offer these items for a limited time so stop in soon!

Holiday Cookies are Here!

2010-11-27T08:23:00.000-08:00

As busy shoppers swamped the big box stores for various "two day sales, Michael's Cookie Jar decorated for Christmas. Down came the "autumn themed" cookie cake and up went the Christmas Cookie Cake. It's nine tiers tall and has more than 850 cookies. I couldn't decided between an "all-white" theme or multi-color. Since I like diversity, I went with all types of colors, shapes and sizes. I think the result is beautiful...and tasty. Stop by to see all our holiday cookies and have a taste!

Bellaire Art Festival

2010-10-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

We're delighted to be participating in the Bellaire Art Festival for the fourth time! This fun filled day features many great local artists, craftspeople and food! (that's where we come in!) We'll have a great selection of our soft-bake home-style cookies, as well as decorated cookies. Some new items this year include our cinnamon shortbread (ojarascas), Rugelach and Sand Tarts. Stop by! You won't be dissappointed!

The Bellaire Art Festival has been in existence since 1991 is produced twice a year, in April in the Spring and in October in the Fall. The event takes has long taken place along scenic Bellaire Boulevard, between Loop 610 and South Rice Avenue, and now has a new home in Bellaire Town Square.

Since its inception, the Bellaire Art Festival has provided a venue for thousands of local artists to display and sell their works - many of whom were just starting their careers as successful artists. Cultivating local talent is one of the many reasons that the Bellaire Art Festival has been so successful and is still around today.

Today, the Bellaire Art Festival is continuing to expand, and we are looking forward to introducing some exciting new programs over the next few years. Currently, between 150-200 painters, potters, jewelry-makers, glass blowers, metalsmiths, clothing designers, and many other types of artists set up their booths in the esplanade.

And make sure you bring the kids too - the Bellaire Art Festival has a fantastic children's area complete with petting zoo, face painting, bouncy castles, children's art, and entertainment for the young ones. If you get hungry, check out the local cuisine scattered around the park - you'll find anything from corndogs to crawfish to kettle korn!

High Cookie Season is Here!

2010-09-26T20:25:00.000-07:00

In case you didn't know, October is National Cookie Month. It seems appropriate to me because October is the beginning of some great cookie holidays! We debut the Halloween Cookie Collection Friday, Oct 1st.

Oct 1st is also very special because we will have our official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the bakery. Click here for more information. I hope to see you on Friday!

photo by morris malakoff

"Ojarascas" By Another Name

2010-09-12T14:48:00.000-07:00

I have to confess. Some of our best cookie ideas come directly from our customers. When our bakery opened on June 22, a customer came to me to "talk cookies." The subject turned to one of her favorites called "Ojarascas." I had never heard of this cookie.

Well, within a few weeks she returned with samples from a local Mexican bakery! It was a heart-shaped, thick cut cinnamon-flavored shortbread cookie. I loved it! I told my friends about it and they never heard of it. But, after I described it, my friend, Adam, said, "Oh, you mean 'Pan de Polvo.' We get'em in the valley. I'll pick up some next time I visit mom."

Well, I couldn't wait for Adam or his mom. After a little homework and several trials, I came up with the MCJ version of Ojarascas, aka Pan de Polvo.

Now, I'll be the first to admit that I'm never sure about the authenticity of my ethnic flavors, but as long as it's made with butter and tastes great, well, I'm pretty satisfied.

Sweets for the New Year

2010-09-06T15:10:00.000-07:00

As the Jewish New Year of Rosh Hashanah approaches, we have perfected some traditional sweets. We've added to our repertoire three types of rugelach: choc/raspberry, apricot/walnut and chocolate. We're also offering decorated apple-shaped cookies. I'm really proud of our rugelach because many recipe trials were conducted to obtain a flavor and shape that was something truly special.

Rugelach is special for many culinary reasons. It has a truly unique shape and flavor. Rolled up like a small croissant, it stands out from the more traditional flat or round cookies. Also, the dough is a flaky cream cheese based dough which has very little sugar. The sweetness comes from the filling and sugar sprinkled on top. Even with this added sugar, rugelach is not an overly sweet pastry.

Lastly, rugelach takes a bit of practice and craftsmanship to make. The dough is very delicate and must be handled gingerly to obtain a flaky cookie. And since there is little sugar in rugelach, baking times tend to be longer.

A dear friend of mine (who happens to be orthodox Jew) brought me some authentic rugelach from Israel last year. One of the desired qualities was a slightly raw center. This is not difficult to achieve because rugelach is a dense pastry that does not rise very much. I was not really in favor of undercooked dough (that wasn't even very sweet), so we tend to bake ours a little longer to achieve a more fully cooked center.

I encourage you to try this yummy pastry for the Jewish New Year (or any time of the year!).

Cookie Pies

2010-08-04T12:32:00.000-07:00

Due to popular request, we now offer the "Cookie Pie." It takes 1-1/2 lbs of our all-butter chocolate chip cookie dough to make one 12" pie. We can also make it in any of our classic Americana flavors, like snickerdoodle, toffee pecan, peanut butter, white chocolate macadamia, oatmeal raisin, ginger molasses or fudge walnut. Serves 12-15 people. $25.00. Check it out!

Summer Survival Kit

2010-07-26T15:30:00.000-07:00

In Houston, we all know how important it is to be prepared for hurricane season. The City has published a comprehensive preparedness guide at this link.

But we like our survival kit better!

Visit our bakery at 5330 Weslayan Street to purchase one for $15. It includes 11 cookies and a bottle of water! You can also order online for pick up at a later date.

My Table Culinary Awards

2010-07-26T07:20:00.000-07:00

"My Table" is Houston's premier "foodie" magazine. I've been a subscriber for years. I love knowing the "inside track" on food trends in Houston. Every year they sponser culinary awards to highlight the best food and service that Houston has to offer. And Michael's Cookie Jar was nominated for a new category called "Favorite Sweets/Ice Cream." We love to have your vote! It's easy. Simply go to www.houstonculinaryawards.com and it takes about three minutes to vote for us and all the categories.

Mocha Moon Cookie

2010-07-19T10:09:00.000-07:00

One of the most popular cookies we've sold at the bakery has actually been a "cakey cookie" called the Black & White cookie. Ours is made with vanilla cake and iced with vanilla buttercream and chocolate ganache. They really melt in your mouth and satisfy your sweet tooth.

The Black & White originally comes from New York City, so we thought Houston should have it's own version. Hence, we came up with the Mocha Moon Cookies. It's made with chocolate cake and iced with coffee buttercream and chocolate ganache. We also soak the cookie with a little coffee simple syrup. It's definitely a grown up taste!

Independence Day Cookies

2010-06-27T18:10:00.000-07:00

Decorated cookies have been very popular since we opened, so we're glad another colorful holiday is upon us! We'll have 4" decorated flag cookies ans 3" decorated stars at the bakery all this week. Please visit us! Michael's cookie Jar is located at 5330 Weslayan Street (corner of Weslayan & Bissonnet, behind Petco).

Opening Day Photos

2010-06-27T18:05:00.000-07:00

Opening day went very well! Thanks to all who came out to see (and taste) the new bakery. I have a few photos here, but more are coming. It seems the most popular items were the decorated cookies and our Americana cookies. The chocolate chunk, toffee pecan and snickerdoodle were especially popular.

Michael's Cookie Jar bakery opens today!

2010-06-22T05:24:00.000-07:00

It's been almost a year since I first saw this new location that we are set to open today. I am very excited to open the doors and welcome cookie lovers from all over Houston. The magic of cookies is that everyone has a favorite and everyone has a story. I hope that those stories and many delicious cookies are shared at Michael's Cookie Jar!

Love the Palmier

2010-06-13T13:30:00.000-07:00

One of the items we'll offer at Michael's Cookie Jar (remember, our bakery opens June 22) is the Palmier. This French delicacy is one of the reasons I love pastry! Almost all pastry is some combination of butter, sugar, eggs and flour. The Palmier has no eggs, but it has those other three ingredients, plus water and a little salt. And such simple ingredients are transformed into one of the most satisfying pastries I know: light, crunchy and sweet! When you visit our bakery, I encourage you to ask for a sample!

Cabinet Installation Begins

2010-05-22T10:22:00.000-07:00

Cabinets arrived on Thursday! They look great. Granite counter tops arrive on Tuesday. It's coming along!

This photo show the front of the display cases and the coffee station at the far end.

This photo shows the backside of cabinets, with lots of space for bakery boxes!

Two Be Wed Opens New Location

2010-05-22T10:15:00.000-07:00

Michael's Cookie Jar is participating in the second grand opening of Two Be Wed's new location! The big day is Wednesday, May 26 from 6-9PM. Houston TBW is now located at 2611 Greenbriar. Also housed here are Casa de Camera, Lovelee Photography, Studio B Images, Spice Paper Designs and Bella Bridesmaid.

As you know, Two Be Wed is one of Houston's premier bridal boutiques. Their goal is "one stop shopping" for your big day. Stop by and meet some of Houston's best bridal vendor and of course, cookies from Michael's Cookie Jar.

Cabinets Almost Finished!

2010-05-18T19:24:00.000-07:00

The cabinet maker is staining everything today. Install on Thursday!

Houston Concierge Association

2010-05-17T12:13:00.000-07:00

Michael's Cookie Jar is participating in the Houston Concierge Association trade show on Monday, May 17. It's a great opportunity to network with professional concierge from all over the city. Hope to see you there!

We Have Color!

2010-05-17T10:42:00.000-07:00

As the retail area continues to develop, we've added a "wing wall" on each side of the shop to provided a backdrop to the retail area, however, customers will still be able to see all the production taking place. The colors we chose are "Rockwood Terracotta" and "Eastlake Gold." I think the rich hues will create a feeling of warmth in the shop. Of course, freshly baked Snickerdoodles and Brownies will also create a warm feeling! Next week we'll have our cabinets!

Display Cabinet Construction

2010-04-21T16:03:00.000-07:00

The path to freshly baked, home style cookies gets shorter every day! I visited the cabinet maker this week and progress on the display cabinets (as well as retail shelving and coffee bar) is well under way. We're going for a "warm residential" feel to the bakery so all the cabinets look more like furniture than commercial display pieces.

The cabinets are made of maple veneers. Once finished, this one will feature decorative pieces (cookie jars!) and packaged cookies. We may also put some shadow boxes on this unit with wedding cookie favors.

Cabinet Maker, Clark, reviewing the plans

The main cabinets will display our daily baked cookies like Rugelach, Chocolate Chip, Palmiers, Macarons and Biscotti. The pieces of wood in this photo will be assembled to look like 4" post legs.

And that's all for now! We have moved to the new bakery (5330 Weslayan) and have been making our wholesale and web cookie orders from the new location. Check back for more updates!

Bakery Renovations Continue

2010-03-22T00:19:00.000-07:00

This week Michael's Cookie Jar bakery renovations continued. Work tables and shelves were assembled and the oven is in place. We're waiting for some minor things to be completed and then the city inspects us! In no time, freshly baked, hot cookies willl be coming out of the ovens!

Bo's Place Girls' Night Out

2010-03-19T14:16:00.000-07:00

Bo’s Place is hosting the Fourth Annual Girls’ Night Out: Champagne and Cherry Blossoms on March 25, 2010 from 6-10 pm at Warehouse Live along with Guys’ Night Out: Betting on Bo’s Place in the other half of the venue.

Two Events, One Roof, One Cause! For the Girls, it will be an evening of bubbles, baubles, browsing and bites chaired by Lynn Russell, Kelly Russell McWherter and Whitney Bruegel Russell.

There are 30 wonderful merchants (including Michael's Cookie Jar) who will be displaying the hottest trends for Spring. Our goal for the girls is to raise $156,000 to go towards the ongoing, free grief support services for children and adults, pregnancy loss programs, and general operating expenses.

New Bakery Renovations Continue

2010-03-08T19:01:00.000-08:00

We're really excited that the city approved the renovation plans for Michael's Cookie Jar at 5330 Weslayan! Construction is underway with an estimated opening this summer. We'll keep you updated via this blog and Twitter. The bakery is to the left of "Vee's Tailor and Alterations." How convenient! And the Post Office is to the left of the flag pole.

The former "Village Table" had a fir down and built-in counter that was beautiful but it was not configured to our needs.

The removal of the counter led to a dilemma because now there were tiles missing from the wall and floor. Luckily, we found extra tiles and grout above the walk-in cooler. We were still short some floor tile. Since this tile was no longer available, the contractor found one with a similar pattern and cut it to size.

It matches pretty good!

In the back area, there was a large, empty area near the pot washing sink that was perfect for the ovens.

The hood and back splash are now installed and we'll have the oven delivered soon! The next big project is to convert the walk-in cooler to a freezer.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T10:07:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! We had a great holiday season at Michael’s Cookie Jar and hope you did too!

We have chosen to feature weddings in January for several reasons. Firstly, there's a statistic that says more engagements take place over the Christmas holiday than any other time of the year. So, naturally, these young couples start their planning in January, which leads to the second reason.

January and February are flush with bridal events in Houston. This year, Michael's Cookie Jar is participating in the Dream Weddings Bridal Show in the Woodlands. This fantastic event takes place on January 30 & 31 at the Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center. Get your tickets on-line and save $5.00 (at the Dream Weddings link above) or get a free ticket from me if you schedule a cookie consultation before January 30! Tickets purchased at the door are $15.00.

But, I think the most important reason for featuring weddings in January is that the New Year is a time of new beginnings and renewed hope. Your engagement is a wonderful begining to a lifetime of sharing and happiness. All the best to you!

Cookie Cake photograph by Adam Nyholt photographer

Bellaire Art Festival

2009-10-12T19:33:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again! Join the Southwest Chamber and Houston Civic Arts Association this Saturday, October 17th as we present the Bellaire Fall Art Festival on Paseo Park. Bring the whole family and enjoy great art from local and regional artists, entertainment, food, face painting and what is supposed to be some great weather! Michael's Cookie Jar will be there with Halloween cookies, soft-baked Americana cookies, brownies and more!

When: Saturday, October 17, 9am - 5pm

(RAIN DATE on Sunday, October 18)

Where: Paseo Park - in the Bellaire Blvd. esplanade (@ S. Rice Ave.)

MCJ Secures New Location

2009-10-06T20:47:00.000-07:00

For the past three years, Michael's Cookie Jar has been sharing a commercial kitchen with the Bavarian Cakery. While being "baking roommates" has been very beneficial for the past three years, the time has come for us to move into our own kitchen and open up a retail bakery.

After an 18 month search, a great location has been found! Formerly "The Village Table," this location in West U (a city within the Houston city limits) comes virtually ready to move in!
.

It comes ready with a walk-in freezer, pot sink, dishwasher, mop sink, hand sinks, tile floors and ADA compliant bathrooms. While these are not terribly "sexy" things, they are required for a commericial kitchen. We'll add a hood for the oven and then our equipment and, of course, a display case.

A move-in date has not been set yet, but it could be as early as Thanksgiving, but not later than the first week of January. We'll have a "grand opening" sometime in the first few months of 2010.

In the meantime, some electrical work will be done, as well as making sure everything is up to code for the health department.

Check back periodically to see new updates! There is a way to set your computer to automatically notify you when updates are made, but I don't know how to do that. The photos here show the space as it is today. I'll have exterior photos on the next post.

Halloween Creativity

2009-10-04T13:29:00.000-07:00

Autumn lends itself well to cookies! The colors and flavors of the fall season naturally conjures up colorful images and sweet flavors. For this year, I've enlisted the talents of my sister, Leigh Hannan. She is a Illustrator and specializes in colorful pen and ink drawings for "surface treatments." Surface treatments are things like napkins, coffee cups, plates, stationary, stamps, embroidery and so on. I encourage you to visit her website to see all her designs! I also encourage you to visit Michael's Cookie Jar to see all our delicious buttery cookies for Halloween.

2009-09-25T15:15:00.000-07:00

This autumn we begin the "decorated cookie season" with a Michael's Cookie Jar exclusive! A quick drawing on the back of an old production sheet became the inspiration for a new cookie design! Our creative culinarians transformed the drawing into a one-of-a-kind cutter and voila! We have our whimsical scarecrow looking for ways to charm you! Click here to see our complete Autumn Collection.

What's Your Bridal Style?

2009-08-11T20:51:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder "what's your bridal style?" I certainly don't know mine! But on Thursday, August 27th at Solutions Salon (1800 Westheimer) from 6-8PM you will have the opportunity to find out yours! Think about how many details go into your hair, make-up and jewelry! It can be overwhelming! Rest assured, there are professionals who can help. Stop in and meet with consultants who can advise you on the style that works for you.

And what would a bridal event be without cookies from Michael's Cookie Jar! We'll have tasty samples from our popular cookie wedding cake. And we'd be happy to advise you on the best cookies for your cookie wedding favors, cookie gift boxes, cookie buffet and more! Hope to see you there!

RSVP at: salon@solutionforhair.com

12,000 Cookies

2009-06-20T21:36:00.000-07:00

Wow! We had our biggest cookie order EVER! Our dedicated team of cookie bakers and decorators produced 12,000 iced cookies in one week. At times it was a daunting task, but we were determined. And we didn't take any short cuts. Like all our cookies, these were made with pure butter, sugar, eggs and flour. And we used a little orange oil and pure vanilla for flavor. Oh, and each cookie was INDIVIDUALLY wrapped. So, whether you need a dozen decorated cookies for a baby shower or 12,000 for a whole bunch of friends, Michael's Cookie Jar can deliver!

2009-05-16T14:25:00.000-07:00

Please join us Sunday, June 14th from 1-3pm for the "Wedding Tips, Trends & Treats' Workshop! There will be a variety of creative event experts for you to visit and learn about different aspects of your wedding planning.

Michael's Cookie Jar, along with other local wedding experts will be on hand to offer advice on making your wedding day a flawless experience. Other participants include: Invitation Solutions, EnVogue Events, Hilton Americas – Skyline, Pen Dance Calligraphy & Engraving, Studio 563, Houston Brides Magazine

It’ll be a great time. Make sure you grab one of our gift bags on your way out as there will be several great discounts and gifts that you don’t want to miss!

Date: Sunday, June 14th Time: 1-3 pm
Place: Invitation Solutions

Located in the Heights

373 West 19th St, Houston
RSVP: info@invitationsolutions.com or 713.864.5573

Mother's Day Around the Corner

2009-04-26T20:14:00.001-07:00

Cookies and greeting cards have a lot in common; there's one for every occasion! As soon as we pack up our Easter cookie cutters, Mother's Day cutters come out. In the next few days we'll update our website with a delightful array of "mom themed" all-butter shortbead cookies. If your mom loved making cookies when you were a kid, maybe she'd like to receive a cookie gift now that you're all grown up! And just like a greeting card, you can personally deliver cookies to mom or we can ship them for you.

Spring is Busy for Cookies!

2009-03-31T19:06:00.000-07:00

As a growing business, each month is a new adventure! More Houstonians are getting to know us and our tasty all-butter cookies! Favorite items include cookie gift boxes for shipping, our Toffee Pecan cookies, Snickerdoodles and hand-decorated shortbread cookies. This Easter we have four designs that can be ordered through our website. Click here to see details. Kids of all ages will love these bright and cheerful decorated cookies. And, as always, if you have a special request, just let us know.

This year we are also participating in the Bellaire Arts Festival on Saturday, April 18, 2009 from 9AM to 5PM. It takes place at 5100 Bellaire Blvd. at South Rice Ave. It's really a fun time for families to get out (before the Houston heat sets in!) and have a fun day of visiting local crafts people. There will also be lots of food, including cookies from Michael's Cookie Jar. For more information on the festival, please visit the Bellaire Art Festival website.

Michael's Cookie Jar Supports Bo's Place

2009-03-18T11:49:00.000-07:00

We receive dozens of requests each year to contribute fresh baked cookies to many worthy causes. The Third Annual Girls' Night Out: Champagne on the Champs d'Elysees, which benefits Bo's Place in Houston, Texas, is one such worthy cause. Girls’ Night Out will be held Thursday, March 26, 2009 at the Advantage BMW Midtown dealership (1305 Gray Street). This is an evening for “bubbles, baubles, and bites” for 600 of Houston’s finest ladies! The shopping is spectacular, the food is fabulous and the fellowship is second to none, all for the benefit of Bo’s Place.

According to their own vision statement, "Bo’s Place is the nation’s premier bereavement center providing compassionate grief support services, research, and education in order to facilitate the healing of children and families who have experienced the death of a loved one."

This is a home-grown, one-of-a-kind service which is what we like to support. Please visit Michael's Cookie Jar booth to view many of our most popular all-butter cookie selections. Every purchase of cookies will help support the wonderful work at Bo's Place. For more information on the event or Bo's Place, visit this link.

2009-02-03T18:44:00.000-08:00

How much do I love thee? Let me count the ways...with cookies! After Christmas, Valentine's is the next biggest holiday for Michael's Cookie Jar. Hearts are a bounding everywhere! Check out our website to see some tasty gift ideas for the one you love! We have a lovely cookie gift box that is perfect for shipping.

Bridal Show Fun

2009-01-13T15:02:00.001-08:00

The Bridal Extravaganza at the George R. Brown was great fun. Sara and I gave out more than 2,000 samples to hundreds of brides and their friends and family. We featured dozens of ideas for our all-butter, hand-made cookie favors, suitable for the wedding or bridal shower.

We also unveiled our "Cookie Cake." This is a great alternative to a wedding cake, groom's cake or an addition to a dessert buffet. At $1.75 per person, it's also a great bargain!

Bridal Extravaganza Show

2009-01-03T17:24:00.000-08:00

I hear wedding bells! Well, they're not mine, but for thousands of Houstonians, 2009 will be the year of their wedding! Michael's Cookie Jar (along with 599 other vendors) is participating in Bridal Extravaganza Show at the George R. Brown, January 10 and 11. We'll have a booth with samples of wedding cookies, favors, cookie cakes and more. If you're getting married in the next 18 months, this show is the place to be.

Ike Strikes!

2008-09-27T13:56:00.000-07:00

On September 12th, Ike hit the Gulf Coast. Millions were left without power, including myself. As of today, I still don't have power at home, although today I see workers repairing the downed poles in my backyard.

My production kitchen was without power for a week. I had to discard all cookie dough and ingredients from the coolers and freezers. Very sad! After this delay, my crew and I are fervently working to restore our inventories and get ready for the holidays (yes, they are knocking at our back door).

To commemorate this historic event, we have designed the "Ike" cookie. We will donate 50¢ from the sale of each cookie to Gulf Coast Ike Relief Fund. Please visit michaelscookiejar.com for more information.

Happy 4th of July

2008-07-02T19:50:00.000-07:00

For Independence Day we received orders for hundreds of flag cookies and patriotic stars. Customers really like the hand-iced cookies. The possibilities for design are endless. We like to ice cookies with 2-3 colors and dip one of the edges in a color sugar. It also has to be done neatly, otherwise it looks like the kids made it (which is fine if you're home for the holidays, but we're selling these). Because of the time and artistry that goes into these cookies, they cost a little more than our Americana or Fancy cookies, but sometimes, it's worth it!

Welcome to Michael's Cookie Jar Blog!

2008-06-12T14:07:00.001-07:00

Cookies are a wonderfully simple thing. Butter, sugar, eggs and flour combined in endless ways to create something very special.

In the "olden days," part of that specialness came from the process of making them at home. But then we got "busy" and opted for the convenience of grocery store cookies.

I'd like to bring back the basic goodness of all-butter, hand-made cookies to our modern life. I encourage you to make them at home (and I'll have recipes in future blogs). In the meantime, you can get them from me :)

www.michaelscookiejar.com