Enjoy a little treat

Cookies can be a midday treat, an afternoon pick-me-up or a satisfying way to finish a meal. Here are some of the places serving up these treats.

 The Crust & Crumb Baking Co. - Best of the Best

best oF tHe best

126 N. Main St., Concord, 219-0763, thecrustandcrumb.com

This downtown from-scratch bakery started out at local farmers markets, quickly gaining relationships with area producers and growers that allow them to continue to make all kinds of locally sourced indulgences. Cookies include all kinds of American classics, from chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin to several types of European-style cookies with varying seasonal availability.

 Bearded Baking Co.

819 Union St., Manchester, 647-7150, beardedbaking.com

Jon Buatti took over ownership of Michelle’s Gourmet Pastries & Deli in late 2019 and, in November and December 2020, was a featured contestant on Food Network’s Holiday Baking Championship. The Bearded Baking Cooffers custom cakes, cupcakes, doughnuts, sandwiches and more as well as cookies.

 The Black Forest Cafe & Bakery

212 Route 101, Amherst, 672-0500, theblackforestcafe.com

Since 1988, The Black Forest Cafe & Bakery has been known for offering all kinds of from scratch-baked goods and sweets treats, including its cookies, large enough to share and featuring classic flavors like chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, molasses, snickerdoodle and more.

 Buckley's Bakery & Cafe

436 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 262-5929, buckleysbakerycafe.com

Like its neighbor, Buckley’s Great Steaks, this spot is part of Michael Timothy’s Dining Group, owned and operated by longtime Nashua chef Michael Buckley. A wide array of scratch-baked desserts and pastries is available here, from cookies and cinnamon rolls to cakes and cupcakes.

 Frederick's Pastries

109 Route 101A, Amherst, 882-7725, pastry.net

Originally established in 1980 by Frederick and Gloria Lozier in their Nashua garage, Frederick’s Pastries is now a local institution with two fullservice bakeries, in Amherst and Bedford. The couple’s youngest daughter, Susan Lozier Robert, purchased the business from her parents in 2004 and continues to run it today. Cookie options include butter cookies decorated with buttercream frosting celebrating holidays, seasons and big life events, flavored cookies (such as lemon zest cookies and cinnamon cranberry cookies) and even cookie cakes.

 Pats Peak Ski Area

686 Flanders Road, Henniker, 428-3245, patspeak.com

Pats Peak is famous for its home-baked giant M&M cookies, which are bigger than your fist. According to ski area marketing director Lori Rowell, the cookies started as a tradition in the 1960s, when the owners’ wives would serve as cooks in the kitchen. They made chocolate chip cookies at first before later transitioning to M&Ms. Today, Rowell said they’ll typically bake and sell around 20,000 individual cookies per season.

Ava Boll at Dimensions in Dance in Manchester (dimensionsindance. com), picked “Best Dance Studio” in the “Thing We Forgot to Ask About” category.