Half Baked Goodness - Cypress

My boyfriend and I visited this dessert shop yesterday and were excited to try their cookies, especially since we try to lean toward dairy-free options when possible (though it's more of a preference than a strict dietary restriction). We ordered three cookies that were labeled as vegan/gluten-free/keto and one regular oatmeal raisin cookie. First, the good: the customer service was solid. Nothing exceptional, but the staff at the register were very kind and helpful. Now for the cookies...unfortunately, this is where our experience took a serious nosedive. We tried two chocolate chip cookies and one snickerdoodle, all of which were vegan/gluten-free/keto. They were, frankly, pretty awful. The texture was off, the flavor was lacking, and they left a strange aftertaste. We actually struggled to finish them and had to throw them away. I’ve baked my own vegan cookies before and tried other plant-based, dairy-free, and even gluten-free cookies from other bakeries, so I know it’s possible to make a delicious cookie without animal products or gluten. The issue here is that these cookies are trying to be everything at once—vegan, gluten-free, and keto—and in doing so, they fall short on taste and texture. It felt like the effort to meet multiple dietary requirements in a single cookie compromised the quality entirely. My suggestion: instead of combining all three dietary labels into one product, offer individual options that cater to each need. For example, have one great vegan cookie, one great gluten-free cookie, and one great keto option. Trying to do all three in one cookie is like offering a meat option at a vegetarian restaurant that combines bacon, rabbit, and fish in a single patty—technically covering all bases, but not doing justice to any of them. If you're someone with a strict need for vegan, gluten-free, and keto treats, maybe these cookies work for you. But if you're like us and are just looking for better-for-you or dairy-free treats as a preference, I wouldn’t recommend them. It wasn't worth the $21 spent.

In a world where customer service skills are severely lacking, Half Baked is a breath of fresh air. It doesn't matter how busy or slow they happen to be, the customer service is always superb. The fact that they have options for everyone - including vegan and gluten free options - is a huge bonus. My family loves Half Baked Goodness!

I am absolutely obsessed with these cookies! Warm, gooey, and big enough to share! The flavors are incredible. My family's favorites are classic chocolate chip, sugar, and creme brûlée. The icing on the cake, or cookie I should say, is their loyalty program. You earn points with every purchase, which turn into discounts, making it even easier to indulge in a little treat. Plus, with the holidays right around the corner, I can't think of a better gift idea than a box of these cookies! They’d make the perfect teacher gift or a sweet addition to any holiday dinner table. They even have GLUTEN FREE/ DAIRY FREE/ KETO FRIENDLY options so everyone can share in their deliciousness! If you're lucky enough to have one near you, do yourself a favor and check them out. This post was made in connection with a Toast promotion.