You’ve heard of Crumbl and Insomnia, but have you heard of Brother Cookie? This quaint family-owned cookie shop and the story behind it will make you say goodbye to mass-produced sweets and hello to small-batch cookies with high-quality ingredients!
The Location
This small shop is located on 23rd Ave, which is only about a ten-minute car ride from campus! The overall environment is very relaxed and cozy. Walking in, you can see the entire kitchen and ingredients right behind the counter, so you don't have to wonder if the cookies are fresh or not. The cozy atmosphere is a great environment to study or relax and enjoy a delicious cookie.
Location: 401 NE 23rd Ave, Gainesville, FL 32609
Hours: Monday & Tuesday: Closed, Wednesday: 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday, Friday and Saturday: 12 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday: 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
While visiting to try their amazing selection of cookies I got a chance to talk to the owner and ask all my burning questions about this local cookie shop!
Beyond the Cookies
After losing his previous food service job during the recent pandemic in May 2020, Thomas Tarrant knew that he wanted to continue working with food. He debated making cupcakes and selling them from a cart pulled by his bicycle but ultimately decided to pursue cookies, and began baking out of his house. His girlfriend's graduate schooling at the University of Florida brought him to Gainesville and about a year ago he opened up a storefront to share his delicious creations with the rest of the world.
One driving factor behind the creation of Brother Cookie was Tarrant's mission to ensure that employees are treated fairly and adequately compensated within the food industry. Right now, Tarrant has one employee helping him out in the kitchen but knows that fair wages and treating employees well are important in the long run.
The Cookies
Tarrant prides himself on the small-batch cookies made with the utmost attention. He uses high-quality ingredients (and you will surely be able to tell the difference) where it matters the most. When asked what was special about the business, Tarrant's employee Harmony Hillman said, "the care that goes into it and the ingredients bought." The care and freshness of the ingredients was certainly noticeable in the pumpkin cookie I tried.
It was hard to choose between the variety of flavors and sizes, but I decided to try the mini chocolate chip cookies (a classic), the pumpkin cookie (a seasonal treasure), iced carrot cake, and a giant s'mores cookie that was bigger than all of the other cookies combined! I could clearly taste the pumpkin in the pumpkin cookie and the seeds added great crunchy texture (pictured below). The carrot cake cookie was full of amazing sweet flavors present in every single bite. I would have to say my favorite was the s'mores cookie. The pull of the marshmallow and richness of the chocolate created a delectable experience worth every penny.
A Cookie You Can Count On
If you are ready to try some delicious cookies, head over to their storefront and grab a box! Be sure to call ahead and verify that they aren't sold out of your favorite cookie. If you don't feel like leaving your apartment, you can order via their many delivery services like BiteSquad, Grubhub, Uber, Doordash, etc. You surely won't regret trying these.