After the chocolate chip cookie search, a request came in for where to get an iced cookie in the Phoenix area. Iced cookies may not always be on the shelf at your local bakery, as they are typically iced up to celebrate holidays or occasions. I found three iced cookies that are on the pastry rack this week.
See also: Five Must-Have Pastry Tools
Barb's Bakery - Barb's Bakery reminds me of the bakeries back east, offering up standard classics, as well as trying their hand at the trendy cronut. Their iced cookies are always offered, though the cookie themes rotate. On the day I stopped in, they were offering a flower or a football. The cookie and icing are tremendously soft, almost melting in your mouth. There is no notable flavor or sweetness in the cookie, though the icing is incredibly sugary.
Tammie Coe Cakes on Central - After closing their Roosevelt shop for the summer, T.Coe goods are coming out of their Central Avenue shop, located next to Federal Pizza. The a la carte iced cookie option is the Old-Fashioned, a term with several variations. T.Coe's version of the old-fashioned cookie tastes of a brown sugar base with a light caramel icing, finished with rainbow sprinkles. The cookie is soft and chewy, almost hearty, yet not overly sweet. The light caramel icing offers sweetness and a hint of rich caramel.
Honey Moon Sweets - Known for their cakes, Honeymoon Sweets does have a small retail pastry case in their shop. It offers up a variety of tarts, éclairs and cakes, but they always have iced cookies available. The cookie seems like it will be harder and crisp, when you pick it up, it is surprisingly tender and a bit more crumbly in texture. The icing is applied in a more balanced way, presenting a good icing to cookie ratio.
If you don't see an iced cookie on this list that makes you drool, keep your eyes out for them in the coming holiday months. I have the feeling that pumpkin or turkey iced cookies will be showing up before you know it.
Check back with Sugar Rush next week as we give you some tips for icing up your own cookies at home.
Rachel Miller is a pastry chef and food writer in Phoenix, where she bakes, eats, and single-handedly keeps her local cheese shop in business. You can get more information about her pastry at www.pistolwhippedpastry.com, or on her blog at www.croissantinthecity.com.
