cookies
By: Jessica Jenkins
Tags: Cookies, Experimentation, Baking, Creative Process, Product Design

Pinterest results for “Creative cookies” search.

Idea Generation: To begin the process of brainstorming ideas I first went to Pinterest, the place I go anytime I am looking for new recipes to try out, whether for baking or cooking, however it’s usually for baking. I tried searches like “Creative cookies”, and “Unique cookies”, to get some ideas of what’s been done before, and what’s popular. The general takeaway from this was that of the results, the most common were probably cookies made to look like something else; whether they were mini pies, geodes, donuts, a cup of coffee, or a melting snowman. Despite how cool cookies that look like mini versions of other things are, this search pushed me to think of non-appearance based cookie ideas since judging on that search I’d be hard pressed in terms of making a new, interesting cookie that looks like something else that hasn’t been done before. So, while the appearance of the cookies would still be very important as a means to help sell them, it was not going to be my main focus.

In regard to my background in baking, I have baked a lot in the last few years so I have had a good amount of experience when it comes to baking, cookies especially, and was initially struggling to think of new cookie ideas and not get stuck thinking of ones I have already made before. To break this habit, I then tried to narrow down my brainstorming to the individual categories of flavor, form, texture, cooking process, and presentation, and simply list out any potentially creative thoughts in each area. One of the most productive trains of thought during this process was thinking of features of other meals, foods, or baked goods, that I could translate over to cookies somehow. For example, baking cookies on a salt block that is usually used to cook more savory foods or meats, or trying to incorporate yeast into a cookie, when it is most commonly reserved for bread, or making a cookie with flavors and ingredients that I usually use together in a smoothie.

Design Notebook initial brainstorming, handwritten list typed out to the right.

Ideas developed in areas of:

Flavor: mint-coconut-lime, nutmeg-cinnamon-clove, apple cider vinegar and fresh apple, grape cookies (using fresh grapes), savory cookie with quinoa-oregano-italian seasoning,

Form: Pineapple upside down cake cookie, building cookies (would fit together to build like puzzle piece edges), dried apple base cookie, inverse chocolate chip cookie (pure chocolate in cookie shape with edible cookie dough ‘chips’)

Texture: Mini-monkey bread cookie (use yeast to make fluffy like bread), mint-coconut-lime (coconut flakes to add crunchy texture)

Cooking Process: bake on a salt block, bake over campfire, bake in cast iron pan, bake cookie dough ball within a cookie cutter to keep perfect shape,

Presentation: cracked chocolate coating covering the cookie,

Following this initial list, I thought about each of them individually; how they would look, how it would work, potential problems, potential changes. Then for those that seemed to have the most potential I continued with drawings and specific notes for those ideas. This allowed me to think more critically on my initial ideas, while it also supplied me with more complete notes to show friends and family to get early input.

When trying to then narrow down the list of potential ideas I thought most about their feasibility, especially their feasibility for an average college student. How much time would they take to make? What materials are needed? How complicated is the process to make them? By this criteria I fairly quickly ruled out some of the cooking process ideas such as baking them on a salt block, or over a campfire. It didn’t seem likely that that the average college student would find these options feasible, or have easy access to the supplies needed.

A friend’s response to which cookie idea stuck out the most to them.

To choose the two ideas to test I had family and friend input choose one of the two ideas, and my own assessment for the other. For the friends and family chosen cookie the mint-coconut-lime cookie was picked by 6 out of the 9 people asked. I then chose the second cookie to test to be the cookie with a baked apple base. I thought this cookie had a nice combination of a traditional oatmeal cookie with the added freshness, flavor, and texture of a baked apple slice. It also seemed to have a nice appearance with the color combinations of the apple, cookie, and caramel. With these two ideas chosen, more specific planning was completed, especially regarding ingredients and possible forms. The cookie dough ratio of 1 part sugar, 2 parts fat, and 3 parts flour was used as a basis for the planned doughs.