A Quest For Cookies: 5 Shops in Grand Forks to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

Photo taken from Real Good Cookie’s Website

So you say it’s winter. You’re cold. You’re hungry. Probably you’re a little depressed. What to do? What to do? It’s nothing that a nice warm, freshly baked cookie can’t make better.

Luckily you are living in the right place at the right time. You see, there is something of a cookie movement going on in the country right now with specialized cookie boutiques popping everywhere, including Grand Forks. I’ve decided to take a look at some of them, new and old, and find which one is the cream of the cookie crop.

In just a few short years, Real Good Cookies has become a Grand Forks favorite, beginning with their popular Salted Bittersweet Chocolate Chip Cookie and—get this—half-pound cookies. Yes, half-pound! Who does that? The Real Good Cookie bakers make different flavors every week. They’re available at a number of local wholesale locations like Bully Brew Coffee and Brick & Barley in Grand Forks. In the summer and fall months, look for the “Wheel Good Cookies” van, which can be found everywhere from the town farmer’s market to UND tailgating events. Kids in the community also sell Real Good Cookies to raise money for their schools and organizations.

Crumbl Cookies is the newest of the cookie emporiums in Grand Forks. So new, in fact, it just opened its doors (near Menard’s) in December 2023. The new location is one of more than 850 nationwide. Crumbl Cookies often mimic other desserts like Key Lime Pie and New York Cheesecake.  They are baked fresh daily and the cookie menu changes weekly. The cookies are big–so big they are meant to be shared. You can buy a Crumbl brand cookie cutter (in the company’s signature pink color) that evenly divides a cookie into four parts. That’s good because most flavors range from 700 to 800 calories a piece. As an added bonus, you can buy ICE CREAM with your Crumbl Cookies!

Insomnia Cookies was founded in a college dorm room at the University of Pennsylvania in 2003. The dubbing “Insomnia” is because their stores stay open late in Grand Forks; 1 am on week nights and 3 am on weekends. Often, though not always, the chain’s locations are located near college campuses. In Grand Forks, Insomnia is downtown, across the street from the Empire Arts Center (very convenient for bar-goers!). Designer cookies include White Chocolate Macadamia, Gluten Free Chocolate Chip, and Salted Caramel, along with seasonal favorites that come and go. Insomnia Cookies can be bought with cold milk (suitable for dunking), and even ice cream, which they will happily turn into an ice cream sandwich for you.

But you say, “I love cookies, Terry, but I’ve always loved cookie dough more. What about me?” Well, thank you for asking. Now there is Two Birds One Dough, an edible cookie dough business created not long ago by Jessica LeTexier and Kate Larson of East Grand Forks. Flavors include “Peanut Buttah,” “Sugah Shell,” and “Gingah.” You can eat the dough as is, or take it home and bake it. You can find their dough drops at local coffee shops like Bully Brew, or you can shop from their website and pick up your goods at Half Brothers Brewing Company. Other unique takes include their layered birthday cookie dough cake or a custom Doughcuterie Board™, a kookie take on the beloved charcuterie board.

Check out their Instagram here!

Then there are the old favorites–some older than others. The cookie menu at Bernie’s in East Grand Forks varies daily. On any particular day, it could include unique options such as Potato Chip Chocolate Chip, giant Peanut Butter Blossom, Tahini Monster, or Cream Cheese Cutout. Then, there’s Molly Yeh’s (yes, she of the Food Network) gourmet take on the Midwest church potluck favorite, the cookie salad. Yes, salad.

The cookie menu at O For Heaven’s Cakes N’ More bakery includes a number of different categories of cookies. Among them including, sugar, monster, snickerdoodles, chocolate drop, turtle, and oatmeal scotchies.

We can’t forget the bakeries at Hugos‘ many locations that have been making cookies probably longer than I have been alive! And don’t let’s forget the bakeries of Perkins and Panera Bread restaurants. Good stuff, all.

On a personal note, I’m proud to say that in my “research” for this article I was able to muster enough willpower to resist even a single personal purchase. I’m lying. I had to have a “new” Count Basie, didn’t I? Price: $1.99.