On a Mission to Deliver Homemade Cookies

It would take a lot to keep Deb McWade from baking homemade cookies. Years ago, when her husband was in graduate school in New York, their apartment kitchen consisted of a hot plate and a toaster oven.

“I baked chocolate chip cookies two at a time in the toaster oven,” McWade said, laughing. “You know, when you have that urge…”

She went on to bake cookies for friends, family, and her son’s PTA.

“A lot of people said, ‘These are best cookies I’ve ever had,’” McWade said.

In 2009, she decided to turn her passion for baking into a business. She got her home kitchen certified, licensed, and insured, and began selling cookies through a website. She now delivers Deb’s Cookies locally, and also ships her confections worldwide.

“Chocolate chip is my signature cookie and the most popular,” McWade said. Other cookie offerings include gingersnaps, oatmeal raisin and chocolate chocolate chip.

Also on the menu are brownies, bundt cakes, and pumpkin bread. McWade made a cheesecake pound cake with lime glaze for last month, and said it disappeared “almost instantly.” She continues to experiment with new flavors and plans to bring out new products in the coming year.

Sometimes, inspiration strikes in unexpected ways. In addition to baking cookies, McWade is an office and maintenance manager for an apartment building, and often brings cookies in to work. One day, she found a co-worker sitting at her desk with one of McWade’s oatmeal raisin cookies and a little pile of raisins next to her cookie.

“She said, ‘I really like these cookies, but I’m not a raisin fan,” McWade said.

McWade immediately set about creating a cookie her co-worker would eat in its entirety. The result is Molly’s Magic Oatmeal Cookie, which features cinnamon chips instead of raisins.

McWade keeps up a stock of cookies and cakes so orders can be delivered quickly. She delivers local orders herself, and can also ship cookies all over the world. A few customers have ordered Deb’s Cookies to be sent to military bases overseas.

“Some of the soldiers took their pictures with the cookies and sent them to me,” McWade said. "I thought that was great. It’s nice to know you did something for them in a little, tiny way.”

McWade is happy to personalize cards and packaging to suit a customer’s needs. When a client wanted to send cookies to his out-of-state girlfriend whose favorite color is purple, McWade went out of her way to track down purple ribbon for the order. Over the holidays, she wrapped up boxes of cookies in gold tissue paper and tied them with gold ribbon for a local jeweler’s thank you gifts.

McWade hopes to expand her business this year to work with more restaurant, catering, and corporate clients, in addition to local residents.

“I just really enjoy the business,” McWade said. “I’m just hoping the business grows because it’s what I’m happy doing.”