Hope's Cookies: A Paradise for Your Sweet Tooth

When I was in high school and the weather would get warmer, we would hop in our cars and drive to Hope's Cookies for a fantastic milkshake. It had been a while since I had been there, so when my editor gave me the assignment I was overjoyed. I'm happy to report that Hope's Cookies is still as good as I remembered.

You are greeted by the happiest looking storefront on the Main Line, with painted benches and a sky blue doorframe. Upon entering, you smell all sorts of baked goodness and see racks of freshly baked cookies, muffins, and an abundance of ice creams and yogurts in numerous flavors and colors. Don't go there when you're starving because you'll end up ordering everything in sight (totally guilty of having done this).

The cookies are normal sized which is great for a reasonable snack. I don't know who decided to make cookies the size of your face, but I am against giant cookies. My favorites at Hope's are chocolate peanut butter and white Russian, although Heath bar is a close third. Hope's cookies are crisp rather than chewy and travel well for care packages. They are also sweeter than other bakeries, which may or may not be your taste.

I had a strawberry frozen yogurt milkshake with whole milk (I think it's the perfect balance of creaminess and healthfulness--I hate skim milk), which was delicious on that rare warm and sunny day last week. If you want to go all out, get an ice cream shake with whole milk. If you're a calorie counter, grab a frozen yogurt milkshake with skim milk. I love the bonus mini cup of shake that you get that's perfect for the drive back home.

Blend-ins are also a fun option--blend your favorite topping into whatever flavor of ice cream or frozen yogurt you want, I recommend coffee ice cream with Oreos blended in. Just beware that the blend-in machine is ridiculously loud.

The muffins are good but not nearly as good as the milkshakes and cookies, in my opinion.

Hope's Cookies has something for whatever strikes your sweet fancy, be it traditional baked goods--cookies or muffins, guiltless fat-free milkshakes or something in between. It's the perfect place for an after-school snack, quick ice cream run or after-dinner treat.