Here is this years map. As you can see there will be around 45 cookies when you are done! Most stores really go all out - with the exception of one or two. They are all sooo welcoming and it is such a great of shopping and supporting a local community in Pittsburgh!
Every shop that is participating puts a gingerbread man in the window and bakes cookies (they leave the plate of cookies out in the store and a copy of the recipe). Some shops only have one kind and others have a few different to choose from...Just grab a map and go! At the end, you vote for your favorite!
TIP!!!!! - Take note: I have a great tip for you...the first year we did this we ate the cookies as we walked along...we only made it through about half the tour and we were sooooo sick from too may cookies! This year; we all took a tin along and ate a few but mostly just added the cookies to our tin. At the end we had a beautiful cookie tray to share with others or eat slowly over a few weeks...LOL!!!! Here is the tray I brought into work today to share!
Here is the picture heavy part...We attended on Friday and I have pictures of most stores we went to with their cookies...some were closed and a few actually were out of cookies so here are the ones we got.
We started with this store NatuRoll Creamery. This is their list of ice creams...they took this list and created a cookie choice for each one?!?!?! What a start to the tour, right?!?! See what I mean...some stores really embrace this and this is my second choice for winner! They went all out!!!!!
So each one of the cookies below represents one of the 12 flavors of ice cream they had that day!
In the end, I chose Sweet n Salty and S'mores...
Onto Una Biologicals...they had pizzelles, white chocolate chip and gingerbread. For the record...you are supposed to take one per person but for the photos I selected more so you could see most of them ;-)
Butler Street Lofts...four different choices..apparently many employees baked. This is a building where you can rent space space for artwork display, dinners and wedding receptions and also living space in the upstairs areas.
Hippie & French...a new CBD oil store in Lawrenceville. I bought a foot pain lotion here and the owner swears it will work for me..I will keep you posted! She had hers each wrapped separately..great idea!!!
Geology Rocks! This store did a great job representing their store with their cookie! They made sugar cookies in all different colors that look like Geodes!!! Super cute!!! They are a tie for second for the massive creativity!!!
Christine Frechard Gallery- this is a beautiful jam and pistachio cookie bar! So yummy and delicate!
This is Pet Supply Store - the owner told us that his 86 year old grandmother made the pizzelles! Now that is love!!
Luxe Redux Bridal...such beautiful gowns at very discounted prices!!!
City Grows, LLC....
Black Cat Cafe- I loved this little place! They are a store, cafe (soon once they get their zoning approved) and there are cats int eh back you can visit and play with! My kind of place...shopping and playing with cats! They made vegan sugar cookies topped with sugar and jimmies! You simply take a sugar cookie recipe and replace the butter with coconut oil! Learned something new and so yummy!!!!
This is the restroom decor in Black Cat! They are drawings by the owners daughter!! So cute!!!! One says. "My dream is to own 10 cats"! I loved it since HEY! ME TOO!!! LOL!!!!
Then the Poillucci Plumbing Company had these ducks in the window so you know we popped our heads in and asked for one! The owner said we were not the first! LOL! Yea us!
Next - onto the Standard Bank...since they did not have a business card I got the picture with a deposit slip! LOL!
Then the Cavacini Landscaping and Garden Center...this was a disappointing few minutes of our tour...we walked down a side street for this one...these cookies were mini toll house cookies in a bucket...ick!!! Not homemade at all and very hard...
Next up Goodwill!! Store bought but at least a real cookie...oatmeal or white chocolate chip...
We came across this adorable picture opp!!!! You know I made everyone stop! HA!
Next was North Park Lounge - they had homemade chocolate chips and buckeyes!!!! YUMMO!!!!
The next store that was participating was Candle Lab with their Molasses Cookie!
Their recipe was posted on a board at the store! This was such a cute place...you go and make your own candle...you select your candle jar, color, scents, etc. Such a fun time for only around $20 and you leave with your candle!!!
Peanut butter blossoms from Wagner Quality Shoes
Tumeric Sugar Cookies that were delicious made by Gallery on 43rd Street...
The Cricket store was another disappointment...it was another mini tool house that was in a huge bucket so everyone is reaching in that bucket and it was stale too! ICK and UGH!
This was from Wildcard...it is a super cute store filled with gift ideas that you will not find anywhere else! Super cool store that you have to check out!!
I will Post Part 2 tomorrow since this is soooo many pictures to smoosh into one post!
What a great time! If you live anywhere near Pittsburgh, you should plan to attend next year!
Ever been on a cookie tour? Does your city have a food tour? Are you holiday ready yet?!?
I'm going to tell my daughter about this for next year - Thanks. I love that most look homemade too.
ReplyDeleteOh yes! All of the store owners are awesome and really make it a great event!!! They put a lot of thought and care into their cookies and their brand! She should definitely check it out!!! Is she in that area - you should plan a visit that weekend and go too! It gets better every year~
DeleteI'm pretty sure I just gained a pound reading about this!!! I cant imagine doing this in person - what a fun idea. I've never even heard of it before!
ReplyDeleteIt really is an awesome event! If you think you gained while reading it; imagine the year we ate the cookies as we went along!!! Were had a sugar high and sick stomachs! LOL!!! Have a great day Rebecca Jo!
DeleteWell I'm jealous! That's way better than a wine stroll lol
ReplyDeleteLOL Julie! Well, I know a few people that would prefer a wine stroll but since I don't drink I am not one of them - LOL!!! Although, you would be hard-pressed to get home after all those drinks!
DeleteWow!! What a great event and you were really smart to take along a tin! This is a fun post and now I want COOKIES!
ReplyDeleteLOL! The last thing I want to see anymore this Christmas is cookies!! I brought all the remaining cookies from the walk and left them in the kitchen at work!! It really is a great event that we look forward to each year!
DeleteOh my goodness YES please! Yum!
ReplyDeleteRight Jessi?!?! It really is an awesome time! We met so many really neat store owners and others on the tour!!!
DeleteOMG, I am so impressed. I would love to do that. What a great idea taking a tin with you to fill.
ReplyDeleteWow! That looks super fun! What a great time of year for it!
ReplyDelete