Local bakeries and cookie shops all over San Diego are serving up fresh-baked, gourmet and custom cookies, much to our delight. Bring these sweet treats home and everyone in your family will get caught with their hand in the cookie jar! Whether you like a good, old-fashioned chocolate chip cookie, something with a twist like molasses apricot, or vegan and gluten-free cookies, save this list for your next cookie craving. It’s dangerous to even mention that some of these shops offer cookie delivery! Read on for the Cookie Monster approved details.
Batch & Box
Baking from her heart into yours is the newest cookie shop to sweep you off your feet. These decadent cookies will fill your taste buds with delight and make you reach for another bite! Choose from their signature flavors like choc chip, peanut butter and sugar cookie; or mix it up with some mud pie, raspberry and cinnamon flavors. Look for seasonal flavors during select holidays.
Delivery: Store pick-up or shipping nationally with a 2-day shipping service anywhere in the U.S.
Sweet Tip: They have a gluten-free chocolate chip cookie that will make anyone swoon.
Batch & Box
858-925-7477
12843 El Camino Real, Del Mar Town Center
Online: batchandbox.com
Café Gratitude's Valentine's Day Cookie Kits
Kids will have fun decorating Café Gratitude's Valentine’s Day Chocolate Sugar Cookies this year. And even better-for-you they’re plant-based and gluten-free with natural and organic colorings. The icing colors are made using pink dragon fruit, purple sweet potato, red beets and white sugar. They’re available for pick-up at the restaurant's Little Italy location or for delivery for $25 each (plus shipping).
Sweet Tip: Add an artisanal chocolate box made by Chef Dreux Ellis to your order.
Café Gratitude
1980 Kettner Blvd., Little Italy
619-736-5077
Online: cafegratitude.com
Maya’s Cookies
Maya’s Cookies have quickly become a national treasure. Maya now has the number one Black-owned and women-owned vegan cookie company in the country. Since June 2020, when Black Lives Matter supporters began showing her some love, her business took off and she now has her own storefront in Grantville/Mission Valley East. People drive from far and wide to buy her award-winning cookies that she’s been selling at local farmer’s markets since 2015. Go treat yourself to her gourmet vegan (and gluten-free) cookies.
Delivery: Yes, nationwide.
Sweet Tip: Try her Presidential collection from The Biden, The Obama and the Madam Vice President; or the new Zodiac sign cookies based on the stars in the sky.
Maya’s Cookies
858-265-9957
4760 Mission Gorge Pl., Ste G, Grantville
Hours: Wed.-Sun. 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Online: mayascookies.com
Gluten Free Baking Co.
Yes, they really do make sweets here that everyone can enjoy. Your non-GF friends won’t even know the gluten is missing. Everything here is 100% Gluten Free & Celiac Safe, with many additional options being vegan, dairy free and soy free. When the owner’s son was diagnosed with several food allergies, this former leadership consultant switched gears by learning to make delicious foods that he would eat. Having just opened her doors last year in February 2020, she even made it onto the Netflix show Sugar Rush Christmas.
Delivery: No, store pick up only.
Sweet Tip: Daily flavors are snickerdoodle, caramel toffee date, chocolate chip, peanut butter and M&M.
The Gluten Free Baking Co.
858-270-9863
4594 30th St., North Park
Online: thegfbakingco.com
Blackmarket Bakery
This bakery boasts scratch-made drop cookies made daily using only natural ingredients and the finest culinary technique. After winning the Food Network’s Sweets Showdown, bakery founder Chef Rachel later went back to win again on Chopped. Some of her daily flavors include Two Tone (Dark & Milk Chocolate Chip), Blackstrap Betty (Molasses Apricot), Cinnamon Snick (Cinnamon Sugar), Giddy Up (flourless PB, Walnuts, Oats, Chocolate), vegan Sprinkle Cookie and flourless Walnut Mudslide. With these tantalizing flavors rarely seen in cookies, you should definitely get thee to Blackmarket Bakery as soon as possible.
Delivery: No, store pick up only.
Sweet Tip: Try making one of their recipes using their online video tutorials.
Blackmarket Bakery
619-641-0081
4686 30th St., North Park
Online: blackmarketbakery.com
Solana Sumptuous Cookies
Inspired by Spanish and Peruvian baking traditions, Solana Sumptuous Cookies are hand-crafted gourmet artisan creations. Using only non-GMO, organic and honorably sourced ingredients is the secret to their soft cookies. It may be hard to decide because they make cookies in 18 different ways with combinations of choc chips, pink Himalayan salt, scratch-made Habanero sugar, Spanish custard, churros, oatmeal, peanut butter, toffee and marshmallows just to name a few. If you walk into the shop, you’ll be able to see the bakers mixing and making magic.
Delivery: Yes, nationwide.
Sweet Tip: They have gluten-free options. Pick up your cookie dough to freeze and make later when the mood strikes.
Solana Sumptuous Cookies
858-925-6300
150 South Solana Hills Dr., Solana Beach
Online: sumptuouscookies.com
Cravory Cookies
Cravory Cookies has stolen many hearts around town not only for their fresh-baked creations and changing seasonal flavors, but for their eye-catching colors. These are practically the perfect cookie with a soft gooey center and a crisp surface, making for the most memorable bite you’ll ever have. You can often find these gourmet cookies all over town at many local restaurants and coffee shops that have partnered up to sell them.
Delivery: Yes, nationwide.
Sweet Tip: Monthly cookie subscriptions are available!
Cravory Cookies
619-795-9077
3960 W Point Loma Blvd., Point Loma
Online: thecravory.com
Crumbl
There’s always something new at Crumbl with their 4 specialty flavors changing weekly, but they’ve always got the classic choc chip and sugar cookie daily. As of this writing, their specialty flavors are Snickerdoodle Cupcake, Pumpkin Choc Chip, Frozen Hot Chocolate (hello chocolate mousse with mini marshmallows and powdered sugar!) and a Biscoff Lava; which if you’ve never had a Biscoff cookie, make this the one you try first!
Delivery: Yes
Sweet Tip: Turn their cookies into ice cream and take home a half pint of Cookies & Cream, Biscoff, Chocolate Cake, Churro and other cookie flavors.
Crumbl
619-633-3770
2990 Midway Dr., Point Loma
Online: crumblcookies.com/PointLoma
V.G. Donuts & Bakery
Clearly they’re Very Good at everything they bake here since it’s a 3rd generation run bakery. Recipes and their old-fashioned baking style have been passed down for so long; which is why they’re here to stay. Of course they have the classic cookie flavors (choc chip, peanut butter, oatmeal and others), but they’re famous for their daily smiley face and surfing cookies.
Delivery: No, store pick up only.
Sweet Tip: Their cookies get very creatively decorated based on the season, sports, politics or whatever’s going on in the world, so plan to stop in frequently to find out.
VG Donut & Bakery
760-753-2400
106 Aberdeen Dr., Cardiff
Online: vgbakery.com
San Luis Rey Bakery
Experience what Oceanside’s freshest bakery of 52 years looks and tastes like. It smells like grandma’s kitchen when she’s making fresh bread, and you’ll be mesmerized by the wonderful colors and creations inside. Daily cookie offerings include their famous smiley face shortbread and cute seasonal ones too.
Delivery: Yes, locally.
Sweet Tip: The bakery is next to the Mission San Luis Rey, so pick up some cookies and take a walk through history next door.
San Luis Rey Bakery
760-433-7242
490 N El Camino Real, Oceanside
Online: sanluisreybakery.com/
San Diego’s Finest Donuts
Linda makes more than just donuts… she’ll bake anything your heart desires and will make it fun too! Case in point: these seasonal kids cookie decorating kits she has available for Valentine’s Day. If you need a cookie fix in between seasons, she’s always got some cookies ready for you.
Delivery: No, store pick up only.
Sweet Tip: She’s very creative and will customize any of her baked goods into whatever your imagination dreams up.
San Diego’s Finest Donuts
619-284-9520
3458 University Ave., North Park
Online: @sandiegosfinestdonuts
NatSweets
Cookie magic is what you’ll find at NatSweets with her incredible design talent. She’ll create any kind of custom cookie that you can imagine. Plan ahead for your custom orders or stop by the shop to pick up seasonal or daily creations.
Delivery: Yes, nationwide.
Sweet Tip: She usually has a seasonal cookie decorating box for kids.
NatSweets
619-972-0576
8840 N Magnolia Ave., Santee
Online: natsweets.com
Sugar & Scribe Bakery
We’re lucky to have this Food Network Champion in our backyard at the trendy Sugar & Scribe bakery in La Jolla. Here, baked goods are made from scratch using only the best sourced ingredients. There are several daily options to choose from, and you can also call in a custom order for special occasions too.
Delivery: Yes, nationwide.
Sweet Tip: Check back regularly to see if they have these seasonal paint your own cookies kits.
858-274-1733
7660 Fay Ave., La Jolla
Online: sugarandscribe.com
––Bonnie Taylor
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