McLain’s Bakery

McLain’s sugar cookie featured cute seasonal designs. I went for the pumpkin cookie because of its high frosting content (what can I say, I love frosting), but mummy cookies were also available. The icing was a lighter consistency, meaning that the cookie was not too sweet while still having textural diversity. My biggest complaint was definitely that the icing was fairly unevenly distributed due to the design, meaning some bites didn’t have any at all while others were almost overpowered by icing. The plain cookie was somewhat average, neither impressive nor disappointing, and did not feel satisfying to enjoy without the icing topping. If you head to McLain’s, I would recommend getting one of their other pastries, which from past experience I can confirm are delicious. 

DISTANCE FROM SION: 

3.1 miles, 6 minutes

PRICE: $2.90

Billie’s Grocery

Billie’s Grocery presented a very refined sugar cookie design. The cookie had a white swirl of icing with small circular sprinkles in one section, appearing very elegant. This design also had the advantage of even frosting distribution, meaning that every bite had a perfect ratio of frosting to cookie. The frosting was reasonably thick, but light enough to not be overwhelming, and melts in your mouth. The cookie itself was very similar to McLain’s, but the frosting elevated the cookie. One other benefit of Billie’s Grocery is the large selection of gluten-free items, including this sugar cookie. I could not even tell it was gluten-free until I saw it marked as such on the menu. Overall, the cookie presented a beautiful take on a classic treat but was not particularly creative or unique. This was also the most expensive of the three cookies I tried. 

DISTANCE FROM SION: 

3.3 miles, 9 minutes

PRICE: $4.25

The Lemon Cake Bakery by Cafe Europa

My favorite cookie of the three was from the Lemon Cake Bakery by Cafe Europa. This cookie was by far the most different. The cookie itself was sweeter and encrusted in bits of sugar, providing a satisfying crunch and an enjoyable eating experience with just the base cookie. Additionally, the cookie was topped with a tart lemon glaze, bringing an explosion of flavor to your taste buds. My only complaint would be the uneven distribution of glaze, because I wanted that citrus magic in every bite and it was limited to the center in an uneven splotch. This cookie was also the least aesthetic. Still, the taste reigned supreme for me, making this cookie my top choice.

DISTANCE FROM SION: 

3.1 miles, 8 minutes

PRICE: $3.75