Tag: Sweetness Bake Shop

Just like any other person, I hesitate a bit whenever someone calls something “the greatest (insert item) of all time.” Still, people throw around that superlative like it holds no meaning. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that a new restaurant’s burger is the greatest burger of all time only to taste it and be sorely disappointed. Don’t get me wrong; when people describe things in this way, the food is at least decent. But saying things such as these just builds a sort of hype that is impossible to escape. I wish more caution were used when uttering these words. Now let’s get to the review.

Sweetness Bake Shop and Cafe is a family-owned dessert-centric bakery that opened on 2010, filling Miami’s need for a place to get confections and sweets reminiscent of those that you would get throughout your childhood. Although they began as a bakery focusing mostly on their cupcakes and various iterations of them, they have evolved throughout the years in order to include numerous desserts such as macarons, brownies, and even carnival-inspired sweets. Their creative takes on classic pastries and desserts have earned them various accolades since their opening, making them one of the more successful and influential businesses to open in Miami in the past couple of years. There is much more than meets the eye to this small place, as they also offer a full coffee bar experience and even make some of the best sandwiches in the South Miami area.

Today, I will focus on what they like to call the “GOAT Cookie.” This unassuming cookie has been part of their dessert family since the bakery’s inception, and it is rightfully one of the more popular items on the menu. The acronym refers to the superlative that I was speaking about earlier, meaning “The Greatest of All Time.” Although it is true that I dislike the use of this descriptor, I’ve always felt like Sweetness’ GOAT Cookie could be in the discussion about actually deserving the right to claim their dessert as such. The GOAT cookie can be described as a standard chocolate chip cookie deceptively hiding a layer of chocolate ganache in the middle. The cookie itself boasts an exquisite brown-sugar flavor and aroma, leading to caramel undertones. The chocolate chips included in the cookie may be appear to be too small, but they are present more for a crunchy texture than anything, as the filling in the center provides all the chocolate you need to satisfy your fix. The chocolate used is semi sweet in order to counter the sweetness coming from the base cookie recipe, but I wish it were a bit more bitter. Still, the contrast in flavors is well thought out and makes you realize that there is a lot of thought put into this cookie. If I had one complaint about this cookie, it would be that it is a bit one note when it comes to the texture department. The cookie is soft throughout, and I am more partial to crispy exteriors and chewy centers in my ideal chocolate chip cookie. Still, I completely understand why this cannot be achieved in a cookie with a ganache filling, and I am more than willing to sacrifice texture for flavor in this case.

I wouldn’t call Sweetness’ GOAT Cookie the greatest cookie of all time per se, but that is more due to preference in texture than anything. What they do achieve, though, is a perfectly executed example of what it is that they are trying to create: a fun (albeit delicious) iteration of a classic with enough twists to make you think. I can’t remember the last time a chocolate chip cookie made me think, and I mean that as a good thing. Personally I think if this cookie were called the Greatest Soft Cookie of All Time I would agree, but I guess G(s)OAT Cookie doesn’t sound as cool.