Crunching Numbers to Crunchy Cookies: The Salty Sweet Story
The serendipitous journey of Salty Sweet began in 2008 when the NY Times released a recipe for chocolate chip cookies. Over the years that followed, the founder found herself obsessed, tweaking the recipe and sharing her creations at work. By 2012, driven by dissatisfaction in her finance job and a latent entrepreneurial spirit, she left her position to plunge into the uncharted waters of the cookie business. This decision was rooted in a passion for the craft and a desire for autonomy.
Salty Sweet is a tale of passion and persistence that transforms a simple cookie recipe into a beloved brand. The journey continues with the same spirit, ensuring every cookie tells a story. We recently caught up with Melissa Cohen to get her story.
Best Cookie on Earth
How did you come up with the idea of creating the “best cookie on Earth,” and what inspired you to quit your job in finance to pursue this venture?
I never planned it, but around 2008, the NY Times published a recipe for the best chocolate chip cookies. For two years, I didn’t realize it: I only baked chocolate chip cookies, making tweaks here and there. I would bring them to work, and we eventually started sending them to clients as holiday gifts. I left my job in 2012 because I was unhappy with what I was doing; I thought it would be easier to start a business than to find a job I liked. I always wanted to work for myself!
Can you tell us about developing your cookie recipe? How did you achieve the perfect balance of crispiness and chewiness?
The most important thing I learned was that it takes time for the dough’s flavors to develop. If you bake your cookies right after making the dough, you’re missing out on a lot of good flavor and texture development. Ideally, we rest our dough in the fridge for at least 3 days; the flavor difference between 1 and 2 days is noticeable. The chewy texture also comes from the resting time and moisture evaporation. It’s all in the article!
What sets your cookies apart from other cookies in the market? What makes them the best?
There are many great cookies out there, and taste is subjective. The thing I love most about our cookies is that they are not overly sweet (the salt balances it out!). I don’t love getting a treat, and it’s just SWEET. I like it when I can taste other things, too, so with our chocolate chip cookie, there are the caramel notes of the butter and sugar, the slight bitterness of the dark chocolate, and a hint of saltiness.
How did you test and taste different variations of the recipe? How did you ensure consistency and quality in every batch?
All the other flavors have been derived from the original chocolate chip recipe. Sometimes we need to remove some sugar, add more flour, or add a spice. We’re always trying to develop some layers of flavor. Consistency is so important in any food business. The cookies must be the same, no matter who makes them. Our dough is quite forgiving, and I am fortunate to have a team that has worked together for a long time. We all know what the dough is supposed to feel like and how it’s supposed to bake up.
Starting a Business
Can you share any challenges you faced during the initial years of starting your business? How did you overcome them?
The hardest thing for me was realizing how long things take. I had many all-nighters during my first few years of college. Hiring people and not having to do everything myself was a game-changer!
What strategies did you use to market and promote your cookies? How did you create awareness and build a customer base?
This is still a work-in-progress area for Salty Sweet!
Have you introduced any new flavors or variations of your cookies since launching your business? How do you decide on new flavors?
The chocolate chip was our only option for the first two years; I was in business because I was working independently and needed to keep things as simple as possible! When we started offering more flavors, I still wanted to keep things simple and avoid adding too many additional ingredients. Our second flavor was Spicy Cinnamon; my brother-in-law mentioned he would like the cookie dough without chocolate and rolled in cinnamon. Thank you, David! We’ve added new flavors very slowly and organically. I’m trying to decide on a new Fall flavor, and it’s been a challenge. Stay tuned!
How do you source your ingredients?
We are fortunate to have excellent distributors in the Bay Area. We use Guittard for our chocolate blend and get flour and oats from Giustos. We make our vanilla extract and get it from a fantastic local vanilla bean importer (Vanilla Saffron Imports – they’re fantastic!).
Where can we find your products?
In the Bay Area, we are on Good Eggs and at a few spots in SFO. People can order from our website and coordinate pick up at our kitchen, or get delivery through Caviar.
What are your plans for Salty Sweet? Do you have any new products or expansions in the pipeline?
I would love to have a Salty Sweet storefront one day where people can get fresh cookies, and we can test out all of our craziest ideas! We are currently updating our website, so hopefully, this will make the online experience easier for our users.
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Mike Doherty serves as Chief Experience Officer at Greening Projects, a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming underutilized urban spaces into vibrant green areas
