Double Chocolate Cookie at A Baker’s Wife

I have no trouble admitting that I’m a chocoholic. I think a dessert menu is not worth considering if it doesn’t have at least one chocolately option, and at age 3 I threw a fit when my mother only presented coffee cake as the ending to a neighborhood meal. But as I’ve gotten older I’ve realized that not all chocolate treats are created equal. Some taste like chocolate, but oftentimes, these desserts taste more like sugar or high-fructose corn syrup than the tropical bean from which chocolate is made. Therefore, when I stopped for the first time at A Baker’s Wife pastry shop in Minneapolis’ Nokomis neighborhood recently, I was pleased to find a cookie that actually tasted like chocolate — pure, deep cocoa, without the cloying sweetness for which many American-made chocolates are derided.

Though the authentic cocoa taste was what originally made me a fan of the double chocolate cookie, further review (aka numerous taste tests) revealed the cookie’s other assets. The cookie’s generous size may fool the nibbler into thinking this is just another oversized treat for oversized Americans, but oddly, the cookie’s heft makes it easier for one to eat smaller portions. It is so meaty, for lack of a better term, that a few bites leave one perfectly satisfied — and plenty of cookie left to share (yeah, right) or save for the next day. The chocolate chips are sprinkled judiciously throughout the cookie, providing an extra chocolately boost to each bite without overwhelming the balance of flavor. And while I’m sure it would pair nicely with a cup of coffee, this is a milk kind of cookie. Fill up your glass with some local moo juice and dunk away.

I’ve heard that the teacakes at A Baker’s Wife are amazing, the doughnuts are divine, and the croissants are all buttery goodness. Fantastic. I’m still getting this cookie, though, and I may buy yours, too, if you don’t try one for yourself.

The double chocolate cookie costs $1.19 at A Baker’s Wife, 4200 28th Ave S, Minneapolis.