Eloise Market & Cakery

Opened: 2021 | Cookie Type: Big & Cakey | @eloisemarketandcakery

Step into Eloise Market and Cakery, where disco balls, graffiti walls and enormous cookies welcome you with a burst of vibrant energy. This bakery defies tradition at every turn, from its table overflowing with locally made art for sale to its innovative take on cookies, which are more akin to cakes.

“We use our cake batter recipe and make it thicker into a dough to roll it up,” owner Madelyn Schmidt explains. “It’s completely different in texture and taste from a traditional cookie because it doesn’t have brown sugar and the ratios are different. That makes them chewier and cakier, which is how I love my cookies.”

Like Merryman and Hays, Schmidt’s bakery began in pursuit of the perfect cookie. But she doesn’t like them crunchy or doughy. She wanted something pillowy, soft and slathered with homemade frosting.

While cookies seem to be getting most of the glory these days, like Hays, Schmidt is delighted to see people getting excited about sweet treats of all kinds. “I’ve never seen people buy cookies like this,” Schmidt notes, pointing to social media as pivotal in the resurgence of custom and over-the-top desserts. “Everyone wants photo-worthy treats and cakes.”

While she takes pride in filling the trays and coolers with a variety of uniquely flavored cookies, cakes and cake balls, she’s just as enthusiastic about hosting parties and classes. In these gatherings, she shares her passion for creative expression through confectionary delights with people of all ages. Some of her cake decorating classes draw crowds of over 100 people, all coming together to create their own version of the perfect treat.

Baton Rouge is home to bakers who have mastered the art of crafting delicious and Instagram-worthy desserts, but they’ve also stirred the communal spirit with each mouthwatering bite. Whether you find yourself indulging in the thick and gooey wonders from Caroline’s Cookies, savoring the nostalgic perfection of CounterspaceBR’s salted chocolate chip creation or embracing the cakier delight of Eloise Market and Cakery, one thing remains clear—each of their interpretations of the perfect cookie is uniquely delightful.

It’s not about finding a one-size-fits-all definition of perfection but relishing in the diversity and innovation that each bakery brings to the table.

One day, the cookie craze on social media may crumble, but these local bakers will continue to demonstrate the power of a shared passion, a sprinkle of creativity and moments together as delightful as the goodies we share in them. Each is an artisan who has turned a simple confection into a communal celebration, proving that in Baton Rouge, the perfect cookie isn’t just a treat, it’s a shared experience—a tradition and a sweet commitment to the community.