After living in Gilbert for a few years now, it’s clear that there is no shortage of dessert spots with their own unique flavors, recipes and business models. But our latest discovery was one that we couldn’t help but share (and taste)! Batch is one of the newer bakeries to the scene, but based on the crowd inside, I have no doubt it’s already one of Gilbert’s best. From the moment you walk in the door, you instantly feel like you belong, not to mention, your stomach will begin to grumble after you get a peek at the treats in the glass case at the front of the store.
Jessica and Brad Peterson alongside Brad’s brother Craig and his wife Boston knew that they wanted to created something their families could build and enjoy together. With Jessica’s background as a cake decorator and a collection of family recipes passed down through generations, a specialty cookie business was at the top of their list. Plus, between these two families they have 10 children who I’m sure may have helped solidify the decision that this was the right move for them.
Their goal from the beginning was to create a place where people feel good right when they walk in the door and after visiting this sweet shop, I was so touched by the way they made every customer feel. Not only are the owners and staff incredibly kind and welcoming, but the kitchen is open so that cookie-lovers can see everything being made from scratch. It reminded me of being in my parent’s kitchen growing up. It was nostalgic and automatically made you feel like home. Plus, on a hot Summer day, it's a great way to keep your kiddos entertained!
Now I knew that we needed to taste a variety of their cookies before writing this, but there was no way I could do it on my own. So we enlisted some backup. Some very cute backup.
We asked a few of our favorite Gilbert boys to meet us at Batch for a cookie tasting so that we could recommend the BEST cookie for our community to go and try. Needless to say, it didn’t take much convincing! They were more than willing to taste all of the cookies necessary to make the best recommendation.
Brothers Trey and Nixon (you may recognize them from the cover of our June issue) alongside their friends Cole and Warren met us at Batch for a fun (and sugar) filled tasting experience! We even had the pleasure of having the resident Batch cookie monster (A.K.A Graham – one of our Batch kiddos) join in the fun!
If I wasn’t already sold on this sweet family business, this would have sealed the deal. We walked in to find co-owner Jessica Peterson waiting with a table filled with all of their cookie specials for the week! I saw the boys faces light up immediately and I knew this was going to be a successful day. Each of the boys tried a variety of cookies so that we could record their favorites and tell all of you which cookie they recommend for your next desert outing.
After many cookies were tasted, we realized very quickly that while they enjoyed them all, there was definitely a crowd favorite! The winner? Their classic Snickerdoodle cookie. We were warned by cookie monster Graham that the snickerdoodle was the best one, but our band of brothers confirmed it. That being said, Nixon would also like to give a shout out to the chocolate chip cookie as well.
Needless to say, this was the PERFECT activity for a hot Summer day in Arizona and an even better way for us to taste test the cookies. Our kids really do know best when it comes to sugary treats, don’t they?
And as if it couldn’t get any better, when Jessica found out I was gluten-free, she quickly brought out their gluten free chocolate and oat bar for me to try. I was shocked! It isn’t often I find a gluten free dessert when I’m out and about. Jessica explained that her daughter also has a gluten intolerance so they always make sure to have one allergy-friendly option in the lineup. As someone who had to heavily adjust their diet as an adult, I appreciate the businesses that recognize that there is a need for people like me in the community.
That made me a customer for LIFE.
The Peterson family has done an incredible job creating a business with a desire to truly immerse themselves in the Gilbert community. In fact, if you follow their Instagram page, @batchcookieshop, you’ll find that they post weekly service prompts that they refer to as “Acts of Sweetness”. These prompts encourage people to get involved in their community and give back by serving each other. You're even entered into a drawing to win a cookie for yourself! One of their recent posts encouraged their followers to drop treats on your neighbor's doorstep and take a picture while you're in the act! I guarantee that your kids will love looking forward to these weekly ways to give back.
You can tell after talking with this family for even just a few minutes that they are passionate about creating more than just delicious recipes. They are truly cultivating a sweet community of cookie lovers who love their town. I felt it immediately and so did our cookie tasters and their families. And that's really what small businesses are all about right? We couldn’t be happier that Batch found its home in Gilbert. I have a feeling we are going to continue to see big things from the Peterson family over the next several years...
Now go get that snickerdoodle cookie. Or chocolate chip – as Nixon would say.