On Sunday, Pasadena Now attended the first annual Cookie Con in the Pasadena Convention Center. We arrived about an hour after the doors opened, allowing plenty of time for eager cookie seekers to get first dibs and be sated.
Boy, were we wrong. As we drove by the convention center and turned down Euclid, we scanned for the end of the line because let me tell you– it was hard to find.
Once we finally made it inside, the lines didn’t stop. Every booth was swarmed with people. From DK’s Donuts to a multitude of baking supply stands to jen & joe’s, a gourmet frozen cookie dough company that touts a list of creative and confirmed tasty flavors (including white chocolate and wasabi!), every booth was crammed with cookie chasers.
Scattered throughout the vendor booths were contestants entering into the dessert table competition. We desperately tried to see every contestant, because each table displayed dozens of beautiful confections that looked too incredible to eat, but the crowds were relentless. I elbowed my way in to see a table that carried a blue, pink, and gold heart design throughout the desserts all delicately arranged on a gold sequin table. From chocolates to a fondant covered cake, the table’s presentation made me want to attend the event the designer was envisioning!
We tried macaroons, brownies, cookies, and even ice cream! Drive Me Cookie, a mobile cookie ice cream sandwich company, offered a selection of home made ice creams and fresh cookies along with a plethora of toppings. My tasting companion and I got their white chocolate macadamia nut cookies with salted caramel ice cream and rainbow sprinkles. It alone may have been worth the trip! Their cute truck and funny photo booth were also fun attractions that made us want to hang out with the Drive Me Cookie boys all day.
Ok, it was mostly the cookies.
Pasadena Now received an email from the event production company today outlining the event’s successes and flubs. The main issue the event faced: too much attention!
We are excited to see how they handle next year’s event, because it seems clear that they will be moving forward with a Cookie Con 2016.
Don’t miss it next year!
jen & joe’s cookie dough is available online and at select grocery stores. For more information, visit www.jenandjoes.com.
DK’s Donuts is located at 1614 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica. For more information, call (310) 829- 2512 or visit www.dksdonuts.com.
Drive Me Cookie‘s locations can be found on their Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram accounts. For more information, visit www.drivemecookie.com.