New cookie business opens in Biddeford

In a modest, second-floor apartment on Alfred Street, Zimra Winters is making his dream come true.

Winters, 29, has a daytime job working as a baker at Rover Bagel in Biddeford. But his real passion is cookies – cookies so delicious that after your first bite, you may think you have died and gone to heaven.

Earlier this week, Winters formally launched his own small business – Thank You Cookie Box, a boutique, mini bakery he operates in his own kitchen with a standard oven that you would find in most homes.

Winters says he cleared all the hurdles necessary before launching his business, including inspections by the city’s code enforcement office and a state inspection.

“This is something I have wanted to do for as long as I can remember,” Winters said. “When I was just 10 years old, I would bake cookies and sell them at the end of our driveway.”

Winters is truly passionate about cookies.

“I like how they look, and especially how they smell” he said.

Although the focus is on making handmade cookies from scratch with local ingredients, Winters points out that a standard artisan box of cookies comes in a recyclable cardboard box with eco-friendly wrapping.

“It really does make the perfect thank you gift for individuals or companies,” Winter says. According to their website, giving someone a custom-made box of cookies is “an effortless, consistent and customizable way to show gratitude.”

Winters says he can add a company’s logo to each gift box and provides online ordering and free delivery in the Biddeford-Saco area.

Thank You Cookies come in four signature flavors with a gourmet twist, including:

Chocolate Chunk – Fudgy soft with a rich brown butter flavor and generous chunks of milk chocolate – an elegant twist on the classic cookie;

Birthday Cake – A buttery vanilla sugar cookie is studded with creamy white chocolate chips and bright sprinkles for a birthday party in every bite

Red Velvet Crinkle – A delicate dusting of powdered sugar tops this velvet soft cocoa cookie on a local version of the classic red velvet cake;

Snickerdoodle – The timeless snickerdoodle with a rich brown butter flavor that perfectly complements the warm cinnamon.

Winters is also proud of his new company’s commitment to sustainability. Each cookie is individually wrapped in biodegradable cellophane sleeves to keep it fresh and soft for over a week while also reducing single-use plastic waste.

While Zimra is the cookie expert, his partner Katie Schraeder handles all other aspects of the new business. “We make a good team,” Winters said.

“I hope that someday we can expand this business,” he said. “For now, we’ll just have to see how it goes.”

For more information about Thank You Cookie Box, please visit their website.

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Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He may be reached by email at randy@randyseaver.com

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