Here’s How the Founders of The Cookie Joint Invented Their Delicious Cookie Fries

The Cookie Joint's crinkle-cut french fry-shaped Cookie Fries are a truly inspired creation—but like any ingenious idea, they didn't appear out of thin air.

After tasting the delectable treats, we simply had to know how they came to be. That's why we reached out to Jill Balick and Susie Schuster, the two incredible women who founded The Cookie Joint, to learn all about how they took their dream of creating Cookie Fries and made it into a reality.

Sweety High: How did the two of you meet? Have you always wanted to go into business together?

Susie Schuster: Jill and I met when our children attended the same nursery school. She has a girl and I have a boy, so after the two years of nursery school, we really lost touch. We live in the same community, so we would run into each other occasionally. Business was never discussed.

 

SH: Where does your passion for cookies stem from?

Jill Balick: Baking was always a passion, but the passion for making cookies came when my children were into sports and I would bake cookies for the teams they were on. They were such a hit that requests started to come in, and I loved seeing people enjoy my cookies. I was also a substitute teacher, known as the Cookie Sub.

SS: My passion came from my childhood Easy-Bake Oven toy. I loved it so much, that's all I wanted to do. I also baked with my grandmother who really showed me the ropes.

 

SH: From there, who came up with the idea for Cookie Fries? 

JB: We actually both came up with the idea for Cookie Fries. We had many brainstorming sessions. We wanted a cookie that was different than your traditional round cookie. We were looking to come up with a cookie that was identifiable with us.

SS: Since Jill loves sweet and I love salty, we thought about how everyone loves french fries and everyone loves cookies. So we decided on Cookie Fries. As with all brainstorming, two heads were better than one.

 

SH: Once you had the idea to create Cookie Fries, how did it go from concept to reality?

SS: Once we came up with the idea, we had to figure out how to make them. Since taste was as important as the uniqueness, we worked on that first. After we developed our recipe, the fry shape was next. We knew we could make a cookie stick and call it a french fry, but we wanted to really make it look authentic. Voila! The crinkle-cut Cookie Fry was born.

 

SH: What would you say is your most Instragrammable Cookie Fry?

JB: The original! It was the first one we came up with, and looks the most like a french fry.

 

SH: What are you personal favorite Cookie Fry flavors and dips?

JB: I love the Cinnamon Spice and Cookies n' Cream Cookie Fries, and peanut butter is my go-to dipping sauce. Yum!

SS: My favorite is the Confetti. However, I also love the Mint Chocolate Chip, and I wouldn't turn any of them down! And while the sauces are fun, I prefer them by themselves.

 

SH: Is there a most underrated flavor that you wish more people would give a chance?

JB: While it's my favorite, I think people underrate the Cinnamon Spice. Try it. You'll like it!

 

 

SH: Are there any flavors or ideas you're looking to try out next?

SS: Our newest flavor is the Cookies n' Cream. We're always introducing new flavors (suggestions are welcome) and working on new ideas, so stay tuned!

Want to try Cookie Fries for yourself? You can order them online at thecookiejoint.com or by phone at (847) 461-3068.

 

Before you order, click HERE to find out what we thought of every Cookie Fries flavor.