Hoboken residents, bakers, and Hoboken Girl contributors are using cookies to travel the United States in a unique way. Jordan and Joelle Hernandez — owners of Double Dough, a home-based baking business — have set out to bake cookies inspired by all 50 states throughout 2022 and they have already completed fourteen. The cookies, fun facts, and recipes are showcased on their Instagram account @double_dough. Read on to find out more about how this project came to be.
(Photo credit: @double_dough)
HG: How did you start Cookies from Every State?
Joelle: We’ve always had a fascination with fun facts about the United States. We live in such a diverse country that is home to different cultures, traditions, landscapes, and climates with most of these differences being expressed through food. We love to bake, so I thought of this as a way to combine these two interests while learning more about the US and sharing that knowledge with others. We initially thought of doing this in 2021, but the plans ended up taking a back seat when we started auditioning and filming for Peacock’s Baking It.
Jordan: We wanted all the recipes to be something that people following along could re-create in their own kitchens, so that’s why we went with cookies. They are a fun and easy way to pack in lots of flavors and can take on different shapes and sizes.
^ Maple Cookies (Vermont)
(Photo credit: @double_dough)
HG: What do you look for when picking the cookies to bake for each state?
Joelle: We look for all the different things that inspire the food and culture in that state. Only eight states have declared an official state dessert, so we are usually looking to incorporate the fruits and vegetables grown in that state or even history that has taken place there. For example, the famous fluffernutter sandwich was created in Massachusetts, so we did a peanut butter marshmallow sandwich cookie.
Jordan: We also want to make sure people are learning about the country through this. Of course, it’s so much fun seeing what flavors are incorporated into each cookie but thinking about how those flavors were introduced to that area or why that food item is important is a major part of our decision making as well.
^ Peach Shortbread (Delaware)
(Photo credit: @double_dough)
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HG: Which has been your favorite cookie so far?
Joelle: We haven’t done New Jersey yet, otherwise I would pick that one (for obvious reasons), but hands down the black and white cookie from New York has been my favorite! I’ve always loved black and white cookies. To me, they are quintessentially New York, so making them in my own kitchen was a lot of fun. The recipe we used from Sally’s Baking Blog made pillowy soft cookies with rich frostings.
Jordan: I would have to say the Blueberry Shortbread Bars inspired by Maine. This was a Double Dough original recipe that we created with basic ingredients that we had in our cabinets. They are even good for breakfast if you want to throw in chia seeds or vanilla protein powder. It’s a great way to add in nutrients without changing the flavor.
^ Snickerdoodles (Connecticut)
(Photo credit: @double_dough)
HG: What do you hope people take away from this project?
Joelle: I really hope that people learn more about our country and have an appreciation for the various traditions created across generations. I hope that people can find a recipe they like and try it out at home. Baking brings people together and, in addition to bringing awareness to different flavors and types of food, that togetherness is what we are hoping to accomplish. We love hearing from people in different states who get excited to see their home state represented. We did pecan cookies from Arkansas, which started a conversation with our neighbor about her childhood in Arkansas and some of the food she ate growing up. It’s a fun way to learn more about your community and give people a reason to have hometown pride.
Jordan: I want people to take away fun facts about the country and see that delicious cookies can easily be made at home. The United States has so many quirks and nuances that can be discussed through food — even some of the facts that are not so ‘fun’ can be seen in the food we eat. We recently did a coconut cookie from South Carolina and shared how coconuts were brought to the East Coast by African slaves. Even something as simple as a coconut cake being named the official state dessert of South Carolina carries historical meaning.
^ Caramel Popcorn Cookies (Illinois)
(Photo credit: @double_dough)
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HG: What’s your favorite cookie around town?
Joelle: If I can’t say Double Dough (of course, I’m biased) I would have to say Baking Mama’s chocolate chip cookies and macarons. Tina’s macarons were one of the first desserts we had when we moved to Hoboken 5 ½ years ago and just fell in love.
Jordan: Definitely Shaka Bowl’s vegan funfetti cookies! They are so soft and have the perfect amount of sweetness.
^ Carolina Coconut Cookies (South Carolina)
(Photo credit: @double_dough)
HG: How can people follow along?
Joelle: We post a poll on our Instagram stories every Saturday where we show the main ingredients being used in that week’s cookie with options to guess where the cookie is from. The results are so fun to see and people get pretty into guessing! Some of our followers will even DM us asking for the answers early. We post the cookies in Reels on Instagram on Sunday mornings. The Reels have fun facts in the audio with an abbreviated version of the facts, recipe, and instructions in the comments. The project will be completed throughout the year.
Jordan: Our Instagram account can be found at @double_dough.
