Toronto’s newest sweet sensation Midnight Cookie opens in midtown

Beloved Toronto bakery Midnightย Cookie has opened its first brick-and-mortar shop, much to the delight of its legions of fans who could previously onlyย order the fresh baked cookies online.

Beginning as a pandemic hobby,ย founders Emily Banks and Alon Steinbach say the idea for the bakery wasย fuelled by something most of us can relateย to: boredom and hunger.

The pair spent months perfecting theย recipes and growing a small but dedicated Instagram following. Orders would roll in between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m., giving customers the opportunity to enjoy warmย and gooey freshly baked cookies wheneverย a craving hit.

Rather rapidly, the business grew. Orders began overflowing the couplesโ€™ homeย kitchen, which forced the pair to startย working out of a ghost kitchen.ย After years of producing cookies theย city loved, Midnight Cookie finally moved into its very own storefront atYonge and Eglinton in February.

โ€œWhen you walk into our store, itโ€™s tiny.ย Itโ€™s under 400-square-feet and everythingโ€™s open. So basically, you get to seeย the entire process, from where we makeย the dough to where we bake,โ€ says Banks,ย who also notes that the location is dear toย her heart โ€” she grew up in the area, andย her mom lives just five minutes away.

Open until the wee hours of the morning daily, Banks says two of Midnightย Cookieโ€™s most popular flavours are theย Kinder and Just the Dough. โ€œWeโ€™re veryย dough first, chocolate second,โ€ she says.ย Other mouthwatering flavours includeย white chocolate fudge mixed with Belgianย white chocolate, red velvet and for chocolate fans, double chocolate chunk.

โ€œCookies are baked fresh at all times ofย the night. It only takes 10 minutes,โ€ says Banks.

Midnight Cookie is located at 3 Manor Rd. The bakery is open Tuesday to Thursday from 3 p.m. to 2 a.m., Friday and Saturday from 3 p.m. to 3 a.m., and Sunday from 3 p.m. to midnight.

Article exclusive to STREETS OF TORONTO