Sometimes the memories of a bakery visited are so sweet that our return engagement is already planned before the original calories are burned.

The cookies at Momofuku Milk Bar are that good. But there is no need to book a plane ticket to New York City in search of the cookie. Mix to make your own batch is available at Williams-Sonoma. Add butter and an egg to the dry ingredients to make blueberry and cream or corn cookies. To make the famous compost flavour you’ll also have to add your favourite potato chips. It’s not quite as simple as slice and bake cookies, but the extra effort comes with a gourmet payoff.

This cookie is crumbling in favour of home bakers. —Jaelyn Molyneux

$23.50 at Williams-Sonoma, Chinook Centre, 6455 Macleod Tr., Calgary, 403-410-9191, www.williams-sonoma.ca

Cupcakes enjoyed a glorious reign as the top treat, macarons tempted our taste buds and doughnuts are currently riding a sugar high, but if you need a classic confection that isn’t overexposed, make your next nibble an alfajor.

The traditional Argentinean sandwich cookie has dulce de leche squished between two sweet biscuits. Stop there and you have a perfectly respectable cookie, but Coco Karamel takes the alfajores one step further by rolling it in coconut or dipping it in chocolate to create a culinary experience that simply must be shared across international borders

Don't cry for me Argentina! —Jaelyn Molyneux

From $2 per piece at The Kingsland Farmers' Market, 7711 Macleod Tr. S., Calgary, www.cocokaramel.ca

Snowmen melt, Christmas trees shed, stars lose their sparkle and gingerbread figures are just so boring. No, we haven’t turned into Scrooges just yet, but when it comes to holiday baking, it’s time to get in on some action.

Instead of traditional Christmas shapes, we’re filling our tins with the adorable Ninja Bread Men ($11.98). Available as a set of three, each ninja is in a different attack pose ready to cut, bake and decorate in traditional ninja garb, or more festive attire. 

At Reid’s 710 17th Ave. SW, Calgary, 403-229-4400.

Inspired by his favourite treat, the Cookie Monster creates poems about his beloved cookies.

At the new Inglewood bakery Cookie Mama, the prose turns to music with nearly two dozen types of cookies, each inspired by a classic tune.

Our favourites include Sweetest Taboo (sunflower and sesame seeds, oatmeal, wheat germ and coconut), Good Vibrations (dark chocolate and Skor chips) and the gluten-free Cocomo, a coconut macaroon with chocolate drizzle ($2.50 each). There are also egg-, dairy- and butter-free cookie options and cupcakes such as the Rocket Man (cookies and cream with chocolate oreo butter cream icing, $3 each).

“On-nom-nom-nom.”

Cookie Mama, 1420 Ninth Ave. SE, Calgary, 403-266-5431, www.cookiemamacalgary.com

In your mind you spend Saturday afternoon happily baking oatmeal cookies with your kids. In your reality, you barely have time for lunch.

Sweetpea Baby Food’s new kids’ cookies are made the way you’d do them if you could: with whole grains like spelt and no dairy, eggs, or additives.

Healthful flavours like banana-pear and pumpkin spice mean there’s no guilt in doling them out by the handful. 

One for baby, three for mummy….

Sweetpea Organic Cookies ($5.99) at IGA, Planet Organic, Pusateri’s and other Canadian retailers at www.sweetpeababyfood.com