A sweet new event space is about to open in Marietta. Located at 2211 Roswell Rd in suite 154, Cookie Nip Studio Kitchen is hoping to be the place to go for events, parties and baking classes. It will be inside of a shopping center that includes such retailers as Marshalls, Cajun Meat Co., and JJ’s Pizzeria.
Cookie Nip was founded by former teachers, Michelle Gowan and Marc Lipson. Gowan resides in central Georgia, while Lipson is based in Atlanta. Together, the two enlisted the services of a food chemist and researched multiple flavorings for cookie dough and cake before striking “cookie gold”. Their prized formula was named “Cookie Nip,” a flavoring which Gowan and Lipson describe as a rich buttery-blend of vanilla bean with notes of salted caramel. It has since become one of the trendiest new flavors in the baking industry today.
The flavoring was originally made for cookies, but its addictive quality has people using it in cakes, candles, sugar scrubs, and even as turkey baste. “Folks love it,” said Gowan. “It’s kind of like smelling cinnamon rolls baking all the time.”
The purpose of the space is to have a classroom kitchen that is designed for teaching cookie school classes, hosting baking birthday parties and other special events. It will be outfitted with lights, cameras and studio equipment that will be used for filming and live streaming classes across the Internet as well as hosting in-person classes.
With a focus on sharing sugar skills, Cookie Nip offers classes for adults and kids alike in decorating sugar cookies, cupcakes, petit fours, and other sweet treats. Birthday and party themes include Candyland, cookie decorating, cupcake wars, cookie dough, and cake pop. “Decorate with Dad” and “Cookies and Couples” are just a few of the special events that are already scheduled for 2022.
The brand currently manufactures its flavoring out of a shared kitchen in Atlanta, but due to how much it has expanded, Gowan shared that they have to have their own space now. “The flavor has really exploded, but people still want to take our classes. We really need the space to manufacture. The studio kitchen part is just the frosting on top of the flavoring,” she said, pun fully intended.
With that in mind, the forthcoming studio will be a two-pronged operation housing a manufacturing space in the back while the front is reserved for cookie classes and other events. A small retail section – “kind of like a gift shop” – will allow guests to purchase and take home such items as cookie cutters, cookie pans, and frosting bags. Cookie Nip will also offer class gift certificates.
“We started making plans before the pandemic [to open the studio kitchen], but that stalled everything,” Gowan said. “During the pandemic, however, we recognized we could still have classes if we had all the equipment to opearate a studio and stream them online.”
Gowan was hoping to be open in mid-October, but permits held things up. The building process is still ongoing with a projected opening now set for December or January of next year.
