Baking Up Memories at Jenn’s Cookie Creations

With Easter around the corner, bright colors, fresh flowers, and yummy sweets come to mind. Jenn’s Cookie Creations is a popular stop to fill baskets and dessert trays with tasty treats. Customers have been enjoying its exquisitely decorated sugar cookies for five years, but the bakery began almost by accident.

Prior to starting Jenn’s Cookie Creations, owner Jenn Riggio grew up on Long Island, where she owned a balloon decorating business. After moving to Rochester, where she’s lived for the past 17 years, she worked at Wegmans on the front end before finding herself in the Create-a-Cake department. Her store manager felt the move would be a perfect fit, and Riggio loved the new position.

“I am not sure that inspired the cookie store, but it set the plans in motion,” said Riggio.

Once her grandfather fell ill, Riggio decided to stay home full time to take care of him. A self-proclaimed workaholic, she kept herself busy by baking cookies.

“Coping with my grandfather’s end of life inspired the cookie life,” explained Riggio, noting her grandfather always wanted her to open up a cookie shop. “It was a great way to heal my grief.”

In 2014, Riggio began selling her cookies to friends and family. What started as a part-time job blossomed into a bustling cookie business. To keep up with orders, Riggio built a kitchen in her basement and went through the process of getting it licensed by the county.

“We outgrew that in a year, which is when we opened the first store in January of 2017,” she said. From there, Jenn’s Cookie Creations saw double-digit growth every year, with the exception of 2020. “The pandemic was a challenge, reinventing our ways temporarily in order to sustain the year.”

One of those adjustments was offering curbside pickup. The bakery saw such a great response that they decided to expand, moving into their current storefront in Chili Paul Center. “In 2021, we relocated to a space four times the original size – and here we are a year later,” said Riggio.

While the bakery continues to grow, Riggio makes it a point to keep her sugar cookies – the most popular item on their menu – as the main business. “People love seeing their ideas all trayed

up,” said Riggio, referring to the trays of custom creations that her team bakes and decorates for any of life’s big moments, including birthdays, baby and bridal showers, weddings, communions, and christenings.

This aspect of the business is especially fun for Riggio. She explained, “After five years of owning my own business, I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to serve our community. To share in so many life events, for the friendships, and the ability to do what I love each day. “

The famous sugar cookies are Riggio’s favorite thing to make, noting how much she loves watching her ideas come to life. But that’s not all that Jenn’s Cookie Creations sells. Customers can stop into the bakery Tuesdays through Saturdays to peruse the rotating assortment of goodies. The bakery’s cases are filled with seasonal gift boxes, macaroons, half moon cookies, cookie sandwiches, and the newest item on their menu – cupcakes.

The addition of cupcakes has been a hit so far, making them an anticipated favorite for Easter, along with the Bunny Treats gift box. Other fun offerings are themed cookie classes, available for kids and adults to decorate their own sugar cookies.

Riggio has always loved interacting with others and strives to make everyone happy. When asked what her favorite part about owning Jenn’s Cookie Creations is, the mother of four said, “The connections with people I have made… customers, fellow business owners and more importantly, my staff that I have been so lucky to watch grow. “

What started as a hobby to stay busy has grown into the booming bakery that Jenn’s Cookie Creations is today. “There aren’t words to express my gratitude to the community for allowing me to live this dream. A dream that started late but allows me to bring joy to people, build relationships and inspire hope in a younger generation that hard work can make anything happen,” she said.

Jenn’s Cookie Creations is located at 3240 Chili Ave Suite B10, Rochester. More information is available at jennscookiecreations. com.