CHICAGO () — In Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood, a local baker is turning a simple box of free cookies into a weekend ritual that is drawing neighbors together and earning a devoted following.
Liz Tierney, the owner of Batch Bakehouse, spends Saturdays and Sundays baking fresh cookies before placing them in a box attached to a tree on West Churchill Street in Bucktown. Since opening Batch Bakehouse in July, Tierney has stocked the box at 11 a.m. each weekend day, offering free cookies to anyone who happens to stop by.
“I used to wake up on Sunday mornings and watch Martha Stewart on PBS like as a 10-year-old, and I had all of her cookbooks,” Tierney said.
Her weekend cookie box features a rotating mix of flavors, from classic chocolate chip to blueberry and more inventive specialty options.
“We do blueberry. This weekend we’re doing a mixed berry, which is blueberry and strawberry. Okay. And then we have a pecan toffee oat that we do, which is really good. A pistachio halva,” Tierney said.
The Bucktown cookie giveaway has steadily gained momentum. Tierney said the box has been cleared out every weekend since the tradition began, with neighbors increasingly timing their visits to make sure they get there before the treats disappear.
“We live in the neighborhood. Let’s take what, like, right? Just get a breeze by. Make sure we don’t miss out on the cookies,” customer Viviannna Lopez said.
As more people hear about the free cookies at Batch Bakehouse, the lines have grown, and those who arrive later in the morning may find the box already empty.
“Yeah, you can tell it’s soft and crispy at the same time. Looks like the perfect cookie,” customer Nikita Khara said.
While Tierney said she does not expect to continue giving away free cookies forever, she said the effort has helped reignite her passion for baking while creating connections throughout the neighborhood.
“I want to keep doing it for as long as I can because I really it has brought so much joy, and this is such a nice community,” Tierney said.
Tierney said she hopes to continue the tradition for as long as possible as neighbors gather around a simple idea that has become a welcome part of their weekends.
