Meet the full-time OSU student behind cookie-Oreo-brownie hybrids and more
Customers at Eliza’s Cookies & Treats, the new Gahanna-area home bakery that opened its doors in March, can order everything from cookie-Oreo-brownie hybrids (referred to as Dirty Brownies) to their trademark gigantic s’mores cookies, crafted with a full-sized marshmallow built into its center.
Believe it or not, though, it isn’t even their lineup of delicious, inventive baked goods that’s the most impressive part about the business.
That distinction goes to the fact that it’s run by Elizabeth Johnson, who is a full-time student at Ohio State University.
“You know, I wouldn’t say it’s overly difficult, but it’s definitely a time-management type of thing,” the 20 year old said. “There are some days where I have to wake up at 5 a.m. and start baking to get everything together for deliveries.”
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Don’t let her age fool you, though, the OSU student-turned-entrepreneur (she is minoring in business administration, by the way) is steadily gaining traction throughout campus and across the greater Columbus area.
And one of the biggest (literally) reasons for that? Her flagship S’mores Cookie. While s’mores-themed baked goods themselves are nothing new, it’s how Johnson crafts these massive—each one is guaranteed to be at least four inches in diameter—cookies that sets hers apart. She achieves this by enveloping an entire full-sized marshmallow in cookie dough, resulting in rich, gooey cookies with a visible marshmallow center.
“That was really what I had to figure out when I was creating the recipe, what kind or marshmallow to use,” she said. “It was between fluff, miniatures, or the full-sized ones.”
While the fluff and miniature marshmallows seemed to break down in the baking process, the larger size strikes the perfect balance, retaining much of its original shape but still providing that perfect creamy center.
“Plus, visually, they get that perfect golden brown color,” she added.
Patrons can order these and a variety of other cookie and brownie creations through the bakery’s website, where USPS shipping, pickup, and even same-day delivery are all offered.
And even though Johnson is diligently working through summer classes to obtain her degree from OSU, she’s able to process and deliver most orders the same day.
I don’t know about you, but that’s a little more extra work than I took on in college.
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