The warm cookie shop that became a Toronto institution — Craig's Cookies bakes soft, chewy, freshly-made cookies in oversized portions across multiple Toronto locations. The chocolate chip (the Craig's Classic) is the gold standard: buttery, perfectly underbaked in the centre, with a crispy edge. Lines are constant. Repeat visits are inevitable.
Neighbourhood: Kensington Market / Multiple Locations · Address: Multiple locations — flagship at Kensington Market · Hours: Daily 11am–9pm (hours vary by location) · Price Range: $ · Phone: (416) 537-7711 · Editorial status: Not yet verified
Craig's Cookies delivers giant, gooey cookies with constantly changing flavour combos, baked fresh all day. It’s one of the rare Toronto spots where the hype (and the smell) genuinely lives up to the lineup.
They take classic and nostalgia-themed treats (like Mars bars, PB&J, or birthday cake) and bake them directly into cookies, so every bite has a surprise core. Unlike other cookie shops, the texture is always thick, ultra-soft in the middle, and practically melting. Monthly limited editions draw real cookie nerds hunting for elusive flavours.
Craig's Cookies opened in Kensington Market and grew into a multi-location Toronto staple through a simple proposition done well: fresh-baked, oversized, soft-centred cookies sold warm in a shop that smells exactly like you want a cookie shop to smell. The concept is not complex. The execution is what turned it into a constant-lineup operation with devoted repeat customers.
The Craig's Classic is the benchmark order: a chocolate chip cookie roughly the size of your palm, baked to a state where the centre is deliberately underdone — not raw, but soft and yielding in a way that means the chocolate chunks in the middle are still molten. The exterior is set with a slight crispiness at the edge that transitions to tender at the midpoint. The butter content is high. The sugar ratio is calibrated for sweetness without cloying. It is, in short, an extremely well-made chocolate chip cookie executed at a scale that makes it feel like a treat rather than a snack.
Monthly rotating specials are a significant part of Craig's appeal and their social media strategy: flavours like salted caramel, s'mores, strawberry shortcake, or maple brown butter appear for a month and create specific scarcity-driven demand. People come specifically and primarily for the month's special; when it's a very good one, the lines extend further than usual. The rotating calendar creates return visits.
The cookie sandwich — two cookies with a scoop of ice cream pressed between them — is the format's natural evolution and is particularly good with the chocolate chip as the base. The sandwich melts in summer heat with appropriate speed, which is either a drawback or a feature depending on your eating style.
Craig's expanded from Kensington to multiple Toronto locations precisely because the product is genuinely good rather than merely trendy. The multiple-location network has sustained consistent quality, which is the specific test that separates a real food business from a hype moment.
Craig's Cookies has multiple Toronto locations — the original is in Kensington Market, with additional locations across the city. Check their Instagram @craigscookies or website for current locations and hours, as new outposts have been added as the brand expanded.
The Craig's Classic (chocolate chip) is the benchmark — large, warm, properly underbaked in the centre with molten chocolate and a slightly crispy edge. The monthly rotating special is worth ordering alongside it: seasonal and creative flavours like salted caramel, maple brown butter, and s'mores have become cult items. The cookie sandwich (two cookies + ice cream) is the move for groups.
Yes — Craig's Cookies are baked fresh throughout the day at each location. The warm-from-the-oven experience is central to the product. The deliberately soft, slightly underbaked centre requires eating them while warm; they're at their best within the first hour of baking.
Craig's Cookies is available for corporate catering, event orders, and gifting. Contact them directly through their website for large orders. Boxed selections are available for gifting — a common corporate gift in Toronto's food-gifting culture.
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