Coping Cookies was a bakery and dessert shop on Seattle's Capitol Hill, in the U.S. state of Washington.
Coping Cookies was a LGBTQ-[1] and woman-owned bakery and dessert shop on 12th Avenue on Seattle's Capitol Hill.[2] The business donated a portion of earnings to mission-aligned non-profit organizations,[3][4] especially those related to mental health.[5]
Coping Cookies specialized in large cookies with "delightful, punny, mental health-themed" names, according to KING-TV.[5] Among chilled[6] cookie varieties were chocolate chip,[7] the Cocolemon (coconut, lemon, and white chocolate),[3] the Key Lime Climb, and the Safe and Sconed.[5] Some cookies were stuffed with ingredients like caramel, mashmallow, and Oreo.[8] The Rocky Riot was stuffed with marshmallow creme and had almonds.[9] Seasonal varieties included Earl Grey and lemon poppy seed, as well as lemon-boysenberry.[10]
Coping Cookies was co-owned by partners Ashley Hernandez and Sam Padilla. The business launched in July 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic,[11] as a bake sale for Hernandez’s colleagues at Seattle Children's. Her co-workers "purchased" cookies by donating to various non-profit organizations. The sale encouraged the couple to host more events, will became a series of pop-ups.[3][12][13] According to The Seattle Times, Coping Cookies "started out of a desire to connect with their community during an isolating time".[14] Fed Up Collective, Stonewall Youth, and the WA Therapy Fund are among organizations Coping Cookies has supported.[3]
Hernandez and Padilla upgraded to a commissary kitchen,[15] then opened a storefront in March 2023.[3] It closed permanently on March 17, 2024. On social media, the owners attributed the closure to a delayed opening and costly equipment repairs.[16] The business continued to operate via online ordering.[17] Coping Cookies' model has inspired other businesses, including Grayseas Pies, to donate a portion of earnings to non-profit groups.[18]
