Back to Features

Friday’s Cookies & Bite Me Cookies Made Here in Tacoma

Bite Me Cookies on a rack. Kristin Kendle

Recommend Article
Total Recommendations (0)
Clip Article Email Article Print Article Share Article

When local cookie company owner Deborah Tuggle invited me into her cookie factory, I thought I might have died and gone to heaven. Cookie heaven.

Tuggle is the woman behind the genius that is Friday's Cookies-a company she has owned and operated since 1999. More recently, in 2004, she acquired a second company, Bite Me Cookies. I say genius because the fact is both lines of cookies are fricken amazing. Once you taste one, you'll never even glance at a Chips Ahoy again.

Both cookie product lines are produced in Tacoma. Tuggle did not have a food background when she started out. Baking was just a hobby that she had on the side while she was going to school at Bates to become a court reporter.

"When I was going to school, I would bake on Fridays and would bring and sell cookies on Fridays," says Tuggle. "Then I would sell to-I don't even know if Central is still there on Tacoma Avenue-but I would take them over there. I had a cookie basket and would take them around and sell them to whoever would buy cookies. It got to the point where people would place orders because they knew I'd come back. I started out with Friday's Originals, which is the white chocolate-chocolate chip-pecan."

She worked in the legal field for about eight years, but the universe had a calling for Tuggle-and that was return to making cookies. She opened a storefront on 11th Street for a while, and it did okay, but never took off. It wasn't until she bought Bite Me Cookies, a friend's company then based in Seattle, that all her cookie dreams came true.

In a world filled with cookies and desserts of all shapes and sizes, both cookie brands have something special to offer-the coolest of which is the admirable list of all-natural ingredients. That's not to say these cookies are healthy. They're incredibly decadent and naughty. But you can at least rest assured that you're not snarfing down chemicals. They use real sugar, real butter, and even dyes made from things like beet juice and turmeric and red cabbage.

WHAT?? Where's my Red No. 40? Not here!

"I wouldn't feed you that stuff!" Tuggle exclaims.

The two cookie lines are very different. Bite Me cookies are primarily frosted shortbread and include both an original shortbread and a whole wheat shortbread. Friday's Cookies are a gourmet cookie line that includes such delights as Friday's Original (white chocolate/ chocolate chip/pecan); Olympic (oatmeal/white chocolate/cranberries/coconut); and the Rainier (oatmeal/white chocolate/blueberries/chocolate chips).

You can find both lines of cookies both in a ready-to-eat form as well as cookie dough you can prepare yourself at Met Market, PCC, Whole Foods, Tacoma Boys, H&L, Harbor Greens Market in Gig Harbor.

Where can the cookies go from here? Give it time. Tuggle is inventive and always striving to offer better cookies and options for all.

"I'm probably not going to buy anymore cookie companies," she says, "but I'm partnering  with a company now to do a gluten-free product line. You always have to think about ways to keep up with the industry."

Read next close

Stage

An unfocused Richard III

Comments for "Friday’s Cookies & Bite Me Cookies Made Here in Tacoma" (3)

Weekly Volcano is not responsible for the content of these comments. Weekly Volcano reserves the right to remove comments at their discretion.

User Photo

Jessica Vargo said on Oct. 29, 2012 at 9:19am

Looking forward to trying this local cookie!

User Photo

Trina Ross said on Oct. 29, 2012 at 9:49am

Deborah & I went to High School together and one year I came home for a visit . I looked her up and she showed me her Cookie Shop. I was so proud of her on how well she was doing. I have had her cookies and they are totally AWESOME!!!
I live in Minnesota and I have been craving her cookies ever since, well I guess I need to make another trip home to get somemore of her cookies.

User Photo

Leo Bullock said on May. 03, 2013 at 2:14pm

I've invited Deborah (Deb) to speak to my high school business class about entrepreneurship and what it takes to start up a business. My kids are always excited about her coming to talk about her venture and to inspire young minds to start their own businesses. She readily creates a rapport with the students with her mesmerizing story about her climb to success! Not only does she freely give of her time for public service activities like speaking engagement at high schools; she brings 2 - 3 dozens of her Friday's and Bit Me cookies!

The end result? The kids are inspired to create their own businesses by giving wonderful presentations and we "all" enjoy the delicious cookies! (My kids are so inspired by her that she has accepted the class invitation to come back and hear their presentations and to offer suggestions/insights for improvement upon their ideas! (I'm excited!) Thanks, Deb.

Leave A Comment

(This will not be published)

(Optional)

Respond on Your Blog

If you have a Weekly Volcano Account you can not only post comments, but you can also respond to articles in your own Weekly Volcano Blog. It's just another way to make your voice heard.

Site Search