I was never a baker and never loved sweets. At Elon, we do not have a cookie that was so satisfying and hit every sense besides sweet. I knew there had to be more possibilities. Under the philosophy of, “There is more to a cookie” than just sweetness, I spent months writing and testing a recipe that incorporated modern culinary techniques I thought would bring nuances and differentiation to the world of baked goods. I used flavors such as bitter, salty and umami alongside a wide variety of textures to create the Dark Horse cookie. A Dark Horse is an underdog: the silent competitor that sneaks up from behind and comes out on top. At first glance our cookie may seem daunting, however its complexity of flavor reigns victorious.

I cook not only for myself, but to make others happy. The feeling of putting extensive effort into a dish and then having someone enjoy it is the ultimate adrenaline rush. Through the COVID-19 pandemic, I found myself struggling to make others happy through food and longed for the ability to cook for my peers.

In the wake of all this madness, tragedy struck. My good friend and classmate James Markley died by suicide, leaving behind his mother, father, grandparents, step-siblings, and many heartbroken friends. James never had the chance to try a cookie and was meant to be a part of the team. His last conversation with me was about how excited he was to work on the business. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young adults, and three college students die by suicide every single day. We decided to dedicate our work to honoring James by bringing mental health and suicide awareness into the conversation. Jameses story motivates us to keep going. A portion of the proceeds of every Nate’s Cookie sold is donated to suicide awareness and prevention efforts.

As a college student, I knew how difficult it would be to keep up with the demand for the Dark Horse cookie. Elon University was generous enough to give me a baking facility and share their kitchen licensing. I brought on my best friends Kevin and Paris to help. Together, we became an LLC, hired employees, created departments, built a weekly client list and began shipping dough.

We now have six base flavors, and an R&D team testing new cookies every week. I am proud to say we have made an impact on the Elon community and continue to make our customers happy through new flavor experiences.

To learn more about Nate’s Cookies or our cause, visit cookiesnates.com