Consumers’ fondness for cookies is only growing stronger, as the status of this treat is enhanced. Next-level cookies are no longer simply a snack, as they check a unique list of boxes, such as a moment of luxurious experience, an adventurous surprise, a small, permissible indulgence, a versatile snack, and establishing a connection with a like-minded, exciting and highly personalized brand. Opportunities for cookie makers flourish, provided they meet new and fluid consumer needs.
In Europe and across the globe, cookie consumption continues to accelerate. The small treats are consolidating their status as one of the fastest growing sweet baked categories, fueled by their unique mix of indulgence, comfort and versatility. Almost one-fourth of Europeans (24%) surveyed for Dawn Foods’ 2025 Global Bakery Trends Study estimate that they are eating more cookies than the previous year, and a significant 72% of them view sweet baked goods as an affordable luxury – a small occasion of enjoyment they can justify even in uncertain times. This assessment is key to meeting consumers where they are, in a particular moment and in the greater picture of their everyday lives.
In its consumer analysis regarding sweet baked goods, Dawn Foods identified trends that stand out, providing insights into what the consumers want. ‘Elevated indulgence’ is one of them, translating into consumers’ preference for richer flavors, premium ingredients and more exciting textures. As many as 70% said they enjoy sweet baked goods with a surprising texture. What does this mean for bakers? Innovations with layers are sought after, as well as fillings and bold combinations that transform cookies into more sensorial, premium-style treats.
Another major trend is ‘Sweet Connections’, acknowledging the impact of social media in creating the most-wanted products. Viral food moments now travel instantly, competing for people’s curiosity. Half of the European consumers surveyed admit they enjoy trying the latest viral bakery trends, from cookie hybrids to eye catching formats. In today’s social app-connected everyday life, a cookie’s visual appeal and ‘shareability’ are essential to product success, Dawn’s research underlines.
Together, the two trends show a fast-growing product category, which is becoming more playful and premium, and increasingly shaped by digital culture and global inspiration.
Present-day cookie profile
Exciting as it is, the market is not without perils. Changing economic conditions, volatile raw material prices and operational pressures affect bakeries of all sizes. Dawn Foods’ R&D addresses them when working on new solutions, while keeping in mind the must-haves: product quality and supporting creativity.
That’s not all: “At the same time, we see health conscious choices reshaping the sweet bakery landscape. Consumers are looking for a more balanced kind of indulgence, which is why our teams are exploring new formulations that reduce sugar, simplify ingredient lists and offer more plant based alternatives,” explains Marie Frigo, Category Manager, Dry, EU and EMEA, at Dawn Foods.
This is how new cookie mix concepts were developed, aiming to deliver the flavor, texture and pleasure that people expect, served with consideration for concerns regarding portion control, cleaner labels and vegan diets. “Ultimately, our R&D is focused on helping bakers innovate with confidence, responding to evolving trends while keeping practicality and performance at the core,” she adds.
Dawn Foods recently launched two types of cookie mix concepts designed to meet both the latest consumer needs and the industry’s transformative challenges: a cost-efficient chocolate mix and two cookie mixes – plain and chocolate-flavored – with 30% less sugar compared to similar, ‘regular’ solutions.
A more sustainable cocoa supply chain
Sustainability plays a central role in new developments at Dawn, including its latest cookie launches. The focus lies on responsibly sourced ingredients wherever possible and continually reducing the footprint of the solutions.
Over the past years, the bakery ingredients specialist has been increasing the share of certified cocoa used for both Dawn and Royal Steensma. In 2022, 60% of its cocoa raw materials were Rainforest Alliance Certified. After divesting its frozen business in 2023, that figure temporarily dropped. By 2024, however, Dawn not only met its target of 75% certified cocoa – but it exceeded it, reaching 86%.
Low-cost and premium chocolate cookies
The first addresses one of the industry’s most stringent concerns: surging cocoa prices and a future full of uncertainty that can be traced back to cocoa farming. Considering the pressure this puts on bakeries, Dawn Foods set out to develop a cost-efficient chocolate cookie mix. “Our R&D team had to rethink the recipe from the ground up,” the specialist underlines. The biggest challenge in the project, as is the case with any reformulation, was replacing ingredient functionality without any impact on taste, texture, or the overall product quality. To address this, Dawn’s technologists carried out a complete recipe redesign, exploring alternative ingredient combinations and process adjustments that would deliver the same rich chocolate experience while reducing exposure to fluctuating raw material costs. The resulting mix maintains the indulgent profile offered by chocolate, while offering bakeries a more stable and cost effective solution than using the increasingly volatile cocoa.
When developing the cost efficient chocolate cookie mix, achieving the right flavor was just as important as managing cost. How to combine a rich chocolate taste with affordability, while they’re seemingly opposing directions? “To get there, our R&D team explored a wide range of alternative ingredients and carefully adjusted ingredient ratios to maintain depth, cocoa notes and overall balance. Multiple rounds of sensory testing helped us fine tune the recipe until we were confident that the final product delivered the same flavor profile,” Frigo details. The cocoa used in the new, cost efficient chocolate cookie mix follows the company’s responsible sourcing standards that apply to its entire portfolio.
To provide a low-cost solution that could still be used to make luxurious creations, the R&D team rebalanced the formulation so that it still bakes, tastes and behaves like its premium mixes – but with a smarter use of ingredients, to be able to maintain quality and consistency in the final product. At the same time, the chocolate cookie mix is designed to be simple to use: adding butter (or margarine) is all it requires to prepare. “For the best results, we recommend adding around 10–15% inclusions to the dough, depending on the flavor profile you want to achieve,” the specialist explains. Baking times typically range between 10 and 12 minutes, with slight adjustments depending on the type of oven used.
Designed to support creativity and utilization versatility, this mix is meant to be used as a flexible base, as it lends itself to a wide range of formats, textures and flavor directions. The mix can be combined with fillings, compounds, icings and coatings for unique flavor profiles and formats. Together with the mix, Dawn can also offer a collection of cookie recipes, for inspiration, which demonstrate the full range of possibilities from indulgent, dessert style cookies to topped and inclusion rich concepts, as well as formats that go beyond cookies altogether, such as tartlets or cheesecake bases. “The aim is to help bakeries adapt the mix to their own identity while exploring new ways to surprise their customers,” Frigo notes. It can even be used for sandwich cookies, for example. Another possible application brings together almond paste and Dawn’s Banana Compound to create a chocolate, almond and banana cookie, the specialist recommends.
44.5%Dawn’s Better-for-You SKUs increased by 44.5% since 2021, on track to its 50% growth goal
by 2025
‘Yes’ to low-sugar cookies
Dawn also targeted reduced sugar cookies with a dedicated mix category that uses 30% less sugar than comparable products and is palm oil free. Replacing not just the taste but the functionalities of sugar is always a challenging feat. Sugar plays a structural role that affects almost every aspect of the final product. It influences spread, color development, texture, moisture retention and even shelf life.
Reduced sugar does not mean reduced indulgence; health-conscious consumers can choose from plain and chocolate cookies, with a mix available for each assortment. To develop the reduced sugar mixes, the R&D team reevaluated the recipe from every angle. Preserving softness and freshness was especially important, as sugar traditionally helps keep cookies moist over time. “Through close collaboration between our innovation teams across Europe, we identified ingredients and process adjustments that could replicate these critical sugar functions without compromising texture or eating quality. As a result, the new mixes deliver an impressive shelf life performance – offering up to seven days of freshness after baking – while still meeting the growing demand for lower sugar options,” Frigo reveals the development process. These mixes are using rapeseed oil for sustainability and shelf-life.
An exciting recipe creation environment is ready for cookie makers, with inputs from consumers, technology suppliers and ingredient specialists. With solutions for convenience and formulation improvement, the starting page is not blank at all, but already shines with all the right colors of better nutrition profiles, more sustainable production, and new and unexpected taste experiences that, when convincing, can be enthusiastically shared.