By Mara McKinnon and Leah Ramsey

Legend has it that the chocolate chip cookie came about as the result of an accident. In 1933, Mrs. Ruth Wakefield found herself in a predicament when she ran out of chocolate powder to make the famous cookies that she served at her Toll House Inn restaurant in Massachussetts. Thinking that they might be an okay substitute, she added small chunks of chocolate bar to her batter, and (three cheers!) the chocolate chip cookie was invented.On a recent melty winter day with melty chocolate chips on our minds, we ventured to the new Two Smart Cookies “tasting lab” on Snelling Avenue just past the Selby intersection. The shop was not much to look at, with nothing but a lone display case, a cash register, and a small bulletin board. However, the decadent aroma that filled the space made up for any lack in visuals. As we approached the counter, a baker emerged from behind a set of swinging doors and invited us to choose from the dozen or so varieties of cookies and brownies. It took some time to choose, but we ended up picking…well, most of them.

The chocolate chip cookies at Two Smart Cookies are the size of saucers, and very delicious. The one we sampled was still warm, so the chocolate was extra creamy; to be honest, it tasted saintly. Among the other kinds that topped our list were an extremely zingy ginger cookie (with chunks of candied ginger to boost the flavor); a divine caramel chip sort; and the peanut butter hideaway (peanut butter concealed inside dark chocolate, some might say like a secret vein of gooey gold inside a delicious bed of metamorphic rock.)

All of the cookies at Two Smart Cookies have a nearly perfect chewy texture, obvious evidence of very finely-tuned recipes. They are all made with whole grains, and they are not so sweet and saturated with butter that they feel sinful to consume. Most importantly, at a dollar a pop, you can plan to eat at least several of these cookies.

Another highlight is that patrons are encouraged to put in suggestions for new varieties of cookies. You can drop a slip of paper with your favorite kind of cookie into a jar, and if you’re lucky they’ll whip up a batch and give you a dozen for free.

After entering our suggestion of jam thumbprint cookies, we headed out, as there was no seating area despite the ample space. By the time we reached our car a block away, most of the cookies had been devoured. We decided that we hadn’t quite gotten our cookie fix, so we ran back in for just a couple more before heading home.

So, if you’re in the mood for some home-made and delightful cookies or brownies, we recommend you check out Two Smart Cookies located at 181 Snelling Avenue. Store hours are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.