New Palatine cookie shop stretches imagination

A mother-daughter team recently opened a boutique-style cookie bakery in Palatine.

Cookie Cards at 10 N. Bothwell features an array of custom specialty cookies as well as unique baked greeting cards.

Marti Callahan and her daughter, Kerri Callahan, decorate baked greeting cards with pictures, corporate logos or hand decorations. The women ship the cards anywhere. Marti said she just shipped a large order to Virginia for an anniversary party.

"You can do just about anything with a cookie," Marti Callahan said.

The shop features a mixture of cookies, including oatmeal dried cherry, macaroon, and orange or lemonade dreamsicles with white chocolate chips.

"The dreamsicles are very refreshing for summer," said Callahan, who lives in Palatine.

A package of six cookies ranges from $3.50 to $6.

There is always a revolving selection of cookies for the customer coming into the shop.

"We're a niche. We're giving people a good old-fashioned homemade cookie like Grandma used to make," Callahan said.

Specialty orders should be placed two weeks in advance.

Callahan's love for baking started years ago when her children were young. Instead of making cupcakes for school birthday parties, she would send decorated cookies. During the holidays, she would create dozens of Christmas cookies.

In creating the business, she uses favorite recipes that she has been following for the past 30 years.

The business can also do wedding cakes.

"For a while, I was doing wedding cakes for four banquet halls," she said.

Kerri Callahan, who also works as an architect, designed the shop, and Marti Callahan's son Ryan, a teacher, also assists in the business.

The shop opened for business earlier this year. Its hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, 5 to 8 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and by appointment. Marti added that she is often baking at the new shop, adding that customers are welcome when the lights are on. For more, check out cookiecards.net.