Ina Garten's Favorite Store-Bought Cookies Are A Classic

Think the Hamptons, the coastal grandma aesthetic, and breezy, casual entertaining and there's no debating it — Ina Garten is the reigning queen. Garten has achieved icon status over her decades as a chef, author, and TV personality for her elevated yet approachable style when it comes to cooking and hosting. And as for the Barefoot Contessa's favorite store-bought cookies, her go-to choice is simple, delicious, and perfectly on brand. 

Garten has professed her love of Tate's Bake Shop cookies in recipes across the internet and in her 2010 cookbook, "How Easy Is That?" We see more evidence of her affinity for the brand on her own website, where she specifically calls for Tate's chocolate chip cookies to stack between layers of mascarpone whipped cream in her mocha chocolate icebox cake. Garten remains mum on her reasoning for choosing this brand specifically, but cookie lovers can assume she appreciates their trademark thin profile and buttery bite, which retains an indulgent crispness and a perfectly crunchy snap.

In a Mount Rushmore of beloved TV celebrity chefs, Ina Garten's face would surely be one of the four. The Barefoot Contessa has been gracing our TV screens for decades, teaching home chefs and entertainers around the globe how to whip up everything from the perfect roast chicken to her boozy, zesty poundcake or elevated store-bought mashed potatoes. 

In all she does, her decidedly unpretentious, down-to-earth style shines through, so it tracks that it's Tate's — not some particularly high-end cookie brand — that she recommends. Sold at many major grocery stores ranging from bougie shops to your local corner convenience stores, Tate's always hit the spot. Another reason Garten's love for the cookie just makes sense is that both she and the Tate's brand call the Hamptons home. Garten has lived in the East Hamptons since the late '70s, a short jaunt down the road from the Southampton Tate's Bakeshop flagship store. Next time the cookie craving hits, or you feel like whipping up the Barefoot Contessa's dreamy, no-bake mocha chocolate icebox cake, load up on her favorite cookie pick.