With the holiday season in full swing, we found some of the most unique (and delicious) cookies in New Jersey. Secret Ghost Bakehouse is a fully-licensed home bakery and delivery service based out of Union, NJ. The Secret Ghost team consists of veteran baker and cook, Brandon Ribeiro and wife, Danielle Fee. Ribeiro handles the day-to-day baking, while Fee runs social media, packing, design and more.
The husband-wife-duo started Secret Ghost in 2021 after Ribiero—a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education—found himself working a dead-end job in tech. “I just couldn’t do it anymore,” he told me. Of course, Ribeiro had years of experience in restaurants and with pastry, but he wasn’t using any of those skills at his tech job. So, he left. Secret Ghost Bakehouse was started from the ground up shortly after.
They simply started by selling cookies through social media out of their house—which isn’t all too different from how they operate today, albeit with full licensing, nationwide shipping and top-of-the-line packaging and design.
You can find their cookies at places like Boxwood Coffee (Westfield and Summit) and Riverview Wines and Spirits in Jersey City.
The best way to enjoy cookies and other desserts from Secret Ghost Bakehouse is to order through their website. Check out their variety of classic and inventive desserts, with many unique flavor combinations that customers can’t seem to get enough of.
Unique flavors are the name of the game this holiday season. Secret Ghost has a variety of fun and festive cookies, plus classic flavors and other tasty treats. Besides, we talked to Santa and he’s tired of Toll House.
Holiday Cookies in NJ: Secret Ghost Bakehouse
Santa’s Trash Cookie
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The Santa’s trash cookie features festive Cadbury mini eggs, crushed Ruffles potato chips and holiday rice krispies. Baked to a chewy perfection.
Cornbread Cookie
photos courtesy of Secret Ghost Bakehouse
This is a Secret Ghost best-seller year-round, but we think it’s even better for the holidays. The chewy cookie is packed with honey, cornmeal and a pinch of black pepper. Each cookie gets finished with a healthy pinch of flaky salt.
Chocolate Chip
photos courtesy of Secret Ghost Bakehouse
Of course, Secret Ghost Bakehouse has perfected the classic chocolate chip cookie—the undisputed G.O.A.T of cookie varieties. Their version is filled with both dark and milk chocolate chunks.
Pecan Cookie
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This cookie is perfect for those who love pecan pie around the holidays. Toasted pecans are folded into a nutmeg-laced cookie dough. Each cookie gets baked to perfection and topped with flaky smoked sea salt.
Matcha White Chocolate
photos courtesy of Secret Ghost Bakehouse
A bright green matcha-infused cookie, bejeweled with white chocolate chunks. What’s not to like?
Other Holiday Desserts
Peppermint Hot Cocoa Brownie
photos courtesy of Secret Ghost Bakehouse
This is the perfect holiday dessert. A dark chocolate brownie is studded with peppermint marshmallows and peppermint extract. The marshmallows bake into gooey pockets of peppermint throughout the brownie.
Gochujang Blondie
photos courtesy of Secret Ghost Bakehouse
This “out there” flavor combination is actually one of Secret Ghost’s best sellers. Though it’s not exclusive to the winter, the subtle combination of sweet and spicy is perfect for this time of year. The blondie itself is filled with cinnamon, gochujang (Korean pepper paste) and white chocolate. To finish, a mixture of condensed milk and gochujang is drizzled on top. Talk about indulgence!
About the Author/s
Peter Candia is the Food + Drink Editor at New Jersey Digest. A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, Peter found a passion for writing midway through school and never looked back. He is a former line cook, server and bartender at top-rated restaurants in the tri-state area. In addition to food, Peter enjoys politics, music, sports and anything New Jersey.
