About us
Our story
Matthew & Nicole — two siblings and entrepreneurs from New Jersey with a passion for baking & Aruba.
The OG
It started with an allergy
Growing up with severe food allergies — dairy, peanuts and tree nuts — limited our sweet treat options. Nicole baked dairy- and nut-free chocolate chip cookies for family and friends, and they became a favorite, often surprising people with their allergen-free quality. She was always told “when you grow up you should own a cookie business” — but she was only 12 and saw it as a hobby. Those cookies are now on our menu as the allergy-free OG Chocolate Chip.
2020
The first stuffed cookie
Nicole’s culinary journey began in the Freehold Boro H.S. Culinary Arts & Baking Program, where her love for baking took off. In March 2020, just home from a vacation in Aruba and suddenly with plenty of free time, she created her first stuffed cookie — a complete hit, now known as the Ultimate Duo. After countless batches for family and friends, the overwhelming response pushed her to launch a cookie business. A few months later, Nicole launched The Cookie Castle Co. from her college apartment — midterm week of her senior year. Craziest week of her life, met with overwhelming support.
2021
Family business
Nicole graduated from FDU with a degree in Hospitality & Tourism Management and a minor in Event Planning, while Matthew had just graduated high school. The Cookie Castle Co. was swamped with orders, so Matthew joined the business and we moved into our first commercial kitchen. We launched an e-commerce site, shipped cookies nationwide and landed in local stores. Matthew had luckily outgrown his food allergies — and played a crucial role creating new allergy-friendly options for the menu.
2022
Paradise calling
We’ve traveled to Aruba every year since we were newborns and always dreamed of bringing something new and exciting to the island. On vacation in 2022 we shared our cookies with friends in Aruba — and the feedback was incredible. Inspired, we set out to bring our cookies to paradise, merging our passion with the One Happy Island!
With lots of love,
Matthew & Nicole