Cookies and Guinness just became a festive treat

Guinness owner Diageo has teamed up with New York based bakery Last Crumb to release a cookie collection in time for the festive season. Could this be the start of a brand new way to enjoy stout? db finds out.

The limited-edition collection features six cookies – three baked with the signature flavour of Guinness and three Last Crumb classics that to pair well with the stout.

‘Bring out the best in beer’

Each flavour has been chosen to bring out the best in the beer from toffee, sticky pudding to milkshake, banana cream, peanut butter, and birthday cake.

For the collaboration, Diageo has brought classic Guinness advertising back via a special edition tin to boost the item’s collectability.

Speaking to the drinks business, Guinness global marketing and innovation director Jo Looby said that the “rise in popularity” for stout “particularly Guinness” stems from Diageo’s commitment to being a “culture and community-first brand”. Which, Looby insisted ensures the brand’s “relevance”.

Added to this, Diageo has also identified that it has seem “a growing appetite among drinkers for beers with depth, personality, and a memorable flavour experience” and admitted that Guinness delivers on that desire with “richer, more complex profiles and versatility in food pairings”.

She observed that Guinness fosters “community” through “vibrant partnerships” alongside “exciting collaborations”.

In essence, Looby told db that “these initiatives allow us to reach broader, more diverse audiences and embed Guinness within key cultural moments and rituals both in person and online”. Taking note of the trend for dunking cookies into Guinness, this was shown by how well the brand-owner had “inspired consumers to create their own rituals with our liquid”. Essentially broadening the market and the consumer demographic too.

Revealing more about the collaboration, Guinness director Karissa Downer said: “We’ve always believed the best part of the holidays isn’t what’s on the table but who’s around it. Partnering with Last Crumb lets us turn that idea into something everyone can share – a pint, a cookie and a holiday celebration that’s full of flavour. Together, we’ve created a new kind of holiday ritual, one that’s all about enjoying something special with your friends and family.”

Last Crumb founder Derek Jaeger explained: “This is easily one of the top collabs we’ve ever worked on. Guinness has such a great flavour profile to use as a base for cookies. We immediately knew one flavour would not do the collaboration justice.”

‘Every bite can also be accentuated with a cold Guinness’

Jaeger added: “We set out to create three iconic flavours, using different ingredients that pair exceptionally with Guinness. From dark chocolate, to raspberries, to dates and toffee, we wanted to create an unique experience with each cookie. Every bite can also be accentuated with a cold Guinness. That is exactly how we recommend the cookies be enjoyed.”

The first Guinness x Last Crumb Holiday Cookie Drop will launch next week. The collection will be available now for pre-order via Last Crumb for US$120. Shipping across the US will begin from 24 November. Each order includes six handcrafted cookies, a collectible holiday tin, and two 16 oz Guinness glasses.

To enjoy Guinness alongside the collection, beer lovers should visit the Guinness website to find retailers nearby.

For those who miss the pre-order window, two more restocks have been scheduled. These will occur on 2 December and 16 December. Each drop is set to give consumers the chance to try the cookies before Christmas.

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