Take two thin chocolate cookie wafers and one sliver of sweet sugary icing and put them together—what do you have? Only America’s most popular cookie. And what happens when you take that cookie and put decadent custom flourishes on it? You have a custom treat from Greenacres, Florida-based supplier Good Fortunes by Hoffman’s (PPAI 228504). 

Good Fortunes has put a personalized spin on OREO cookies, graham crackers, giant fortune cookies and caramel-nut confections for more than 20 years, and its treats are served up to hundreds of promotional clients, from Fortune 500 companies to mom-and-pop shops to major movie studios.

“There is no limit to the possibilities of variation—each item is made to order,” says Brian Feeney, marketing and merchandising manager for Hoffman’s. “We are here for our customers’ every need. We have thousands of color variations and combinations to choose from.”

It takes several pairs of steady hands to turn cookies and candy into custom goodies. The treats are enrobed, drizzled, sprinkled and iced to intricate specifications, a process that takes up to several hours per order, depending on the size of the order. But they are undoubtedly enjoyed in much quicker fashion—which is a good thing.

“Our biggest challenge is colors changing when exposed to light and temperature changes. Cookies can be exposed to light for seven to 10 days before fading, but we recommend keeping the product in a cool, dark place until ready for consumption or display,” he says.

Read on to learn how Hoffman’s customizes one of the nation’s most beloved sweet treats.

1. Cookies are sent through the enrobing line to be covered in melted chocolate or white confectionary.

2. After a custom order is finalized, team members apply artwork to a template and print designs onto icing sheets using an edible- sheet printer.

3. Icing pieces and sprinkles are applied by hand while the coating is still wet. Cookies are then sent into the cooling tunnel.

4. Finished cookies are sent into a conical packing line and bagged individually. 

About Good Fortunes And Hoffman’s Chocolates

Founding date: 1995 in Canoga Park, California

Principals: Karen Belasco Staitman, Good Fortunes founder and chief cookie counselor; Randall Vitale, Hoffman’s Chocolates president 

Number of orders filled per year: 2,500 custom orders per year, and 500,000 OREO cookies per year

Notable accomplishments: Good Fortunes was the originator of the giant decorated fortune cookie

Size of production facility: 6,000 square feet

Number of employees in production: 35

Types of specialized equipment: edible-sheet printers, chocolate enrobing line, stringer/drizzler, and conical packaging

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Jen Alexander is associate editor of PPB.