New Crown Heights Dessert Spot Serves 'Brookies' and 'Hot Coco Cookies'

CROWN HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN — Madison Gardner grew up in Texas and was a social media specialist by training. But she said she'd been cooking and baking for years by the time she moved to New York City. She started bringing baked goods into her office, she explained, a situation in which "word gets around." Soon, she was teaching a baking class for co-workers and regularly taking informal orders.

Meanwhile, Daniel Ruffin was preparing to open a bakery. His father had owned Sweet Lee's Desserts in Bed-Stuy, but closed it when he moved to Georgia. Ruffin owned a space on St. Johns Place, and wanted his uncle to return to New York to open a new shop. But when that didn't work out, Ruffin hit the internet looking for a baker. That's where he came across Gardner's Instagram account, which documented her culinary exploits.

A few conversations later, they were in business. The result, Mimi's Desserts, named after Ruffin's daughter, opened this past weekend at 1263 St. Johns Pl.

Gardner said the co-owners want the store "to feel like the inside of a cupcake," and to be filled with baked goods that make people happy.

Coconut brownies and "brookies" — a combination of cookies and brownies —are already on tap, as are "hot coco cookies" (stuffed with marshmallows) and "unicorn cookies," which are covered with sprinkles and birthday cake-flavored Oreos (the bakery's early popularity leader, according to Gardner).

Mimi's can also make cakes ready to order (just drop by, or call them at 347-350-9723), and it's already selling gingerbread brownstones for the holidays.

In January, Gardner said the shop will start serving coffee as well, along with breakfast tacos and mini-cheesecakes, including one made with Nutella and another with three different kinds of berries.

Mimi's is currently open from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Pictured at top: Daniel Ruffin, left, and Madison Gardner, right. Photo by John V. Santore.

[Editor's note: small changes were made to one of the embedded Instagram posts above, for compatibility reasons.]