Alexandra Evangelista’s Cookie Therapy

For many people, cookies are simply a sweet treat, but for Alexandra Evangelista, they are so much more. They are a way to bring joy, connection, and even a little therapy to everyone who enjoys them. Her love of baking began at age 11 during a simple moment in her kitchen.

“I remember coming home from dance practice one Friday afternoon, making a smoothie, and realizing that the process of creating something out of nothing sparked something inside me,” Alex recalls. From that moment, her passion grew, nurtured by the therapeutic and creative process and hours watching the Food Network. That creativity was encouraged by her parents, Marc and Cary, from the start, as they never discouraged her cooking or baking in any way.

With great-grandparents who owned Lindemer’s Bakery in Newark and Dover, New Jersey, it’s no surprise that baking had become a passion for Alex. Her first professional experience came at age 14, when her father Marc, a retired Spring Lake Police Captain, introduced her to the late Debbie Buruchian at The Scone Pony in Spring Lake. Debbie hired Alex, who spent nearly a decade working for the family, first in a counter position and then as a baker.

“I have so much love for the Buruchian family and for the bakery.  They truly became a second family to me,” Alex says.

Spring Lake itself shaped Alex both personally and professionally.  She grew up on Jersey Avenue and fondly remembers having the greatest childhood imaginable. “Two blocks from town, two blocks from school, riding my bike everywhere, waving to everyone passing by. There was this sense that nobody was a stranger here.”  Alex is thankful for Spring Lake’s charm and strong sense of community, which inspires her to continue to give back.

Alex pursued a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences and a Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Monmouth University. All the while, baking remained her constant, as well as a therapeutic outlet. She worked as a school-based mental health therapist before transitioning into a therapist position at a local private practice. However, Alex had a loud voice in the back of her mind telling her to go all in on baking. She was hesitant, holding on to that traditional mindset that a steady, reliable job equaled a good life.

A Leap of Faith

In 2020, during the upheaval of the pandemic, she decided she could not ignore that voice in her head telling her to turn her passion into a business, and Cookie Therapy officially launched in April 2021.

“I came up with the name Cookie Therapy not only because I am a licensed therapist, but even more so because decorating cookies to me is simply therapeutic. It’s meditative, and I zone out and just focus on creating edible art,” Alex explains. Along with her successful cookie business, Alex stayed in the mental health field until her son Luke was born in 2024. Becoming a mother inspired her to take the leap into full-time entrepreneurship, which made her the happiest.

Alex’s business has grown into more than just cookies. In November 2025, she hired Marissa, who is a Blue Dot community member. Blue Dot is a community program started by Alex’s childhood best friend Chrissy D’Amico that promotes health, wellness, and belonging to individuals with neuro and developmental differences. These individuals are connected to meaningful work through the program, which is how Marissa came to Alex and Cookie Therapy.

“Marissa brings such positive energy,” Alex says. “She joins me once each week with the help of her job coach, who is another Occupational Therapist.”

Most recently, Marrisa and Alex worked together to design a set of cookies that were sold at the Blue Dot holiday market. Marisa did a great job helping the customers and selling the boxes—which sold out.

“It is so fulfilling for me to now be able to bridge my work as a mental health counselor and a baker, providing an opportunity for meaningful work in a calm and safe environment while learning important life skills.”

Alex and Cookie Therapy stand as a testament to creativity, courage, and community. “I hope every cookie we make brings smiles to people’s faces and makes their events just a touch sweeter.”

To learn more about Cookie Therapy, visit www.cookietherapynj.com. For more information on Blue Dot, visit www.bluedotcommunity.org.