The Auckland Cookie Time Bakery Shop in Henderson is one of just two bakery shops run by Cookie Time, the family owned Christchurch company behind New Zealand's favourite cookies. Founded in February 1983, when 70 jars of Cookie Time Original Chocolate Chunk cookies were delivered to 70 Christchurch stores, the business is still owned by founder Michael Mayell and his brother Guy, and its cookies are still made with real chocolate and real ingredients.
Step inside the Keeling Road shop — it sits beside Higgins HQ — and you'll find shelves jam-packed with great-tasting products at great prices, from the famous large cookies through to smaller size treats, all in the brand's vibrant, fun packaging. The shop is home to the well-known Bakery Imperfections range of perfectly imperfect cookies and treats, plus limited runs, fresh finds and little surprises you won't always spot in stores. There's also a sweet collection of Cookie Time branded gear, from cuddly Cookie Muncher soft toys to t-shirts, socks, hoodies and gifts.
The shop opens every day from 10.30am to 4pm. Every purchase connects to a company that supports the Cookie Time Charitable Trust, which has raised more than $2 million to help New Zealand children discover their gifts.
Cookie Time needs little introduction to New Zealanders. The company came to life on 1 February 1983, when 21-year-old Christchurch entrepreneur Michael Mayell and his mum delivered 70 jars of Cookie Time Original Chocolate Chunk cookies to 70 Christchurch stores. By that afternoon the phone was ringing off the hook with new orders, and Kiwis' love affair with the brand had begun. Within a year Michael's younger brother Guy had joined the business, which the two brothers still own today.
The Auckland Cookie Time Bakery Shop at 35 Keeling Road in Henderson — beside Higgins HQ — is one of just two Cookie Time Bakery Shops in the country, the other sitting right next to the company's head office and bakery in Templeton, Christchurch. Each shop is a direct line into Cookie Time's world of fun, flavour and nostalgia, and step inside either one and you'll know straight away that this is paradise for cookie lovers.
The shelves are jam-packed with great-tasting products at great prices, from the famous large cookies through to a selection of smaller size treats, all presented in the brand's vibrant, fashionable and fun packaging. Everything is made with real chocolate and real ingredients, and the range is always evolving.
The shop is also home to the famous Bakery Imperfections range — perfectly imperfect cookies and treats that taste just as good as the rest (some say even better). Alongside the familiar favourites, it's the place to discover limited runs, fresh finds and those little surprises you won't always spot in stores, so it pays to pop in regularly.
And it's not just about cookies. The Henderson shop carries a sweet collection of Cookie Time branded gear, from cuddly Cookie Muncher soft toys to t-shirts, socks, hoodies and gifts. Whether you're stocking up on snacks, grabbing a bargain, or hunting for the perfect present, there's something here for every cookie fan.
The brand's early days ran on classic Kiwi ingenuity: chocolate was cut into big chunky pieces on a customised bread slicer, cookie dough was measured out with ice cream scoops, and paint scrapers were used to lift the baked cookies off the trays. Technology may have changed, but the commitment to quality and real ingredients hasn't.
That heritage includes some genuine claims to fame. People still talk about the 'all you can eat' factory tours of the 1980s, and for 12 years, from 1996 through to 2008, the company held the Guinness Book of Records for making the world's biggest cookie. The beloved Cookie Muncher character remains a favourite with kids and adults alike, and the brand carried a most trusted cookies badge from 2021 through 2025.
Cookie Time is committed to sustainable business practices and reducing its environmental footprint, and it gives back through the Cookie Time Charitable Trust. Established in 2003, the Trust has raised more than $2 million to help New Zealand children discover their gifts, supporting initiatives across innovation in learning, thinking differently and physical pursuits. Highlights include funding the establishment and ongoing work of the Dyslexia Foundation of New Zealand, launching the OSM Young Talent Grants programme, and becoming a KidsCan Official Partner. Each year, sales of Cookie Time Christmas Cookies contribute a donation to the Trust, so the seasonal cookies you pick up do a bit of good too.
The Henderson shop opens Monday to Sunday, 10.30am to 4pm, so time your trip for that window. Look out for the Christmas Cookies range in season, and remember that fresh finds and Imperfections stock varies from day to day. If you can't make it in person, cookies ship nationwide through the Munchtime online store, and for a full cookie experience the brand also runs Cookie Bars in Queenstown, Dunedin and Tokyo. As the saying goes, it's always Cookie Time.