Inauguration Poet Amanda Gorman Is Now a Vegan Cookie for Black History Month

San Diego-based vegan brand Maya’s Cookies just launched a collection of cookies for Black History Month. Brand owner Maya Madsen crafted the specialty cookies to evoke the work of three Black icons. The Amanda Gorman is made in honor of the 22-year-old National Youth Poet Laureate who delivered “The Hill We Climb” poem during the 2021 inauguration. Inspired by Gorman’s yellow coat and red headband, the lemon raspberry cookie features raspberries soaked in lemon juice overnight, chunks of white chocolate, and a dash of lemon zest. The Hank Aaron—dedicated to the legendary baseball hall-of-famer who passed at the age of 86 on January 22, 2021—features Cracker Jack pieces, roasted peanuts, butterscotch chips, and is topped with flakey sea salt to evoke snacks found at baseball games. The Debbie Allen honors the legendary performer—the subject of the 2020 film Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker and 43rd Kennedy Center honoree—with a cookie that Madsen says will “make you want to dance.” To create the cookie, Madsen added marshmallow into her classic creamy chocolate dough and finished it with chocolate sprinkles to make the perfect Hot Chocolate Cookie.

Maya’s Cookies are available for shipping nationwide and this collection can be ordered as an assortment or as individual cookie flavors (sold in tins or gift boxes). 

Maya’s makes a comeback
Maya’s Cookies was hit hard during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, which forced the company to let go of about half of its employees. Since then, it has witnessed a 10,000-percent spike in sales following the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement. The company has ramped up production to accommodate the new level of volume, including doubling the size of its kitchen, securing a warehouse and shipping facility, and increasing its staff. 

In November, Maya’s Cookies opened its first store front at the front of the company’s production kitchen space. The opening day menu consisted of vegan cookies in flavors such as Chocolate Chip S’mores, Marble Fudge, Birthday Cake, Caramel Pecan, Snickerdoodle, as well as the recently launched “The Obama” (named after former First Lady Michelle Obama); pre-made cookie dough in Gingerbread and Chocolate Chip flavors; and Kula ice cream pints made by a local female artisan.