Great American Cookies, Hammond

Armed with just a single, generations-old cookie recipe, Great American Cookies opened its first store in 1977. Today, the franchise boasts locations in malls across the country, and it nabbed a coveted spot on Entrepreneur magazine’s Top 500 Franchises list in 2012.

As the shop’s reputation grew, so did its menu. Chefs churned out a mouthwatering roster of gourmet cookie recipes and carefully tested each before its debut. The tempting options now include snickerdoodle, peanut butter with M&Ms, and chewy pecan supreme, as well as fresh-baked fudge, cheesecake brownies, and cookie sandwiches stuffed with frosting.

However, the real showstoppers are the giant chocolate-chip cookie cakes, which can be customized with sweet celebratory messages or grocery lists penned in colorful icing.