CUPS Cookies, New York

In life, there are people who follow the rules, and then there are those who decide to blaze their own path. Tyler Adkins, owner and baker-in-chief at Cups Cookies, is one of the latter, having quit his career in law to pursue something more fulfilling: baking. But he knew he didn’t want to offer humdrum cookies you could get anywhere. Instead, he broke away from the traditional flat-cookie shape and molded his dough into cupcake pans, creating a new line of hybrid treats with delicious fillings.

Not only does Adkins do the baking, he can often be found delivering cookies to happy customers around New York City. Each dozen contains six flavors, ensuring sweet teeth are satisfied enough to take an early retirement.