- February 21, 2025
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Specialty cookies will soon be available at a brick-and-mortar store in Lakewood Ranch. Dirty Dough, which previously served up sweets from a mobile cookie trailer, is adding a storefront on Lakewood Ranch Boulevard to its offerings. The shop, near Lakewood Ranch's Waterside development, is expected to open Feb. 8.
Dirty Dough specializes in cookies with “mix-ins” and unique fillings as well as toppings. For example, some items on the menu include a strawberry shortcake cookie, which is a tart strawberry cookie filled with strawberry jam and topped with vanilla frosting, as well as toffee macchiato, which is a brown sugar cookie with coffee frosting, caramel drizzle and crunchy chocolate-toffee pieces.
Lyndon Hansen and Mike Stockton, who have both lived in Sarasota for decades, are the co-owners of the Lakewood Ranch franchise, having met through their careers in the real estate industry, according to a statement.
"The difference in our cookies versus the competitors and why I personally invested in Dirty Dough is because the cookies themselves, which are stuffed with a variety of mix-ins and flavors, are good enough to eat even without toppings,” Stockton says in the statement. “The chef for Dirty Dough has created incredibly tasty recipes just for the base cookie, so then adding in the toppings takes it to entirely new levels.”
The most popular choice is the classic chocolate chip, according to Dirty Dough’s corporate data, followed closely by cookies ‘n cream, which has “rich, creamy and crunchy elements,” according to the statement. Every week, the business also releases a limited-time cookie with flavors like tiramisu or cherry pie, and it offers seasonal favorites too.
"The cookies all draw to a different taste. If you ask 10 people their favorite cookie, you will get 10 different answers,” Stockton says. “I think most are just eager to try the rotating flavors and the new Dirty Drinks.”
Dirty Drinks complement the cookie menu with flavored sodas, coffee-based drinks and shakes among the beverage offerings.
There are 74 Dirty Dough franchises nationwide, and the Lakewood Ranch location will be the first on the west coast of Florida. The company was founded in 2018.
Starting a Dirty Dough location costs $49,500 for the franchise fee and more than $160,000 for store buildout, according to the company.
Once the Dirty Dough storefront opens in Lakewood Ranch, the franchisees plan to continue operating the Dirty Dough mobile trailer, which they launched in November 2023. It will be used for local marketing and catering efforts.
Dirty Dough will be located at 1920 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., Unit 170.