The Recipes Portsmouth Grew Up On Are Still Baking at The Taylored Cookie

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PORTSMOUTH — The fruit bars, schoolhouse cookies, and crème horns Portsmouth grew up on never left. They are still coming out of the oven at 219 Market Street, where The Taylored Cookie and Bakery owner Taylor Keen is baking from the original recipes of three bakeries that came before her.

Many of the recipes originated with Counts and Helen’s Bakery. Kathy Sue kept using them when she owned the bakery, and when Keen bought the business in 2024, the recipes were passed down to her.

“What surprises me most is how many people don’t realize that we still make so many of the same things they grew up loving,” Keen said. “I love hearing customers reminisce about visiting Counts or Helen’s when they were younger. Sometimes all it takes is one bite of something familiar to bring back a memory.”

The Recipes Portsmouth Grew Up On Are Still Baking at The Taylored Cookie

What’s in the fall case

The menu changes constantly, and Keen says that is the point. This fall the cases have featured pumpkin crème horns, pumpkin-iced sugar cookies, pumpkin and apple cake donuts, and caramel apple pecan tarts. Her white chocolate pumpkin snickerdoodle cookie returns soon. The traditional staples are always there alongside the seasonal items.

“My best advice is to follow our Facebook page because I post what’s available in our cases almost every morning,” she said. “If you see something you want, don’t wait too long because some of our specialty items sell out quickly.”

The crème horns people drive for

The crème horns are one of the original recipes, made with flaky pastry and a traditional marshmallow meringue filling. The s’mores version, a seasonal twist on the classic, has built its own following. Keen hopes to bring it back this season, though there is no set date yet.

Seasonal treats at The Taylored Cookie and Bakery

Classes, and a tip for home bakers

Keen has been decorating cookies since 2019 and now teaches beginner-friendly classes around Scioto County. Her Summerween class kicked off the fall season in September. The next one, a “Santa Stop” Christmas Cookie Decorating Class, is December 14 at The Gathering Place in Wheelersburg. Registration details are on The Taylored Cookie’s Facebook page.

Her advice for home bakers trying Halloween treats this year is simple: “Don’t be afraid to try something new. And my number one baking tip? Butter makes everything better. Good-quality ingredients make all the difference.”

The Taylored Cookie and Bakery is at 219 Market Street in Portsmouth. The storefront phone is (740) 353-2620.

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