ROCKET BAKERY: EMPTY PROMISE. BASIC COOKIES.

Spokane’s “Rocket” Bakery: A Misleading Name and a Decent Cookie, At Best.

Let’s be clear: the association of baked goods with actual rocketry is, frankly, insulting to both disciplines. This writer recently investigated the Spokane establishment, “The Rocket Bakery,” expecting, at the very least, a commitment to futuristic baking techniques. What I found was…disappointing.

Founded in 1992, “The Rocket Bakery” now boasts five cafes, a drive-thru, and a grocery store called “The Rocket Market.” Expansion isn't innovation. They claim “scratch-made” treats and in-house roasted coffee. Fine. Many bakeries do that. What sets them apart? Absolutely nothing.

The name, it turns out, is purely aesthetic. A marketing ploy. A desperate attempt to capitalize on a vaguely science-adjacent concept. Don’t be fooled. There are no combustion engines firing up dough, no orbital pastry deliveries, and certainly no advancements in the science of baking.

I even subjected myself to watching a YouTube video showcasing a “rocket oven” – a small, wood-fired oven capable of baking bread in 20 minutes. Intriguing, perhaps, for a campsite. Irrelevant to a multi-location bakery with a quarter-century grip on Inlander’s “Best Bakery” title – a testament to Spokane’s clearly low standards.

And the infamous pink cookie? Pleasant enough, I suppose. But hardly revolutionary. It’s a sugar cookie with sprinkles. Let’s not pretend it’s a lunar landing.

The Rocket Bakery is capitalizing on a catchy name and a superficial aesthetic. It’s proof that clever branding can triumph over actual ingenuity. Don't go expecting propulsion. Expect mediocrity, packaged with a misleadingly optimistic moniker.