It’s a sweet and simple concept — buy a cookie, give a cookie. 

For one baker, sharing his love during the pandemic has become a passion that’s been enjoyed by more than 1,000 people who needed a boost. 

For almost two decades, Mickey Paleologos has been making his famous Cosmickey cookies in St. Petersburg.

“People from all over the world have had them,” Mickey said.

The cookie was born from his family’s love for baking.

Alese Underwood/Spectrum Bay News 9

“My parents came from Greece to South Africa and I was born there, so I’m actually a thoroughbred Greek boy born in South Africa,” he said.

Growing up, he spent summers in Greece working in his uncle’s bakeries.

After moving to the United States, his dream of opening his own restaurant, Mickey’s Cafe and Organics, came true.

Since 2005, business has been great, but as the pandemic picked up, Mickey’s wife Stephanie had an idea for a way to share the love.

“So I reached out to all the different hospitals, every single hospital in St. Pete,” said Mickey.

Alese Underwood/Spectrum Bay News 9

First responders and health care workers became his focus for giving back.

“Buy a cookie, give a cookie. So for every cookie that we sell, we donate one,” he said.

So far he’s donated 1,375 cookies and helped hospital staff through some dark times.

“It lifted them up for a brief three or four seconds, at least they have something sweet to eat and that made their day for them, that minute. So we’re just going to continue doing what we can, when we can,” said Mickey.

You never know who is going to pop in or where the cookies might be headed next, but once that oven timer goes off, the smiles keep coming.

If you want to try out some of Mickey’s cookies, you can find him at the St. Pete Sunday market. 

He’s also perfecting a website for online cookie donation orders.