A viral Reddit post has the internet deep in cookie discourse this week. According to the original poster, they created a brown butter espresso cookie recipe years ago and shared it with a friend. That friend allegedly went on to sell those same cookies at a farmers market under the name“Grandma Rose’s secret recipe, passed down three generations.”The catch? Grandma Rose is alive, and per the Reddit user, she has never baked these cookies in her life.
The drama escalated when the friend reportedly asked the original creator to keep the recipe’s true origin under wraps. Instead, the user posted the recipe on Instagram alongside a 2022 photo, and mutual friends quickly recognized it, sparking questions that led the friend to accuse the user of embarrassing her and damaging her business. Reddit commenters are split, with some saying the public callout was justified and others wondering if it should have stayed private. A few even suspect the post itself was a cleverly disguised ad for the recipe.
The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify any of the claims, so consider this one a classic internet mystery with a side of espresso. The bigger question is one we all have opinions on: where’s the line between inspiration and straight-up theft when it comes to recipes? Sound off in the comments — would you have posted the receipts?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.