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    Playing with Dough

    4.9 (95 reviews)
    ModerateDesserts, Bakeries
    Open 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Playing with Dough Photos

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    Reviews With Photos

    Beautiful cookies

    Gayle did a beautiful job on the cookies she made for my mother's 90th birthday, not only did they look beautiful they tasted delicious Thank you again

    Amiee M.

    I ordered the Rice Krispie pops for a trade show at the convention center- as a hand out for the attendees. Gayle was wonderful to work with- I coordinated with her from NY. She did custom colors to match our company colors and delivered them to me at the convention center. They were perfect and delicious- very fresh and soft. A big hit at the trade show. if I'm in San Jose again for work, I'll be sure to give her a call.

    Cookies

    I ordered cookies about 3 months in advance and they turned out great! Very cute and tasty. Gayle asked many questions to iron out the details and to be clear on what I wanted. Directions for pick up were given and the cookies came out just how I had hoped.

    Ter L.

    I reached out to 2 local bakers whom I found on Yelp in need of custom cookies for my baby shower event. Out of the two businesses, Playing With Dough was the only one who seemed interested in what my needs/wants were. I reached out to PWD via email and got a reply from the business owner, Gayle, pretty quickly. I let her know of all the details regarding the date of my event and provided her with the bear cookie image I wanted replicated. She was able to give me a quote for by the dozen and also offered me a design that she had previously worked on. As an added perk, Playing With Dough has an Instagram account loaded with all of Gayle's personal work. You are more than welcome to get ideas from there or customize things to your liking. HER WORK IS PHENOMENAL!! Once ordering is established, a deposit is due or you can pay in full. Payment can be made via Venmo which adds to the ease and convenience of working with this business. I reached out to Gayle about 5 days before my actual event and asked about how we would go about picking up the order. She was very detailed and flexible when it came to finding a time that worked for the both of us. Gayle was also kind enough to send me a finished photo of the cookies made one day prior to pickup ito keep me updated. 5/5 stars, I won't hesitate to do business with them again. The cookies may have been more expensive than the other business I contacted but the quality and customer service provided is spectacular. Shoutout to the other business for brushing me off during my initial inquiry and making it such an easy decision to go with Gayle :D

    University graduation
    E L.

    I am thrilled with the cookies I purchased from Playing with Dough! The ordering process was so easy. Gayle had some pictures from previous graduations that I could choose from. I also wanted a Banana Slug ( that is the mascot of my daughter's university) and Gayle found an adorable slug. On one of the "grad" designs she offered 2 choices, one cuter than the next. On my delivery day I was so eager to pick them up and they were more beautiful than I imagined! Before bringing them to my daughter I had to do a taste test and the cookies are delicious!! I am so happy I ordered with Gayle, the cookies exceeded my expectations!

    Cookies
    Amy B.

    Most beautiful cookies Gayle made for my girlfriends baby shower. The cookies were so stunning and tasted even better than they looked. Thank you Gayle for such a stellar experience and we will definitely be using Gayle for all our future parties and events!

    Handcrafted "Berry First Birthday" cookies.
    Kendra G.

    Easily the most delicious and beautiful cookies I've ever ordered! Gayle from Playing With Dough made ordering cookies for my daughters first birthday so easy and effortless! They are priced well, taste delicious, and look AMAZING! Not to mention the professionalism and easy pick up option! I would order cookies here time and time again!

    Linda L.

    Gayle was SO wonderful! She listened and made recommendations, and provided an accurate price list every time. She takes venmo and you can pick up from her lovely home! My guests were in love with the cookies, the details, and the perfection. Though originally two of my cookies, the background color got swapped, it worked out in the end. Gayle made sure to communicate with me before finishing the final product. Highly recommended!!!

    Tiffany T.

    Gayle exceeded my expectations and was very easy to communicate with. I wanted Peter Rabbit cookies for my sister's baby shower and I had sent her a photo of how I wanted the cookies to look like. Lo and behold, she was able to recreate the cookies! They were adorable and way too cute to eat! Her prices are reasonable considering how much work she has to put into the details of the cookies. Anyway, if you're looking for custom personalized cookies, I highly recommend her! Thank you so much, Gayle!

    We've had cookies, cake pops, and krispies made for multiple events and have been nothing but please with how beautiful AND delicious the sweets have been. Gayle does an amazing job and is so easy to communicate with. She accepts Venmo and offers delivery!

    Cute and tasty

    Gayle was accommodating to my last-minute order and quick to communicate. I was very happy with the result: the cookies were delicious and beautifully decorated.

    Hair inside one of the broken cookies

    A total miss and mess. First off no customer service what so ever. Second I personally picked the cookies up prior to her email mentioning to be very careful as cookies are fragile and break. I seen three cracked cookies in the box even before picking the box up from where they were left on porch. To top it off One of the broken cookies has a piece of hair as you can see in the picture. Colors were sent and the results not close. That is a lame excuse for not doing a good job for a cookie that can be replaced. I don't like to complain but this is Bad.

    Custom Christmas cookies for my husband's business :)
    Wendy B.

    I reached out to Gayle because I wanted to surprise my husband with some custom sugar cookies for my his business. I wanted to create something he could take to his customers at Christmas time that would be memorable and fun! I had followed Playing with Dough on Insta for a while and thought that Christmas is a great time for sugar cookies, so I sent her a message. Gayle was so easy to work with, and handled everything quickly and through email. We didn't even meet until I went to pick up the cookies. The cookies were a hit! My husband was surprised and LOVED the design (and eating them). He loved showing them off to his customers and even our family wanted their own! If you've been considering getting custom sugar cookies, then I definitely recommend Playing with Dough! Excellent work! I'll be back :)

    Zinnia bouquet

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    Gayle M.

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    Gayle M.

    So glad you loved them!

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    Gayle M.

    Thank you! They were fun to make!!

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    9 years ago

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    Gayle M.

    Thanks so much!!! I’m thrilled you are pleased with them!!

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    Gayle M.

    Thank you, Bianca! I loved doing your cookies!

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    5 years ago

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    Gayle M.

    Thanks so much, Lori! Hope the day was perfect!

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    So glad you enjoyed them!!

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    Kellie thank you so much for the kind words!!

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Playing with Dough

    Hi, Wanted to see if I can still order for next Saturday or it's too late?

    I’m sorry I’m fully booked into June.

    What do you charge per cookie? Also are they individually bagged?

    Hi! Prices vary greatly based upon design. You can see more detail on my FAQ page. Not all… 

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Playing with Dough

    If you want absolutely gorgeous cookies and/or really yummy cookies, Gayle's PlayingwithDough is your company.

    Mentioned in 77 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    CA Bakehouse - Fresh out of the oven: Portuguese Egg Tarts ($2 each)! Call ahead 1-2 days for large orders. Dog-friendly seating outside.

    CA Bakehouse

    4.3(1.1k reviews)
    9.8 kmEast San Jose
    $

    I absolutely love this bakery in Vietnam town!! Stopped by with relatives on a weekend but it was…read morenot busy as others say it gets. The bakery displays were filled with delicious treats and we waited for fresh egg tarts and pandan waffles. Did I mention how good it smells in here!? Also, the auntie helping us was so sweet! Anyways, my family got durian egg tarts, Portuguese egg tarts, pandan cookies, Viet coffee cookies, and pandan waffles. Definitely a random assortment, but everything here is so good. The egg tarts were so flakey and the perfect sweetness. We all preferred the durian egg tarts!! I also liked the texture and taste of the cookies. I can't wait to come back here for more baked goods!

    3.5 STARS ca…read morebakehouse is a to-go bakery that usually has a really long line on the weekends. i always order for pickup to avoid the line - just keep in mind that there are some items you have to order at least the day before. the bakery is located in very busy vietnam town, so it can be hard to get parking nearby sometimes. they have a really extensive menu with unique items! - egg tart (3.5/5): it had a great sweet and creamy custard, but it was doughy and soft instead of crispy and flaky. i didn't mind the texture too much because the flavor was there - kaya egg tart (4/5): very slight coconut flavor and overall very light. i liked this one more than the regular egg tart because the flavor was unique - banana mochi cake (4/5): this reminded me of a banana nut muffin but with mochi! it had a good fresh banana flavor. i loved the soft, chewy mochi texture, although it was almost too mushy. the nuts were a nice addition - guava mochi cake (4.5/5): one of my favorite items here! it had a tart and sweet guava filling, which balanced out the sweetness of the pastry and icing on top. it was still on the softer end, but i liked this one more than the banana mochi cake - kaya croissant (3/5): i thought the croissant would be soggy because of the filling, but it was actually kind of chewy and dry - maybe overbaked. i loved the yummy kaya filling, and it wasn't too sweet. i actually think it could've used more filling. it was very aromatic! - ube croissant (3.5/5): similar to the kaya croissant but with a sweet and slightly earthy ube filling instead. i enjoyed the filling because i could really taste the ube! like the other one, i thought the croissant was too dry and needed more filling - black sesame choux (0.5/5): probably the worst item i tried. the black sesame wasn't very sweet. there was barely any black sesame flavor, and it had a bit of a bitter aftertaste. also, the choux wasn't crunchy... it was soft and mushy, and it broke at the bottom where the filling was spilling out - durian choux (2.5/5): i loved the filling, which was at the perfect sweetness. it had a strong durian flavor, but the choux pastry itself had similar issues to the black sesame choux - pandan macadamia cookie (3.5/5): it had a very light pandan flavor, which i thought could've been stronger. i really love soft cookies, but this was weirdly soft and fell apart - almost like it wasn't fully baked. the macadamia nuts on top were a nice touch - black sesame cookie (4/5): tasted just like a peanut butter cookie! it had a strong nutty flavor, more like peanut butter than black sesame. my favorite part was the center, which had more of a sesame flavor because of the sesame seeds. just like the other cookie, it was very soft - honeycomb cake (3/5): this had a stronger pandan flavor than the cookie, which was great! i just didn't like the texture as much as other honeycomb cakes because it was less chewy and more mushy - pandan basque cheesecake (4.5/5): the BEST menu item i've tried, and i would come back just to get this. the cheesecake was very creamy and relatively dense, even for basque cheesecake. it had a slight pandan flavor, which could've been stronger, and caramelization on the sides. the green looked so pretty! i'm not really that picky with textures, but overall, everything here is just on the soft and sometimes mushy end, except for the croissants, which are weirdly dry. i actually enjoy a lot of the flavors, so i do see the appeal. i just don't think i would come back often.

    Photos
    CA Bakehouse - Kaya Croissant - Buttery layered croissant with fresh pandan custard

    Kaya Croissant - Buttery layered croissant with fresh pandan custard

    CA Bakehouse - Inside the bakery!

    Inside the bakery!

    CA Bakehouse - Kaya choux

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    Kaya choux

    Sulbing

    Sulbing

    4.0(796 reviews)
    11.8 km
    $$

    Last week it was pretty warm, and I was craving a cold dessert, so we went to Sulbing. It was…read morearound 8 on Sunday night. Oh boy, it was packed! We couldn't find a seat, so we decided to take it home. The QR menu was convenient. The staff were busy and looking tired making shaved ice. They also have a good selection of matcha drinks, coffee, and Korean pastry. I gotta try it out next time. We waited a bit, but they packed it so well that it didn't melt on the way home. It was really good. Good job guys! Overall the service was great, just watch the parking. It can be tricky during busy hrs. Just saying....

    Sulbing is a pretty solid spot for bingsoo, though I don't think it'll be my go-to. It's tucked…read moreinto one of those plazas lining El Camino Real, and the parking is pretty limited. Not only does it get really busy after work hours, many parking spots are reserved for other businesses. It's also usually crowded inside, making snagging a seat a bit hard. It's a popular spot, and I can see why--the menu features many different bingsoo options alongside other desserts, and they're all very beautiful and cute. There's also free WiFi and bathroom access. I will note that they don't seem particularly diligent about cleaning up between customers. You pick your own seats, and when I finally found a table, there was food residue visible on the tabletop. Their prices are a little higher than some other spots in SJ (ranging from ~$13 to $19 pre-tax), and I don't think the quality of the bingsoo is noticeably better to justify the price. I tried a pricier one (the premium strawberry), and found it to be quite good, but not $20 good. Plus, some aspects seem designed more for pictures than for eating. The little cheesecake slice is a bit hard because it's cold and difficult to eat with the shaved ice. That said, their bingsoo does taste good! The fruit tasted fresh and sweet, and the portion was enough for me to share with my partner. I wish the condensed milk was provided on the side instead of already poured on top, but I didn't mind the amount they gave. I may not be back immediately in the future, but I wouldn't mind visiting again. I would probably stick to the lower-priced options myself, though. If you visit, do keep in mind that it's usually really busy--your order probably will take a minute, and whether that's worth it or not is up to you.

    Photos
    Sulbing
    Sulbing - Mango cheese sulbing

    Mango cheese sulbing

    Sulbing - Mochi Toast

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    Mochi Toast

    Hui Lau Shan

    Hui Lau Shan

    4.4(302 reviews)
    18.4 km
    $

    I've been on a mango kick recently, and my best friend highly recommended Hui Lau Shan. I was…read moreintrigued and decided to order delivery. I really appreciated that the items came in a sealed bag. Not only did it ensure freshness, but it also helped assure me that the food wasn't tampered with. The bag was cute too. I'm actually glad that I ordered online, because the menu explicitly stated that products contain lard. I don't eat pork, so heads up if you don't either. I got the coconut mango sago (D4) and mango mochi. I dove right into the mochi, which was fantastic. The mochi was so soft and chewy, the shredded coconut attributed a nice texture, and I loved the mango bits in the center. I also enjoyed the coconut mango sago. There wasn't an option to modify the sweetness, which I was concerned about at first. The drink came out perfectly in balance with sweetness, and I felt that mostly came from the natural sweetness of the mango and coconut milk. I would absolutely return to try other things off the menu. I'm a fan of coconut mango and pomelo/grapefruit at other drink spots, so it's top of my list to try next time.

    Worst Mango coconut sago I've ever had. The sago were not cooked all the way so they were still…read morehard in my drink. The entire cup was filled with those hard sago and a few sad pieces of mango or maybe just even mango jelly. What a waste of $8 dollars. For that money at least give your customers something that's digestible. This brand is going downhill for sure. So many better substitutes out there. Not coming back again for their drinks. What a pitiful representation of "Hong Kong handmade dessert"!

    Photos
    Hui Lau Shan
    Hui Lau Shan - J2 - Jumbo Pomelo & Mango Sago

    J2 - Jumbo Pomelo & Mango Sago

    Hui Lau Shan - Mango drink

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    Mango drink

    Izumi Matcha - Matcha soft serve

    Izumi Matcha

    4.3(845 reviews)
    11.3 km
    $

    I come here pretty regularly for their matcha drinks. My go-to is the honey matcha latte with oat…read moremilk. They give you the option to put double matcha (for the honey matcha latte) which is a plus! The double shot of matcha and the honey pairs really well together. It has the perfect amount of sweetness and a perfect amount of matcha to make it taste rich without being bitter. The strawberry matcha latte has strawberry puree and strawberry bits which makes it taste really sweet. It's a really good contrast of flavors and an overall solid strawberry matcha latte. They also updated the self-ordering kiosk with 2 instead of one now, so there's barely any lines now compared to when they first opened. The drinks are a lot quicker so you don't have to wait too long. There's also no seats inside but there's plenty of waiting space on the outside patio! Overall I would highly recommend this place for matcha lovers. Their matcha is super rich in flavor and they have a lot of options. Sometimes, they also have matcha powder in stock too! The spot is also right off of 280 so it's pretty convenient.

    Izumi is a really solid matcha spot. You can taste the authenticity and quality of the matcha, and…read morethey whisk it really well. My first experience was pretty mid because the ceremonial matcha latte was VERY strong and bitter. I couldn't finish it and it made me super jittery. After coming back a few more times though, I found a couple things I really liked. The Crème Brûlée Matcha was delicious. I finished the entire drink. You can't change the sweetness level, which is unfortunate, but their recommended sweetness actually balanced the stronger matcha really well. The ice cream is probably the best thing here. Super creamy, perfectly sweet and really well blended. I would honestly come back just for the ice cream. The strawberry matcha latte was pretty unmemorable to me, and the hojicha was also extremely bitter. Service was good. The barista was kind and helpful, which I appreciated. You order through a kiosk, so there isn't a ton of interaction overall. When I first came around their opening, there was basically no line. After they started getting more hype, the lines became longer and longer. I think it's worth trying, but personally I wouldn't wait in a huge line for it. Overall, the matcha itself tastes authentic and is prepared well, but some drinks are just too bitter for my preference. My recommendations: the ice cream or Crème Brûlée Matcha. Those were easily the standouts for me.

    Photos
    Izumi Matcha - Drinks menu and wares for sale (along with line for the ordering kiosk)

    Drinks menu and wares for sale (along with line for the ordering kiosk)

    Izumi Matcha - Me after eating matcha ice cream

    Me after eating matcha ice cream

    Izumi Matcha - Crème brûlée Matcha is so good.

    See all

    Crème brûlée Matcha is so good.

    Playing with Dough - desserts - Updated August 2026

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