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10 ONE-HANDED PARTY CAKE AND HOLIDAY SNACK IDEAS

Written by Chloe Toscano

Updated September 9, 2023

USA TODAY REVIEWED

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission.

Cake is my favorite word. It's also one of my favorite things to eat. Yet when I'm at a holiday party and the cake comes out, I always feel a little bummed. Everyone ends up standing around, talking and having fun, a plate of cake in one hand and a fork in the other. As someone with one arm, though, I don't have the liberty of eating while standing unless it's a one-hand-friendly food.

At any party, I often have to decide whether I'll find a quiet corner where I can sit and eat some cake alone or say "no thank you" to continue socializing. It's the most tragic game of Would You Rather I've ever played, but settling for sadness should never be the answer.

Below, you'll find 10 festive single-hand party food ideas worth serving to make your next gathering more accessible for those with dexterity limitations. All of these holiday finger foods can be purchased in person or shipped nationwide, so guests can have their cake and eat it too (and continue socializing). Here’s to making party cakes even better with their accessible cousins!

A cookie cake with colored sprinkles, confetti and frosting in front of a background. — Credit: Reviewed / Cookie Dō NYC

Cookie cakes are one of the best ways to go if you want to keep the wholesome aesthetic of a full-size cake you can cut into and share. It’s a treat that fills this iconic need in a form that can most definitely be eaten with one hand.

This one from Cookie Dō NYC is literally called "The Fancy Cookie Cake," and it screams "celebration" as much as any cake I've ever had. It's a perfect choice for parties, as it’s iced with multi-colored swirls of frosting and dusted with shimmery gold stars. My favorite part about this cake is its moist texture (sorry, I said the word). It gives off the feel of a fresh, tender cake in cookie form!

$60 at Cookie Dō NYC

2. A bouquet of doughnut and cake pops

A collection of Halloween cake pops including ghosts, monsters and Jack-o-Lanterns in front of a background. — Credit: Reviewed / Harry and David

These three-bite beauties from Harry and David take all of the goodness of cake—frosting, cake, and decorations—and roll it into one perfectly portioned pop. With a full-size cake, hosts can’t usually offer many flavor options without serving multiple cakes. With these little sweeties, you can lay something out for every preference in an assortment of tasty variants.

You can get a cake pop bouquet themed especially for Halloween, Pride, birthdays, and spring. You can even use these to decorate a full-size cake if you’re attached to a traditional formfactor but still want an accessible additive. Why not reap the benefits of cake-ception?

From $40 at Harry and David

3. Cheesecake… as a sandwich?

A hand holding three different colored cheesecake sandwiches in front of a background., — Credit: Reviewed / Grandma's Cheesecake Sandwiches

I had to do a double take when I came across these. I’d seen personal and mini cheesecakes before, but a cheesecake sandwich was news to me. With crust on the bottom and top, these delicious creations turn cheesecake into something you can enjoy with one hand.

If you’re someone with two hands, I advise you to grab one of these babies and enjoy it on the go. Imagine walking the dog and munching on cheesecake as you go. There’s nothing quite like a good cheesecake multi-task.

With at least 20 flavors to choose from and seasonal varieties, these make an excellent choice for any occasion. My personal favorite is White Chocolate Raspberry. Another advantage of this bakery is that everything is made in a nut-free facility, which means you’ll be serving desserts that fully include any guests with nut allergies.

From $80 at Goldbelly

4. The classic ice cream sandwich

A box of Klondike ice cream sandwiches in front of a background. — Credit: Reviewed / Klondike

The other day, I attended an ice cream social where everyone was standing, so I passed on my scoop because they didn’t have cones. Ice cream sandwiches make it easy for me to enjoy ice cream in any setting, which is why I was so excited when my absolute favorite ice cream brand Van Leeuwen started making its own store-bought version.

Of course, there are many cheaper options in any grocery store that you can choose from if you’re not picky about the brand.

If you’re hosting an ice cream party, consider serving some ice cream sandwiches instead of or alongside ice cream. You can cut them in half so people can enjoy different flavors and accompany them with sweet dipping sauces, such as caramel, strawberry, melted peanut butter, or fudge!

$4 at Target

5. Macarons done right

A box of multi-colored macarons in front of a background. — Credit: Reviewed / Ladurée

Macarons are a treat and, like a cake, aren’t something you might have the pleasure of eating every day. And if you eat macarons they should definitely be from Ladurée, because they make the real deal.

Like a cookie, these little gems are easy to hold onto and savor while you continue to enjoy the party. But unlike a cookie, they offer so much more magic.

Plus, Ladurée offers flavors for every preference, with both classic and exotic creations. If you like more of a snap to your biscuits but want something as unique and delicate as a macaron, you could try their newest invention of colorful cookies called Eugénie.

From $31 at Ladurée

6. Cupcakes that don’t stick to the liner

Top view of a box with different flavors of cupcakes. — Credit: Reviewed / Magnolia Bakery

I was torn about including a cupcake recommendation on a list of accessible party treats and finger food ideas, because cupcake liners can pose an issue. Nonetheless, cupcakes are the iconic handheld form of cake.

After much testing and many sugar crashes (no regrets), I ended up at one of America’s most iconic bakeries, Magnolia Bakery. This brand's cupcakes can be comfortably eaten while standing because the cake doesn’t spill over or stick to the paper liner, making it easy to peel off with your teeth.

In addition, unlike many cupcakes, these don’t have a mountain of frosting that makes it impossible to bite into, requiring a fork. Instead, bakers swirl it on with a spatula. All decorations are also edible, meaning you won’t need to ask someone to pluck off the toothpick paper decoration for you so you can continue to munch along.

Magnolia Bakery never misses, and I now often find myself stopping in for a quick cupcake, which I proceed to eat as I walk to the subway—proof that these are indeed accessible cupcakes.

$53 at Magnolia Bakery

7. Letter-shaped doughnuts

A box of letter-shaped donuts spelling out Happy Birthday in different flavors. — Credit: Reviewed / Angel Food Bakery

These doughnuts are ideal if you want to serve a handheld treat but are attached to the beauty of a message cake. With a doughnut for every letter in the shape of that letter, Angel Food Bakery has reinvented inscription.

This shop turns a classic, colorful party cake into a perfectly portioned treat that takes into account guests who may struggle with forks or standing and eating. Plus, the homemade glazes on these doughnuts are as delectable as any buttercream frosting. The vanilla sprinkle flavor had me feeling like I was eating a fluffy cake.

$90 at Goldbelly

8. Teeny tiny cupcakes

A hand holding up a mini cupcake in front of a background. — Credit: Reviewed / Baked by Melissa

The first time I had these, I was in shock. Each bite-sized jewel features a unique cake flavor, filling, frosting, and topping, all in a single bite. So when I started thinking of accessible finger food ideas, Baked by Melissa was one of the first places to come to mind.

Not only are these as easy to eat as a grape, but they come free of cupcake liners, making the experience all the more pleasing. The shop offers a variety of assortments, so you can ensure you get a flavor profile that fits your vibe. As of November 14, you’ll be able to get your hand(s) on some holiday assortments!

From $37 at Baked by Melissa

9. A Milk Bar Pie

A Milk Bar Pie served in a round aluminum tray in front of a background. — Credit: Reviewed / Milk Bar

With Thanksgiving and the holiday season soon in full swing you’ll likely be serving up a variety of pies, and I can’t recommend the Milk Bar Pie enough. I can best describe this as a kind of sticky, cornflake-y, chewy spin on the bottom of a pecan pie. The beauty of this pie, though, is that it holds together excessively well and can be eaten with one hand without concern it’ll crumble into a sad mess on the floor.

If you know you struggle with the standing and eating that often happens at Friendsgiving celebrations, consider bringing this as your potluck contribution. Everyone will be thanking you regardless of their ability to use a fork while standing. I had this beauty for my birthday this year, and it was such a hit that leftovers weren’t even a factor.

$53 at Milk Bar

A double layer cookie birthday cake with "Happy Birthday" written on it in front of a background. — Credit: Reviewed / Insomnia Cookies

If you are a layer-cake lover but want something more people will be able to enjoy without having to sit down, look no further than Insomnia Cookies. Known for its warm, fresh-baked cookies with rotating flavors featuring seasonal varieties, Insomnia Cookies also makes amazing customizable cookie cakes with multiple layers.

A multi-layer cookie cake screams party just as much as any holiday treat you could serve, except it takes more abilities into account by nixing the need for a fork and plate. You can even print an edible message onto the center and top it off with candles! Just remember to remove all non-edibles—such as candles—before passing a slice to someone with one hand, or else they won’t be able to remove it themselves without putting it down.

$35 at Insomnia Cookies

Grandma's Cheesecake Sandwiches appears on CBS's TOMMY S1 E6 "THE NINTH GIRL" THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020.

On Thursday, March 12, 2020 Grandma's Cheesecake Sandwiches storefront can be seen 18 minutes into the episode, "The Ninth Girl" as Mayor Buddy Gray puts added pressure on Tommy to quickly solve a high-profile kidnapping when a baby is taken from a prominent local businessman, capturing the attention of the citizens of L.A.

A fantastic experience for us at the store when the film crew came here back in October to shoot the scenes!!

Grandma’s Cheesecake Sandwiches in Whitestone accepts gloves and mittens for the homeless this Christmas.

By Jenna Bagcal/jbagcal@qns.com/Tuesday, December 3, 2019 8:30 AM

With the cold winter upon us, a Whitestone dessert business is urging the community to help to keep homeless individuals warm this season.

Grandma’s Cheesecake Sandwiches founder and baker Lisa Cotoggio announced the first annual Warming the Hands of the Homeless drive. Cotoggio encourages patrons to donate new and gently used gloves and mittens during the month of December. On Dec. 25, the company will distribute all donations to the less fortunate.

Those interested in making a donation can do so at Grandma’s Cheesecake Sandwiches Bake Shop at 12-40 Clintonville St. during regular business hours — Monday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The bakeshop promises one plain cheesecake sandwich to each person who makes a donation. Each donation is good for one cheesecake sandwich per person for the duration of the drive.

This is not the first time Cotoggio has extended a philanthropic hand to the community. On Nov. 28, Grandma’s Cheesecake Sandwiches donated cakes to women living in a College Point homeless shelter in the spirit of Thanksgiving.

“A special something extra to make the women living in the new homeless shelter on 20th Avenue and 127th Street in College Point feel more human because that’s what they are, and we should understand that there are times when people are down on their luck, and just need a helping hand to get back on their feet,” Cotoggio said.

Back in February, Cotoggio challenged people to be kind to the homeless for Valentine’s Day. The Hearts4Homeless Valentine’s Day Challenge involved donating over 150 heart-shaped cheesecake sandwiches to homeless individuals in Manhattan and Long Island.

Cotoggio, who is currently a Bayside resident, opened her first brick-and-mortar shop in September 2019. The renowned desserts are based on her grandmother, Raphaella’s, recipe.

Queens woman creates ‘cheesecake sandwiches’ using an old family recipe

by Sara Krevoy

Nov 14, 2019

Like many New Yorkers, Lisa Cotoggio found herself at a career crossroads when the recession hit in the late 2000s. A native of College Point, the former actress and model had been making a steady living as a promoter/bartender in nightclubs when the economy – and her livelihood – collapsed.

Cotoggio, who is also a published mystery crime novelist, went back and forth between different jobs, but nothing was panning out. Last January, she decided to start her own business.

As Cotoggio poured over lists of ideas and business plans, she kept circling back to one thought: her late grandmother’s cheesecake recipe.

Nearly two years later, Cotoggio is the proud proprietor of Grandma’s Cheesecake Sandwiches, which opened its first storefront on Clintonville Street in Whitestone back in September.

“I just wanted to try something fun that people would like,” she said of the idea behind her business.

In an innovative take on a beloved family recipe, Cotoggio patented the “cheesecake sandwich,” which is light and fluffy cheesecake filling between two delicate cookies.

“Nowadays, everybody is fast paced and thinking about their health,” Cotoggio explained. “This is a grab and go. You pop it out and eat the cheesecake in your hand.”

Growing up, Cotoggio maintained a close relationship with her grandmother Raphaella, and has been baking her cheesecake recipe for a long time. In the 90s, while Raphaella was still alive, Cotoggio began making full size cakes in her mother’s kitchen and selling them in several local restaurants.

Before arriving at the idea for cheesecake sandwiches, Cotoggio’s original plan was to open a food truck and sell cakes by the slice. However, after encountering a waiting list for a license from the city that was backed up for over a decade, she was forced to redraw plans.

Thus, the cheesecake sandwich was born in its original three flavors: plain, chocolate chip, and milk chocolate. Cotoggio began using the kitchen at a friend’s bakery in Long Island to produce her sweets.

“I would sell them out of a cooler up Northern Boulevard to the car dealers and service shops,” Cotoggio said. “And people started buying them like crazy.”

Eventually, she hired a food distributor to place the product in local grocery stores like Benateri’s in College Point, Varsi Deli in Whitestone, and Robert’s Butcher Shop in Bayside.

Cotoggio says Grandma’s Cheesecake Sandwiches will be available in Fairway’s frozen aisle after Thanksgiving.

In April of this year, Cotoggio set out to find her own space after losing access to the kitchen in her friend’s bakery. Three months later, she stumbled upon the business’s current storefront, which conveniently used to house another bakery and therefore was up to code for what she required.

“I thought it was fitting when I found this location, to come to Whitestone,” Cotoggio said, noting her grandparents once lived nearby on 149th Street and 3rd Avenue. “Not just because of the zoning, but also for my grandmother.

“I think it’s a tribute to her,” she continued. “It felt right to open near where she lived. She made the cheesecake her whole life just a few blocks from here.”

Today, Grandma’s Cheesecake Sandwiches has expanded to incorporate 21 flavors, as well as cookies and other bite-sized desserts. The storefront presents a sleek and simple design, and features a kitchen loaded with state-of-the-art baking equipment straight from Italy.

“I had an Easy-Bake Oven as a kid and I loved it,” recalled Cotoggio. “And this is now my giant Easy-Bake Oven.”

It hasn’t been all fun and games though. Cotoggio refinanced her apartment, emptied out her retirement accounts, and maxed-out her credit card in order to pay for the shop, leaving her more than $200,000 in debt. Nevertheless, she finds comfort feeling the presence of her grandmother at every step along the way.

“Everything has been falling into place,” Cotoggio said. “You’ve got to keep moving, and I think that’s how entrepreneurs and the most successful people work.”

In the next three to five years, Cotoggio hopes to go national with her product in supermarkets like Whole Foods. She also foresees several Grandma’s Cheesecake Sandwiches satellite locations throughout the city.

She may have set some lofty goals, but Cotoggio is no stranger to putting in hard work to make her vision a reality.

“You can’t dwell, you can’t close your door,” she said. “You just have to keep working through it. I think that any women out there who really want to do something shouldn’t be afraid to just go for it.”

DIOCESAN NEWS

Bakery’s Recipe Of Sugar & Nice

October 3, 2019
By Andrew Pugliese

Lisa Cotoggio, 58, started thinking about going into business herself in 2018 when she was between jobs and struggling to find work. Now, she runs her own business. (Photo: Andrew Pugliese)

WHITESTONE — Lisa Cotoggio’s sweet dreams became a reality on Sept. 28 when she opened Grandma’s Cheesecake Sandwiches in Whitestone. The store is selling cheesecake sandwiches made with her grandma’s recipe, just blocks from her grandparents’ home.

For Cotoggio, who grew up in College Point where she went to St. Fidelis School, the decision to start her own business stems in part from her concern for the homeless and from her own fear of becoming homeless. That concern was something she learned at St. Fidelis and from her parents.

Cotoggio said her family always helped others because others had always helped them. She heard the same message at school.

“Going to grammar school in the ’60s and early ’70s at St. Fidelis, it was instilled in you,” Cotoggio said. “Going to church twice a week, they instilled in the sermons that you should help.”

Those lessons have stuck. Cotoggio had always made a decent salary, usually in advertising or sales, but last year at the age of 57, she was struggling to find work. She decided to start a business, and she kept remembering her grandma’s recipe.

In March, she was getting interest from big supermarket chains, like Whole Foods and ShopRite, about selling her sandwiches. That prompted Cotoggio to look into opening a store. She had been renting space at Cardinali Bakery in Carle Place, L.I., but the space was too small for her.

Cotoggio signed a lease for her store in May. She had to refinance her condo, empty out her retirement funds and max out on her credit card, leaving her $200,000 in debt. But plans to get her products into supermarkets by Nov. 1 and a few commercials that will appear on NY1 soon give her hope, along with her special angel in heaven.

“I think she’s watching over me now because everything is going so smoothly,” Cotoggio said of her grandma, Raphaella, who passed away in 2003.

So far, business at her new sandwich shop has been brisk. The store sold out of sandwiches each of the first three days it was open. Cotoggio and her lone employee, Chantel Wallace, originally made more than 250 sandwiches thinking they would last, but with the buzz in the neighborhood, sales boomed from the start.

The bakery has been so popular that Cotoggio had to close early on the first day and stay until midnight the first two days to make more sandwiches. Her mom came to support her during the grand opening, but even she was turned away.

“These are excellent,” said customer Jay Bomser of the mini-cheesecakes. “It’s nice and small. When you buy a big cheesecake, you’re like, ‘Oh, if I eat all of that, I’m finished.’ This little portion is perfect. It’s good for a lunch break.”

Cotoggio has hired two more employees who are set to start soon. But, for now, it is just her and Wallace.

The owner impressed Wallace during his interview, when they first spoke about Cotoggio’s work with the homeless. Cotoggio baked 150 heart-shaped cheesecake sandwiches and gave them to the homeless in Babylon, L.I. and in Midtown Manhattan around Valentine’s Day this year.

“A lot of people get into business for what it can do for them, but she gives back,” Wallace said. “That’s another thing I really admire about her. She’s a very giving person.”

CATHOLIC BAKER OPENS SHOP & SET ON HELPING THE HOMELESS

Air date October 2, 2019

By Tim Harfmann

Currents News first introduced you to Lisa Cotoggio on Valentine’s Day, when she delivered heart-shaped cheesecake sandwiches to the homeless.

“It’s always been my biggest fear that I would wind up homeless myself. I just think it’s very important that we help them,” she said last February.

Fast forward, she’s busy using her grandmother’s cheesecake recipe to whip up sweet sandwiches at her new store, which opened on September 28.

Before the shop, Lisa was selling her baked goods online and operating out of a rented kitchen.

But now, she can’t keep enough desserts on her shelves.

“I thought I made enough for a couple days, but I pretty much sold out,” Lisa explained of her grand opening. “My mom came in because she wanted to contribute, and I wouldn’t let her buy anything because I need stuff for the next day.”

Lisa still has her fears, but she’s working hard to keep her dream alive.

“For me, this has to work. Because if this doesn’t work, I’m going to have that same problem,” she said.

Although she now has the shop, she still plans to be back on the streets next Valentine’s Day, giving more love to people in need.

Lisa credits her Catholic roots and priests at Saint Fidelis Church in College Point, Queens. She attended the parish’s Catholic school, where she learned her desire to help out.

“I think the priests instilled that,” she said. “I went to church twice a week, and they just instilled that in all the sermons, that you should help.”

Lisa sells 18 different cheesecake sandwich flavors, like chocolate chip, and she has big plans to sell her product in supermarkets.

“Whole Foods, Fairway, ShopRite; they’re all very interested in bringing it in. That will be going in in the three main flavors: the plain, chocolate chip, and milk chocolate,” she explained.

Grandma’s Cheesecake Sandwiches owner to open first store in Whitestone this weekend

Photo courtesy of Grandma's Cheesecake Sandwiches

The first Grandma's Cheesecake Sandwiches location opens in Whitestone Sept. 28

By Jenna Bagcal/jbagcal@qns.com/Thursday, September 26, 2019/1:00 PM

A Bayside baker’s tasty dessert mashup will soon have an official home in Whitestone.

This weekend, Lisa Cotoggio of Grandma’s Cheesecake Sandwiches is opening up her first brick-and-mortar shop at 12-40 Clintonville St. From 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sept. 28, visitors can sample the decadent confections inspired by her grandmother Raphaella’s cheesecake recipe.

From 5 to 7 p.m., children can also participate in face painting and balloon twisting.

Cotoggio said that Raphaella moved to Whitestone in 1955, making it the ideal place to establish her business. She added that her grandmother lived close to the business, which previously housed Caffe Italia and Pastry Shop.

For the past five and a half months, Cotoggio has been getting the store ready for customers and testing new recipes. Her goal is to have 12 flavor varieties available daily.

“I’ve been testing and testing and testing new recipes but I’ve had to get used to baking in a new kitchen,” Cotoggio said.

The dessert combines Raphaella’s classic recipe between two freshly baked cookies. In addition to her standard flavors, Cotoggio’s new combinations include cherry chocolate chip cheesecake in red cookies and white chocolate cheesecake sandwiched between two chocolate cookies.

Customers can also purchase other “grab and go” baked goods like pound cakes and croissants as well as branded T-Shirts and sweatshirts.

Prior to opening her business, she baked her treats at Cardinali Bakery in Syosset. But when the owner decided to renovate the space, she knew it was time to take her business to the next level.

In October, she told QNS that she initially wanted to open up a food truck but learned that the city had over a decade of unfulfilled applications. She began selling the cheesecake sandwiches at local shops in Queens, which she plans to continue doing.

Cotoggio also said that she wants to expand her reach to bigger retail stores and currently has deals with several large supermarkets in the works.

Grandma’s Cheesecake Sandwiches grand opening is on Saturday, Sept. 28 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Hours of operation are Monday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sweet Independence: Grandma’s Cheesecake Sandwiches gave this entrepreneur an escape from workplace harassment

Grandma’s Cheesecake Sandwiches owner Lisa Cotoggio creates frozen treats in Bayside.

BY CAROLINE SHIN / PHOTOGRAPHY BY MEGAN MARTIN | MAY 16, 2019

From left to right: Plain, heart-shaped chocolate dipped and milk chocolate cheesecakes.

Lisa Cotoggio sidesteps boxes stacked three feet high. They contain packing labels, a cellophane sealer, bubble wrap, branded plastic bags, “Keep Frozen” labels, posters, plastic containers, folded cardboard boxes and boxes filled with smaller branded boxes. They’re on top of and below her desk, and by the sofa separating the office from her bedroom that opens up to a panoramic view of Queens. From her Bayside apartment, you can see the Throgs Neck Bridge soaring above the East River in the distance. It’s the perfect backdrop for the College Point–raised, Flushing High School– graduated Grandma’s Cheesecake Sandwiches founder.

At the center of the commotion is Cotoggio’s invention: a cheesecake sandwich based on her Grandma Raphaella’s recipe. Each one has frothy, super-whipped cheesecake wedged between two cookies your teeth can sink through without the tangy filling gushing out. The star ingredient distinguishing Cotoggio’s cheesecake from the thicker, denser standard is Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese.

Like the rest of the organized mess piled high in Cotoggio’s home office, her cheesecake sandwich business is a culmination of hard lessons and new solutions.

Through the 1980s, Lisa Cotoggio pursued a modeling career in Paris and Milan and, later, acting in New York City and Los Angeles. She was forced to confront egregious workplace harassment early on. While being considered for a movie role, Cotoggio once overheard a film producer ask if she would give “good head” in exchange for the part.

Cotoggio eventually stepped into the hospitality industry, working in restaurants, nightclubs and hotels for 30 years. “I was getting groped repeatedly,” she says. In 1985, a Manhattan restaurant employer fired her after she refused his sexual advances. She sued her former boss, and won.

In 2013, she changed careers again, with a job in auto sales, but encountered still more harassment. After a co-worker groped her, she pressed charges against the Long Island–based Mercedes Benz dealership and gave her notice in October 2016. The lawsuit is ongoing, but that incident was the last straw. Cotoggio decided to become her own boss.

“So [Grandma’s Cheesecake Sandwiches] all came about because of the sexual harassment,” Cotoggio states. “I needed to make my own money. And I was trying to come up with something, and I kept coming back to my grandmother’s cheesecake recipe.”

Since starting the business in January 2018, she’s put $22,000 of her savings into it. The product has gone through several iterations: a full, round cheesecake, then cheesecake slices. Then in May, after digesting feedback from 200 taste testers, including friends, bakers, grocery shop owners and even firefighters at a nearby firehouse, “I landed the cheesecake sandwich,” she says.

“It’s grab-and-go. You could eat it in your hand. You pop it out. You hold it in between your two fingers, and you eat it like an ice cream sandwich. Only it’s cheesecake. And no one’s ever done this before.”

Cotoggio’s cheesecake sandwiches come in plain, milk chocolate and chocolate chip flavors, and are sold at five local stores and on her website. When she’s not baking her cheesecake sandwiches, she’s managing everything including social media, insurance policies, trademark laws, website maintenance, thaw-proof shipping, smush-proof packaging and store deliveries.

“I’d like this to be national in two to three years,” she says. On her growth plan, she explains, “I want to hire more women. Look, I know I have to hire some men. And I have nothing against men. Because I know a lot of men that are great. But I just I want to make a safe space for women.”

For Lisa Cotoggio, revenge is a sweet cheesecake sandwich best served cold.

Grandma’s Cheesecake Sandwiches | @grandmascheesecakessandwiches

CATHOLIC BAKER DELIVERS HEARTS FOR HOMELESS

Air date February 13, 2019

By Tim Harfmann

Lisa Cotoggio owns Grandma’s Cheesecake Sandwiches, an online-based company, and she wanted to help those who have fallen on hard times. “It’s always been my biggest fear that I would wind up homeless,” said an emotional Cotoggio, “I just think it’s very important that we help them.” So the Bayside, Queens baker made 150 heart-shaped pastries for Valentine’s Day.

Using her grandmother’s recipe, cherry-filled cheesecake is sandwiched between two cookies and topped with chocolate. They’re baked with love. “I don’t have my own valentine, and I figured a lot of homeless people didn’t have a valentine either; so I thought maybe I could be everyone’s valentine this year and make some people feel better,” said Cotoggio.

Cotoggio’s first stop on Wednesday, February 13th was the Long Island Railroad station in Babylon. Fifty-five-year-old Thomas Wrightington has been on the streets for eight months. A former baker himself, he’s trying to get back on his feet. He described how the gesture made him feel. “Special. We’re on the streets here, so it’s nice that someone comes by and gives us some food,” said Wrightington. A Catholic himself, Wrightington said he turns to local parishes for help. To him, Cotoggio is a Godsend. “She’s an angel from above. She really is,” said Wrightington.

Growing up a parishioner at Saint Fidelis Church in College Point, Queens Cotoggio attended Catholic school there. The faith-based education instilled values leading to her good deed. “My Catholic faith played a tremendous role in this. They teach you, in Catholic school, to be caring and humble and to help the less fortunate,” said Cotoggio.

At Saint Patrick’s Church in Bay Shore, it was lunchtime in the soup kitchen. Cotoggio brought dessert. “It’s a beautiful spirit. She’s blessed for doing it, and I’m blessed for receiving it,” said Michael Lopuch. The 65-year-old was at the church for lunch. “They’re human just like we are, and people need to remember that,” said Cotoggio.

The Catholic baker also passed out desserts in Midtown Manhattan on Valentine’s Day.

LOCAL BAKER TO GIVE AWAY OVER 150 VALENTINES TO THE HOMELESS IN NYC

Local Baker to give away over 150 Valentines to the homeless in NYC | WFUV

LISA COTOGGIO CELEBRATES VALENTINES DAY BY BAKING HEART-SHAPED CHEESECAKE SANDWICHES FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS

A mystery crime writer turned baker is challenging everyone to help people who are homeless this Valentines Day. Lisa Cotoggio is the founder of a small business she calls “Grandma’s Cheesecake Sandwiches.”

This Valentines day she will be handing out over 150 heart-shaped cheesecake sandwiches to the homeless in Manhattan and Long Island. Cotoggio's desire to help people who are homeless is personal. She is even finishing up a book that is inspired by an encounter she had with a woman who is homeless. She wants to make others feel special this Valentines Day and hopes her efforts will bring more awareness to the crisis of homelessness.

Bayside baker will distribute sweet treats to the homeless this Valentine’s Day

Photo via facebook.com/grandmascheesecakesandwiches

Grandmas Cheesecake Sandwiches heart-shaped cheesecakes

By Jenna Bagcal / jbagcal@qns.com /Tuesday, February 5, 2019 / 12:30 PM

One Bayside baker is challenging everyone to be kind to the homeless this Valentine’s Day.

Lisa Cotoggio, the founder of Grandma’s Cheesecake Sandwiches, has created the Hearts4Homeless Valentine’s Day Challenge and will be distributing over 150 heart-shaped cheesecake sandwiches to homeless individuals in Manhattan and Long Island.

“I think it’s really important that we make them feel welcome. As it is now, the homeless population has gotten very bad here in the city and the rest of the country and our politicians are not doing anything to help. So I think maybe starting this challenge would be able to get people together to go out and help them,” said Cotoggio.

Cotoggio created special heart-shaped cheesecake sandwiches with cherry centers that she plans to give out to people living in several homeless encampments. The baker uses her grandmother Raphaella’s cheesecake recipe and sandwiches the confection between two freshly baked cookies.

On Wednesday, Feb. 13, Cotoggio will be at the Babylon and Hicksville Long Island Railroad Stations starting at 11 a.m. On Thursday, Feb. 14, at 11 a.m., she will give out the sweet treats in Midtown Manhattan from Fifth to Seventh avenues between 32nd and 36th streets.

In a video announcement, Cotoggio challenged viewers to hand out heart-shaped chocolates, cupcakes and other Valentine’s Day treats to the homeless on Valentine’s Day. She noted that people should ensure that the individuals they give treats to do not have any food allergies.

“Let’s just see what we can do to make them feel better. It is the most romantic day of the year and they deserve to feel the same way we do,” said Cotoggio.

The Valentine’s Day cheesecakes are currently available in two varieties — cherry and strawberry — on grandmascheesecakesandwiches.com. For a limited time, you can use the code 10%6PACKHEARTS to get 10 percent off a six-pack of heart cheesecake sandwiches.

Contributed photo by Ruben Morales

Lisa Cotoggio, Grandma’s Cheesecake Sandwiches owner, left; Charles Degliomini, executive vice president of Empire Resorts and Resorts World Catskills; and Tayla Shlang, public relations manager Resorts World Catskills, pose at the casino.

Cheesecake Sandwiches for everyone

Tue, 11/06/2018 - 3:33pm

FRITZ MAYER

MONTICELLO, NY — Ever heard of a cheesecake sandwich? Lisa Cotoggio of Queens started a business the makes cheesecakes sandwiches based on a recipe her grandmother Raphaella used to make.

The powers that be at Resorts World Catskill heard about the unique snacks and decided to use them in a promotion at the casino. On October 23, the casino gave away 1,000 Grandma’s Cheesecake Sandwiches at the casino to their 55 and older Players Club members.

The website for the sandwiches is grandmascheesecakesandwiches.com. A post there says Cotoggio first thought her business would sell single slices of cheesecake, but that wasn’t practical. Then she “got the idea to stick the creamy confection between graham crackers, which later evolved into cookies. Cookie flavors include plain, milk chocolate, chocolate chip and amaretto for the holiday season.”

Bayside baker uses grandma’s recipe to create a delicious dessert mashup and build her own business

Photos by Ruben Morales

Lisa Cotoggio with Resorts World Catskills casino guests.

By Jenna Bagcal / jbagcal@qns.com / Thursday, October 25, 2018 / 3:00 PM QUEENS COURIER

Imagine silky, homemade cheesecake sandwiched between two freshly baked cookies. That incredible dessert mashup is what Bayside resident Lisa Cotoggio has christened as Grandma’s Cheesecake Sandwiches, a business that was born out of a desire to be her own boss and escape sexual harassment in the workplace.

Cotoggio has always been a baker, recalling her childhood playing with her beloved EZ Bake Oven and spending time in the kitchen from a young age. Her grandmother’s cheesecake recipe came to mind during the early stages of trying to come up with a sustainable business. The light and fluffy dessert was always a hit with anyone who had the pleasure of tasting it.

Before making her first foray into starting a business, Cotoggio had worked in several industries where she experienced sexual harassment. She recalled getting fired in 1985 by her employer after refusing his sexual advances. She subsequently took the case to court and won the case against her former employer.

Whether she worked in hospitality, sales or the restaurant industry, she said, sexual harassment would follow. The business owner said that she frequently switched jobs as a result of the harassment she faced but adds that she had always reported these incidents to higher-ups.

Most recently, she filed a lawsuit against Mercedes Benz in Massapequa, Long Island after a coworker had groped her. That incident was the final push she needed.

“In January I thought ‘I needed to start a business.’ I wasn’t gonna put up with it,” said Cotoggio.

Grandma’s Cheesecake Sandwiches samples

At first, she had the idea to sell her grandmother’s cheesecakes by the slice — she tweaked the recipe and asked hundreds of people to try it. She recalls the time she encountered a “cheesecake connoisseur” at the Whitestone Firehouse who told her that it was some of the best cheesecake he had ever had.

Eventually, she realized that selling slices of cheesecake was not practical and got the idea to stick the creamy confection between graham crackers, which later evolved into cookies. Cookie flavors include plain, milk chocolate, chocolate chip and amaretto for the holiday season.

Cotoggio said that she does all of her baking at Cardinali Bakery in Carle Place. The owner Giuseppe Maura is a friend who allows her to use the facility and enlist the help of his employees.

Her intention was to open up a food truck, but learned that the city had applications dating back over 10 years that they still needed to fulfill. Instead, Cotoggio sells the confections at local grocery stores in eastern Queens including Empire Market and Benateri’s in College Point, Varsi Deli in Whitestone, Marino’s Supermarket in Flushing and Robert’s Butcher Shop in Bayside.

Her products are also available online and can ship to the tri-state area. A pack of 6 sandwiches costs about $36 plus shipping and tax.

Lisa Cotoggio Grandma’s Cheesecake Sandwiches Owner; Charles Degliomini, Executive Vice President Empire Resorts and Resorts World Catskills; Tayla Shlang Public Relations Manager Resorts World Catskills

Earlier this week, the entrepreneur had the opportunity to work with Resorts World Catskills, which gave out 1000 of the treats to Player’s Club Members aged 55 and older. She said that the company will also be distributing 1000 of the cheesecake sandwiches to “Prime 55” members on Tuesday, Oct. 30.

Her ultimate goal is to expand her business and open up her own store. She shares that she wants to be able to employ women and make it a safe space for them to work. Her message to women who have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace is “you don’t have to stay.”

“Other women find themselves in situations that they can’t get out of. But you don’t have to put up with this stuff,” said Cotoggio.

For more information, visit grandmascheesecakesandwiches.com.

Escaping Hostile Workplaces With Cheesecake

on: August 02, 2018 QUEENS TRIBUNE

Lisa Cotoggio displays some of her grandmother’s cheesecakes.

By ARIEL HERNANDEZ

Following a history of falling victim to sexual harassment in the workplace, College Point’s Lisa Cotoggio, 57, put her foot down and decided to venture out on her own and do what she loves—baking her grandmother’s cheesecake.

“I couldn’t find a decent job, so I created one and figured I’d be working for the best boss ever because it would be myself,” Cotoggio told the Queens Tribune.

Cotoggio said that looking back on her childhood is gratifying since she remembers selling snow cones that she would make from her Little Mister Frosty snow cone maker. She also created her own lemonade stand.

Cotoggio said that her mother was charitable, so she grew up giving away food and toys to local charities and homeless children.

As a teen in the 1970s, Cotoggio said that it wasn’t as necessary to attend college as it is today, when “employers are laying off the elderly with no degrees to hire young people with bachelor’s and master’s degrees.”

Cotoggio worked in the hospitality and car industries—and said that sexual harassment was rampant in both lines of work.

Her experiences in both fields were so severe that she has two active lawsuits, one in each of the above fields.

In 1986, Cotoggio worked at a restaurant in Manhattan and she alleges that she was fired because she wouldn’t “sleep with the owner.”

Cotoggio said that chefs, waiters and managers would often force themselves on her or ask her to have sex. She said that chefs would often make inappropriate comments, such as “blow me.

“At first I would keep my distance from them, so that it’s not a problem [and] that I don’t lose my job,” said Cotoggio. “But when I lost my job because I didn’t sleep with someone, I contacted human [resources].”

Cotoggio said that she has been sexually harassed multiple times.

“It happens so frequently and people don’t understand how rampant it really is out there,” said Cotoggio. “I worked in the hospitality industry for close to 30 years and I have to say I’ve been sexually harassed two dozen times in so many places.”

Cotoggio also currently has a lawsuit against a Mercedes-Benz car dealership in Long Island, where she alleges that multiple coworkers groped her.

“You’d think that since Mercedes-Benz is such an iconic brand, is a Fortune 500 company, the cars are so expensive and it’s a prestigious brand, that something like this wouldn’t happen,” said Cotoggio. “But it was really bad at this place. The general manager wasn’t doing anything about it. Another woman was being harassed there too, but she was afraid to come forward. It happened to me so many times and twice I’ve gone after them.”

After going through a channel of managers, Cotoggio was able to obtain the support of a manager, who was fired for trying to help her.

“Sometimes the sexual harassment in restaurants and car dealerships is so uncomfortable that when you wake up in the morning, you’re sick to your stomach because you know that’s going to happen when you get there,” said Cotoggio. “It comes a point where I can’t keep going through that kind of treatment everywhere I go for a job.”

Cotoggio, who was in tears while reliving the experiences, said that when she chose to fight back against the harassment, she was told by friends, acquaintances and even lawyers that pursuing legal action could ruin her chances at finding a job.

“They would say that if these cases receive a lot of attention and employers find out about it, I’d have a hard time getting a job,” said Cotoggio. “You shouldn’t have a hard time finding a job because you were harassed.”

Cotoggio said that she pursued jobs at car dealerships and in the hospitality and film industries, and was harassed in all three lines of work, which she said are the worst fields for women.

“All of that happening and making it so uncomfortable to find a job is what pushed me to start a business of my own, so that I didn’t have to contend with that,” said Cotoggio. “I knew I was better off starting my own business, so I started playing around with my grandma’s recipe.”

She remembered when her grandmother used to bake her “famous cheesecake,” and Cotoggio would go to local restaurants and Whitestone, where her grandmother lived, to sell them.

“Everyone loved my grandma’s cheesecake,” said Cotoggio. “It’s light and fluffy, not dense like the others out there. A lot of people who make cheesecake use baker’s cheese. They don’t use real cream cheese, so they’re very dense and packed heavy. My grandma’s recipe is different and not like any cheesecake on the market.”

After researching ideas, she came up with a cheesecake sandwich idea.

“No one has ever done it,” said Cotoggio.

She immediately trademarked her cheesecake sandwich and got to work. Cotoggio’s Grandma’s Cheesecake Sandwiches currently have three flavors: plain, milk chocolate and chocolate chip.

“When I first created the sandwich, I started with the graham cracker on each side, but the top was too crumbly and I wanted the right cookie—because if you bite into it and it’s a hard cookie, it will cause the cheesecake to shoot out the other side, so I needed a really soft cookie,” said Cotoggio.

The plain cheesecake sandwich is made with a soft golden biscotti cookie, while the chocolate chip and milk chocolate sandwiches are made with a soft chocolate biscotti cookie.

“I chose to create a milk chocolate cheesecake sandwich because milk chocolate is my mother’s favorite, and I chose chocolate chip because that’s my favorite,” said Cotoggio.

Cotoggio said that she plans to expand her flavors and create an Amaretto-flavored cheesecake sandwich for the holidays.

Currently, Grandma’s Cheesecake Sandwiches are sold at Empire Market, located at 14-26 College Point Blvd.; Varsi Deli, located at 15-72 149th St.; Robert’s Butcher Shop, located at 205-09 35th Ave.; and Marino Brothers Supermarket, located at 163-07 29th Ave., for $5.99 apiece.

Cotoggio’s goal is to grow her business in the manner of the popular Baked by Melissa, a chain of bakeries that specializes in miniature cupcakes.

Cotoggio is currently working on selling her cheesecake sandwiches to more shops and supermarkets in addition to launching her website this week.

For more information visit grandmascheesecakesandwiches.com.

Reach Ariel Hernandez at (718) 357-7400 x144, ahernandez@queenstribune.com or @reporter_ariel.