I fell in love with the Guerrilla Cookie while attending UW-Madison in the 1970's.
When Ted Odell stopped making them in the 1990's, many of us were caught off guard to find our favorite cookie was suddenly gone. Over the next thirty plus years, I made numerous attempts to recreate that unforgettable treat.
During that time, I formed a friendship with Ted.
We corresponded and met regularly, and I gradually realized he would never part with his original Guerrilla Cookie recipe.
In 2025, when the Southwestern Land Conservancy approached me with a written recipe from Ted, I was intrigued. It was Ted's handwriting, but in my opinion, it seemed like a different version of the original.
Drawing on my bakery experience, my history with Ted, my trial recipes, and feedback from people who remembered the cookie, I began again.
I hope that my version of the Guerrilla Cookie is what Ted would have made.
Like Ted stated on the original, hand-written label, "Chew slowly and enjoy!"
-- Michael J. Olson