The Batchmaker BatchHouse
I had been absolutely DYING to try a bakery in West Charlotte, the Batchmaker Batch House, but the hours make it difficult for me to get here. They’re only open while supplies last, between 8 AM and 3 PM, Tuesday-Saturday. When you work weekdays (like I do), the hours are not conducive to getting here! If they opened an hour earlier, I could get here more regularly. Until then, Saturdays are my only shot at making it in. It’s a very limited menu, too, except on Saturdays when they showcase a wide array of goods. They WILL sell out though, so I highly recommend getting here as early as possible!
Limited, rotating treats — all the allure
This small little shop features a menu of rotating sweet treats throughout the week. There are a couple of tables outside the shop, and if it weren’t for COVID, I’d love to sit in the super-cute, midcentury styled seating area inside — complete with sofa, accent chair, a few tables, and a small bar you can work from (or simply sit and enjoy a snack). Alas, only two people are currently allowed in at a time.
An admirable story
I love that the owner is 100% self-taught with no formal training. It makes the bakery feel more real and community-driven. I had no formal training when I worked as a chef, so I admire its owner. Heck, maybe I’ll apply for a weekend job. Trade a few secrets as something to do.
Get there early
When I went, the service was extremely slow. It took a solid 10-15 minutes per customer, and when only two people are allowed in at a time due to COVID, the line moves at a snail’s pace. I arrived at 9 AM, and it took about 40 minutes for me to get inside. The line only continued to build up behind me. I HIGHLY recommend you get there for opening, and just know that there is no “running in” for a quick treat here.
Sugar and spice and everything nice
Once I (finally!) got inside, the staff was incredibly friendly. They asked me about the wait, thanked me for my patience, made some small talk, and then guided me through what they had to offer that day. I had to make the wait worth it, so I ordered basically ½ of the pastry case:
Tres Leches Draft Iced Latte. They partnered with Hex Coffee in Charlotte to offer this draft latte. It’s on tap and tastes more like a dessert than a coffee. It’s creamy, sweet, and delicious — with just a hint of coffee. I TOTALLY recommend it!
S’mores Cupcake. I have mixed feelings about this. Overall, it was one of my favorite things I tried. The chocolate cake was PERFECTION! It was fluffy, moist, and chocolatey… what’s not to love? The marshmallow was great too. The one negative for me is that the frosting was too sweet — like so sweet you think your teeth might fall out. If the frosting were a marshmallow frosting that was then garnished with a fancily designed graham cracker, this would be my go-to every time. I can’t stop thinking about how good the chocolate cake portion was!
Oatmeal Cream Pie. This is what the bakery is famous for. It’s like a “Little Debbie Oatmeal Crème Pie” but SOOOO MUCH BETTER. I find the Little Debbie one sickly sweet (like the frosting from the S’mores cupcake). The Oatmeal Cream Pie at Batchmaker is heavenly. It has insanely good vanilla and marshmallow filling that oozes out in the best way possible. This was my favorite thing I tried — and quite frankly, if the line weren’t so long, I would have gone back inside for another one. Pro tip: Sometimes, they offer a variation where they put the filling between two Oreo Truffle Cookies, which has to be INSANELY GOOD.
Oreo Truffle Cookie. This is an excellent cookie. I love Oreos, and this was a whole new level of deliciousness. It’s chewy with a slight Oreo/slight vanilla flavor. It’s sweet but much more subdued than an Oreo is. I’d call this perfection. If you like Oreos, these are DEFINITELY worth a try.
Cinnamon Coffee Cake. This was good, but a disappointment compared to everything else. Don’t get me wrong; it’s a knock-out for coffee cake — it’s soft, moist, and has just the right amount of cinnamon. Everything else was just so dang good; this felt a bit boring.
Caramel Scone. Perhaps it was caramel apple? It tasted like a delicious apple pie, so I think there was apple in it — but maybe my brain was playing tricks on me. I can’t find it on their menu, and it didn’t have a sign when I was there, so maybe I imagined it… Anyhow… it’s terrific if they do have it available when you visit.
Turtle Cookie. These are BRAND NEW to the menu. It’s a chocolate cookie covered in caramel and topped with sea salt and a pecan. It was delicious! And definitely more chocolatey than the caramel and pecan flavor of a traditional turtle. If you’re looking for something soft and chewy, this is your YUM!
Strawberry Pop Tart. THANK GOD real pop tarts don’t taste like this — I’d quickly be on the way to “my 500lb life.” This deliciously flakey pastry is almost a pie crust with a slight sweetness: it’s a perfect pop tart. They make a few other flavors too, like blueberry, brown sugar, and PB+J (all of which I need to try).
S’mores Brownie. I paid for this; however, they forgot to put it in my box. After I got home, I reached out to them when I realized it was missing, and they were super sweet and embarrassed about it. Next time I come in, they’ll give me the one I paid for, plus another to make up for it! Some good customer service right there…
My final rating is…
8/10. I LOVED the baked goods and can’t wait to try more. This is a HUGE compliment. I’m most discerning when reviewing sweets; this is my personal specialty. The vibe is super cute and reminds me of my favorite coffee shops in SoCal. I WISH you could hang out inside, but I appreciate the measures they are taking for COVID. My ultimate drawback was how difficult it was to get here, given the hours, and how long the wait was once I made it here. If not for this, I’d give it a 9/10.
Party favors?
If you want something for a party or even to bring to the office, or you want to order something specific, I HIGHLY recommend you order 1-2 weeks in advance. You can do it online or give them a call. They offer 40 different cakes, seven cheesecakes, 23 types of cookies, eight different bars (generally speaking, brownies), four types of pies, and various pop tarts. I believe they take special requests too. All I know is if I’m in a pinch and can’t make something for an event - if I don’t have time or just don’t feel like it - The Batchmaker WILL be my go-to bakery.
