I love this podcast. It really is humorous, thoughtful, and delicious. K&K are smart and witty, and they love each other, and they aren’t afraid to say random quirky things. I listened to all of the seasons over the past few months. I wish I had started listening sooner, but I also think this podcast came into my life at the right time. My favorite cookie is oatmeal with little chunks of apple in it. Oatmeal raisin is a close second. Kate, don’t let the oatmeal cookie bashers get to you. Just because someone can find a bad store-bought oatmeal cookie, that doesn’t take away from the wonderfulness of good oatmeal cookies. K&K, thank you both for being out and so open about it :)

This was my FAVE podcast and I hope they bring it back some day. Love both hosts and the amazing interviews .

I love that this podcast gives me sports, yoga and book recommendations all in one. So fun to listen to the K’s banter together :) definitely a fan!

But seriously, I love this podcast. I came for KB, having taken yoga classes with her in the past, but I’m staying for KF cause I, too, enjoy a well made oatmeal raisin cookie. Love these people, love the topics, love it all - including those final moments of comedy and heart.

Loving the Inky Phoenix book club & my monthly read- as well as the opportunity to hear you guys chat with the authors in down-to-earth and thoughtful ways. Love that you are writers yourselves, as well as two delightful & funny women to listen to. I’m a big fan! Thank you!

First off, I love the endings and I have been listing to the end since the beginning. Your podcast is my all time favorite I love you both. Thank you so much for starting the inky Phoenix! I have never been the strongest reader, but when you interview the author and give your insights, it gears me up to read the books, so with that being said, I’m usually 1 month behind the book club, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Kathryn you are my favorite person in the universe (goddess status) I have been to many of your workshops and I love your words of wisdom and magic. Sorry, Kathryn but I have to jump onto Kate’s bandwagon…. I enjoy a good oatmeal cookie.

Amazing podcast! Recommend listening to each episode until the very end - some great gems! :)

Puzzling how no one has mentioned how incredible the VERY END of this show is! Start to finish, a pleasant way to spend 45 minutes and hearing from such a wide range of authors this season has been fun. Got here via Glo, stayed for the silly banter and thought provoking culinary quandaries. Team Oatmeal Chocolate Chip! The best of both worlds, truly. Thanks for the fun, ladies!

I hate to be Switzerland, but I can’t decide can’t between hard vs. soft? Both are excellent. As the old saying goes, Isn’t that why they make chocolate and vanilla ice cream? Ice cream is about all the choices.

I love both of you so much! I feel like you both represent aspects of my identity, and I want nothing more than to hang out with you all and do yoga, share books, talk grammar and eat cookies ❤️ Side note: thoughts on the Oxford comma? I was resistant at first but then I realize life is nothing but change and evolution:)

Love this podcast you you guys! ❤️❤️

Just listened to episode interviewing Glennon Doyle-HERO!!! Heard Kate on the pirate ship today and hope she has recovered from the pepper challenge!!! You two are awesome 😎!!! Downloaded several and will subscribe. Malama Pono from a 58 year old retired science teacher dude on big island!🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🤗🙏🏽🙏🏽

As a self-proclaimed OG listener, I’ve loved the pod in all of its various iterations and directions! Kate and Kathryn’s commentary never fails to bring a smile to my face, and I’ve loved every guest and conversation they’ve had. Love that they each bring a different perspective to the interviews as well! Def worth going back to the archive and binge listening

Free Cookies is a thoughtful and playful podcast, and I always just feel better after having listened. I love Kathryn and Kate’s thoughts and banter before and after their guest/topic. They both foster a unique perspective that then leads to engaging questions and discussion with their interviewee or on a particular topic. I am particularly loving the most recent season hearing from different authors and learning about new books to add to my shelves. It’s always enjoyable to tune in to Free Cookies and good for my brain-expansion! Also I can feel the pain in Kate’s heart every time there is yet another vote for chocolate chip as the favorite cookie at the end of the episode 😹

If you’re looking for a new podcast, give this one a try. It’s a lovely mix of humorous, intellectual, and entertaining. This wife and wife duo are sprightly and fun while “on air” which often lends positive energy to my WFH day. I’ve discovered fantastic books via their recommendation and I’m currently binging through the whole podcast collection here. It looks like they’re on break for a minute, and I look forward to their upcoming season and supporting on their Free Cookies patreon page. I’m picky about my podcasts and I’m glad I gave this one a try.

No matter what’s going on in the world there’s always something thought provoking and the podcast is always worth listening to whether I’m familiar with the guest, topic or not

Listening to K & K wrap up the end of year, thank you for keeping the show going. Thank you for adding InkyPhoenix to the mix! The book club was a gift for 2020 reminding me that books and story are the escape to better mental health - especially in chaotic times. Having a curated list AND follow up interviews with the author was a great way to get back to reading for pleasure. Come back for the next season !

Interesting topics approached with intellect and a sense of fun. Highly recommend!

I have been listening to this podcast since day one - why I haven’t rated all this time is beyond me! I have been a fan of Kathryn Budig’s for years because of my love for yoga. Upon discovering she had a podcast, I was delighted to meet Kate Fagan, her lovely and amazing wife. The two of them perfectly compliment each other, make me laugh out loud often and always give me something to think about after listening. This podcast is perfect for everyone and I have been especially loving the interviews with the authors this season. This is the kind of feel good pod cast we all need right now. Kathryn, I’m all about the chocolate chip cookie, and I too, married someone that’s loves oatmeal raisin! Keep what you’re doing ladies!!

The honesty is the best part! 💕

I just listened to the Dr B episode. That was my first time listening to a Free Cookies show. I very much enjoyed it. Keep up the good work, ladies!

I am an absolute fan ! The banter. The candor. The witty repartee. Yum Hold on, there’s more: The relationship etiquette The conceding to each other The respectful disagreements The insights The literary discussions The moral and philosophical precipice you both walk without sounding preachy You complete me Kate, Bleeding love 👍 Unless you’re a purest, the dance version of that song is worth listening to. Thank you for your style, humor and didactic content Ps - pignoli cookies

I really do enjoy this podcast so much. K&K can be really ridiculous and thoughtful in the same episode...and I appreciate that. It’s also nice to witness their respect of each other as wives and co-hosts. A total joy.

I’m hooked! Kathryn Budig and Kate Fagan bring intelligence, humor, keen insight and wit. I learn something (or about someone) thought-provoking each week and value the blend of intellect, wellness-focused discourse, coolness, and literary exploration. Much like a good chocolate chip cookie, this podcast and the K/K charisma are perfectly balanced - crisp discourse and chewy themes. Love it! P.s. to Kate: one reason no one has weighed-in on your incisive Leona Lewis/Bleeding Love question may be because it is that rare phenomenon: equally bad as it is good. - Evette De Luca

The hilarious commentary, the animated, passionate personalities of both Kathryn and Kate that literally pop out of the audio, just love it all. Each guest is though fully chosen and so insightful. Never regret listening to an episode, always gets me smiling.

Learned about Free Cookies bc I follow Kathryn on Glo.com. I look forward to all episodes with Kate & Kathryn, and learn so much every time I listen. They are pretty much my new favorite running “partners,” and I enjoy getting the miles in while learning from their perspectives. I shared this episode featuring Layshia with everyone on my team at work - I truly enjoy hearing you speak with authors, and am also loving to hear your guests who are doing workin in the social justice space like Layshia and Nicole (in a previous ep.). Thank you, both!

I LOVE this podcast. It’s everything I want in a podcast. I’m running out of episodes and I’m sad about it.

Holy moly, do I love Free Cookies and Kate and Kathryn! It’s like when you sit down with your best friend and your minds are blown about how many exciting and brilliant things you talk about but then can also talk about how you’re a terrible pooper. It’s literally the best of both worlds, and that’s what Free Cookies is. Thanks to Kate and Kathryn for being the best friends I don’t actually know!

I am so enjoying listening to the back episodes since I’ve been caught up for awhile. I really appreciate how K&K approach their author interviews from both the perspective of excited readers but also from that of writers. It is fun to learn about the process, the inspiration, ups and downs that go along with being a writer. One of my favorite podcasts....and Oatmeal Raisin every time 🙏💜

The current season is the best book club someone could ask for! Kate and Kathryn ask these authors intelligent and interesting questions. I’m reading even more than usual to keep up! Their love and humor is contagious. Kate: Oatmeal. Rasin. All. Day. Long.

I started listening to this podcast because I am a fan of Kathryn Budig. Although I love Kathryn, I have found Kate’s questions to the guests to be incredibly insightful and thought-provoking, and it’s apparent that she is an excellent journalist. I will also add that I side with Kate - I love oatmeal raisin, and do not understand everyone’s trauma around raisins. I highly recommend this podcast, and even though this season they interview authors of books I haven’t read, I still get a lot out of it.

I love listening to Free Cookies! The banter between you both and the silliness lighten my mood. Thank you for sharing your stories and sending out positive messages to the world! And of course, thank you for growing my book reading list! Much love to you both.

After listening to the latest episode & knowing there weren’t any new reviews for you, I felt like a dick for not leaving some love even though I’m highly addicted to the pod & truly appreciate the quality of conversations brought to the table here. Thank you for creating a space for us to laugh, to expand, connect & to explore in so many areas of life. Much love and appreciation for you both!

This podcast is truly inspiring! I’m so lucky to have learned w/ Kathryn in her 2014 Aim True Yoga Teacher Training, and I’ve also had the pleasure of chatting with her and her super-kind wife, Kate over lunch a few years back. I still remember the conversations we had full of curiosity

Just wanted to say that I am a HUGE fan of Free Cookies!!! I listen to this podcast all the time and I recommend it to everyone! Sometimes I wait a few weeks so that I have multiple episodes to listen to because binge-listening to this podcast is way more satisfying than a tv show binge :D

I can’t even tell you how much I love this podcast! I have been a huge Kathryn Budig fan ever since I found her gem of a yoga dvd “Aim True”. She inspired me back in my heavy yoga days, and now she is inspiring me to reignite my love of yoga from following her on Instagram and listening to this podcast. I love listening to Kathryn and Kate in the beginning of the podcast and all the humor and love they share, it gives us a glimpse of what life must be like in the Budig/Fagan household. Oh and Kate love you too! You totally turned me onto oat milk! Total game changer!!!

Thank you for making this ad free. A refreshing dig into what can be uncomfortable but still felt light hearted and fun. First listened today because I saw the post on Kathryns Instagram. Wanting to support black queer community I thought I had the emotional space to listen about “ALL BOYS AREN’T BLUE”. It was a true surprise that it didn’t feel heavy. That digging into a topic that can be so uncomfortable because it’s so untalked about felt like chat with friends. Thank you for curating a space where real conversations can be had and not feel too heavy. I’m excited to listen to more.

Gals, you are the greatest. I love the recent focus on writers and storytelling, it’s fascinating! Proud Inky Phoenix member here too! You both have such interesting and well articulated points of view - you bring every topic to life and pique my interest in things I didn’t know about. And Kathryn, thank you for bringing to light the phenomenon of the book store poop. (Guilty as charged) It’s a universal truth that has been shamed for far too long! 😂 Anyway, keep being awesome and give Ashi some snuggles from me! 💕💕

Thank you for sharing your humor, perspectives and guests! I’ve been a fan since the beginning and always excited when new seasons begin. Really enjoying the frequency during this stay at home time, and you crushed April’s episodes! Loved Quarantined Cookies, and getting to hear from different business owners and how they’re coping was pretty cool. Last few have been amazing as well! Listen, these two are smart, sharp and witty, and you’ll love the content as much as the laughter between them. Grab a cookie, or two, settle in and enjoy the pod! Fav: Butterscotch Oatmeal. Oatmeal cookies rule. #cookiemonsters

Trapped in WeHo during the quarantine, working what feels like 24/7, and the one thing I look forward to is getting out for a walk (after I’m well kitted up in mask[s] and gloves). Listening to Free Cookies as I amble about the neighborhood - avoiding rogue humans and jogger bros - has been incredibly helpful so thanks for coming back during this stressful time. You both have such a lovely, positive energy and the recent emphasis on writing is of particular appeal. If you haven’t read “The Writer’s Journey,” you might find it of interest (though it’s old at this point); it’s one I’ve used through the years when I get stuck or simply wish to delve into the universality of story. Thanks for the respite, looking forward to the next installment, and stay safe. - T

Sooooo so glad they’re back. I missed this podcast! Kate and Kathryn are awesome and always have intriguing conversations with awesome guests. 10/10 recommend #teamOatmealRaisin

couldn’t get through a minute of this

I look forward to this killer podcast every week! A perfect blend of comedy, current events and cookies. Need I say more?

These two Crack me up. Interesting topics and funny as hell. They've definitely opened my eyes to a few things as well. And my favorite cookies are chocolate chip. Sorry Kate, not a raisin fan lol

Kathryn and Kate are like your best friends in a podcast. Honesty with a little humor. They touch on anything and everything and I always leave with something. Please keep going. I love every episode!

Who doesn’t like cookies (biscuits for all my UK tribe) ?!? I listen to a ton of podcasts but hands down, this is my favorite podcast. Not only do Kathryn and Kate address relevant issues but do so with humor and grace. Love this dynamic duo and their sweet banter.

I’ve been listening from the beginning and thought the podcast would be about love, yoga, and basketball. The show has progressed to so much more. I keep trying to win the $10,000 they give away at the end of the show.😉

Always listen, usually laugh, always learn something. Thanks. But I can’t resist: 🤪❤️👀 My favorite cookie: a dark chocolate chip, dried cherries, toasted pecans, and oatmeal!!

Kathryn and Kate brighten up my day every single time I tune in....which is whenever they release a new episode. I always learn something new, interesting, and useful. My favorite part is at the end when they ask the person they are chatting with to tell them what their favorite kind of cookie is. Oh, and of course....the part at the very very end where if you are still listening they give you $10,000. 😉 🍪 🎧

I’ve listened to them all and laugh out loud every time!!! Love the guests. Super interesting topics. I’ve followed Kathryn for years and am a peloton junkie so I feel like we have a bond (even though they don’t know me)! Keep them coming- you two are great!