Hardly anyone will turn down a great looking cookie or cupcake. But once in a while, a dessert item will go on to become a legendary fan favorite.

PHOTO: Driscoll's

The recipe for a bakery case star includes a delicious product, a dollop of fun and a sprinkle of clever marketing.

CASE STUDY: CAMEL COOKIES

The Star: The catering department at Connecticut College bakes 350 dozen Camel Cookies per year. In addition, the college's main dining services operation bakes them for special events.

These one-humped wonders are known all over campus. Camel Cookies are made with a typical butter cookie recipe, says Merrill Collins, director of events and catering.

Backstory: Legend has it that camel mascot originated when a coach was looking for an animal with the stamina and endurance to make it through an unforgiving desert. The Connecticut College Camels were born, and sometime after, the cookies were created, using camel-shaped cookie cutters.

The cupcake trend is holding steady for sweet teeth of all ages.

Fans: “Just recently, the Student Government Association ordered a bunch of cookies and gave them as a thank-you to different people on campus,” Collins says, adding that the camels often make guest appearances for special dinners at the college president's house and at alumni events.

New twists: Finding a mini-camel cookie cutter presented a new opportunity. Animal-cracker sized camel cookies sprinkled on top of ice cream or sorbet are rocking the cute factor, big time, Collins says. The mini-camels have even been made into croutons.

Also, “sometimes we dip the regular sized cookies' feet in chocolate, and that looks like hooves.”

The school colors, blue and white, can be added in the form of frosting, sprinkles and M&M candies, and for a limited time, a Connecticut College school seal was added to the cookies, and looked like a blanket draped over the camel's back.

“They're always recognizable, but we can change them up enough so they're never boring,” Collins says, hinting at what may be the secret to the camel's runaway success.