Mariska Hargitay has mad respect for Taylor Swift's baking prowess.
During the VIP opening of a "Law & Order" themed pop-up experience in New York City on Thursday, Oct. 8, Hargitay recalled being "blown away" by a thoughtful gesture Swift made on the set of their Emmys skit.
"Taylor Swift showed up on the set of 'SVU' with a box this big of sourdough chocolate chip cookies, and I was so blown away because she made them, and they might have been the best cookies I’ve ever had, and it was extraordinary," Hargitay told People. "So that’s how she opened."
The "Fearless" singer made a surprise appearance alongside Hargitay, the show's host, in a pre-recorded sketch that aired during the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sept. 14.
Swift played a rookie detective
working to uncover whether pop superstar Taylor Swift would be making an appearance at the awards ceremony using Easter eggs, Swift song references, and ultimately Swift herself to get to the bottom of things. Even Swift's cat Olivia Benson, named after Hargitay's character, made a cameo.
Hargitay recalled having a "such a great time" filming with Swift, adding that the experience "so cozy and familiar."
"... And she’s such a pro, and she was such a great sport to do anything and everything. It’s so collaborative and so good," she said. "She’s such a good actor and so charming and charismatic."
"It was such a thrill for everybody – not only obviously me and the cast, but for everybody, the entire crew," Hargitay continued. "She is extraordinary."
Kelli Giddish confirms Taylor Swift's cookies were 'delicious'
Kelli Giddish recently confirmed to USA TODAY that Swift's sourdough brown butter chocolate chip cookies were just as good as Hargitay claimed.
"They were delicious. And I’m a cookie snob," Giddish said. In addition to vouching for Swift's baking genius, Giddish also pulled back the curtain on how the Emmys skit went down.
"Mariska was like, 'I have Taylor Swift coming, we’re going to do a skit.' It was super-secret from moment one," Giddish recalled. "We went covertly and filmed on a Sunday. (Taylor) was like, 'I’m so happy to be here.' She’s such a huge fan of the show, she’s a huge fan of Mariska’s."
Giddish spoke fondly of Swift: "She was so prepared and so willing and so happy that we were all there and we just got to play."
Shortly after the big reveal at the Emmys, Giddish's phone started blowing up. "I did get a lot of calls from people back home in Georgia, people that I grew up with that now have daughters. They were like, 'What was she like?'"
But in terms of keeping the big surprise on the downlow until the broadcast, Giddish says it was a piece of cake, noting, "I’m really good at keeping secrets."
Contributing: Jen Abidor, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mariska Hargitay 'blown away' by Taylor Swift's baking skills
