How about a Backbone model as an interface for setting and getting guest cookies?

cookie_monster.coffee

class CookieMonster extends Backbone.Model

  DEFAULTS:
    domain: Boundless.COOKIE_DOMAIN
    path: '/'
    expires: 180

  initialize: ->
    @_load()
    @on 'change', =>
      $.cookie key, val, DEFAULTS for key, val of @changedAttributes()

  _load: ->
    for entry in document.cookie.split ';'
      key, val = entry.split '='
      @set key.trim(), unescape(val)
      
# TODO...
# Override getter to access cookies directly and update the model in case a cookie is set elsewhere.
# Make it easier to check booleans.
#   eg:
#   cookie = new CookieMonster()
#   cookie.get('user_type_educator') # => true if 'true' false if 'false'