Meet: Linnyloo's Cookies | Custom Sugar Cookies

One of the best things about the event planning industry is the amazing vendors we get to work with! These people are some of the most creative and kind people you will meet. I want to introduce you to some of these creative entrepreneurs. In this series, we will get to know a little about the businesses these entrepreneurs have created and what drives them to be successful.

I want you to meet Linda Holloway, the owner and creative mind behind Linnyloo’s Cookies. I first learned about her from a client who ordered cookies for her Mehndi. There were 200 hand shaped cookies and each one had a different design on it. Yes, each one was different. I tried to find ones that matched thinking they were strategically mixed up during packaging…Nope! Each was different. I followed her on Instagram and have been amazed and ordered from her a few times since.  This mom of 3 has an amazing story about how one year can change everything.

I want to lay the groundwork, how did Linnyloo’s Cookies get started?

My family was gifted a cookie decorating kit for Christmas in 2017.  One day I got the kids together and we made and decorated cookies. It felt natural to me. I have always been creative and for some reason decorating cookies really connected to my core. We enjoyed that first batch, but I wanted to see what else I could do. I started playing around with my own icing and made some more for Christmas for other people. Then Valentine’s day cookies.

Someone said I ought to sell them, they thought they were so good people would buy them. I started by selling Easter cookies to friends and family. For Mother’s Day, I posted on Facebook marketplace and sold 45 sets. The ball just kept rolling.

That sounds so fast, how did you get the name Linnyloo’s Cookies?

My best friend has always called me Linnyloo. There was no question about what I would name the business. With how fast things were moving we got it all in place by Easter. I printed labels at home and ordered boxes off of Amazon so that it looked more presentable.

Sounds like it all fell into place, is there a design that you have loved making?

I loved doing cookies for my niece’s 16th birthday. She is really into makeup and has a big and wonderful personality. I made a makeup cookie set for her. But the best cookie had her face on it. I took a picture I had of her and used an app to create a silhouette and that created my guide to pipe onto the cookie. It helped me to get the lines and shadowing right, they look just like her!

Sometimes I have an idea in my head and I don’t know how I will pull it off. Each cookie I make I try to pull from some sort of joy in my life to make them each unique. The fun part is experimenting with the designs and in the end it always tastes good.

One of the most touching orders I had was for a new mom pregnant with twins. I made two sets of cookies for her baby showers, and she ended up losing one of the babies. She then ordered cookies for the hospital staff to thank them for all they did for her. I prayed over those cookies and for her. Being part of an event in someone’s life means so much to me.

That must make each order really personal for you. How did you refine your creative process and cookie recipe?

I went through quite a bit of trial and error. I first tried suggestions for other recipes that people thought were good. From there I just tinkered until I was really happy with it. It’s not rocket science, just use great ingredients and pay special attention to the details. I love food way too make to make something that doesn’t taste good so I knew I have to dial it in until I was happy with it.  My creative process centers around being open...to ideas, to inspiration, to learning.

Where do you see Linnyloo’s Cookies going in the next few years?

For now, I am just trusting in the process. I don’t know what this is supposed to be. It all happened so quickly.  I have to follow Ohio cottage food laws which prevents me from selling other than locally, but I have been so busy I’ve been able to add a part-time employee and I still have to turn down orders.  

It’s important to give back. The woman I hired over the holidays is in the process of rebuilding her life.  So what was happening is that we were really helping each other. She added to my life, and I added to hers.  She has recently found more full-time employment, but the time we spent working together was so good for both of us.

My mother-in-law is retiring and will be Linnyloo’s next employee. My kids are really excited about this!  We are all looking forward to the greater sense of family and community that brings to our days.

Things keep working out just as they should, and I want to remain open to the signs and signals and see where it leads me.

That’s a great outlook is there a part about running Linnyloo’s Cookies that you have really enjoyed?

The freedom (as she lets out a big exhale). I’ve always liked the idea of having my own business. My husband is self-employed and works really hard, but it is a different job. I never imagined I’d find a marketable skill, but this has opened up all kinds of possibilities.

My daughter is in competitive gymnastics and I can attend her out of state competitions. We have made the decision to homeschool our son.  I have found a new way to be present with my family. I have a found new energy while building this business. I have a great sense of pride in the cookies I create.

I feel really ready for this stage. With all of the different work I have done over the years, I am super organized, not flaky about deadlines and attentive to the details. I know what goes into the events I am part of and want clients to feel calm knowing their order will be handled with care.

What is something that you hope people knew?

How incredibly grateful I am to be able to do this and to have people invest in and trust me. No cookier in the country gets super rich. It is about a labor of love and a form of artistry. The time and energy that goes into creating a unique edible piece of art. There is so much love and passion behind it. I never really saw this coming and I feel a daily sense of gratitude for it.

What do you do on your days off?

A lot of my time centers around my kids. Making sure they are prepared for their activities and getting my daughter to her gymnastics 30 minutes away. I love to cook and feed people, especially making breakfast for my husband most mornings. I love having the time to send him off to his day with a kiss and a full belly.  

The process of decorating cookies is really meditative for me. I have to be present in the design and decorating process and I enjoy that part of it.

I used to be a runner but do a lot more walking these days...and honestly eat a lot more cookies!

Linnyloo’s Cookies is a custom cookie decorating company in the Dayton/Cincinnati area. You can find her creations at http://linnylooscookies.com/. You can find Linda on Instagram and Facebook @linnylooscookies. If you are thinking of ordering I recommend ordering early!!!