Today we’d like to introduce you to Chelsea Fullmer.
Hi Chelsea, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I have always loved baking. It is what I turn to for joy and comfort. For my daughter’s first birthday, I decided to order some custom cookies from a local baker. I was amazed at the detail of every cookie, and they ended up being the hit of the party! On my 29th birthday, I made a bucket list of things I wanted to accomplish before I turned 30. Learning to decorate fancy sugar cookies was one of those items. I took an online class and was determined to master the art of cookie decorating. As I improved in my skills, friends and family took notice and word of my lemon-flavored treats spread. My little hobby grew into an unexpected business, and I have been the one woman show at Pink Lemon Cookies for four years now.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road. When I first started, there were not as many teaching resources as there are now. I watched a lot of YouTube videos and baked a lot. I tested new recipes and used holidays to practice my decorating skills. My neighbors loved my new hobby, because it meant they got to eat all of my design fails. Royal icing can be a pain to work with. One of the hardest things for me to learn was correct icing consistency. If you use one thin consistency for all of the details on your cookies, it will most likely be a hot runny mess. If you overmix your icing, it can dry powdery or tacky. It took me a long time to find my groove, and even now I sometimes get it wrong. Through every fail along the way, I learned something new of what NOT to do the next time around. Each cookie I make teaches me something new, and helps me become better for the next set. I started my business with minimal space and supplies. For one particular set, the client asked for an exact picture on a cookie. Although I consider myself creative, I am not the best at replicating drawings freehand. I didn’t own an expensive projector that could help me with the challenge, so I researched alternatives online. I came across a drawing app that mirrored images using a phone. I taught myself the ins and outs of the app, and used it to make an exact copy of the client’s image onto a cookie. That was a proud moment for me, and I realized you don’t need all the fancy tools if you want to succeed at cookie decorating.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Pink is a staple in my wardrobe, and I love anything and everything lemon. My very first cookies were a vanilla/lemon cookie made with fresh lemon zest. When thinking of a name for my cookie business, I decided to combine two of my favorite things to create Pink Lemon Cookies. That same vanilla/lemon cookie has become my signature flavor, and a lot of my customers tell me it’s what keeps them coming back for more. I think there is a stigma that decorated cookies look nice, but taste like garbage. Having a good recipe is just as important as what your cookie looks like, and my cookies are always soft to the bite and packed with flavor. I love mixing it up during the holidays to include new options, like chocolate fudge, cookies and cream, snickerdoodle, caramel apple, and strawberry lemonade. To me, custom cookies are more than just food. They are an expression of love and a centerpiece of conversation. I bake, design, hand decorate, and package each cookie myself. I love hearing the story behind every custom order I do.
During the day I am a full time mom to three little kids, so I get most of my decorating done in the late hours of the night. Sacrificing sleep for my business is all worth it when I deliver an order and see the look of joy on a customer’s face. That is the moment I live for. This past year has been full of challenges, and less people need large custom orders since events are limited. To ensure my customers still get the cookies they know and love, I have shifted focus to offering single cookie gifts during the holidays. I love a good pun, and try to include them on all of my cookies for holiday sales. A single bear cookie may be cute, but put it in a box with a bow and tag that says, “You’re BEARY Cute!” and now you have a complete gift. This change has been great for business, and it is so fun coming up with clever sayings and cute packaging options for each cookie. I never thought this little cookie business of mine could bring so many amazing opportunities. I have won awards, taught classes as the featured instructor at a cookie retreat, delivered cookies to my favorite musical artist, and collaborated with so many talented people and brands. Recently, my cookies were even featured in a holiday baking collection online for Target. I’m still giddy over that one!
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I grew up outside the city in Leander, Texas, so Austin has always held a special place in my heart. I love the culture, the food, and the people. My husband and I love attending UT football games and trying local spots in search of the best queso. I am thankful to be raising my kids in an area with such acceptance and love. There is a huge community of cottage cookie bakers here too. We connect online and really help each other out when it is needed. I feel lucky to be a part of such a supportive group. As far as dislikes….it is hard to say. I really hate that there is traffic virtually everywhere. I have a little traffic anxiety, and hate being late. I feel like you really have to plan ahead driving anywhere in Austin, because there are road blocks everywhere. Re-routing my path to avoid construction has allowed me to stumble on some hidden gems in the city though, so maybe it’s not all that bad.
Contact Info:
- Email: pinklemoncookies@gmail.com
- Website: https://pinklemoncookies.bigcartel.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pinklemoncookies/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pinklemoncookies/
- Twitter: https://www.tiktok.com/@pinklemoncookies?source=h5_m
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF7DY5DNynPfHN7cqSzu_bg
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/PinkLemonPuns
