Cedar Park bakery welcomes corporate orders

Until about six years ago, baking was not something Kellie Moore pictured herself pursuing as a career. Inspired by elaborate boutique shop displays she saw in London, Moore decided to test her creative side by making sweets, first taking custom orders and eventually opening a retail bakery in March 2012.

"I had baked a little bit with my grandmother but never anything major," she said. "So I went to our Cedar Park Public Library and got every book on baking and just taught myself the science of baking—why and how things work."

Moore spent more than 20 years in the corporate world and said she wanted to use her past experiences to find a consistent customer base. She creates customized desserts for businesses and organizations, including candy, chocolate-dipped treats, cupcakes and the company's staple—cookies—now available at Texas-based grocer Central Market.

"I feel like I need to create my own destiny. I think that's why corporate and grocery stores work for me because I can get out there and sell all day long," she said. "The custom cookie side is the biggest part of our business, and we added retail because we already had a retail front. We wanted to make it feel like a boutique instead of a regular bakery."

Kellie's Kandies & Cookies can fulfill orders of any size for any occasion, including corporate gifts, wedding favors and children's birthday party treats. Images such as a photo or company logo can be printed on fondant and added to a cookie or other dessert. Moore's largest order was for a grocery store chain in Louisiana, for which she baked, decorated and packaged 14,000 cookies.

"We had a freightliner come pick up two pallets. It was insane," she said.

Tuesday–Friday from 10 a.m.–6 p.m., patrons can find 12 different cupcake flavors on the shelf plus other treats such as chocolate-dipped pretzels, cake pops and prepackaged sugar cookies, which sell for $1 per inch per cookie. Order pickup is also available on Saturdays.

Moore said the secret behind her most well-loved treat is the flavor.

"I created a cookie recipe that me as a chocolate lover would love," she said. "That's why it's so spicy."

Kellie's Kandies & Cookies, 2100 Cypress Creek Road, Ste. 200, 512-336-7300, www.kellieskandies.com