Custom Cookies By Karen

Welcome to Custom Cookies By Karen, a highly-regarded home-based bakery in Elkridge, Maryland, dedicated to "sprinkling sweetness" throughout the community. Specializing exclusively in personalized, hand-decorated sugar cookies, this bakery has become the premier destination for Maryland residents seeking beautiful, bespoke, and absolutely delicious treats for every occasion. Unlike traditional bakeries that offer a wide array of goods, Custom Cookies By Karen focuses its passion and expertise entirely on crafting edible works of art that are both visually stunning and consistently praised for their soft, buttery texture and perfect balance of sweetness.

Founded by Karen Lightfield, a recently retired kindergarten teacher from the Howard County area, the bakery is built on a lifelong tradition of holiday baking and decorating, passed down from her grandmother. This background in education and community shines through in every aspect of the business, from the meticulous detail in the royal icing designs to the fun and accessible decorating classes offered. For your next birthday party, baby shower, holiday celebration, or corporate event in Maryland, look no further than this local artisan for a memorable and personalized sweet treat that truly stands out.

Custom Cookies By Karen operates as a home-based cottage food operation in the heart of Elkridge, MD, situated conveniently near the vibrant communities of Columbia and Ellicott City. The location at 6231 Sutton Ct, Elkridge, MD 21075, is easily accessible for local customers in Howard County and the broader central Maryland region who need to pick up their custom orders.

As a pickup-only operation, the bakery emphasizes convenient service for its clientele. The available accessibility features are designed to make the collection process as easy as possible for all patrons:

• Wheelchair accessible parking lot: Ensures convenient and direct access for those utilizing wheelchair accessibility.

All orders must be pre-arranged, as this is a custom order business, which allows for scheduled, quick, and efficient takeout service directly from the Elkridge location. Please note that due to Maryland cottage food laws, while local pickup is the standard, the business is permitted to ship products only to addresses within Maryland.

The services offered by Custom Cookies By Karen are centered around high-quality, customized sugar cookie creation, alongside interactive learning experiences for the Maryland community.

• Custom Sugar Cookie Orders (Minimum 1 Dozen)

  • Theme Customization: Designing cookies for virtually any life celebration, including birthdays, weddings, baby showers, graduations, corporate events, and holidays. Themes often include intricate designs like baby carriages, books, diapers, and personalized logos or messages.
  • Intricate Decoration: Specializing in detailed royal icing work, ensuring each cookie is an edible masterpiece with clean, elegant, and vibrant designs that perfectly match the customer's request.
  • Variety in Sets: A minimum custom order requires one dozen, which typically includes 3-4 distinct designs or colors, providing a rich, cohesive look for any event platter.
  • Individual Favors: Offering single, larger, and highly detailed cookies for use as party favors or individual gifts, often personalized.

• Seasonal and Gift Cookie Sets

  • Holiday Minis: Offering half-dozen sets of signature mini cookies perfect for holiday gatherings or sweet gifts.
  • Themed Gift Boxes: Providing boxed sets of mixed sizes and styles, popular for teacher gifts, birthday presents, or smaller holiday celebrations.

• Interactive Cookie Decorating Classes

  • Virtual Classes: A variety of virtual cookie decorating classes are available year-round, catering to all skill levels from "Sweet Beginnings" (Royal Icing 101) to specific seasonal themes like "Groovy Ghouls" and "A is for Apple."
  • In-Person Classes: Occasionally hosts fun, local decorating classes in the community, providing a hands-on experience for local enthusiasts.
• DIY Cookie Decorating Kits
• Kits for all occasions, providing pre-baked sugar cookies, bags of royal icing in various colors, and sprinkles, allowing families and groups to have a fun, creative activity at home.
• Digital Resources and Tools
• Offering recorded virtual classes, royal icing transfer sheets, and STL files for 3D-printed cookie cutters, supporting the wider cookie-decorating community and enthusiasts in Maryland and beyond.
• Service Options: Takeout (Pre-scheduled pickup from the Elkridge address). Limited shipping available only within Maryland.

Custom Cookies By Karen offers a unique value proposition to the Maryland market, blending high-end artistry with a friendly, community-focused approach.

• Artisan Quality and Detail: Each cookie is meticulously decorated, often receiving praise for being "visually stunning" and looking "almost too pretty to eat." The use of vibrant colors and clean, elegant designs ensures your cookies are the centerpiece of any event.
• Superior Taste and Texture: Unlike some highly-decorated cookies that sacrifice flavor for looks, customer reviews consistently highlight the "soft, buttery" texture and "perfect amount of sweetness" of the cookies.
• Community Roots and Expertise: Karen, the owner, brings the patience and creative approach of a retired Howard County kindergarten teacher to her craft, making her services, especially the classes, accessible and fun for all ages.
• Customization for Any Occasion: With a custom order process, the bakery can perfectly match any theme, color scheme, or personalized request, from intricate baby shower designs (baby carriage, cute diaper) to corporate logos.
• Interactive Fun with DIY Kits and Classes: The addition of DIY cookie decorating kits and virtual/in-person classes provides a creative, bonding activity perfect for families, school groups, or private parties in the local area.
• High Demand and Early Booking: The quality and popularity of the custom cookies mean the bakery is typically booked out 1-2 months in advance. This speaks directly to the high quality and trustworthiness of the product, encouraging local users to plan their orders early.

For residents in Elkridge, Columbia, and surrounding Maryland communities ready to place an order or inquire about classes, here is the contact information:

Address: 6231 Sutton Ct, Elkridge, MD 21075, USA (Pickup by appointment only)

Phone: (443) 300-8727

Mobile Phone: +1 443-300-8727

Note: To begin the custom ordering process and receive a specific quote (starting at $68 per dozen), it is recommended that Maryland users fill out the interest form available on the business's website to secure a spot on the calendar well in advance of their desired date.

Choosing Custom Cookies By Karen in Elkridge is a choice for quality, artistry, and a personalized customer experience that resonates deeply with the spirit of the local Maryland community. This is not a mass-production facility; it is a labor of love where every cookie is baked and decorated with intense care.

If you are hosting a milestone event—a wedding, a big birthday, or a baby shower—the presentation of the cookies will elevate the entire affair, serving as both a delicious dessert and a beautiful piece of themed decor. Customers consistently rave that Karen "always exceeds my expectations" and can "make anything you want." This flexibility and commitment to customer vision is what makes the bakery so highly recommended.

Moreover, for parents and educators in Howard County, the availability of DIY kits and decorating classes provides a fantastic, interactive way to engage children and groups, especially for teacher gifts or children's parties. The ability to receive a high-quality product, whether finished or in a kit, ensures a fun and delicious outcome every time. Due to the high demand, those looking for this superior level of bespoke quality should remember to secure their date one to two months ahead of time to ensure that Karen can sprinkle her sweetness on your special Maryland occasion.

Custom Cookies By Karen

6231 Sutton Ct, Elkridge, MD 21075, USA