Wife, mother, University of Oklahoma grad and Cookie Queen Shannon Hanchett is taking the cookie scene by storm!
“In February of 2018, I started a home-based bakery on a very small scale, baking for family members, friends, former colleagues. I baked out of my home until November of 2019, at which point I had the opportunity to move into a space at Yellow Dog Coffee Roastery. I loved working there and I made lots of great community contacts and friends, but in December of 2020, I decided that it was time to focus on getting my own space,” she recalled.
Shannon pitched her dream to the owner of a historic, downtown building. She imagined baking while oldies played in the background, surrounded by vintage collectibles and Oklahoma history.
“Over the course of the next nine months, we got everything in place to move Okie Baking Co. into the nearly 100-year-old, 484-square-foot building that I lovingly named The Cookie Cottage. My grand opening was on Saturday, Oct. 2, and I have been going nonstop since that day!”
Since the doors to Okie Baking Co. opened, Shannon has sold out of her delicious cookies almost daily. She is honored to have been nominated and made it to the voting portion of The Norman Transcript’s Reader’s Choice Awards for The Best Local Bakery, alongside big names like La Baguette and Dara Marie’s.
“My little cookie company has a very specific ‘niche’; I specialize in homestyle cookies inspired by the history of people and places that make our state great!” she said.
“Most of us Okies have heard of OKC, Tulsa, Norman and Lawton, but have you heard of Depew, OK? Did you know that it’s home to one of the state’s largest nudist colonies? I want people to be able to come into my cookie cottage, buy a sweet, simple treat that brings back feelings of warmth and nostalgia, and maybe learn a little bit about this fascinating state that we call home in the process.”
Okie Baking Co. provides cookies for Bison Witches and for the seasonal custard sandwiches made by Rusty at The Custard Factory. She takes online and wholesale orders through her website, and sample packs are available at the Cookie Cottage four days a week!
“I make about 47 different cookies. My favorite that I bake is the McLoud Spiced Blackberry Jam Thumbprint, but my most FAVORITE cookie in the whole wide world are my mom’s Christmas sugar cookies,” Shannon said. “My earliest cookie memories are of me and my sisters gathered around our kitchen table, decorating these delicious cookies with homemade frosting and gobs of sprinkles. They are one of my most favorite things about the holiday season, which is by far my most favorite time of the year!
“Although I don’t make or carry decorated sugar cookies in my shop, I do offer Decorate Your Own Cookie Kits. Each kit includes a baker’s dozen of cutout sugar cookies, two pastry bags full of homemade royal icing, and three bags of seasonal sprinkles, all for $25. These kits are great because they provide the fun part of decorating and eating the sugar cookies without having to deal with all the hassle!”
Cookie kits are available for preorder online from Dec. 3-17.
The Cookie Queen is decorating and will have Santa and a local photographer visit The Cookie Cottage for holiday photos.
The Cookie Cottage
231 W. Main St.
Norman, OK 73069
405.213.2896
shannon@okiebakingco.com
Hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. (or until sold out) Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday