Today we’d like to introduce you to Julia Beatty.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My journey into cookie decorating began in 2018 when I became an empty nester. What started as a creative way to stay connected with my children while they were away at college quickly became a passion. I would decorate custom cookies and send them care packages filled with sweet treats from home.
When 2020 arrived and the world slowed down, I found myself working remotely with more free time on my hands. I began dedicating more time to baking and decorating cookies, experimenting with new designs and techniques. After sharing some of my creations with friends, I received an unexpected response. They were amazed to learn that I had made the cookies myself and encouraged me to turn my hobby into a business.
Their enthusiasm sparked an idea. After a weekend of brainstorming and planning, Uniquely Frosted was born.
Today, while custom-decorated cookies remain our signature product, we have expanded our offerings to include drop cookies, cake pops, s’mores kits, and hand-dipped chocolate-covered Oreos. We specialize in creating unique, fun, and personalized treats for every occasion, including birthdays, weddings, baby showers, corporate events, holidays, and more.
Anne and I are business partners. Anne handles much of the baking while I focus primarily on decorating and design. Together, we combine creativity and technology to bring our clients’ visions to life. We utilize a 3D printer to create our own custom cookie cutters and cake pop molds, as well as a direct-to-food printer that allows us to reproduce logos, photographs, and intricate designs on cookies and cake pops. This technology also enables us to create customized designs on marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate-covered Oreos.
At Uniquely Frosted, our goal is simple: to create delicious treats that are as memorable and unique as the celebrations they are made for.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not at all! We have struggled with sales in the slow season, designs that don’t work out quite as we imagined to problems with our sales systems.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Our cookie business began as a passion project and continues to be a venture that we truly love. While it currently operates alongside our full-time careers, I often dream of the day when I can dedicate myself to it full-time rather than evenings and weekends. During the day, I, Julia, work for a financial planning firm, while Anne serves as a teacher’s aide.
We specialize in custom-decorated sugar cookies and have recently expanded our offerings to include drop cookies, cake pops, s’mores kits and hand-dipped Oreos. Exploring these new creations has been both rewarding and exciting, allowing us to offer even more unique treats to our customers.
One of our greatest accomplishments is the strong partnership we’ve built over the years. Growing a successful business together while maintaining a close friendship is something we’re incredibly proud of, and an achievement we don’t take for granted.
Another highlight was being featured on a segment with Ty Brennan on Fox 10 Phoenix news during the morning television show in 2023. It was a wonderful opportunity to showcase our work and share our passion with a larger audience.
What sets us apart is our flexibility when it comes to themes and designs, as well as our ability to leverage technology to create truly personalized treats. We enjoy collaborating with our customers to bring their ideas to life and take pride in delivering custom creations that are as unique as the celebrations they help make memorable.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I’m an avid listener of the Baking It Down with Sugar Cookie Marketing podcast. While it may sound niche, it is a sugar cookie-focused marketing podcast hosted by twin sisters on the East Coast who are highly regarded marketing experts. They share valuable insights, creative strategies, and practical tips that have been incredibly helpful for growing my business.
I also use the Bake Genie platform for invoicing and business management, which has been a great tool for staying organized.
Outside of work, I rely on my fitness watch to help me stay on track with my daily activity goals, monitor my heart rate, and support my overall health and workout routine.
In addition, we have a retail presence at 85 Local, a gift shop in Peoria, where we regularly stock our treats. We’ve been partnered with them for nearly four years, and the experience has been fantastic. It has been a wonderful opportunity to connect with the community and expand our reach.
Pricing:
- our decorate sugar cookies start at $50/dozen
- Our cake pops start at $40/dozen
- our hand dipped oreos start at $25/dozen
- Our s’mores kits start at $36/dozen
Contact Info:
- Website: https://uniquelyfrosted.com
- Instagram: @uniquelyfrosted
- Facebook: @uniquelyfrostedcookies
