2t. Spoons Creates Custom Cookies, Sweet Treats

The rows of cookies lined up perfectly on the wide counter, as women meticulously applied frosting and designs to create mini works of art. It was just another day at the office, or the kitchen, for two Grayslake women who launched a business creating custom cookies.

Tina Vaughn and Traci Parker teamed up in 2010 to create 2t. Spoons, a small but tasty business that is picking up steam.

"We made a choice to stay home with our kids," said Parker. "We both did that for years. Once they got older, we both felt the timing was right to start a business. But we still never let the cookies get in the way of the kids. We still are very involved with their activities and we have this business."

They incorporated, got a business license and rented a commercial kitchen where they can create the cookies. They took a standard sugar cookie recipe and tweaked it until they came up with a moist, flavorful cookie unlike any other. Their website  www.2tspoons.com cookies as having a "buttery, almond flavor and a melt-in-your-mouth texture." They use fresh, natural ingredients to make homemade cookies that are hand rolled and custom decorated.

Their slogan is: We bake the cookies that people love to eat and love to talk about.

In the first quarter of 2011, they shipped out over 600 cookies and 31 gift box sets of cookies. During the Christmas holiday season, they filled well over 100 orders.

"We are the baking department, the marketing department, the shipping department..." said Parker.

For Valentine's Day, they can make individual cookies customized with the client's own words. They also have cookies shaped like the conversation hearts.

They do groups of cookies for each holiday called cookie collections. They also do beautiful cookies for weddings and bridal showers. They can make Rams, Knights or Colts sports-themed cookies. And the list goes on.

Individually wrapped cookies are about $3, and a cookie collection ranges from $30 - 36. They have a collection of over 200 cookie cutters to pull from.

"We did a birthday collection for a client, and they wanted different cookies to represent all of their father's favorite things," Vaughn said. "It was very personalized. We wrote his funny phrases on the cookies."

Parker is in charge of market research and Vaughn just likes to get things done.

"I love this business," said Vaughn, who formerly worked in marketing and event planning. "I love to be around people and hear the client's stories and turn those into personalized cookies."

Parker, a former television producer, said she enjoys the business side of the cookies.

"I feel like we keep improving what we make," she said. "I enjoy the challenge of constantly improving."

Both women said they followed their passions to create a business that works around the needs of their families.

"We feel really lucky that we found something that we love to do," Vaughn said. "We started with a hobby and moved it into a business. How nice is that?"

The business does not have a storefront but accepts orders for cookies via email at 2tspoons@comcast.net. They require five to seven business days for local orders and an additional three days for shipped orders. Shipping prices vary. The standard minimum order quantity is one dozen cookies 

For more information, visit the Facebook page for 2t. Spoons.