Today we’d like to introduce you to Conni Redding.
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?
I’ve always been surrounded by people who love to cook and bake, but a few years ago, something clicked for me. I became obsessed with perfecting a single recipe: the ultimate chocolate chip cookie. It had to be just right — crisp on the edges, gooey in the center, with pools of chocolate, and finished with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Dozens of batches (and many willing taste-testers later), I landed on a version I couldn’t stop thinking about — and Doubles Cookies was born.
Right now, Doubles operates as a side hustle, and we’ve been popping up at local shops and small businesses around the Twin Cities. It’s been such a fun ride to not only share my creations, but also help drive traffic to other local gems people might not have otherwise discovered. Recently, we’ve been doing some cool collaborations like local business like MN Dairy Lab and Face Foundrie to continue connecting the community through a love of great food.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
All small businesses have their growing pains! One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced as a solo female founder has been learning how to juggle everything — all at once. When you’re a team of one, you’re not just the baker. You’re also the website manager, logistics coordinator, social media strategist, photographer, and number cruncher. It’s a constant balancing act of time, energy, and decision-making.
Early on, I realized how important it was to be intentional with where I focused my efforts. There’s a beginning stage of saying yes to everything, but then you can begin prioritizing collaborations and events that align with your customer base — usually through pop-ups with local businesses that value quality, creativity, and community just as much as I do.
Another learning curve has been scaling production while maintaining quality. Baking is both an art and a science — and producing small batches at scale, in a way that still feels handmade and special, is no small feat. It’s also physically demanding, especially when every cookie is mixed, scooped, and packaged by hand. Customers don’t always see what goes on behind the scenes, so I’ve started to pull back the curtain and show more of the day-to-day on social media — and that transparency has really resonated with people.
One of the tools I’ve used to help overcome challenges has been tapping into the incredibly supportive food business community here in the Twin Cities. Whether it’s troubleshooting an equipment issue or swapping tips on packaging and permits, I’ve leaned on other makers more than I ever expected. There’s a real spirit of collaboration here — and that sense of community has helped me grow, both personally and professionally.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
What started as a personal baking project turned into a Minneapolis-based cottage bakery, focused on small-batch cookies. From day one, I wanted every bite to feel homemade, but more creative and elevated — like the nostalgic baked goods you grew up with, made with exceptional ingredients. We use high-quality staples like Valrhona chocolate, Maldon sea salt, Nielsen-Massey vanilla, and European-style butter to elevate our batches of cookies.
Along with selling at pop-ups we love partnering with local businesses to create their own unique flavor collabs and also do custom orders for events like baby showers or weddings. We can customize stickers, flavors, and colors to go along with your event.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/doublescookies
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @DoublesCookies
Image Credits
Lana/Minne.Eats: box of cookies with city in the background
Rachel Cafferty: three other pop-up photos, displaying cookies
Mycah Bain: personal photo of me
