We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Anita Wilson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Anita below.

Anita , appreciate you joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

My husband was diagnosed with diverticulitis approximately eight years ago and gluten was one of his flare triggers. Needless to say, gluten-free product options back then were sparse especially for deserts! So I needed to learn how to cook and bake gluten-free. The first dessert that I was able to perfect was my gluten-free pecan pie bread pudding. I tweaked and changed a standard recipe to be gluten free. That began my gluten-free baking. Within the last three years, I have been able to bake gluten-free deserts where just about no one can tell the difference. If they can tell the difference, the favor pops so well they do not care if it’s glute-free!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I’m a retired paralegal, mother of three grown boys and stepmom to by husband’s daughter. I’m Nana to six grandchildren and three step-grandchildren ranging in age from 3 years old to 18. Many of my grands have some kind of food sensitivity from gluten to egg and dairy. So, it has become more and more important to be gluten-free in my home throughout the last eight years. In fact, I cook only with coconut milk to be as dairy free as possible in my recipes. My husband, oldest son and my daughter-in-law have told me for the last year or more that I needed to start selling my gluten-free deserts, i.e. cookies, cakes, cupcakes, cake balls you name it. So, in February 2022, I just jumped in and started Nana’s Cookies & More – Cottage Bakery. At the end of February of 2022, I did my 1st farmer’s market at the Wolf Ranch Farmer’s Market in Georgetown, Tx. I brought only 3 of my signature deserts: • Gluten-free pecan pie bread pudding
• Gluten-free brown butter chocolate chunk cookies
• Gluten-free bourbon and pecan chocolate chunk cookies
From day one my product was so well received at the farmer’s market. Delicious gluten-free bakery items are hard to find no matter where you live, so there is a true need for gluten-bakeries. For example, at our famer’s market we have a gluten-free donut vendor, gluten-free/mainly keto vendor and several other vendors that do some gluten-free items. The donut vendor and I are the only totally gluten-free vendors.
I have no real flour in my house and have not had it for at least a year or more. We do not use it. As a cottage bakery, I can’t risk cross-contamination to my clients, especially my celiac clients. Also, if a client wants cookies, cupcakes or a cake, but they have food sensitivities to eggs, dairy or nuts, I can usually tweak my recipes to fit their needs. For example, one of my clients has a nut and coconut flesh allergy and had not had her favorite carrot cake in years. She asked me if I could make a carrot cake for her with/out nuts and coconut. I said sure, I could tweak my recipe and make it work. She is so happy that she can now get her favorite desert when she wants it. I believe this set me apart from the other bakers in my area.

Also I have been hired to give gluten-free cooking/baking demos at a local 55+ community. My 1st demo was in September and I am conducting another one in November to demostrate how to make gluten-free cornbread and bread dressing for the holidays.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I watched my mom and grandmother bake as a child and I self-taught myself how to bake as a child. I loved cooking from scratch. As an adult, I got busy with raising 3 boys, a career and life in general. Fast forward to 2014, I had to learn a whole new way to bake – gluten-free! My husband was diagnosed with diverticulitis & gluten was a trigger for him. I had to reinvent how I bake! I research the internet and baking sites to learn how to cook and bake gluten-free. During the holiday’s I would cook double desserts one regular set and one set gluten-free. Within the last 2 years my expertise has increased to where my family cannot tell the difference in by gluten-free desserts and regular desserts. We have eliminated real flour from our house, and I now totally cook and bake gluten-free now. I have clients come to me with specific food issues and It’s exciting to tweak recipes to fit their needs so that they can have delicious desserts too. See the joy on my family/friends & clients faces when they taste my new recipes and desserts makes me soooo happy!

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

As a retired Nana, I did not have any income coming in and started on shoestring budget. My husband James believed in me so much that he funded my start by purchasing a tent, table, supplies and booth fee for my 1st farmer’s market in February 2022. We were a success that day and have continued to do well at the Georgetown, Texas Wolf Ranch Farmer’s Market. He still helps through the lean weeks, but due to the traffic flow and my success at the Wolf Ranch Farmer’s Market I’m able to fund each Saturday with some money in my pocket. I am getting my name out there and slowly growing. I am now at two markets: Wolf Ranch Farmer’s Market every Saturday and every other Sunday at the Hutto Silos Farmer’s Market.

Contact Info:

• Website: not one yet
• Instagram: @nanascookiesmore
• Facebook: @nanascookiesmore
• Linkedin: Nana’s Cookies & More – Cottage Bakery
• Twitter: n/a
• Youtube: n/a
• Yelp: n/a
• Other: Nextdoor – Nana’s Cookies & More – Cottage Bakery

Image Credits
Anita Wilson