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Twice since Sugardust Bakehouse’s grand opening on Oct. 25, at its new location at 2549 Milton Ave., Nilsen has sold out and closed the doors early

In addition to cookies with names like Ube Oreo, Twix, Nerds, and M&M, Sugardust Bakehouse’s menu includes gluten free options. It also has chunky brownies, Fruity Pebble crispy treats, cream puffs, edible cookie dough and “dirty sodas” with creamer.

“We just can’t keep up with people,” Nilsen said. “We’ve had to close early twice. I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, we had 50 dozen, where did that go today?’”

“We literally sell it before it even gets to the display,” said Claire Nilsen, Diane’s daughter and Sugardust Bakehouse’s social media and marketing manager.

Lifelong passion

The business was born out of Nilsen’s lifelong interest in baking and is an inspiring story of a working mother pursuing a dream later in life, Claire shared.

Diane Nilsen started baking as a teen and collected recipes for years. Later, as a mother of seven, baking cookies was a way she shared joy with her family.

Claire Nilsen spoke emotionally about watching her mother, now in her 50s, work hard for her family and then opening the business after she and her siblings were grown.

“This is just testament to working moms. They can get through it. And then also, her kids moved out and she’s, like, ‘I want to do something for myself.” This is her thing and her journey,” Claire Nilsen said.

“A lot of people think, ‘Oh, I’m 30, I’m 35, my time’s passed.’ But here she is starting her own business,” Claire Nilsen continued.

“I think that’s really inspiring. You can really start at any age and at any point in your life and make your dream come true.”

“There’s a lot of people that I’ve come in contact with that ask me why I’m doing it at this age,” Diane Nilsen said. “And I say ‘Why wouldn’t I?’ If I can, it seems like a good idea.”

Now, Diane and Claire Nilsen and their staff are working long hours to keep up with demand.

The quick transition from a seasonal market booth to a store was challenging, the mother and daughter said, with less than a week after they were up and running to prepare for the grand opening.

To better manage the demand and give their staff of four — soon to be six-- more time to bake, the store is adjusting its hours starting next week.

This week, it will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Starting next week, it will be open Wednesday through Saturday from noon to 7 p.m. The mornings and days they’re closed to the public will be dedicated for baking.

Diane Nilsen said the bakery’s atmosphere is as important as what’s coming out of its ovens.

“I want people to always feel like this is a happy place they could come to,” Nilsen said. “I want them to leave feeling that kind of warm feeling when you eat a cookie; always feeling included and just a part of a community that loves them.”

For more information, including a full menu and online ordering, visit {a class=”xFAlBc” href=””}sugardustcookies.com{/a}