The holiday season has arrived and that makes it the busiest time of year for gift giving. Baked good and sweets have always been a popular holiday gift option for friends, family, and co-workers; yet, we live in an allergy-cautious world, and sometimes that makes gift giving a little more difficult. That’s why Dallas local Lindy Houston launched Sweet E’s Express, a gourmet cookie business that specializes in dairy-free and nut-free infused sugar cookies.
Houston, a mother of two, started her business in 2012 after experimenting with vegan dessert recipes for her children, who were both born with dairy allergies. Her curiosity soon turned to inspiration.
“I thought, ‘OK, I want to work with this,’” says Houston. “I enjoy baking; I come from a baker’s family, and my husband comes from a baker’s family. But, of course, everybody uses butter.”
So, Houston, who has always considered herself artsy and crafty, worked through trial and error to find the perfect balance for a vegan vanilla sugar cookie. Once her gourmet cookies became a hit with her kids and her friends, Houston began to dabble with adding flavor infusions to her standard recipe.
Shortly thereafter, Sweet E’s Express (named after Houston’s daughter Ella) was born. The cookies are dainty, but the infusions are bold and include flavors such as: The Original (Vanilla), Citrus Twist, Orange Sherbert, Chocolate Chip, Peppermint Twist, Pumpkin Spice, Southern Bourbon, Texas Double Shot, and more in the making.
“I wanted something that was very classic and elegant – a signature shape,” says Houston, who makes a round cookie with a scalloped edge. “Nothing I do is iced or decorated because I wanted the flavors to speak for themselves, and it wasn’t about anything else.”
Sweet E’s signature flavors are big just like their home state of Texas. While the little cookies can be shipped anywhere in the U.S., Houston enjoys supporting her community – everything she does for Sweet E’s is local Texas – from the whiskeys and bourbons in her “adult cookies” to the citrus infusions and her secret vegan butter recipe.
“Everyone likes the taste of Texas, so I wanted to have that focus by using local markets and being able to give back to the community,” she says.
Houston plays the role of a baker and businesswoman by day and a mother and wife by night. Her husband, Zach Houston, is a firefighter and describes his wife as “driven” and “fearless.”
“Sweet E’s Express has been an adventure that began with my wife trying to make life sweeter for our daughter,” says Houston’s husband. “The drive she possesses to succeed is fueled by a desire to enable her family to reach its goals. Having the ability to contribute to the dreams of her children is the catalyst for her ambition to succeed.”
To that, Houston says, “Not everyone truly gets to love what they do every single day. That’s what I strive to do. Be inspired by the things that inspire you.”
For more information about the gourmet cookie company, visit the Sweet E’s Express Facebook page.
Writer Bio: Hillary Hirschfeld is a senior at SMU majoring in journalism and fashion media.
