The first cookie appeared in history around the 7th century in Persia. They were made with a simple combination of flour, sugar, and nuts. Fast forward to the 16th century in Germany, where gingerbread cookies emerged. Continuing down the historic pastry path on Drury Lane, you’ll find Randi Dandi Cookie Co. in Lake Charles, Louisiana, today! Randi Morgan is the founder and owner of the company, offering homemade, custom-designed royal icing sugar cookies.
Randi began making cookies as a hobby in early 2022 after stumbling upon a recipe on social media that she wanted to try. A couple of batches later, she started bringing them to gatherings with friends, and soon, Randi Dandi Cookie Co. became the go-to cookie for any occasion.
When she was young, her mother worked at Cookie Bouquet, a local cookie shop in Lake Charles that sold and delivered fully decorated bouquets of cookies. Randi admitted to faking being sick when she wanted to skip school and work with her mom at the shop. Not surprisingly, Randi’s favorite part of helping her mom was decorating cookies. Randi’s mom also made wedding cakes to order from home, further nurturing the shared love for baking in their family.
To Randi’s surprise, people wanted to pay for her cookies! Her first official order came from a colleague who wanted dinosaur cookies for her twins’ birthday party. After gauging interest, Randi opened her first pre-order to the public, offering Easter cookies with bunnies and crawfish boil cookies, which featured crawfish, corn, and potatoes. What started as a soft opening turned into 27 individual orders!
Through that experience, she learned more about icing consistency, fine-tuned her cookie recipe, and accumulated a variety of cookie cutter shapes. Eventually, she also acquired a cookie projector to help create specific designs on the cookies, as well as a dehydrator to dry the icing more quickly for a faster turnaround.
What’s the reason behind all these tools? One word: Efficiency! Making custom cookie orders involves a lot of creative problem-solving, and that’s where these appliances help save Randi time. However, it’s the artisanship that makes these cookies stand out. The eye-catching colors and designs, combined with the classic sugar cookie flavor, create an unforgettable treat! Randi Dandi Cookie Co. has an unofficial tagline, coined by almost everyone who’s tasted one: “They look good and they taste good!” This can be heard at any event where these cookies make an appearance. When Randi isn’t filling cookie orders, she’s experimenting with other treats she enjoys, like snickerdoodle cookies and homemade Twix bars.
When asked what tip she has for someone starting a local business, Randi advises, ‘Try to start modestly with your pricing and raise it over time.’ If you want cookies, and you should, send a message to the Randi Dandi Cookie Co. Facebook page!
It was great talking with you, Randi! Thanks for all the cookies over the years!
Hand to Mouth by The Flying Burrito Brothers is this month’s song, not only because the title is a set of directions on how to eat a Randi Dandi cookie, but also because its classic sound is reminiscent of a Randi Dandi cookie.
Resourcefulness and creativity are one and the same here in Southwest Louisiana, and it shows in every aspect of our culture! Follow along as we sit down with some of our favorite local artists and business owners to find out why they love what they do. Thank you for reading!
Written By: Grant Kelly
Edited By: Eloise Kelly
Grant Kelly 