The inspiring Audrey Street Cookie Company in Detroit

Audrey Street Cookie LogoNicole Wilson

I had the unique privilege to meet Nicole, owner of Audrey Street Cookie, while working my freelance photography job. This hard-working lady makes some amazingly sweet and unusual cookies that you have to taste to believe right here in Detroit.

Turtle Pecan CookiesHeather Raulerson

Every dream has a beginning, and Nicole’s started at the age of 8 when her mother gave her a Mrs. Fields cookie book. She devoured the book and took what she learned, practicing her baking skills. It wasn’t long before she was baking cookies for events and taking personal orders for batches of cookies.

Peanut Butter CookiesHeather Raulerson

Baking cookies became second nature to Nicole. After doing tons of research on the science of baking, she leaped and started to slightly alter the ingredients of her cookies, even by switching sugar with molasses. She has worked on adapting new techniques to create her own unique and original cookie recipe combinations, and how she incorporates the ingredients is what sets those cookies apart from others.

Red Velvet CookiesHeather Raulerson

I asked her how long it took to make her unique cookies and where the inspiration came from the unique flavor combinations. She mentioned that it is a two-day process from start to finish. She doesn’t believe in mixing and baking on the same day; the dough has to rest for the cookies to reach their full potential. Her unique ideas start as a thought in her head and eventually become a vision with her asking, “what would this taste like if I mix this with that? Cookies are very forgiving so that you can mix almost anything with dough,” and if you see some of her creations, you would know that she does.

M&M CookiesHeather Raulerson

Nicole’s inspiration to open Audrey Street Cookie came from her cousin and mentor, Musheya Glenn, owner of the Pasta Bowl, where she sells her cookies. “She believed in my childhood talents and inspired me to revisit them by allowing me to use her commercial kitchen to create my own platform.” And Detroit is where she is from!

Chocolate Pecan CookiesHeather Raulerson

As Nicole puts it-This city created me, broke me, and re-birthed me, in a sense. This city makes you work hard; there’s no way around it! The name “Audrey Street” is the actual street I grew up on. It represents a family home and a legacy that I will pass on to my daughter, her children, and her children’s children. Audrey Street Cookie Company represents my grandparents, my parents, my brother, my sister, my neighbors, and everyone on this block. It represents the west side of Detroit, the underdogs like myself who have had to endure many struggles, the young entrepreneurs with negative bank account balances on their third and fourth business venture, the college dropouts working part-time who just want to finish. Still, life keeps “happening,” the single moms with multiple hustles and talents but little to no capital. I have been (and still am) all of these people at some point in my life. When you absolutely believe in your purpose and remain consistent, people see it, and they support you, no matter what it is! Never quit!

Audrey Street CookiesHeather Raulerson

With her drive and dedication, I have no doubt she will succeed in getting her dream which is to be one of those places that people feel they absolutely HAVE to come to see about when they visit Detroit. Her goals include wanting to have ready-to-bake packaged dough sold in retail giants such as Meijer, Target, Kroger, and Walmart, sold right next to Nestle Tollhouse and Pillsbury products. She wants to fundraise for Detroit schools and be able to sponsor various community events. And lastly, Nicole wants to be able to grow old and retire and have her daughter keep the operation going while still expressing the same amount of enthusiasm, humility, love, and creativity that she has for Audrey Street Cookie Company on any given day.

Nicole, owner of Audrey Street CookieHeather Raulerson

I hope you get a chance to check out her delicious tasting cookies. Audrey Street Cookie Co is at 17301 W McNichols Road in Detroit.