SAHUARITA, Ariz. (KGUN) — Cynthia Hermosillo is a mother above all else. Ever since her son Sergio was born 15 years ago, she's lived to make him happy.
And part of that was making fun cookies for birthdays.
It wasn't long before people started requesting themed treats for their own parties, and thus The Cookie Jar was born in Tijuana, Mexico, in 2010.
“I had a little shop in the front of the street and we lived on a main street," Hermosillo said. "I would open doors to the public for holidays — Christmas, Easter.”
But her calling was in Sahuarita. She packed up and moved to Arizona in 2019, and after getting all of her employment papers, she started accepting orders for all kinds of occasions right from her home.
"For me, decorating cookies is like meditating," Hermosillo explained. "If I could not wash dishes, cook, and do my daily responsibilities as a mom or a wife, I could decorate all day long.”
Her passion for cookies was inspired early on by relatives who enjoyed the craftiness of cooking and baking, like her mom, aunts and grandmother.
Although she hates cooking, she's sure baking is in her DNA.
Hermosillo was about to open a cookie boutique in Tucson, but before she could finalize the purchase, COVID hit.
It was a blessing in disguise. She suspects The Cookie Jar would have gone bankrupt like many other businesses during the pandemic.
"Things happen for a reason and things don't happen for a reason," she said. "I'm like, 'Ok, this is a sign that I should not go brick and mortar.'"
She pivoted, offering cookie pick-ups from her porch throughout the pandemic. Now, she calls them Porch Pop-ups and enjoys when people come to socialize over their love of cookies.
The next one scheduled for Feb. 13 will offer Valentine's Day treats.
Formerly a Montessori teacher, Hermosillo still finds ways to educate, hosting intensive cookie decorating classes a few times per year. She's hoping to have another sometime in April.
The business did receive national attention when she competed in Food Network's Halloween Cookie Challenge a few months ago.
"I feel very successful just being there," she gushed. "having participated in the challenge was just amazing."
The Cookie Jar is pausing its custom orders for a short time while Hermosillo gets ready for her busy season.
But for now, she has no plans on revisiting the cookie boutique idea — the home-work balance is too good to let go, especially while Sergio is still young.
“Instead of telling my son what to do, what not to do, show him how things are done," she explained. "Show him the road to success is not a straight line. It’s curvy. Sometimes you have ups, sometimes you have downs."
Mikenzie Hammel joined the KGUN 9 team as a multimedia journalist in the summer of 2023. She graduated from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism with her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. With her passion for human connection and visual storytelling, Mikenzie is honored to share the stories of Tucson and southeastern Arizona. Share your story ideas and important issues with Mikenzie by emailing mikenzie.hammel@kgun9.com.
