Meet Christina “Tina” Karras

We had the good fortune of connecting with Christina “Tina” Karras and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christina “Tina”, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
The brand began in a small apartment kitchen in Orange County, where I discovered that baking was more than a hobby. It became a way to honor the small, meaningful moments that bring people together. After moving to a new city and seeking my next chapter, I returned to the kitchen and found the same warmth I remembered from childhood, watching my mother turn simple ingredients into shared joy. What started as a personal creative escape quickly grew into a community favorite, one cookie box at a time.

Today, Dolce by Tina has evolved into a modern love letter to comfort and craft. My approach blends elevated flavors with intentional details, reflecting my belief that dessert should feel both luxurious and deeply personal. Each cookie is baked with purpose, wrapped with care, and designed to turn an ordinary moment into something memorable. The brand has developed a passionate local customer base and is now preparing to expand beyond Orange County while staying true to its origins.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
3–5 guiding principles and beliefs that shape my brand’s identity include:
Craftsmanship – every cookie is handmade with care and precision
Quality – what you taste should be as good as what you see. We source high quality ingredients that deliver depth, texture, and flavor in each bite
Warmth through gifting – dolce by tina exists to make people feel appreciated. Each box is a simple, thoughtful way to share comfort and connection
Comfort, elevated – we take familiar flavors and give them refinement.
Flavor comes first – design matters, but taste is everything. Each cookie is crafted to leave a lasting impression long after the box is gone

There are always challenges in the food/dessert industry but we look forward to embracing them and pivoting when necessary to ensure customer satisfaction.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I grew up watching my mom transform simple ingredients — flour, sugar, butter — into moments that brought people together. Years later, after moving to a new city and searching for my next chapter, I found myself back in the kitchen, recreating that same warmth through baking.

Website: https://www.dolcebytina.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dolcebytina/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-hanna

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Dolce-by-Tina-61574830568951/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/dolce-by-tina-irvine

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@dolcebytina