Meet Robbie Lynn Hawkins | Baker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Robbie Lynn Hawkins and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Robbie Lynn, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I began baking peach cobbler with my grandmother when I was little, and my love for baking grew from there. I would bake cupcakes for my family, graduation parties, birthdays, and special treats for different holidays for my co-workers. I had a close friend who asked if I would make some cookies and a cake for the baby shower she was hosting. I said of course I would, and more friends and then friends of friends started requesting treats for special events. I had a few orders within a couple of months. Then the pandemic hit, and I was trying to figure out a way to create an activity at home for families to do together. I thought how nice and easy it would be to just have pre-made cookies to decorate, so I created my first cookie kit for the Easter Holiday. These kits had a dozen pre-baked cookies, four bags of royal icing, matching sprinkles, and an instructions card. It was a way for people to try the cookies I make at a lower price point and thus drummed up more business for me in the long run. Now I have clients that I made their baby shower cookies, and now I’m doing the 3rd birthday party for their little one.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Baking is a science and a form of artwork. It requires you to understand what ingredients work well with others and what will really create the best treat. I have messed up countless times and had to re-bake an entire cake or re-make my macaron batter because it was too thin. These mistakes helped me learn the nuances of baking. I’ve had to scrape off an entire cake and start over to create a better design.
I have iced a sugar cookie and it had craters instead of a smooth finish so they had to be scraped and re-made. One has to persevere through the downs to get to the ups and I think what keeps me going is the challenge to create something delicious and yet beautiful.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If I had a friend in town, I would take them to Descanso Gardens, especially if it is the holiday season. It is beautiful any time of year, but during the holidays, they create this beautiful lighted forest throughout the entire place. It truly is magical. Then, I would head to Agnes Restaurant & Cheesery in Pasadena. They have an amazing menu with some delicious cheese boards and great wine. You can even purchase some of the cheeses at the counter up front. If we wanted to have another drink afterward, I would head over to the Good Neighbor Bar in Altadena. It has great drinks and a beautiful atmosphere to sit back and relax with friends.

Website: https://robbielynnbakes.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/RobbieLynnBakes

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbie-l-hawkins-a75b33297/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RobbieLynnBakes?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Image Credits
Photographer for photo of Robbie: Melinda Roth Photography
Photographer for cake and cookie photos: Robbie Lynn Hawkins