Mikaila Ulmer Is Making the Business World a Little Bit Sweeter

Cortney Clift
Sep 28, 2018

Mikaila Ulmer Is Making the Business World a Little Bit Sweeter

Mikaila Ulmer’s business started with two bee stings. When she was just four years old, Ulmer was stung twice in one week. With a little encouragement from her parents, she turned fear into curiosity by doing some research on the little ecosystem balancers. Around the same time, Ulmer opened a lemonade stand using a recipe from her great-granny Helen’s 1940s cookbook. Cue that classic light bulb moment. Ulmer decided to use honey to sweeten the lemonade, and just like that, her company Me & the Bees was born.

In 2015, Ulmer and her dad went on ABC’s Shark Tank to pitch Me & the Bees. They received an investment from “Shark” Daymond Garfield John, who has become a mentor to the young businesswoman. “[He always tells me] you have to grind, you have to work hard,” she says. Her grind has paid off. Since making an appearance on the show, Ulmer’s lemonade can now be found in more than 400 Whole Foods stores across the US. Here, we talk with Ulmer about the ins and outs of being a young business owner, how she handles being underestimated on the regular, and what she’s learned from her Shark Tank mentor Daymond Garfield John.

B+C: As a new high school student and a business owner, what does a normal day usually look like for you?

Ulmer: I’ll wake up at six, get ready, and go to school. I might do an interview after school. I’m going to do volleyball after school as well. I’ll eat dinner with my family, have a little fun, do homework, and then do it again. Sometimes I’ll skip a couple of days to travel and do a presentation. I might use some of my time to send out purchase orders, to check the website, or to read some articles about the bees. My days are always really different!

B+C: What part of your business do you enjoy the most?

Ulmer: My favorite part is probably traveling and going to places like South Africa, Toronto, and New York to teach workshops at schools and churches about the bees. I also love getting letters that are like, “You inspired me to start my own company and now I’ve just gotten into my first store.” I just got a letter this week from a person named Jayden. He lives in Hong Kong and there’s a project at his school called “Most Impactful Teen” or something like that. He said he chose to use me and my company as that teen, which is amazing. He wrote, “I loved being able to work with you and your company because I had so much evidence to support my thesis. I got an A+ on it.”

B+C: Being a socially-minded businesswoman is really important to you. Can you tell us a little bit about the nonprofit you started?

Ulmer: Yeah! It’s called Healthy Hive Foundation and we help save the bees. It encourages entrepreneurship through research, protection, and education. We are researching and funding important honey bee research, like why they’re dying, how we can save them, and what are some alternatives to pesticides. We’re also traveling the world teaching other kids about how we can save them and why we need to save them and then we’re putting action to that by using technology and having other large corporations donate portions of their land to the bees.

B+C: When you introduced former President Barack Obama at the UN Women’s Summit in 2016, he said he “hopes you’re hiring.” If Obama came to Me & the Bees looking for work, what job title would you give him?

Ulmer: That’s a hard one! I would probably give him head of strategic partnering because he can use his influential status to make different partnerships for the company and encourage other people to join the mission.

B+C: Since you made a deal with Shark Tank’s Daymond Garfield John, the two of you have remained close. What business lessons have you learned from him?

Ulmer: Well, one of the big ones is something he mentions in his book Rise and Grind. Basically, you can’t expect great things to happen if you don’t work for them. He keeps on mentioning that with every presentation that he does and with every book he writes. You have to grind, you have to work hard. That’s probably the biggest lesson I’ve learned from Mr. Daymond.

B+C: Speaking of Shark Tank, what changed after you went on the show and secured a deal?

Ulmer: Well, the show gave us national marketing. We had so many people coming to the website asking where to buy it. We told them, “Go to your local Whole Foods and ask them to carry the product because we’re already in their warehouses.” We were able to get into even more Whole Foods right after we went on Shark Tank. We grew 400 percent, which is huge because we’re a small company.

B+C: Do you often feel like you’re underestimated because of your age in the business world?

Ulmer: I’ve been underestimated plenty of times. I’ll be like, “Yeah, I have my own lemonade company.” They’ll say, “Keep on doing that, you should also participate in business fairs, and things like that.” Then, I have to say, “No, I actually have my own lemonade company. I’ve graduated from selling it out of my lemonade stand in front of my house and doing it at business fairs. It’s in 28 stores, and we’ve been on Shark Tank.” Usually, they’ll be like, “Oh, you actually have a lemonade company. Well, here’s my business card, and let me know if you need an investment.” I have to help them realize that I’m actually an entrepreneur. I do that by being as professional as I can be, like making sure I have my handshake right and my introduction right. Everything like that matters when you’re making a partner.

B+C: Lemonade stands are still a popular pop-up business model for young kids looking to make a quick buck. What’s your business advice to them?

Ulmer: I would say, lemonade stands are great, but find a way to leverage that. Maybe go downtown and figure out if you’re able to sell your lemonade in front of restaurants — which is what I did sometimes instead of just selling it in front of my house in the neighborhood. Or sign up for things like Lemonade Day in the business fair. You’ll get a lot more traffic at your lemonade stand and hopefully make even more profit. Do something more than just a lemonade stand. Find a way to make it unique and different!

B+C: What’s the big dream for you? Do you want to be running Me & the Bees forever?

Ulmer: I definitely want to keep running it, make it more successful, and have an even bigger impact. But in the future, like, there’s only so much lemonade that one person can have, so I possibly want to sell it and use the experiences that I’ve learned with this company to start other companies. But before I sell it, I might want to grow it to $20 million in revenue or even more, and do that in a socially conscious way. I also want to be able to invest in other kid-entrepreneurs, and other women-run companies, as well.

Written by: Cortney Clift and Kat Armstrong

Design by: Yising Chou

Photos via: Photo by Jim Bennett/Getty Images

“Future Women of America” is a multimedia project spotlighting 15 young women under 20 who are making bold moves. Click here to see all the trailblazing women and girls featured.

Amanda Gorman Is Speaking Out and It’s Pure Poetry

Before youth poet laureate Amanda Gorman recited her breathtaking poem, "The Hill We Climb," at the inauguration of President Joe Biden on January 20, 2021, Brit + Co featured her as part of our "Future Women of America," a multimedia project spotlighting 15 young women under 20 who were making bold moves. Click here to see all the trailblazing women and girls featured.

In November of 2017, Amanda Gorman went on MTV to deliver her “State of the Union" address. Standing at a podium in a sparkly, coral dress, Gorman leaned into the mic and began reciting her poem: “History doesn't wait / It doesn't reach out / Change only comes to those who speak out / So I did." Gorman wasn't addressing the nation as president (although she does plan to run in 2036), but rather as the nation's first-ever youth poet laureate. The title, awarded to Gorman in April 2017, wasa trailblazing role and one that Gorman seemed born to play.

As a spoken word poet, she's used to taking center stage and using her work to speak out on topics like oppression, feminism, race, and marginalization. But in this new role, she made a point to take some time to sit back and listen to America's youth. During her year as youth poet laureate of the U.S., she went on a summer tour to visit libraries and schools across the country. She also focused on bringing poetry into places (like MTV) where it isn't typically seen.

Gorman has now passed the year-long tenure to another talented young poet, but her career has only just begun. A student at Harvard, Gorman still performs frequently across the country, all while maintaining a 4.0 GPA (she has since graduated cum laude). Here we talk with Gorman about what it was like to be the first-ever youth poet laureate, what inspires her as a writer, and what happened when she finally met her hero, Lin-Manuel Miranda.

B+C: What was your greatest accomplishment of the last year?

Gorman: I got to meet Lin-Manuel Miranda last month, and I'm sorry, it doesn't get much better than that! I was asked if I wanted to perform a poem honoring him and also Dick Van Dyke — they were both receiving an award — and it was kind of like, “Duh," with a capital D-U-H, exclamation mark! I didn't bring world peace. I didn't find a cure for cancer. But I have to say, getting to meet Lin-freakin'-Manuel Miranda literally makes me feel like I have an armored shield on my chest. He is such an idol, especially with what he did with Hamilton, really revolutionizing the way in which stories can be told. That is always what I'm aspiring to with my own work as a poet.

B+C: Speaking of celebrity run-ins, back in 2016 you were invited to the White House to meet Michelle Obama. What was that like?

Gorman: When I got there, I was looking out and I saw the White House lawn. I remembered Michelle Obama's Democratic National Convention speech, where she mentions looking out at that lawn and seeing her daughters play in the house that was built by slaves. I'm the descendant of slaves, particularly one further up the line whose name was Amanda as well, and I was just having a full-circle moment. Meeting with the first black First Lady as a descendant of slaves, being honored for writing when my ancestors would be prosecuted for doing the same thing, I was literally about to faint from just the majesty of it.

B+C: There's often this idea that poetry is archaic and boring. What do you think of the relationship between young people and poetry today?

Gorman: I think there's something in the way in which poetry is taught in the classroom that gives it a characteristic of being old and this kind of medieval form that only has one shape and one voice. Growing up, I wasn't always really deeply exposed to young writers, writers of color, or writers that were women. What's really exciting, especially now with technology and the digital age, is there's a lot of access and exposure that instantly happens when you have spoken word poets who can get millions of views online. You have poets posting their work on Instagram, and that becomes shareable and accessible. So poetry is no longer just siphoned to an exclusive realm, but it really can be by anyone, for anyone. It's really the art of the people, and I think younger generations are really the ones who are taking that, running with it, and doing really phenomenal things.


B+C: How do you think poetry and performing have affected your confidence and your self-esteem?

Gorman: You know, I think it's a dual relationship. My poetry is all the more self-assured and profound when it's coming from a place of security rather than a place of doubt. That's not to say that I don't question myself, but being a performance poet, being a spoken word poet is 80 percent about body language. It's about convincing people that my words deserve to be heard before they even hear my voice. If I'm going to pursue my art, if I'm going to continue doing that which I love, then I have to love myself. I have to be confident enough in myself that I can compel other people to love my work as well.

B+C: What do you do when the writer's block hits?

Gorman: My game plan changes depending on the situation, but what I've been doing recently is reading memoirs, letters, or essays by mostly women writers who struggled with the same thing. I read about how they knocked down those barriers. There's this one essay I've been reading and rereading. It's called “Thoughts on Writing: A Diary," by Susan Griffin, in the collection The Writer on Her Work. There's a line where she says, “This experience renders a precise meaning," and I just repeat that to myself. This experience of having writer's block, this experience of suffering, this experience of doubt, has a precise meaning through my writing. I might not see it yet, but over time and with work and with perseverance, that meaning will make itself clear to me.

B+C: What is the biggest struggle for you in your work?

Gorman: Being a full-time student [at Harvard]. I'll be traveling to Colorado, California, New York City… but I also have a paper due that's not going to write itself. I hope that challenge doesn't sound too self-centered, but I'm trying to be honest about it because I don't like to pretend I'm someone I'm not. What I can say is that I'm someone who's in love with poetry and sharing it with others, and I'm also someone who's in love with learning and being a student.


B+C: What's on the horizon for you?

Gorman: Finishing my last two years at Harvard and graduating. My life is a mosaic of many different things. I'm really taking the time to focus on my writing. I'm working on some book ideas, and I'm hoping that I can turn those out before I go back to school and have more essays due. That's definitely something that's on the horizon for me. Also, probably stalking Lin-Manuel Miranda.

B+C: What do you say to other young women who are your age or maybe your age when you started, who have big career dreams but aren't sure how to go about achieving them?

Gorman: I don't believe in an aspiring anything. I don't believe in an aspiring writer, an aspiring director… If you want to go do it, go out there and do it. If you want to lead your community, if you want to be a scientist, that's something you can desire to do, but it's also something that you can get started on right now. Don't hesitate, don't wait. Don't aspire. I'm trying to find something that rhymes with this to make it sound cooler. Oh, maybe like, “Don't aspire, achieve!"

Written by: Cortney Clift

Design by: Yising Chou

Photos courtesy of Anna Zhang and Amanda Gorman

This article has been updated from a 2018 post.

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Love Dutton Ranch? Here’s A 'Yellowstone' Fangirl’s Guide To Montana

If you're like us, then you're probably missing Taylor Sheridan's Yellowstone — and you probably watched it for not only the plot, but also for the beautiful scenery. Well, the show takes place in Montana and has many people (myself included) wanting to take a trip out to the Big Sky Country. Sound familiar? We've gone ahead and came up with some hot spots you'll want to check out on your next trip whether you're looking to visit Billings, Whitefish, Kalispell, Missoula, Butte, or anywhere in between.

Scroll to find out how to visit Montana like your favorite Yellowstone characters!

Where to Stay in Montana

Larch House

Larch House

If you find yourself in Whitefish, then you'll want to book a stay at Larch House for your visit. This luxury boutique hotel has a variety of standard guest rooms and suites that have farmhouse-style decor and modern amenities. The property is spread across 10 buildings for a lodge-like feel and is home to a speakeasy and heated rooftop pool with views of beautiful mountains. This is the perfect hotel for a girls-trip, bachelorette party, or romantic getaway in the northern region of Montana.

Grouse Mountain Lodge

Grouse Mountain Lodge

Plan on staying in the Whitefish area in the winter? Grouse Mountain Lodge is another property that both skiers and snowboarders will love as it's right near Big Mountain and Glacier National Park. The rooms are cozy, quaint and comfortable giving that more home-like, rustic feel that gravitates people to the country region. At night, you can head to the downtown area that has a plethora of dining and shopping options and then go back to your room to rest up for the next day of adventures.

Paws Up

Paws Up Montana

Paws Up Montana is an all inclusive resort in Greenough, Montana that combines the fun of a ranch with the sophistication of a luxury property. It's great for families who want to explore the great outdoors in a controlled environment as there's over 70 activities to choose from such as horseback riding, fishing, hiking, canoeing and more.

What to do in Montana

VisitTheUSA.com

National Parks

Glacier National Park

A trip to Montana isn't complete with visiting a national park. Glacier National Park is home to over 700 miles of trails making it the perfect spot for those hikers looking to venture off the beaten path. You'll be able to see melting glaciers (hence the name) as you explore alongside lakes and valleys. If you enjoy backpacking, then you can do that at this national park but you'll need to get a permit in advance. Don't worry if you forget to file a permit because the Glacier Park Lodge is right next door and they have rooms and suites to keep you comfortable.

National Parks Service

Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone is the world's first national park — crazy, right? There's so much to do and see at Yellowstone it can be hard to find where to begin. Let's be clear — you probably won't see it all in one trip so that's just another reason to go back! For starters, take a visit to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River. It runs for 20 miles and can be seen from various points in the park. It's a great location to take those picturesque photos for your Instagram feed — trust me. If you're a fan of hot springs, then you're in luck because there's no shortage of them here.

Glacier Raft Co.

Other Activities in Montana

Glacier Raft Co

Rafting in Montana is a popular activity because there's not only so much water, but also beautiful scenery to take in. Glacier Raft Co. has a selection of rafting excursions and guided experiences to choose from whether you're looking to go out on your own or join a group and explore.

The World Museum of Mining

World Museum of Mining

Located on an actual mine yard, the museum offers a unique experience to visitors to tour the steel headframe and even go on an underground tour of the Orphan Girl Mine. This is an educational and insightful activity to do if you don't want to be out in nature and instead open up your mind to new facts and information.

VisitMT.Com

Garden of One Thousand Buddhas

This park is home to 1000 hand-cast Buddha statues that are positioned around the central Great Mother figure. Located approximately 25 west of Missoula, this garden is the perfect place to venture off to for a peaceful and spiritual experience unlike any other.

Where to Eat in Montana

Lucca's Fine Italian

Lucca's Fine Italian

If you're craving delicious Italian food, then you'll want to make a reservation at Lucca's Fine Italian. This dinner-only restaurant serves up freshly made from scratch cuisine with everything ranging from pasta to poultry — don't miss out on the fisherman's spaghetti. There's no dress code and they encourage guests to come in whatever they feel most comfortable wearing.

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The Montana Club

The Montana Club is touted as one of the best restaurants in Montana with its diverse menu filled with steaks, slow-roasted prime rib, seafood, sandwiches, burgers, pasta and salads. No matter where you are in Montana, you'll likely find a location close by as there are five throughout the state in Billings, Missoula, Butte, Kalispell and Great Falls.

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The Marble Table

This family-owned restaurant in Billings, Montana is a hot spot for tourists and locals alike in the area. The menu is described as having an elevated twist on traditional comfort foods with menu items including mac and cheese, fried chicken and pork schnitzel. The family-friendly spot is closed on Sunday and Monday so you'll want to be sure to plan accordingly during your visit.

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Brit + Co's 'Grammable Guide to Holiday Cookies


Brit + Co's 'Grammable Holiday Cookie Guide

As long as Rudolph’s nose is red and wintry wonderlands are white, the holidays and cookies will go hand in hand (or, preferably, in both hands). We teamed up with cookie artists Ashley McNeal and Vickie Liu to help you create some of the prettiest cookies on the block! Get ready for serious inspiration, whether you're a total cookie newbie or a next-level baker.

Cookie Decorating Essentials

Cookie Decorating Essentials

Must-have tools and equipment

Half the battle of whipping up the perfect batch of cookies is having the right equipment. Here are all the essential tools you'll need in the kitchen to help master any recipe.

FOR MAKING DOUGH

Measuring Cups & Spoons

$10
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Stand Mixer

$229
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FOR ROLLING OUT DOUGH

Parchment Paper

$4
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FOR BAKING COOKIES

Baking Sheet

$14
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Cookie Cutters

$18
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FOR DECORATING

Mixing Bowls

$23
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Piping Bags

$17
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FOR FINISHING TOUCHES

Gel Food Colors

$12
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Pearl Sprinkles

$4
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Succulent Cookies

Succulent Cookies

Homegrown… well, homemade!

Create a Christmas succulent garden on top of a round cookie for an on-trend treat. We used a peanut butter sugar cookie as the base and vanilla buttercream for the cactus effect, but you could always go with your fave flavors and apply the same decorating technique.

(Makes 24 cookies)

Ingredients:

  • 1 batch peanut butter cookie dough
  • 1 batch buttercream frosting
  • gel food colors: green, black, brown, terracotta, lime green
  • pearl sprinkles: red, white, gold

Equipment:

Directions:

1. Bake the cookies. Roll out the cookie dough, cut it using a round cookie cutter, and bake until golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool completely before decorating.

2. Dye the buttercream frosting. Divide frosting into five bowls and use the coloring to create varying shades of green plus terracotta. Bowl one: Dye with black and green food gels, beginning with just a drop until you create a dark green. Bowl two: Add drops of green and brown to achieve a less-dark green. Bowl three: Dye with black and green to form darkest color green. Bowl four: Dye with terracotta. Bowl five: Dye with lime green.

3. Transfer frosting into piping bags. Bowl one goes into a piping bag fitted with tip #243. Bowl two is fitted with tip #62, and Bowl three is fitted with tip #2. Bowl four and five go into the bag together (one on each side), fitted with tip #21.

4. Pipe on details with buttercream icing. Use tip fitted with #61 to pipe on a large succulent on the cookie. Pipe a cone-shaped base for the center, then pipe arch-shaped rows from top to bottom as you turn the cookie. Then use a medium rosette piping tip #243 to create smaller succulents. Pipe multi-color spikes for filler succulents with #21 piping tip. Lastly, apply small green pearls for final filler with #2 piping tip.

5. Sprinkle on those pearls. After icing each cookie, quickly sprinkle a few pearls. Allow to dry.


Get the Recipes

Peanut Butter Sugar Cookies

Buttercream Frosting

Galaxy Snowflake Cookies

Galaxy Snowflake Cookies

Hello, cosmic creation

These starry night snowflake cookies look pretty stellar, don’t they? There are various icing techniques used in this intermediate recipe. You can make them simpler by skipping some of the decorative piping and focusing on the mirror glaze. The results will still be out of this world.

(Makes 24 cookies)

Ingredients:

  • 1 batch peanut butter cookie dough
  • 1 batch royal icing
  • gel food colors: purple, blue, black
  • edible silver stars
  • edible gold luster dust (mixed with vodka to create a gold paint)
  • white pearl sprinkles
  • white sanding sugar

Equipment:

Directions:

1. Bake the cookies. Roll cookie dough out, cut it using a snowflake cookie cutter, and bake until golden brown. Allow cookies to cool completely before decorating.

2. Dye the royal frosting. Divide it into four bowls. Bowl one: Dye with enough purple food gel to create a vibrant color. Bowl two: Do the same with the blue drops. Bowl three: Dye with black, beginning with one drop and adding more as needed. Bowl four: Leave white.

3. Transfer frosting into piping bags. Fill the purple, blue, and half of the black royal icings into a bag fitted with tip #2. Put the remaining black icing from bowl three into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. White icing goes into a bag fitted with tip #1.

4. Line and fill each cookie. Use the black icing bag and outline each snowflake to create a dam for flooding with icing (AKA filling the entire cookie with icing). Flood with the purple, blue, and black mixture. Drizzle in a little white. Use a toothpick or chopstick to lightly swirl the frosting to the outside edges.

5. Add galactic touches. Sprinkle on stars, and splatter on the edible gold luster dust with the paint brush. Let royal icing dry until hardened.

6. Pipe on the snowflake. Pipe on a snowflake design on the tops of each cookie using the white icing. Add a pearl sprinkle to the center. Coat with sanding sugar and shake off excess. Allow to dry.


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Peanut Butter Sugar Cookies

Royal Icing

Candy Cane Sloth Cookies

Candy Cane Sloth Cookies

Slow things down

We're always rush-rush-rushing during the holidays, so why not take after the sloth and slow things down. Bake cookies and meticulously ice them, sloth-like, so every detail is perfectly placed. We created our own custom cookie cutter! Download our cookie cutter printable, take it to your local baking supply shop, and have them 3D print the cutter for you. Or, in a pinch, print the doc, cut out the shape, and use it to trace around the dough.

(Makes 24 cookies)

Ingredients:

  • 1 batch peanut butter cookie dough
  • 1 batch royal icing
  • gel food colors: brown, black, red, pink, green
  • edible black pen

Equipment:

Directions:

1. Bake the cookies. Roll out the dough out, cut it using a candy cane sloth cookie cutter, and bake until golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool completely before decorating.

2. Dye the royal frosting. Divide it into six bowls. Bowl one: Adding one drop at a time, create a light brown color with brown food gel. Bowl two: Dye black, using one drop and adding more as needed. Bowl three: Dye red, using those drops a few at a time. Bowl four: Do the same with the pink gel. Bowl five: Leave white. Bowl 6: Dye green using those drops, a few at a time.

3. Transfer frosting into piping bags. The green icing goes into a piping bag fitted with a #1 tip. The remaining icings go in separate piping bags fitted with tip #2.

4. Sketch on your design. Use the edible black pen to draw out your design.

5. Pipe on the icing. Line the candy cane with white and red. Flood the candy cane with white and red icing, and allow for dry time. Line the scarf with green icing, the Santa hat with red and white icing, and the sloth body with brown. Flood the scarf and hat with green, red and white icing. Repeat for the sloth body and add the eye detail with light and dark brown. Allow dry time.

6. Add final details. Draw on a mouth and nose with the edible marker. Add eyes and toenails with black icing in piping tip. Line the scarf and hat. Add face details by dotting eyes with white, and adding pink cheeks with #2 piping tips.


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Peanut Butter Sugar Cookies

Royal Icing

Grinch Linzer Cookies

Grinch Linzer Cookies

Hearts that are two sizes too small

Linzers get a Grinch make-over for this beginner decorative cookie recipe. Start with animal cracker cookie dough, dye it Grinch green, and cut out tiny hearts in the center of each cookie. Then, sandwich the cookies in-between bright red raspberry rosé jam. You can’t help but get in the spirit of Christmas after one bite of these cookies.

(Makes 12 cookies)

Ingredients:

Equipment:

  • ruffle-edged round cookie cutter
  • mini heart cookie cutter

Directions:

1. Make the jam and Santa hats the day before decorating. Allow jam to cool completely and chocolate hats to firm up (pop them in the fridge or freezer to speed up time).

2. Bake the cookies. Using a stand or hand mixer, dye the cookie dough Grinch green with green food gel (use 2 drops or more as needed.). Roll out the dough, cut it with ruffle-edge round cookie cutter, and bake it according to directions.

3. Cut out the hearts. Once out of the oven, on half of the cookies, cut out a small heart in the center of the cookies using the mini heart cookie cutter. Allow the cookies to cool completely.

4. Assemble the sandwiches. Spread a dollop of jam on each solid cookie. Carefully sandwich with the heart cut-out cookie. Use a little bit of leftover melted compound chocolate to glue the hats (directions below) to the top side of each cookie.

GET THE CHOCOLATE SANTA HAT RECIPE










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Raspberry Rosé Jam

Animal Cracker Cookies

Blue Ombré Pinwheel Cookies

Blue Ombré Pinwheel Cookies

Hypnotically colorful

Although these look complicated, the recipe and technique is quite simple. The trickiest part is all the refrigeration needed. In total, these cookies will take about seven to eight hours to complete, so plan to divide the labor into two days. The best part, of course, is rolling the dough in the sprinkles of your choice. Just be sure they won't melt! We found sanding sugar and jimmies work best.

(Makes 12 cookies)

Ingredients:

  • 1 batch animal cracker cookie dough
  • blue food gel
  • sprinkles: dark and light blue jimmies, white and silver sanding sugars

Directions:





































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Animal Cracker Cookies

Rudolph Corgi

Rudolph Corgi

Fluff-tastic

Surely nothing is cuter than a corgi tush, so of course, we had to create our own custom cookie cutter. Just like with the sloth, download our cookie cutter printable, and either have the custom cutter made or print and cut it out.

(Makes 24 cookies)

Ingredients:

Equipment:

Directions:

1. Bake the cookies. Roll it out, cut it using the corgi cookie cutter, and bake according to directions. Allow the cookies to cool completely before icing.

2. Dye the royal frosting. Divide it into six bowls. Bowl one: Dye light tan with food gel, beginning with just a drop until you achieve the desired shade. Bowl two: Dye red, using those drops a few at a time. Bowl three: Dye black, starting with just one drop at a time. Bowl four: Repeat with the pink dye. Bowl five: Leave white. Bowl six: Dye brown, using a few drops at a time.

3. Transfer frosting into piping bags. The brown icing goes into a piping bag fitted with a #7 tip. The remaining icings go in separate piping bags fitted with #2 tips.

4. Pipe on details with royal icing. Line the rump and feet using skin tone, and line the tail and fur with the same icing. Allow to dry completely.

5. Ice the body and ears. Flood the top part of the rump with light brown, and the bottom part with white. Add a small dollop of pink on each ear, and lightly spread with an offset spatula. Allow to dry.

6. Create the face. Line the head and ears with skin tone. Line the center of the face with white. Flood the cheeks with light brown and the center of the face with white, and allow for dry time.

7. Add the finishing details. Add antlers with brown icing. Allow to dry. Use an edible marker for the mouth. Add eyes with black and nose with red. Re-line the rump with skin tone.


Get the Recipes

Animal Cracker Cookies

Royal Icing

Millennial Pink Ornament Cookies

Millennial Pink Ornament Cookies

Sweet, simple, and of-the-moment

Just because you're new to the baking game, doesn't mean you can't wow in the cookie swap. Cut out these simple ornament shapes, and replace those standard reds and greens with of-the-moment millennial pink icing and decoration.

(Makes ~40 cookies)

Ingredients:

  • 1 batch sugar cookie dough
  • white compound chocolate or candy melts
  • pink and white hard candy or candy canes (crushed)
  • pink oil-based food coloring

Equipment:

  • ornament cookie cutters
  • pink or white ribbons/string

Directions:

1. Bake the cookies. Roll out the cookie dough, cut it using an ornament cutters. Cut a hole in the top of the ornament with a straw before baking to put the ribbon through. Chill, then bake according to directions. Cool the cookies for 30 minutes minimum.

2. Melt the chocolate according to package directions. Divide into three bowls. Set aside one bowl. In a second bowl, add 1-2 drops of pink dye and stir to form a light shade of pink. In another bowl, add 3-5 drops of dye and stir for a darker shade of pink.

3. Dip the cookies into various shades of melted chocolate. You can dip multiple layers to create an ombre effect. Sprinkle with crushed candy. Allow to dry completely.

4. Attach ribbons/string to cookies. Hang them up to show off your work!


Get the Recipe

Easy Sugar Cookies

Reindeer Jolly Rancher Cookies

Reindeer Jolly Rancher Cookies

Brighten up your cookie tray with these little Rudolphs.

Ready to step it up a bit? Grab a standard gingerbread-man cutter, and invert these guys to create reindeer — voila! Rudolph’s red nose gets a sleek upgrade thanks to melted candies.

(Makes ~40 cookies)

Ingredients:

  • 1 batch sugar cookie dough
  • hard red candy like Jolly Ranchers (crushed)
  • 1 batch royal icing
  • gel food colors: brown, black

Equipment:

Directions:

1. Bake the cookies. Roll the cookie dough out and cut it using gingerbread-man cutter. Cut round hole in head of the cut-out men to make space for the red nose. Transfer to baking sheets, and chill in freezer for 15 minutes. Bake for approximately 10 minutes.

2. Remove from oven and fill nose holes with crushed hard candy. Bake for an extra few minutes (until candy has melted). Cool cookies for 30 minutes minimum.

3. Dye the royal icing. Divide it into three bowls. Bowl one: Dye light brown with brown food gel. Bowl two: Dye darker brown with brown food gel. Bowl three: Dye black with black food gel.

4. Pipe on details with royal frosting. Outline the reindeer's face with light brown royal icing. Fill in, then use a toothpick to swirl the icing to fill in any gaps. This also helps it dry in an even layer. Allow to dry completely.

5. Use dark brown to pipe on the antlers and ear detailing and black to dot on the eyes. Allow to dry completely.


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Easy Sugar Cookies

Royal Icing

Read More

Holiday Llama Sugar Cookies

Holiday Llama Sugar Cookies

Fa-la-la-la llamas

Now things get a bit more challenging and a lot more adorable. Decked out in scarves, hats, and holiday decor, these almost too-cute-to-eat cookies will have you singing fa-la-la-la-llama.

(Makes ~25 cookies)

Ingredients:

  • 1 batch orange-spiced Christmas cookie dough
  • 1 batch royal icing
  • gel food colors: pink, green, red, black, blue, yellow
  • Christmas-themed candies: Red Hots and holly

Equipment:

Directions:

1. Bake cookies. Roll out cookie dough, and cut it using llama cutter. For some of the cookies, cut out hats with a small triangle cookie cutter to give your llamas a tiny holiday hat. Chill and bake according to instructions. Cool for 30 minutes minimum.

2. Dye the royal icing. Divide it into seven bowls. For bowl 1: leave white. Remaining bowls, dye light pink, green, red, black, blue, and yellow with gel food colors.

3. Transfer icing into piping bags. Fit each icing into a separate piping bag, fitted with a #2 Wilton icing tip.

4. Pipe on details. Outline the llama's body with light pink royal icing. Fill in, then use a toothpick to swirl the icing to fill in any gaps. This also helps it dry on in an even layer. Dry for 30 minutes.

5. With the same technique, use the white icing to ice on the second layer (the face and feet of the llama). Dry for 30 minutes.

6. Ice the third layers (green scarf, red Santa's hat, black strings of the lights). Dry for 30 minutes.

7. Ice on final details (face with black icing, lights with different colors, white fluff of Santa's hat, etc.). Add any candies. Allow to dry completely.


Get the Recipes

Orange-Spiced Christmas Cookies

Royal Icing

Read More

Snuggly and Pugly Gingerbread Sweaters

Snuggly and Pugly Gingerbread Sweaters

Warms you up on a cold day

Kick your sweater cookies up a notch by sketching out adorable furry fondant friends, and attach them to the front of your sweater creations.

(Makes ~24 cookies)

Ingredients:

  • 1 batch royal icing
  • gel food colors: orange, brown, black, red, green
  • 1 batch gingerbread cookie dough
  • fondant (white, dyed red and green, rolled and cut out into sweater shapes)

Equipment:

Directions:

1. Make royal icing, dye it, and transfer into piping bags: Divide icing into six bowls. Bowl one, leave white. Remaining bowls, dye orange, brown, black, red, and green. Transfer each into separate piping bags fitted with a #1 tip.

2. Pipe on the royal icing transfers. On a parchment sheet, pipe on the transfers like the pug with Santa hat on parchment paper. Allow to set overnight, then carefully peel off once totally try. Set aside.

3. Bake the cookies. Roll out cookie dough, and cut it using sweater cookie cutters. Bake according to instructions. Cool for 30 minutes minimum.

4. Decorate the fondant base layer. Pipe on sweater decoration with white royal icing. Dry for 1-2 hours. "Glue" on pre-made royal icing transfers with royal icing. Add any final touches and allow to dry completely.

5. Attach the fondant layers to the cookies. Outline each cookie with white royal icing, and carefully attach fondant base layer. Allow to dry completely before serving.


Get the Recipes

Royal Icing

Gingerbread Cookies

Palm Springs Gingerbread House

Palm Springs Gingerbread House

Spice up your cookie display

Sure, anyone can make the standard gingerbread house, but if you're looking for a real challenge, you'll love our Palm Springs variety. Mid-century design enthusiasts — and edible house aficionados — will salivate at this reimagined version of the classic gingerbread construction.

(Makes 1 gingerbread house)

Ingredients:

  • pre-baked sugar cookies: cacti, pool, plus crushed cookies (for sand)
  • 1 batch gingerbread cookie dough
  • fondant: dyed in light pink, light grey, and dark grey
  • gel food colors: pink, black, green, blue
  • clear piping gel
  • royal icing
  • compound white chocolate or white candy melt
  • pastel Jordan almonds
  • green sprinkles (for grass) — enough to fill base
  • white chocolate blocks (steps)
  • small chocolate pebbles (if possible) — can be replaced with crushed chocolate cookies for dirt
  • green taffy candy (palm tree leaves)
  • long rolled wafer biscuit (palm tree)

Equipment:

Directions:

1. Make the cactus and pool decorations. Roll out the dough, cut it in various shapes, and bake. Decorate with fondant and piping gel dyed blue with gel food coloring. Crush some baked cookies for sand.

2. Bake the gingerbread. Refrigerate the dough for 1-2 hours. Preheat the oven, and roll out the dough. Cut out the cookies according to templated shapes and bake. Cool the cookies for at least 30 minutes.

3. Construct the gingerbread house. Place a large white foam board on a flat surface and construct the house on top of it, using royal icing as the mortar between the cookie pieces. Decorate house with fondant/royal icing.

4. Finish with surrounding decorations. Glue on the pool, fondant driveway, cookie palm trees, sprinkle grass with royal icing. Allow it to dry completely.


Get the Recipes

Gingerbread Cookies

Royal Icing

Pastel Chocolate Tree Cookies

Pastel Chocolate Tree Cookies

So simple and lovely

When it comes to giving your tree-shaped Christmas cookies some added personality, you won't want to rely on the typical red and green icing. Instead, give your trees a chocolatey base and some pastel shades on top.

(Makes 12-24 tree cookies, depending on size)

Ingredients:

  • 1 batch chocolate cookie dough
  • 1 batch royal icing
  • gel food colors: blue, pink
  • pearl sprinkles
  • white sanding sugar

Equipment:

Directions:

1. Bake the cookies. Roll out the cookie dough, cut out using tree cutters, chill, and bake according to instructions. Cool the cookies for 30 minutes minimum.

2. Dye the royal frosting. Divide it into three bowls. Bowl one: Dye Tiffany blue with blue food gel. Bowl two: Dye light pink. Bowl three: Leave white.

3. Transfer into piping bags. Each color goes into a piping bag fitted with a #2 tip.

4. Line and fill the cookie. Pipe a border of royal icing on each tree using pink or blue royal icing. Fill in (AKA flood) with more frosting, then use a toothpick to swirl the icing to fill in any gaps. This also helps it dry on in an even layer. Allow to dry completely.

5. Add final touches. Pipe on white royal icing details and sprinkle on sanding sugar and position pearl sprinkles. Allow to dry completely.


Get the Recipes

Chocolate Cookies

Royal Icing

Peppermint Penguin Sandwich Cookies

Peppermint Penguin Sandwich Cookies

Almost too adorable to eat

If you've got an Oreo lover on your list of loved ones to treat, these adorable peppermint-filled penguins are perfect. Our DIY version pairs just as flawlessly with a glass of milk as the classic store-bought cookie.

(Makes ~6 cookie sandwiches)

Ingredients:

  • 1 batch chocolate cookie dough
  • 1 batch royal icing
  • gel food colors: orange, black, red
  • peppermint candy, red Skittles, mini marshmallows, mini red heart sprinkles
  • fondant: white, red
  • water

Filling:

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons of milk
  • 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract
  • red gel food coloring (optional)

Equipment:

Directions:

1. Bake the cookies. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Preheat oven, then roll out dough. Cut it with round cookie cutters, and freeze/chill for 15 minutes. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Cool the cookies for 30 minutes minimum. Allow to cool completely.

2. Make the filling. Beat butter until light and creamy. Slowly beat in 1 cup powdered sugar, followed by 1 tablespoon milk. Alternate until all is added. Beat in peppermint extract. Lastly, stir in red gel food coloring until swirls are formed (don’t beat in).

3. Assemble the sandwiches. Add small dab of filling to cookies and sandwich them together.

4. Dye the royal frosting and transfer it into piping bags. Divide it into four bowls. Leave one bowl filled with white icing. Dye the remaining icing in each bowl orange, black, red with gel food colors. Transfer each into a separate piping bag fitted with a #1 tip.

5. Decorate. Glue on white fondant belly to top of sandwich cookie with royal icing. Pipe on details of penguin's face, bow tie, etc. Make hats out of peppermint candy with a mini marshmallow glued on top using royal icing. Allow to dry completely.


Get the Recipes

Chocolate Cookies

Royal Icing

Hot Cocoa Cookie Cup Cookies

Hot Cocoa Cookie Cup Cookies

Cocoa and cookie in one

From hot chocolate to peppermint schnapps, the holiday season is filled with festive beverages. Add your favorite to these edible jiggers that have a chocolate coating to prevent them from getting too soggy before you can say, “Bottoms up!”

(Makes ~6 cookie shots)

Ingredients:

  • 1 batch chocolate cookie dough
  • compound chocolate: milk and white
  • shortening or coconut oil (to thin the chocolate if necessary)
  • candy canes (for the handles)
  • sprinkles in Christmas colors
  • 1 batch royal icing
  • gel food color: black
  • white sanding sugar
  • pretzels
  • red M&Ms
  • whipped cream, marshmallows, and cocoa dusting (for garnishing)

Equipment:

Directions:

1. Bake the cookies.Roll out the cookie dough, and cut it into shapes similar to a shot glass. Prep the cookie shot mold with non-stick cooking spray, and press dough into molds. Cut off any excess. Preheat oven. Chill dough in molds for 15 minutes. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Cool completely for 30 minutes minimum before you unmold them from the shot glass mold.

2. Melt chocolate. Thin out with shortening or coconut oil, if necessary. Coat the inside of cookie cup by swirling melted chocolate inside, and leave to set. Glue on candy cane handle with white chocolate. Dip cups in white or milk chocolate followed by a plate of sprinkles to create a sprinkle rim.

3. Add extra decoration. Pipe on holiday designs with royal icing and white sanding sugar, or transform your cup into Rudolph faces using candy and royal icing "glue."

4. Fill with desired drink and top with whipped cream, marshmallows, and cocoa dusting.


Get the Recipes

Chocolate Cookies

Royal Icing

Disney Holiday Cookies

Disney Holiday Cookies

These are pure magic.

Every Disney fan at your cookie party is going to to go nuts for these beauties. We teamed up with Disney Freeform and cookie artist Aime Pope to craft six magically frosted goodies from across the Disney and Freeform holiday lineup. Check them out!

Disney Holiday Castle Cookie

Every Disneyland fan will love this cookie version of their favorite theme park's central landmark.

Mickey Clause Cookie

You really can't have a proper Disney cookie display without the Mouse himself. Watch our tutorial on how to create this classic version of Mickey Claus.

Buddy the Elf Cookie

We all know the main food groups are candy,candy canes, candy corns, and syrup. But did you know the fifth is holiday cookies? They are when they're Elf cookies!

Olaf the Snowman Cookie

Do you want to build a snowman...cookie? This Frozen buddy will definitely bring huge smiles to even the the smallest faces.

The Grinch Who Stole This Cookie

If your fam's favorite holiday character is actually more green than red and has a heart two sizes too small, this cookie is a perfect pick for your next gathering.

More Holiday Cookie Inspo

More Holiday Cookie Inspo

Winter themes for your cookie platter

You know you want even *more* ideas for amazing holiday cookies. Well, we've got 'em! We teamed up with cookie artist Aime Pope to create four more adorable winter-themed treats that are simple and stunning.

Jolly Ol' Santa Cookie

Nothing goes better with milk than this Santa cookie. Leaving this one out for Kris Kringle should definitely get you some extra goodies in your stocking.

Bright Little Snowflakes

Inject some technicolor into your cookie game with these gorgeous colorful snowflakes, laced with delicate white royal icing.

Chillin' With the Snowmen

Take a basic snowman cookie to the next level by adding earmuffs, mittens, scarves, and even sunglasses. These frosty friends are too cool and too cute to eat.

Share your cookie creations with us @BritandCo!

This article has been updated from a previous post.

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

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Um, Anne Hathaway's "Wild" First 'Verity' Footage Is "Mind-Bending"

I've been on the edge of my seat for Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson's Verity (even before I saw It Ends With Us), and after hearing about the first look that aired at CinemaCon this week, the internet is even more locked in on the “gothic, psychosexual thriller” (as the film's described by director Mike Showalter) than they've ever been.

Here's what the Verity cast, including Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett, had to say about the new movie from Colleen Hoover.

What is Verity about?

Any Colleen Hoover fan knows the Verity movie revolves around Lowen Ashleigh (Dakota Johnson), who gets hired by Jeremy Crawford (Josh Hartnett) to finish his wife's novels. Renowned author Verity Crawford (Anne Hathaway) is no longer able to write after a tragic accident, but what begins as an exciting project takes a turn for the horrifying when Lowen discovers Verity is hiding a terrible secret.

Anne Hathaway promises 'Verity' is worth "waiting for."

At Amazon MGM's CinemaCon presentation, the Verity cast, Colleen Hoover, and Mike Showalter offered attendees a new look at the movie via video message.

“My character Verity Crawford is an accomplished author with a tragic past,” Anne said, while Dakota joked, “Or is she?”

Josh added, “My character, Jeremy Crawford, is a devoted husband who’s committed to protecting his wife’s legacy.”

“Or is he?” Dakota said again.

“One thing we can say for sure is that seeing Verity in theaters will give fans the shared experience they’ve been waiting for," Anne promised.

And everyone's losing it over the "wild" footage from CinemaCon!

The presentation also included the first trailer for the movie, which showed Verity and Jeremy meeting at a bar — which explains those iconic set leaks of Anne Hathaway and Josh Hartnettrunning through the streets of New York! And when Jeremy's introduced to Lowen and brings her to their giant home, he tells her "she's the only writer who can do this"...and then they begin their own illicit affair. And as they have a hot make out sesh on the couch, Lowen realizes she's kissing Verity and not Jeremy. Wow.

"Just saw the first footage for VERITY starring Josh Hartnett, Anne Hathaway, and Dakota Johnson," @JoeySpielberg says on X. It looks like it’s gonna be good but I honestly couldn’t tell you the plot is but it’s definitely gonna be wild. Seems like a movie you just don’t know what happens next."

"The footage showcases a sexy, mind-bending thriller," @howatdk agrees.

We're sure to see many more shocks and surprises when Verity hits theaters May 15, 2026.

Check out the 10 Most-Anticipated Book-To-Film Adaptations We Can't Wait To See In 2025.

anne hathawaycolleen hooverpop cultureentertainmentmovies

Trader Joe’s Shoppers Say This New $9 Night Cream Easily Rivals Luxury Brands

A new Trader Joe’s skincare find just hit shelves, and beauty fans are already reeling about its similarities to more luxury products! The night cream features a handful of ingredients that are commonly found in pricier skincare options, but this TJ’s pick costs a fraction of its suspected competitors.

As a Versed Sweet Relief overnight cream loyalist (I use it every single day without fail), I must say I'm thoroughly convinced to try this new Trader Joe’s item after reading shoppers’ reactions!

Scroll on to discover the all-new Trader Joe’s skincare product worth adding to your routine!

Reddit

Trader Joe’s Night Cream is a brand-new addition to their collection of skincare goodies. In fact, it’s so new that it’s not listed on their website quite yet. Despite its newcomer status, tons of shoppers are already buzzing about the Trader Joe’s Night Cream.

Reddit

One TJ’s fan on Reddit surfaced the new find on the r/TraderJoe’s subreddit, and skincare lovers were super quick to chime in.

Per the post, the Trader Joe’s Night Cream is formulated with Irish sea moss extract, a fermented mushroom complex, ceramides, and sodium hyaluronate. It’s also unscented, which can be super beneficial for sensitive skin in need of moisture.

The TJ’s fan that found the night cream on shelves reported that it is “very thick but dry at the same time. I really had to work it into the skin,” they said. “Very odd consistency.”

Kaboompics / PEXELS

Another shopper that tried the Trader Joe’s Night Cream weighed in on their experience:

“Using it sparingly since I’m quite pregnant and don’t want to mess with sensitive skin but so far it’s quite nice!” they said. “Thick but not greasy in the slightest. I still feel it on my skin when I rinse my face in the AM which means it held up overnight in my dry altitude climate.”

Cottonbro Studio / PEXELS

Several more users compared this new TJ’s formula to other products on the market, mentioning Asian beauty and even retinol for its anti-aging benefits.

“It’s interesting to see all the fermented ingredients in this!” one person commented. “I know that they have been very popular in Asian skincare for years, but I don’t see it that often in the States. I’m excited to try this! Thanks for sharing, I’m going to be on the lookout now.”

“Based on the ingredients list, I suspect this might be a Korean product,” another TJ’s shopper agreed.

“Irish Sea Moss is considered an excellent retinol alternative so if it agrees with one’s skin, not a bad option for those who can’t tolerate or don’t want harsh actives,” one more skincare fan noted.

MARA Beauty

One Redditor confirmed that a single 2-ounce jar of the Trader Joe’s Night Cream cost just $9. Similar moisturizers that leverage sea moss in their formulas (like Wildling’s Moonbounce 2% Bioretinol Irish Sea Moss Plumping Moisturizer and MARA's SeaDream Algae Crème) average around $73, which is insane.

KoolShooters / PEXELS

This TJ’s find could be a great way to try out the sea moss skincare wave without shelling out a fortune! Per episode 87 of The Inside Trader Joe's Podcast, it’s certifiably “high-quality” and “incredibly functional.”

Subscribe to our newsletter to discover more amazing Trader Joe's products!

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skincaretrader joe's new itemsmoisturizersgrocery shoppingbeauty