I was standing in the frame of my door looking at Devonna wanting a straight answer. You would have thought I was auditioning for a crime show with the conviction in my voice as I asked her the question for the second time:

“These cookies are too good, what do you put in them?”

She laughed and repeated the answer she had previously given me, “Danielle, it’s all love.” I chuckled as I knew I wouldn’t get a different answer and also because I’ve never seen ‘love’ in the spice section of any grocery store. I was joking with her while also expressing how much I was in love with the cookies she had made me.

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I was introduced to Devonna of Butter Bakery from a friend on Instagram, Krystal, who told me I had to taste her items. Krystal sent me a few photos and gushed over what she got and in matter of messages, my order from Devonna was on its way. I got her Crownies ($27 per dozen). The half chocolate chip and half brownie was the perfect hybrid of two confections. It was rich, soft, sweet, and disappeared as quickly as it was delivered.

The sweetest bite came when all the crownies were gone. I looked into the box and found an extra cookie tucked away. It was warm to the touch which enticed me to try it even after devouring the crownies that preceded it. It was the Brown Butter Toffee ($25 per dozen) cookie. Not to foreshadow a story for you, but I would immediately discover that it is the best cookie I have ever eaten. My apology to any other cookie reading this. It had the perfect balance of textures and flavors. Each bite ranged between chewy and crunchy, while the flavor swung between subtly salty and vibrantly sweet. It’s the perfect cookie as its harmonious from beginning to end. The only disappointing aspect of the cookie was there was only one and I finished in the single sitting. I immediately ordered more.

Having a second order of cookies in my hands and standing in the frame of my door talking with her I looked at her wanting a straight answer. In my mind I just wanted to know what addictive ingredient she put in her cookies, but her response was always ‘love’. A conversation where I got to know her followed by bites of her incredible cookies, I settled on the word knowing it was fitting for the moment and that would suffice.

As much as I can’t seem to understand what it is that Devonna does differently from every other person in their kitchen, each bite I take makes me realize that I don’t need to know. I don’t need to know if love is really her secret ingredient. I don’t need to ask what she does that makes her cookies the best I’ve ever tasted. I no longer need to ask or wonder anything about what comes sealed in her white box because what sits in that very box is magical. And everyone knows that magic can’t be explained, it can only be felt—and in Devonna’s case it can be tasted too.

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Phone: (626) 283-8247
Hours: Monday through Friday – 8:00am to 6:00pm, Saturday – 8:00am to 3:00pm, and closed on Sunday
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