Going Nuts for Nuttin’ Butter Cookies

Above: Nuttin’ Butter Cookies Owner Whitney Singletary and her children.

How many nuts can you name off the top of your head? Nuttin’ Butter Cookies, founded and run by Whitney Singletary, prides itself on dishing out 12 different types of nut-based cookies. From brazil nuts to pine nuts to chestnuts, Nuttin’ Butter Cookies has them all. Combining favorite foods from her childhood—nuts and cookies—Singletary introduced customers to the world of Nuttin’ Butter Cookies in 2015. 

It Runs in the Family

A passion for cookies was instilled in Whitney Singletary since she was a toddler. She baked her first cookie when she was 3 years old!

“My grandpa grew up with 18 brothers and sisters who all cooked and baked. It was just in the family. I was born with it. It’s in me,” says Singletary. 

Her grandpa, a chef in WWII, opened a restaurant where Whitney spent her childhood snacking, taking notes, and helping out. Using the skills she learned from her family and the restaurant, Whitney made her first cookie sale when she was 8 years old. 

“I took the cookies to sell at school. The principal bought one, and since it was so good, he told the staff. So I sold all my cookies to the teachers before my classmates!”

After Whitney’s grandfather passed away, she fulfilled their dream of opening a business together by starting Nuttin’ Butter Cookies. She didn’t let anything stop her from what she wanted to do.

“I became a master hurdle jumper, and you’re not going to stop me from going forward,” explains Singletary. 

Her bank initially refused to help her with the business, so she decided to sell cookies in her driveway to raise the money to expand. “Nothing’s going to stop me from doing this right now, and just because my company didn’t sell chocolate chip or snickerdoodle like everybody else doesn’t mean it’s not going to be successful,” she says. 

Thanks to her efforts, Singeltary was able to raise all the money to buy new equipment and to expand her baking operation. By May of 2015, Nuttin’ Butter Cookies was up and running in full force.

Varietizing in the Name of Cookies

Every type of nut is an experience. “Starting was a science experiment,” Singletary explains. “The oil content for each nut is different. All 12 of my recipes are ones I created.” 

By using specific nut butters as the base of all the cookies, the treats have a deep flavor. “Our thing is that we’re all about the nuts.” 

When crafting the recipes for each of the 12 cookies, Singletary wanted each nut cookie to be different. For example, the brazil nut cookie recipe is made by using dry roasted nuts to get a sweet and buttery flavor. 

Nuttin’ Butter Cookies also runs the gambit of people’s sweet tooth palate. Whether you’re a soft in the middle, crispy edges, chewy, or crunchy cookie person, the bakery has something for you! 

“It’s nice when people eat my product and say it reminds them of a loved one or their childhood. I love having that experience. That’s why I bake. That’s what I live for,” remarks Singletary.

What’s Next?

“I was doing a lot of precautions before COVID like pre-packaging items, curbside service, and setting up my operation outside,” Singletary explains. 

When the virus first hit the Bay area in March, business for Nuttin’ Butter Cookies and other local bakeries and restaurants came to a halt. After slowly reopening in May, the bakery is back in business through online delivery and curbside pickup. 

Singeltary has also reverted to selling her products in her driveway. “There’s more room where I live for social distancing. The air can flow,” she says.

Nuttin’ Butter Cookies’ plans to add 2 more nuts to their cookie collection, make their own nut butters, and eventually reopen the storefront. “We’re all in this together,” says Singletary. “This is a great time to show sympathy to each other.” 

So whether it’s for yourself or a friend, get some great tasting cookies and spread the love!