Cardoshinsky Confections brings sweet treats to the Hill Country

“They call me the cookie lady,” said Julia Cardoshinsky, owner of and head decorator at sweet shop Cardoshinsky Confections.

In 2020, she opened the shop with her husband, Vince, who helps her bake each morning.

“Never could I have imagined that I would be in the cookie business or even own my own business,” Cardoshinsky said.

While Cardoshinsky might be known for her decorated sugar cookies, she bakes and sells everything from cake pops, lemon bars, brownies, cupcakes and dog treats.

“Holidays bring in the most sales at the store, but we often get orders for those special life occasions like baby showers, weddings and birthdays,” she said. “You can have a cookie for any time.”

Cardoshinsky has been baking sweets a lot longer than she’s been running the shop.

“I was always into baking, especially for my three boys,” she said. “Then, when my father passed away, it became a way to work through my grief.”

While employed at James Avery Craftsman, Cardoshinsky was baking and selling the cookies from her home.

“I made three different types of cookies, posted them on Facebook, and it took off,” she said.

The business grew even more, and when the cookies started to take over her house, Cardoshinsky and her husband took a leap of faith.

“I was working two jobs,” she said. “I had to make the tough decision to leave Avery’s and the financial security it provided.”

Cardoshinky had a plan and a drive to learn.

“Once I left, I had the time to develop the technique and skills for decorating the sugar cookies. Social media is very helpful when it comes to learning new techniques,” Cardoshinsky said. “Every holiday, every event has its own meaning, its own designs. I try to keep up with the cookie world, because there’s always new designs coming out and new ideas.”

Cardoshinsky has also taken inspiration from what she learned during her 23 years em at James Avery.

“Working there, I learned about inventory, quality control, different process techniques from start to finish, to help streamline them, how to improve the existing process, communication and leadership,” she said. “It’s natural for me to look at a cookie and see a process and to plan it out like I was taught at James Avery.”

Cardoshinsky will have personalized Peep-inspired sugar cookies for Easter, among other designs.

“I love all the colors of Easter. There’s so much you can do with them,” she said.

Carrot cake will be on the menu as well, which is sold by the slice. Whole cakes can be special ordered.

“We’ll make a cake, and then we sell it by the slice, so people have the opportunity to taste it,” Cardoshinsky said.

Cardoshinksy Confections also hosts cookie decorating workshops around major holidays, giving the community an opportunity to step into the cookie world themselves. 

 “People get a chance to sit down, learn techniques and try it out. I don’t think you have to have a special skill or gift to decorate cookies. You just need patience and practice," she said.

All the items at Cardoshinky Confections are made in-house at the shop.

For a custom order, the only item that has a minimum are the decorated sugar cookies. Customers must order a minimum of a dozen.

 “The process to get them ready for the customer takes some time, as everything is done by hand, whether it’s writing with an edible ink pen or writing with our royal icing on the decorated sugar cookies," Cardoshinsky said.

The sugar cookies are baked, a base color of royal icing is piped on the cookie, then the base layer needs time to set before a design can be added to complete the decorating process.

Cardoshinsky said she enjoys the connection the sweets create with her customers.

“It’s just for a few minutes that we get to encounter that time with people, and I know them through the cookies they order," she said. “I enjoy my cookie world, because it’s filled with color, joy and sweetness. I want people to feel a little bit of the joy that I feel in making them.”

Cardoshinsky Confections is at 204 Cully Drive, Suite 300. It is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday. To learn more, call 830-315-9885, or visit the business on Facebook and Instagram.

This article was originally published in the April 2025 edition of Hill Country Culture Magazine.