Woman runs custom cookie business out of Watervliet home

Leah Durso started her custom sugar cookie business, The Vintage Oven, in May 2021. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Durso said she fell in love with cookie decorating.

WATERVLIET, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Leah Durso started her custom sugar cookie business, The Vintage Oven, in May 2021. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Durso said she fell in love with cookie decorating.

Durso was furloughed during the pandemic which gave her time to explore what she really wanted to do. She started watching cookie decorating tutorials on YouTube and Instagram until she decided to try it herself.

"I always loved baking since I was a little girl but I had never decorated royal icing cookies until February 2021," said Durso. "I am completely self taught and have never taken a class."

Durso runs the operation out of her home kitchen in Watervliet and she said business has been booming. She bakes about 25 dozen cookies a week and has sometimes had to turn away orders.

For now, Durso is only focusing on baking, decorating and selling sugar cookies. She may expand to other baked goods in the future, but she would need a commercial kitchen and a different license for that. Since her cookies are custom-made, it also wouldn't make sense to open a storefront at this time, she said.

"I feel so grateful and overwhelmed by the continuous support," said Durso. She said the rising cost of supplies has forced to raise her cookie prices many times, but she hasn't has any pushback from customers.

In addition to custom cookies, The Vintage Oven is currently having its holiday cookie pre-sale. You can place a holiday cookie order or a custom order on The Vintage Oven website and check out Durso's previous custom cookie creations on her Instagram page.