Dallas Baker Takes Pop Culture to Cookies

If you scroll down Dallas native Chrysta Miller’s beautiful Instagram, you will find she has baked different types of iced cookies for occasions on varying themes. Miller is a master of shapes, colors and design, and she thrives when she is able to create freely.

Miller launched Cookies by Chrysta in March 2018 after working for numerous restaurants. She'd discovered her love of pastry about two years before, when she was given the opportunity to bake for a friend.

“I actually did a birthday party for my best friend, and it was the first time I ever made iced sugar cookies,” Miller says. “I just fell in love with it. After working for so many different companies, I just decided that I was ready to launch my own thing and make all of the creative decisions.”

Miller can bake cookies from nearly any type of request she gets, mostly baking for weddings, graduations and themed parties.

“My customers can pretty much send me any theme they want,” Miller says. “All I ask is for complete creative freedom. I do my research on the theme and just kind of go from there.”

Since launching Cookies by Chrysta, Miller’s cookies have become a favorite for some Dallas’ chefs and restaurateurs, including Andrea Pedraza of CocoAndre Chocolatier and Reye Duong of Sandwich Hag.

“They’re such inspirations to me,” Miller says of Pedraza and Duong. “I’m very lucky to call them friends.”

Miller will also be one of the vendors at Sandwich Hag’s night market March 21.

Miller has created themed cookies based on television series such as The Office, SpongeBob SquarePants and her favorite, Bob’s Burgers. She has also created 10 different cookie sets based on Friends.

“I never get tired of it because every single set I make is a little bit different,” Miller says.

For Valentine’s Day, Miller has created a set of cookies inspired by hit Netflix series You.

“I am obsessed with You,” Miller says. “So, as soon as I started planning my Valentine's Day cookies, I knew I had to make a set. It has the biggest response out of all of my posts.”

It may seem difficult to keep up with so many facets of pop culture, but with thorough research, Miller is able to fulfill requests, even for themes that are new to her.

“Most of the things I do I’m pretty familiar with,” Miller says. “Sometimes, it can be difficult, but I like being able to learn about the subject and just kind of do my own thing creatively.”

Miller’s cookie sets, including the one inspired by You, will be available for purchase at her Valentine’s Day pop-up Saturday, Feb. 8, in Mesquite (she says to message her on Instagram for the address). She will also be at the Dallasites101 fourth annual Be My Valentine bar crawl Feb. 22, set up inside Deep Ellum Distillery, 2880 Clover St.