Sometimes, you just want a fresh-baked cookie. Not two dozen of them. Not a freezer full of them. Just one.
That’s how Gabby and Elise Brulotte came up with Hot Take: single-serve, high-quality cookie dough you can bake one at a time. What started in ’s family kitchen is now a cult-favorite brand built on drops, collabs, and community.
What we cover:
- Why selling raw dough meant going commercial from day one
- The breaking point that pushed them to hire a co-packer
- How collaborations and limited drops turned customers into a community
Selling raw cookie dough meant going commercial from day one. Most bakers can start with a cottage food license and a home oven. Hot Take didn’t have that option. Raw dough requires a commercial kitchen from the start, insurance, and manager‑level food safety certifications — all before shipping a single bag.
You can’t scale if you do it all yourself. For years, Gabby shipped thousands of pounds of dough herself. The breaking point came when pallets wouldn’t fit through the door and physical constraints were capping growth. Partnering with a copacker freed them to focus on the business instead of burning out.
Let your audience tell you what they want. When TikTok exploded in 2020, it put Hot Take in front of thousands of dessert‑hungry audiences. Followers on Instagram also inform Hot Take products in real-time, through live follow polls on flavors and preferences.
Treat every product launch like a drop. Hot Take’s biggest buzz didn’t come from ads or retail placement — it came from partnerships. Collabs with Paige Lorenze and Tony’s Chocolonely brought in new audiences and made them feel part of something special.
Grow on your own terms. Hot Take started as a side hustle with a $5,000 investment. Instead of chasing fast rollouts ans scale, they’re pacing themselves. “We love living good lives too,” Gabby says. “We’re figuring out how to build this in a way that feels good for us and for the people working with us.”
Let’s cookie dough and go
Cookie dough by the numbers
$5,000: The initial investment to start Hot Take
30,000 followers in year one: Hot Take’s early TikTok growth during 2020
$30–$45: Average fulfillment cost per frozen shipment
800 units in a week: Peak drop sales during holiday season
Try this if you’re launching a raw product
Check your license requirements early. If your product is sold raw, you may need a commercial kitchen and certifications before you sell a single unit.
Know when you’ve maxed out your capacity. If limited time or space starts hindering your growth, it may be time to find a co-packer.
Use social as a two‑way street. Ask your audience for feedback on flavors, names, and price perceptions. Their feedback can shape smarter decisions.
Decide what kind of growth you actually want. Steady expansion that you can manage day‑to‑day, or rapid scale and aggressive rollouts? Be clear on the pace that fits your resources and long‑term goals before you commit.
The full Hot Take playbook: Finding the sweet spot in your business.
