We had the good fortune of connecting with Hannah Diamond and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hannah, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I’ve always been obsessed with baking cookies—it’s been my secret dream to open a cookie bakery! I remember being in my early 20s, hanging out with friends after dinner, and all I wanted was a warm chocolate chip cookie. I mean, who doesn’t want a warm cookie after a night out, right?! So I always told myself, one day I’m going to fix that in Ft. Worth!

Growing up, my mom and I would bake cookies from scratch (no slice-and-bake in our house!). Cookies have always been my happy place, especially after a long day. Flash forward to me, six weeks postpartum with our fourth child in five years, up in the middle of the night making cookies because it was my therapy. My friends had been telling me for years to sell my cookies, but the timing was never right. Then one day, I just thought, “Okay, some people might not love my cookies, but what if a lot of people do? Let’s give it a shot!” And boom, Millie’s Cookies was born!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
For the past 10 years, I’ve had the privilege of working as a certified nurse midwife and nurse practitioner, which has been a dream of mine since childhood. I always wanted to provide women with the option of having a female provider in a field that was traditionally male-dominated. It’s been an incredible journey, allowing me to be part of so many beautiful moments, like helping families welcome their babies into the world. I’m beyond grateful to every family who has trusted me during such a special time in their lives.

Even on challenging days, I’ve found so much comfort in baking. It’s my way of relaxing, praying, and reflecting. Baking has been my creative outlet, giving me something positive to focus on after a long day. While it brings me joy, I truly want my cookies to bring joy to others. Food has a way of gathering people, and my dream is for families and friends to enjoy Millie’s Cookies at fun get-togethers and celebrations. There’s nothing better than knowing my cookies are a small part of those happy moments!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend came to town, we’d start with brunch at The Tavern, then head over to Clearfork for some shopping. Since I’ve got little kids and love a good children’s boutique, we’d definitely stop at Collins and Conley’s. For dinner, we’d either go to Pacific Table for seafood, or if we’re craving Mexican, we’d hit up Uncle Julio’s for chicken fajitas, Maria’s for enchiladas, or enjoy the beautiful patio and margaritas at Joe T. Garcia’s.

The next day, we’d grab breakfast burritos at Salsa Limón on Magnolia, then get coffee at Avoca while trying to avoid the temptation of donuts from Lilly’s Bistro. We’d spend the afternoon shopping at Hale House on Camp Bowie, and then head back to Aledo to stop at ByrdMill for some cute Bearcat gear.

On the final day, it’d be burger day! We’d make sure to get to Dayne’s BBQ in Aledo early before the burgers sell out, then stop by Emmacate Boutique and Winton and Waits for some more shopping. To wrap things up, we’d end with dinner at JD’s Burgers for the Cheryl & Beau burger. Sounds like the perfect weekend!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I couldn’t have done any of this without my mom, who spent years in the kitchen developing recipes and being my biggest inspiration. And my husband? He’s the real MVP! For most of our big events, he’s the one in the kitchen actually baking while I’m off chasing cookie dreams. He’s the voice of reason when I’m like, “Let’s make 500 cookies today!”, and he’s all about efficiency and cost-effectiveness (which to be honest is not in my vocabulary).

And then there’s my sister-in-law, Hannah Sultemeier—she’s a lifesaver! I didn’t even know what “branding” was until she told me I needed it. She’s behind all the pretty stuff you see, like the website and graphics. Plus, she’s the most organized person I know. She’s come over more times than I can count to save me from my chaotic office and my cluttered inbox. I mean, I didn’t even know “zero inbox” was a thing before her! And the amazing part? She’s done all this while working another job and being a mom to two little girls! I’m forever grateful to her for letting me chase this dream! Millie’s Cookies definitely wouldn’t exist without her.

Website: https://www.milliescookiesfw.com/

Instagram: Milliescookies_fw

Image Credits
Chase Hall photography

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.