Mayo couple taste sweet smell of success with their cookies
WHAT started as a late-night baking experiment in Castlebar has turned into one of Mayo’s most popular homemade treats in just under a year.
Shane O’Connor and his partner Taina Caroline, the couple behind Crúmhog Cookies, have been winning hearts and sweet tooths across the country with their big, chunky creations, and all from their kitchen in Castlebar.
Shane recalls the moment it all began. “We first came across this style of cookie in bakeries in New York. We saw them online, they were huge, thick, and crumbly. I wanted to try making them but failed several times. It just kept coming out wrong each time.
“Tai took over and we went full obsessed mode then to try and get it right.”
Taina became determined to get the cookies just right. “We started researching exactly what each ingredient does, why it’s there, and how to make a recipe that was truly our own. We focused on keeping it simple, using quality, often local ingredients, and after countless trials, we finally nailed it.”
Once they cracked the recipe, presentation was next. They decorated each cookie, then decided to test the waters by going door-to-door in Castlebar.
“We didn’t want to put too much pressure on ourselves, just see if people liked them,” Shane says. “The feedback was brilliant.”
Their 11-year-old daughter, Alicia, was a big part of that early success. “She was incredible, helping with the selling,” Taina says. “We’d bake at night after the kids went to bed, then head out together. One night we sold out in under 30 minutes.”
Encouraged by the response, Taina, who works as a tattoo artist and has years of experience taking high-quality photos for her clients, set up an Instagram account and website. “I nearly stand back and let her go when it comes to that side,” Shane admits.
Orders started flooding in, first through social media and now via nationwide delivery.
Their most popular flavours include chocolate chip, Kinder, Biscoff and brownie, though they love experimenting.
The name Crúmhog was inspired by a viral US cookie chain called Crumbl. “We played around with it, young crumb, and eventually landed on Crúmhog,” Shane explains. “Plenty of people might mispronounce it, but we don’t mind, it catches people’s attention.”
Running a cookie business alongside full-time jobs and parenting is no small feat. Taina works full-time as a tattoo artist and Shane works in Luasca golf in Castlebar.
“It can be stressful at times,” Shane says. “Some nights we’re baking until the early hours, especially for big delivery days.”
While they’ve thought about moving into rented premises and setting up a shop, the couple say the timing isn’t quite right.
“We’re looking at buying a house, so that’s where we are at the moment, and we know how big a commitment it would be to take that next step with bricks and mortar,” Shane says.
“For now, we’re sticking with what we know and enjoying it, we'll see where it goes.”
With over 2,500 Instagram followers, a growing nationwide customer base, and strong local support, Crúmhog Cookies and the creative couple behind it all have found the perfect recipe for success, one batch at a time.