Today we’d like to introduce you to Nawal Al-Nouri.
Hi Nawal, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My mom is the master baker in our family, and everyone still fawns over her treats. I grew up watching her work her magic in the kitchen. I’ve loved cooking and baking for as long as I can remember, and seeing people’s reactions to my creations really motivated me to keep innovating. The idea that I could bring joy through something that felt so natural to me felt like a little puzzle piece clicking into place.
When life slowed down during COVID, I finally had time to really refine my baking. I’d like to think that’s when I perfected my OG Salty Chocolate Chip cookie. My neighbors would line up to taste test, and to this day, they still remind me of those early batches. Everyone kept telling me to start selling them, but I didn’t want to lose the joy of baking to the stress of running a business.
A couple of years later, after moving to North County, I realized how much I missed sharing my cookies with friends and neighbors. Sea salt on every cookie was always non-negotiable, so when a friend helped me create a simple logo, The Salty Cookie was born.
Fast forward to today, and I still pinch myself every time someone calls and says, “Is this The Salty Cookie? Can I place an order?” What started as a little COVID project has turned into something so special. I never imagined I’d have the privilege of bringing people this much happiness from a humble, salty-sweet cookie.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I’d love to say it’s been a smooth road, but that hasn’t exactly been the case. My family and I have always been little W-2 worker bees, so stepping into the world of entrepreneurship was a major shift. One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced so far has been scaling.
I started by taking single cookie orders—just me and my little 3.5 qt Artisan mixer. Fast forward to today, and some weeks I’m fulfilling 250-cookie corporate orders with the help of my 20 qt commercial mixer. Every upgrade has brought a mix of growing pains and progress. There’s a huge learning curve, from production to packaging to managing time efficiently, but I’ve been able to learn through trial and error. What I have loved about this journey is realizing how much you can teach yourself when you’re truly motivated to grow.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I own The Salty Cookie, LLC — an artisan cookie company with recipes curated by a dietitian (me!) using premium, thoughtfully sourced ingredients you can truly taste. I keep my ingredient lists simple but intentional, focusing on quality — think Kerrygold butter, King Arthur flour, and other top-tier staples. I’ve always believed the reason most store-bought cookies can’t compete with homemade is because the ingredients just aren’t the same. My goal is to make cookies that taste like something I’d proudly bake and enjoy in my own kitchen.
I offer local pick-up at Karak House Coffee Co. in Sorrento Valley (9254 Scranton Road) and also ship throughout California. Orders can be placed directly at www.thesaltycookie.com. All cookies are made to order and require a 48-hour lead time. I also work with other business and corporations, offering custom-branded, individually sealed cookies that make perfect gifts or event favors.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
My biggest piece of advice is to JUST. START. I truly had no idea what I was doing when I began (and still feel that way some days). What matters most is having the grit, motivation, and drive to figure things out as you go, and the resilience to get back up when things inevitably don’t go as planned.
Pricing:
- Single cookie: $5.50
- Half-dozen bakery box (max 2 flavors): $30
- Dozen bakery box (max 4 flavors): $55
- Flavors: OG Salty Chocolate Chip, Brown Butter Toffee, Dubai Chocolate Pistachio, Oatmeal Scotchie, White Chocolate Biscoff
- Gooey Pumpkin Snickerdoodle (October Flavor). We offer a monthly seasonal flavor.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thesaltycookie.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesaltycookie_/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/The-Salty-Cookie/61567721300828/?checkpoint_src=any#
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-salty-cookie-san-diego?osq=the+salty+cookie
Image Credits
Karleigh McCabe
