Michigan Baker Wows Holly Campbell With Detroit Lions Cookies

This is exciting! Brodie Horn, a businesswoman in Genesee County, recently created cookies for Holly Campbell, the wife of Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell.

Brodie owns Queen Bee’s Bakery LLC, which she opened in 2018.

When I noticed on social media that Holly Campbell had contacted Brodie to create cookies themed around the Detroit Lions for a party, I had many questions, and Brodie was kind enough to answer them.

How long have you been baking and designing cookies?

In 2018, I decorated my first cookies. My mom and I took a cookie decorating class on a whim, and I was instantly hooked! I've been baking for as long as I can remember; it’s something my mom and I truly love to do together.

How did your cookies catch the attention of Holly Campbell?

I tagged her and several lion accounts in my Thanksgiving presale post on Instagram because I created a cookie set featuring the Detroit Lions. However, I did not expect anything to come from it!

Do you know what event your Detroit Lions cookies were served at?

I made the cookies for an event that Holly Campbell was hosting, which was for the Detroit Lions Women’s Association. So it included wives of players/staff, some of the female staff, etc.

That is so awesome, was it a big order?

The order was 4 dozen custom Lions Christmas cookies.

How did you learn that Holly Campbell wanted you to make the special cookies?

Holly messaged me on Instagram almost immediately after I posted the presale, saying that she had been looking for a cookie girl on Google that same day and came up empty-handed! So it was fate.

How excited were you to get this order?

Honestly, I was completely blown away. I immediately sat down on my kitchen floor and started shaking. This kind of thing just does not happen to me, and it felt so surreal that she wanted my cookies.

What cookies do you have the most fun creating?

The most enjoyable cookies to make are those that involve creative mash-ups. I've crafted cookies for various occasions, including a set for a 21st birthday with a Jurassic Park theme. For a baby shower, a customer requested a cohesive mix of Carhartt, chocolate labs, hunting, flannel, and baby boy elements. It's incredibly fun to get creative and experiment with different designs. I even made cookies for my baby shower, and it was a delightful experience to create whatever I wanted.

What are the most difficult cookies to design and create?

The most challenging aspect for me is the mental strain of repeating the same themes. I strive to make each set unique for every customer, but it can be difficult to come up with fresh ideas for the same theme. This often leads to a lack of inspiration.

Artistically, the hardest part is creating line art with an edible marker. You have to be extremely careful not to puncture the icing with the pen. It requires steady hands to draw clean lines, and if you make a mistake, you can't simply fix it with the markers—you have to start all over again!

Looking back, did you think the business would grow to this level? Fill us in on the early days.

I sold cookies on and off while working my regular job for a few years, but I started full-time baking in September 2022. In December of that year, I gave birth to our second baby and managed to bake 23 dozen cookies the week before she arrived, including 3 dozen for the hospital staff on the labor and delivery floor!

We decided that this job was the best option for me once we realized I couldn't return to a traditional job. I needed to be a full-time caregiver for our two special needs children. My husband is in a bar band and also works as a teacher, so he is busy all the time. I wanted to contribute financially while still having a creative outlet—I need this, especially being neurodivergent. My goal was to lighten my husband's load, or at least make it feel less heavy.

I appreciate the flexibility to set my schedule, which wouldn’t be possible with a traditional 9-to-5 job. I needed a role that could accommodate my children’s appointments and therapies.

I never imagined I would have the opportunity to make cookies for such well-known people. I am truly blown away by the opportunities that have come my way over the past month!

You can find me on Facebook at Queen Bee’s Bakery LLC and on Instagram. Both pages showcase some of my past work and include my ordering link, which is the best way to reach me. I also welcome messages if anyone has questions about the cookies or me.

Thank you so much, Brodie, congratulations and I wish you continued success.