Donna Bielke Billman aka “Donna B”, “the Cookie Lady” moved to Palm Desert in 2018 from Laguna Niguel, California. She was born in Chaska, MN and after college at Mankato State, began a career as a flight attendant for North Central Airlines. (Renamed Republic, Northwest, and now Delta Airlines). From her base in Detroit Michigan, she flew regionally, and then later the airline’s route to and from Orange County. In 1985 she “retired” from that job to raise her son Michael.
While raising him, she became divorced and found herself struggling as a single mother to make ends meet. Using a chocolate chip cookie dough recipe she developed, Donna began making and selling small batches of cookie dough to her friends and co-workers at a job she took in Long Beach. As the popularity of her “dough” business flourished, Donna met her future husband Jeff.
While still growing her cookie dough business, she and Jeff married in 1990 and in 1991 had their daughter Delanie. It wasn’t long until the size of her cookie dough business dictated that she open a commercial kitchen. As luck would have it, there was a bakery operation vacating its lease in Laguna Niguel right about that time.
So, in 1993, Donna B opened Donna B’s Bakery. Using her chocolate chip cookie recipe as the foundation of her business, Donna B grew her bakery lineup to over 15 varieties of award winning cookie and cookie dough. Soon came brownies, cupcakes, and fabulous decorated cakes among many other dessert items.
Her retail shop (Donna B's Bakery) was consistently rated 5 stars on popular social media sites. Her business also sold bulk quantities to commercial caterers, and large organizations. But, it was her involvement with Orange County corporations that gave her the growth needed to persevere and grow her business each and every year throughout the 25 years she was in business.
Those clients purchased cookie gifts for their regional, national, and worldwide customers. Recognized for beautiful, high quality products, five star customer service, a superb reputation, and the ability to bake and ship high volumes, Donna B Cookies became the go to supplier for year-round and holiday gifting.
In 2018 Donna B sold her bakery to Los Alamitos and Huntington Beach based Great Dane Bakery who continues to operate Donna B's Bakery in Laguna Niguel today.
Today the company offers Donna B's delicious goodies for sale from her Cottage Bakery in Palm Desert. Over the past 3 years “Donna B” has been introducing her delicious cookies, cookie dough, and cookie gifts to communities in the Coachella Valley. They are sold for delivery or curbside pickup only on this website.
Donna B Cookies in the Desert is incorporated in the state of California, and is licensed and permitted as a "Cottage Food Operation" by the Riverside County Health Department.* There are no plans to open a retail store at the moment.
*The Cottage Food Bill, AB1616, allows certain low-risk food products to be prepared and packaged in private home kitchens in California. The Cottage Food Bill, also known as the California Homemade Food Act, was passed in an effort to promote small scale businesses, create jobs, and to help Californians recover from a slow economy.
Donna B is looking forward to meeting new customers and expanding within the community.
