Behind the Brand: Carolyn Haeler’s Recipe for Sweet Success

For many people with dietary restrictions, finding a cookie that actually delivers on taste and texture is an ongoing struggle. Carolyn Haeler, a former finance executive and passionate home baker, decided to change that—starting with a single, inedible bite of a store-bought gluten-free cookie during the holiday season. That moment sparked Mightylicious, her now-award-winning cookie company redefining what it means to indulge mindfully.

Soft-baked and flavorful, each Mightylicious cookie is Certified Vegan, Kosher, Gluten-Free, and Non-GMO, with no trace of wheat, rye, barley, or rBST.

The Oatmeal Coconut variety was adapted from a 100-year-old family recipe and is just one of seven flavors in the Mightylicious lineup. Others include Double Dutch Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin Vegan, Salted Peanut Butter (grain- and dairy-free), and Brown Butter Shortbread (which contains dairy). Mightylicious cookies are available at major retailers like Whole Foods, Walmart, Kroger, and Costco, as well as online at Mightylicious.com and Amazon.

In this interview, Carolyn Haeler shares how she turned a moment of frustration into a fast-growing, flavor-forward cookie empire—and why she believes everyone deserves dessert that doesn’t compromise.

What was the turning point that made you say, "I need to create my own cookie"?

I had been gluten free for 5 years, working long hours in finance and eating mediocre gluten free products. It was the holidays, and I was gift shopping standing online when I realized that I hadn’t eaten all day. There were gluten free cookies on the shelf in front of me. I took a bite and couldn’t even swallow. That was the moment when I decided that someone had to bake a better cookie.

Before Mightylicious, did you have any background in food, baking, or business? Or was this a completely new territory for you?

I had always enjoyed baking and cooking prior to Mightylicious. The kitchen was a place of solace and creativity, but my training was in finance and baking. Starting a CPG company was completely new territory. Even with a background in food, baking commercially is a completely new challenge. Recipes can only be scaled four times before the chemistry breaks; commercial machinery is designed for scale and efficiency.

How long did it take from that crumbling-cookie moment to baking the first Mightylicious prototype in your kitchen?

Almost immediately. That same day. I’m a very focused person. I baked 15 hours a day for 3 months. Every day, including the weekends.

What were the biggest challenges you faced early on? Was it sourcing ingredients, perfecting recipes, or something else?

The biggest challenge early on is finding manufacturing facilities and distribution. These are still two of the biggest challenges that I face. When you are just starting you need a commercial facility with the correct licenses, but your demand is small and inconsistent; Manufacturing facilities want volume and consistency. Then there is distribution. You also need volume and consistency to get a contract with a distributor. So, in the beginning I did everything myself by hand. I rented a commercial bakery in Queens, NY by the hour and delivered my cookies out of the back of a rental truck on Sundays.

Tell us about the evolution of the product line. How did you decide which flavors to introduce first, and what inspired the vegan options?

I started with what was important to me, a classic chocolate chip cookie. That was something that I missed and mourned following my diagnosis. I think it was because of all of the stress I was under in my career; I was needing food that was nostalgic and comforting. Once I had a great classic chocolate chip, I started thinking strategically. I wanted a cookie that would be a similar recipe to make the manufacturing and ingredient sourcing process efficient, but also something classic, so I create my double dutch cookie. I rounded that out with my peanut butter cookie because vanilla, chocolate and peanut butter are a classic combo.

It was Whole Foods who approached me about making a vegan flavor. They said that while gluten free was hot, the vegan category was really growing. I was at first a bit intimidated, it’s very challenging to bake without gluten, I couldn’t imagine achieving the results that I wanted without wheat, eggs, or butter. Soon after, my mother-in-law served oatmeal coconut cookies at a family dinner; they were a 100-year-old family recipe. I fell in love with them and thought that the chemistry of the cookies would lend themselves to being gluten free and vegan. They became my best-selling cookie and inspired my vegan line.

What sets Mightylicious apart from other gluten-free cookies on the market today?

We are completely different because we’ve created our own gluten free flour blend. Most, if not all of my competitors add ancient grains to their flour mix. Ancient grains are higher in protein than rice flour, so they bake well, but they don’t taste good. They have earthy, acrid flavors that sit on the pallet. Imagine the taste of a cigarette butt. We overcame this challenge by working with farmers in California that grow the correct kind of rice (there are many varieties) and mill our rice flour to a super fine consistency. This allows us to omit the ancient grain but still offers a product that has 8 grams of protein per cup. Our cookies end up being sweet and salty but never acrid, and soft, chewy and cakey.

You went from baking for yourself to selling online and getting into retail stores. How did that transition happen, and what were some key milestones in your growth?

It was very fast; I created my cookie recipes and incorporated my business in April of 2017. It hit the shelves of Whole Foods 6 months later in January of 2018. We started in 3 Manhattan Whole Foods and then expanded to 2 whole foods regions in 2019. Now we are in most states including Hawaii and Alaska.

How hands-on are you in the business today, from recipe development to branding and distribution?

I am R&D and the only full-time employee. I have teams that support me in sales, marketing, and operations but I am the face and voice of the brand and make all operational and financial decisions.

What lessons from your personal journey have guided how you run Mightylicious as a brand and as a business?

Believe in your brand and mission.

What’s next for Mightylicious?

New products, we’d like to be a lifestyle brand.

From late-night recipe testing in a rented bakery to seeing her cookies on shelves nationwide, Carolyn Haeler’s journey is a testament to what happens when passion meets purpose. With a focus on flavor, clean ingredients, and inclusivity, Mightylicious has become more than just a cookie brand—it’s a movement that proves indulgence and integrity can go hand in hand. As Haeler looks ahead to expanding the product line and growing Mightylicious into a full lifestyle brand, one thing remains constant: her unwavering belief that everyone deserves a cookie they can love—without compromise.

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Yvon Lux is the editor of her Apple News channel covering lifestyle news and current events. Her “blogazine” celebrates sisterhood and empowers women by focusing on women’s health, travel, lifestyle, and entrepreneurial news while also sharing the most coveted beauty news and style stories.

Yvon’s lifestyle Magazine stylishly tells stories of trailblazers and tastemakers. Email news tips and stories to designs@yvonlux.com. Connect with her on Instagram and subscribe to her Apple News channel.