WHEN YOU walk into Tunde Dugantsi’s Sugar Arts Studio in Bowling Green, you’re met with the sweet aroma of gingerbread and the kind of warmth that feels like home. For Dugantsi, decorating cookies isn’t just a craft — it’s a way to share her Hungarian heritage, one intricately piped cookie at a time.
“I moved to the U.S. in 2007,” Dugantsi explained. “My husband got a job here, and we brought our three children along. At first, I was just a mom trying to keep busy and stay creative.”
It wasn’t until Christmas in 2012 that everything changed. “We made some gingerbread cookies with the kids. It was so much fun,” she said, smiling. “I never stopped after that.”
What started as a holiday activity quickly grew into a full-blown passion project. “I wasn’t a professional baker back in Hungary,” Dugantsi mentioned with a giggle. “But I was always a crafty person. I realized there’s no way you can be a mother, have a job, and still keep a hobby. So I decided — why not make my hobby my work?”
She began researching traditional Hungarian techniques and experimenting with recipes from home. “Gingerbread is a big part of Hungarian culture,” she explained. “You see it at festivals, fairs, weddings — it’s more than just a cookie. It’s a gift.”
In fact, Dugantsi’s cookies are so much more than sweet treats. With designs ranging from elegant florals to Kentucky Derby horses and designs for every holiday — they’re miniature edible artworks.
Soon after she began posting her creations online, the requests started pouring in. “In the first year, someone from NewJersey called and said, ‘All I want for my birthday is a class with you.’ They flew me out and paid for everything. That’s when I realized — this is serious.”
That one class turned into a career. Dugantsi has now taught all over the U.S. and has been invited to CookieCon — an international cookie art convention — 11 times. “People who took my classes kept calling the organizers, telling them to invite me,” she remembered. “I wasn’t part of the first round, but they added me later. And I’ve been invited back every time since.”
Since 2018, she’s had her own studio space in Bowling Green. “Before that, I taught at the library, cake supply stores, and even the farmers market,” she said. “But it’s so much nicer to have my own space. Everything’s ready here.”
Dugantsi offers both group and private classes, usually a couple of times a month at her studio at 1106 Adams St. in Bowling Green. “Classes are $65 and last two to three hours,” she said. “But if you bring your own group, I’ll work with you. And I promise I won’t leave until you finish your cookies.”
What draws people to her classes, beyond the artistry, is her warm and welcoming teaching style. “This has to be fun,” she said. “If it’s fun, you’ll do it again. And if you do it again, you’ll get better. But, if I yell at you, you’ll never touch a piping bag again.” Each class includes a gingerbread or dark chocolate cookie recipe, Hungarian in origin, except for the dark chocolate. “That one’s just too good to pass up,” she grinned. Students also receive icing and practice tips to take home. “The best way to practice? Start with graham crackers!”
Dugantsi’s studio has become a destination for many visitors. A map on her wall proudly displays pins showing where her students have come from — everywhere from California to Florida. “I even have big pins where I’ve traveled to teach,” she said. “Now I just need someone from Hawaii.”
With over 100 cookie designs in her catalogue and the ability to 3D-print custom cutters, there’s almost nothing she can’t create. “If you don’t find what you want, I’ll work with you to make it happen,” she promised.
Dugantsi’s journey is a true testament to what can happen when you follow your passion — with a piping bag in hand and a little Hungarian sweetness in your heart. GN
