In the heart of New Jersey, where tradition often meets artistry, Molli Dowd has built something as warm, joyous, and inviting as the gingerbread houses she's venerated for.
As the founder of Edible Estates, a boutique luxury gingerbread company, Dowd has spent years turning a beloved holiday tradition into an intricate craft and a thriving business, encapsulating the festive spirit of Christmas in her gingerbread creations.
Now, she's embarking on the next chapter, a brick-and-mortar space that blends a specialty bakery and coffee shop aptly named The Porch, with an edible art studio that invites the community to create, celebrate, and connect.
Dowd's path to gingerbread-making was anything but ordinary, much like the structures she creates. Her journey, whilst moving in different avenues, was always interwoven within design.
Trained first as an architect, she later earned a Master's in film and theater production, worked in New York's design world, including a stint with a renowned fashion brand, and eventually pursued landscape architecture. Each step added another layer to her design sensibility.
"It's not a traditional path, but nothing about my life has been traditional," Dowd says. "I'm not a traditional coffee shop or bakery, and I'm not a traditional art studio either. It's a combination."
That combination draws from Dowd's earliest memories, growing up in a family of what she calls "bakers and builders." Her grandfather, a custom home builder, once constructed a three-story playhouse with her father in a single weekend, while her mother and grandmother were constantly in the kitchen, baking cupcakes, croutons, and other delicacies.
Gingerbread houses became a cherished Christmas ritual, and it was in these moments that she found her passion for crafting gingerbread houses. "It took on a whole new meaning for me," she says. "Every year, I loved creating something new, changing the architecture of every house." And each year, she'd create a new style: a Victorian home one winter, a farmhouse the next, infusing tradition with architectural flair.
It was this skill and passion Dowd carried into adulthood and revived when she had her daughters. "There's something about creating gingerbread houses, the warm and cozy feeling it offers, it's a wonderful feeling, it brings communities together, and becomes this family tradition," she shares.
The idea for Edible Estates began with an act of kindness. One December, while making a gingerbread house with her young daughter, Dowd heard the neighborhood fire truck carrying Santa Claus. Outside, she noticed the children across the street, whose father had recently passed, waiting alone. "I just broke down," she recalls. Her daughter suggested turning their gingerbread house into a kit to gift the family. That simple gesture grew into an eight-year tradition and planted the seed for a business built on generosity and connection.
From there, Dowd began offering gingerbread classes for children, which quickly attracted parents eager to join in. Soon, she was hosting elaborate Christmas parties, complete with pre-assembled houses, hundreds of jars of colorful candy, and seasonal cocktails.
The events became so popular, becoming the catalyst for the first phase of Edible Estates, with commissions following. One of her proudest projects was a commission for a renowned hotel on the Upper East Side in New York City, a meticulous gingerbread replica, including the penthouse, complete with glass windows, patinaed towers, and the building's signature details. "They were so blown away by it, they placed it right in the center of the lobby," she says.
Now, Dowd is bringing her vision under one roof. Opening at the end of August, The Porch will be a specialty coffee and tea shop with a menu as thoughtful as her gingerbread designs. Guests can expect small-batch oat and almond milk made in-house, gluten-free and vegan offerings, and creative treats like matcha crumb cake and chai cookies.
The drinks menu will be anchored by a highly reputable coffee brand, alongside options enriched with protein, collagen, ginger, and turmeric for health-conscious customers. The café will place half the seating on the wraparound porch, inviting guests to linger in the open air.
Just beyond the café lies the Edible Art Studio, set to open in late October. Here, visitors can decorate cookies, assemble gingerbread houses, or take baking classes ranging from beginner-friendly to advanced multi-day workshops. The space will also serve as an event venue for birthdays, corporate gatherings, and holiday parties.
In keeping with the collaborative spirit that shaped her business, Dowd plans to host guest instructors, specialty bakers who might not have their own storefronts but whose skills deserve a stage. "I love the idea of sharing my space with other creatives," she says. "They could explore and grow their skills, make things for The Porch, and just grow in a community that celebrates them."
For Dowd, the joy of her work lies not only in the artistry but in the connections it fosters. Gingerbread, she believes, is more than sugar and spice; it's a medium for storytelling, tradition, and togetherness.
Whether she's replicating a landmark in edible form, guiding a family through their first gingerbread build, or serving a meticulously crafted cup of coffee, she's creating experiences that feel both personal and memorable.
As The Porch and the Edible Art Studio open their doors, Dowd's vision is poised to become something bigger than a bakery or a classroom.
It's a place where design, craft, and community meet, where a childhood memory can spark a career, a simple act of kindness can grow into a tradition, and every creation, whether made of gingerbread or flour and sugar, carries the warmth of the hands that shape it.
