Like many couples who move into a new home, Ashley and Daniel Dalton did some renovation to their place in Vandalia.

You might imagine a coat of paint and upgraded appliances. And it's fairly common to repurpose a spare bedroom, perhaps to an office or gym.

So the Daltons converted their extra space into a cookie room.

Ashley Dalton needed a cookie room. Her home-based Sunday Afternoon Bakery turned out 17 dozen cookies last week alone. Orders come in from groups – 10 dozen recently for a Van-Far School District event – and individuals.

"It has far surpassed our expectations," Dalton said of the business she started less than a year ago.

Sunday Afternoon Bakery's offerings are limited. Decorated sugar cookies make up 75 percent of her sales, with drop cookies like chocolate chip accounting for the rest. But there's no pressure to expand the menu.

During the pandemic Dalton created a decorating kit to entertain her kids. They loved it. When she donated cookies to help Shop With A Cop raise money, the treats were gobbled up and the organization gained $1,000.

"It was Valentine's Day when I offered the first decorated sugar cookies," Dalton said, referring to her first listing for general sales. "It took off."

The home bakery prepares made to order cookies and pre-sales. Dalton occasionally sets up at festivals – she will have a booth at Prairie Days in Vandalia – but otherwise operates primarily on a pick up basis.

She will decorate for any theme.

Dalton works alone (although her husband helps with "quality control" – "he has a sweet tooth," she said with a laugh) and the process is laborious. She explains that a dozen cookies consume about four hours from when the flour fills the measuring cup to the moment the last bit of icing settles into place.

Her recipe has been thoroughly vetted, but quality control is more than just a way to sneak a taste. A number of factors can affect the outcome of a cookie, especially humidity.

The cookie room is not fancy. It is equipped with a large sink, tables, storage and an array of lights necessary for decorating baked goods. There are also three fans and other temperature controls.

She hopes to use it to host pop up events, but otherwise it is a work space. The house actually needed a cookie room.

Despite the name, Dalton bakes throughout the week. Sunday Afternoon Bakery is a nod to the family tradition of creating treats together every Sunday.

"I've always loved baking," she explained. "And it's something I've always done with the kids."

Dalton adds that her youngest, a toddler, loves to hang out in the kitchen.

The bakery draws customers from across Audrain County, although Dalton concentrates on the Vandalia and Farber area.

She has regulars who make the trip from Mexico, but is unlikely to set up in the city.

"You guys have The Cookie Club," Dalton said. "Kierah [Harris, The Cookie Club's owner and baker] is fantastic."

Contact Sunday Afternoon Bakery on Facebook or by texting 573-721-6634.