Meet Annie McFadden | Passionate Baker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Annie McFadden and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Annie, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I was born and raised in Allentown Pennsylvania.

As a little girl I loved being in the kitchen, watching and helping my Mom and Grandma. Both women had their own style of doing things, especially when it came to baking. My Austrian born Grandma didn’t measure her ingredients while my Mom measured everything! I watched, asked tons of questions, and honestly wanted to know it all. Looking back, these were my happiest moments as a child. Baking not only made our home smell wonderful and comforting but it brought so many smiles.

Once I mastered family recipes, brownies were at the top of my list. They still are! As a young adult I relocated to sunny South Florida and began working in the restaurant industry. Soon I was creating unique cocktails and became a popular mixologist. Developing new cocktail recipes rekindled my interest in baking and sparked new ideas for recipes I desperately wanted to try.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

In 2014, I left my bartending position at a local bar on Hollywood Beach and began working at my fiancé’s bar/restaurant tending bar and creating desserts with a twist. The popularity of my Bourbon Bacon Brownie and unique mini cheesecakes helped me establish M’s Sweets~n~Treats. After supplying desserts to the Historic Downtowner and Maxwell Room in Fort Lauderdale they encouraged me to join them at Ft Lauderdale’s Bacon Bash in 2017. I sold 300 Bourbon Bacon Brownies in 90 minutes!!!! Quickly I was becoming a favored vendor at this Fort Lauderdale event and earned the precious award of the Best Bacon Dessert.

Then in March of 2020 I had to pleasure to participate at Dessert Wars in Miami. My goal was to launch Bourbon Bacon Brownies to begin branding. After this experience there was a buzz throughout Ft. Lauderdale and Miami and I quickly began getting ready for my next event at Wellington’s Bacon and Bourbon Festival. This 2 day event was scheduled on the weekend that our world came to a screeching halt and quarantine was put into place. While meeting this challenge head on, I have continued to pursue my passion for baking and Bourbon Bacon Brownies, bringing smiles to so many!

Currently I have relocated north of Fort Lauderdale and have become a part of the Indian River County and their community. I have been participating in events and pop up’s throughout the area, including Sebastian, Orchid Island and Vero Beach. My goal is to continue to grow my business through catering and shipping throughout the United States, with hopes to make M’s Sweets~n~Treats a household name.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Being a Fort Lauderdale girl for so many years, my trips to Miami were infrequent but so much fun. From music and entertainment to great food and beach views, South Beach is a must! Full of colorful views and people, this area never disappoints and should be on everyone’s destination while traveling to South Florida.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Hands down, my fiancé, Michael Foley! He is my rock through all the ups and downs on my journey with M’s Sweets~n~Treats. The man behind the scenes who helps make it all possible along with being my best salesman. Whether at an event, pop up or through daily encounters, he shares my passion and says that’s its an easy sell. He encourages me daily to work through all the hiccups that my business experiences and is always there to celebrate my triumphs.

Website: mssweetsntreats.com

Instagram: ms_sweets_n_treats

Facebook: M’s Sweets n Treats