Did you know Puffcorn LV has been about 30 years in the making?
Yep, this sweet journey started back in the mid-90s when, as a high schooler, I worked part-time with my mom at a gourmet chocolate shop in the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. That little shop sparked a love for sweets and a deep appreciation for the art of handmade treats.

When the shop closed in the early 2000s, my mom dreamed of starting her own sweets business. At the time, I was knee-deep in full-time work and part-time radio broadcasting (a dream job in itself), but I still helped wherever I could. And somewhere along the way, I discovered that I could channel my creativity not just into my radio job but into sugar!!

That passion led me to pastry classes, and eventually a degree in culinary arts with a focus on pastry. I began baking and decorating cakes from home and built a small but loyal clientele. Hungry to learn more, I left my comfortable desk job at The Venetian Resort and jumped into their in-house bakery, then joined the pastry kitchen at Paris Las Vegas. It was an exciting, challenging time that shaped my skills and deepened my love for the craft.

That experience along with a growing need I saw in the local baking community led me to open Sweet House Cake Supplies & Bakery. It was a place for decorators and dessert lovers alike to connect, learn, and create. We hosted renowned sugar artists, taught classes, and formed lasting friendships. But as online shopping grew and commercial rates climbed, we made the tough decision in 2019 to close the shop and take a much-needed breath.

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So, where does Puffcorn LV come in?
At the grand opening of Sweet House, my cousin brought us a bag of caramel puffcorn she had made. One bite and I was hooked! It was buttery, crunchy, sweet, and unlike anything I’d tasted. When I asked for the recipe, she lovingly declined (fair enough she’d worked hard on it!). Inspired, My then business partner & I dove into research, tested and tweaked, and created our own version for the bakery menu.

Even well after Sweet House closed, the puffcorn requests kept coming. So I leaned in, refined the recipe to give it my own touch, and gave it a glow-up. And just like that, Puffcorn LV was born, a passion project turned full-fledged business, built on decades of pastry experience, entrepreneurial grit, and a love of delicious snacks.

These days, you can catch me at markets around Las Vegas (my favorite place to meet new snack fans!) or at our brick-and-mortar shop in The Iconic Ferguson Downtown. From day one to today, it’s always been about creating something that makes people smile and maybe just a little obsessed.

Thanks for being part of the journey. 

 

Nilda

Founder, Pastry Chef & Puffcorn Connoisseur