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The sweet smell of chocolate, butter, and nostalgia is wafting through the street on Jimmy Johnson as Doughlicious AF (And Fun), a brand-new boutique cookie shop, opened its doors to the public June 13. Founded by chemical engineer turned local baker, Amal Hammad, aims to bring handcrafted cookies- from an Oreo or Reese’s flavors to daring new flavors like The Cookie Monster and Banana Pudding-to the heart of Port Arthur.

 

Hammad started this cookie business journey during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

“I decided to turn passion for baking into a business, all while pursuing my bachelor’s in chemical engineering,” she said. “With more time at home and a desire to spread happiness, I introduced my unique line of stuffed gourmet cookies, shipping them nationwide to cookie lovers everywhere offering a variety of flavors that quickly gained a devoted following across the nation.

 

However, life took her on an unexpected detour. Hammad’s focus switched to solely finishing her chemical engineering degree, taking a break from baking to focus on her studies. While she immersed herself in the world of science and engineering, the joy of baking never left her heart.

 

“I often found myself experimenting with flavors and techniques,” she said. “Dreaming of the day I could return to my passion. So, engineering is just about putting things together and coming up with a product. And I kind of related it to what I was doing at the plant, because we would get fresh, you know, gasoline components, into the refinery, and we would create good grade gasoline. So, it’s kind of like the same thing with baking. You’re taking good quality products and you’re coming up with an even better product.”

 

Three years later, it was time for Hammad to pursue her dream of having a brick and mortar.

 

“It just felt like the right thing to do,” she said. “I did spend three years using my engineering degree, but at the end of the day, I knew that I really wanted to do this. So, yeah, I just think, like the chapter of me working in oil and gas kind of ended, and I knew this would be the next step in professional development and growth, just as an individual. I was also born and raised in Port Arthur, so I always knew I wanted to bring something to the community that would make people happy and bring more exposure to the city.”

 

Hammad said her original customers have come to visit the shop.

 

“The community has responded very well,” she said. “I have people that come in and tell me that they used to order from me online, which is insane. So, I’ve always received that support from the community. My brother is an investor within the company, but I started the business and the name, and whenever I was working out of my home kitchen, it was just me. When it came to building the storefront, he decided that he wanted to invest in them. So yeah, the rest is history.”

 

This new chapter allows Hammad to combine her engineering background with her baking skills, ensuring that each cookie is crafted with precision and a touch of creativity.

 

Doughlicious AF (And Fun) is located at 3300 Jimmy Johnson Blvd.