T’Juanna Winters (called Lil’ Lizzie by her family) learned to bake at the feet of grandmother, Elizabeth Jones. She always loved being in the kitchen and bringing joy to others through the foods her family created together but never considered turning her love of culinary arts into a career. At the urging of family and friends, Winters launched Lizzie Lu Luxury Treats in December 2019 to honor her grandmother’s belief that if you do good, you’ll do well. The store was an immediate hit, but T'Juanna was forced to shutter her doors just a few months after the opening due to the pandemic. She has recently reopened her store at 4020 N MacArthur Blvd Ste 120, Irving, TX 75038 (across from the Four Seasons Resort). Using the freshest ingredients and a limitless imagination Winters is creating high-quality candies, cakes and cookies in flavor profiles, both traditional and imaginative, packaged to impress the receiver. Her family recipes used have been passed down over the years and reimagined for new generations of fans to enjoy them.  

Lizzie Lu's is not your average candy store or bakery. Her Willy Wonka-like creations include her unique Candy Barks which are created with high-quality chocolate mixed with nuts, dried fruits, candies or even additional pieces of chocolate. Ingredients are mixed together, baked, then broken into shards of various sizes to serve. The name “bark” comes from the resemblance to rough pieces of tree bark. Highlights include Strawberry Cheesecake Bark made with strawberries, mouthwatering cheesecake, chocolate, and crisp graham crackers; Fruity Pebbles Bark made with creamy white chocolate, Fruity Pebbles, and bits of peach, orange, and pineapple; Banana Pudding Bark made with creamy chocolate, dried banana chips, and vanilla wafers; and Cookies and Cream Bark made with Oreos and Cream! Just imagine eating Oreos dipped in milk! Another popular confection is her Butter Cakes, which originated from the British pound cake and is considered one of the quintessential cakes in American baking. If you've never had a butter cake, you've probably had it's cousin the pound cake. The main difference is that a butter cake has more butter than eggs, flour etc. whilst a pound cake has them in equal amounts. After baking, T'Juanna's warm Butter Cakes are soaked in a buttery glaze making the cake even more moist and delicious. This is one of Lizzie Lu's most in-demand treats. Once you taste it, you will see why! Another cult-favorite are her Shookies. She uses a family recipe for Butter Cookies passed down for generations and tops each cookie with a warm butter glaze and various fruit toppings, so it ends up resembling a cobbler. T'Juanna call them Shookies, because you will be shooketh when you taste how incredibly delicious these cookies are. Looking for a fun hostess gift or birthday present? Pick up one of Lizzie Lu's beautifully packaged Candy Apples. Each one starts with whole Granny Smith apples dipped in a rich caramel with a stick inserted as a handle. What makes Lizzie Lu's unique is that they dip the apples, roll them in selected toppings - then dip and roll them again so you get twice the treats. Average weight is 3 lbs. That's a whole lotta love. Lastly, your kids will go crazy for the Lu-Aid Pickles. Sweet, sour and tangy these flavor-soaked pickles are a unique twist on a usually savory condiment. They soak Mama P pickles in a combination of pickle juice, Kool Aid and sugar, then let them brine for about a week. The pickles take on a deep red, purple or blue color depending on the flavor of Kool Aid used to become a wacky and tasty flavored treat.

T'Juanna recently contributed her Butter Cake recipe to Come to the Table, a new fundraising cookbook from Ronald McDonald House of Dallas that features cherished family recipes and deeply personal dishes by top chefs. Giving back has always been an integral part of her family’s philosophy and the spirit of creating human connections remains the driving force that inspires her today. T’Juanna has dedicated herself to bring high-impact awareness to communities in need and is most passionate about providing aid to senior citizens and children, who are typically the underserved in any community - which is why partnering with the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas on this project was such a joy for her.

Lizzie Lu Luxury Treats is located at 4020 N MacArthur Blvd Ste 120, Irving, TX 75038. Hours of operation are Sundays 12/noon to 5pm, Tues-Sat, 10:30am-6:30pm. Shop in-person or online at https://lizzieluluxury-treats.com.