With ‘Better Butter’, Muskan Katyal Parekh has been whipping up chunky cookies and brownies in a variety of flavours. She shares her sweet journey with NT BUZZ
CHRISTINE MACHADO | NT BUZZ
Muskan Katyal Parekh’s baking journey began as an act of love. “I started making brownies back in 2016 because my then boyfriend, now my husband, really loves them,” she shares.
Her relatives loved the brownies so much that they suggested she sell them. At the time, Parekh was studying fashion communication and began selling brownies to earn some extra money.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, she began experimenting with her baking and partnered with a delivery service to reach more areas of the state. “Back then, we called it ‘The Brownie Club’ and only sold different varieties of brownies,” she says. She later honed her skills at the School for European Pastries in Mumbai.
In 2025, she expanded her venture and launched her cloud kitchen, ‘Better Butter’, in St Inez. “The name sounded catchy. Plus, it reminded people of the popular tongue twister, which made them feel nostalgic,” says Parekh.
Apart from brownies, ‘Better Butter’ also serves chunky cookies in different flavours. “Our current bestseller is the pistachio kunafa stuffed cookie. Some of our other cookies include hazelnut Nutella, triple chocolate and the classic milk chocolate,” she shares, adding that they also offer eggless cookies. Another favourite is the almond croissant cookie.
“I’m working on a cream cheese stuffed cinnamon sugar cookie for Easter and a dark chocolate and orange cookie,” she adds. Her journey has not been without challenges. “I lost my dad right after I came back from pastry school. I had planned to start my cloud kitchen with him since he had the knowledge, hands-on experience and contacts. Instead, I had to start this venture on my own,” she says, adding that every day brings new lessons.
She recalls that Diwali last year was overwhelming and taught her the value of teamwork. “Coordinating a team takes patience and understanding, yet it’s something people often overlook,” she adds.
Parekh has also found it difficult to meet requests for sugar-free and gluten-free options. She says, “I do plan on moving into a sugar-free category, but it’s complicated due to the variety of requests,” she says. What sets ‘Better Butter’ apart, she believes, is the quality of its ingredients. “We use French butter and cream and only Belgian chocolate, not compound chocolate. Everything is made in small batches, either by me or under my supervision. Consistency is something we focus on,” she says.
She also avoids artificial food colouring or preservatives. “Food colour can be harmful and people are not very aware of it. If we can reduce its use, eventually people might realise. That’s why we prefer cakes with more nuts and chocolate and if we have to use colours, we use only natural ones,” she explains.
Looking ahead, Parekh hopes to introduce more flavours and tap into the gifting market. “Since we work with cookies and brownies, our products have a longer shelf life, which makes them a good option for gifting,” she says. She would also like to open a small space where customers can enjoy coffee along with her desserts. “We want to keep it simple, just a stuffed cookie with coffee. A sweet way to enjoy your evening.”
