Bonafide Betties Pie Co. has been a local gem for a while now in the Rockwall community, but the secret is out and folks are driving all over for a slice. Last month USA Today published an article highlighting the best places for pie in each state, owner Brittany Hardin says she had no idea Bonafide Betties was nominated let alone was going to get the top spot in Texas.
"There were a lot of tears, happy tears of course," Hardin said.
Bonafide specializes in old school southern buttermilk treats. Hardin has a secret weapon in her kitchen, her grandma Diane who handed down all of the recipes used today.
"She says I brought them into the 20th century," Hardin said.
Grandma even comes into the all pink shop just off of Rockwall's downtown square once a week to test for quality control. The business feels like you've stepped into someone's home and Hardin says that's by design.
"I don't want to sound cliche but I want this to feel like family. I want it to feel like you're in your grandma's kitchen only with more pink," Hardin said with her trademark laugh.
The business is run by four generations of southern women. There's Hardin, her mom Denise and her aunt Shannon, grandma Diane and you can always find Hardin's three girls running around the shop.
"Family is everything," Hardin said.
Bonafide Betties' top seller and the recipe that put them on the map is "the Hot Mess," a buttermilk base covered in a messy, decadent heap of pecans, butter, brown sugar and coconut.
"The Hot Mess was named after my 20s," Hardin said.
With all the national attention Hardin says business has been booming. They've had to double the amount of pies they're baking and they still sell out on a busy weekend.
"It's a lot of work but we are so grateful and we'll keep baking away," Hardin said.