The meaning of “kuluntu” is “community” in isiXhosa. The mission of Kuluntu Bakery is to bui We do not accept orders over messenger. Thank you for understanding!
We’re a few days late, but hope y’all had a very merry Christmas🌟
The week between Christmas and New Years is something I cherish. It feels like time slows down a bit. Many people are able to take off work (sending love to those who can’t), families and friends are still in town, and days feel less hurried.
The holiday season is such a stressful time for those in the food & hospitality industry. We push push push until we can finally cross the finish line, which for us is Christmas. It’s a labor of love, and it brings us so much joy to bake for you. And now, it’s time to rest.
We’re taking this week and next to relax and reground ourselves after a very full, hectic year.
Our next bake day will be on Thurs, January 12 and orders for that will go live on Fri, January 7.
Wishing you a peaceful end to 2022💛
12/08/2022
Pickup is this evening from 5-7 pm! We’ll be dropping off pecan pie croissants, gingerbread cake slices and rosemary focaccia at around 4 pm.
Baking up lots of bread today! My fridge is on the fritz and taking forever to cool down, so we have a few over proofed loaves. But bread is bread, it’s a living thing that we only have so much control of. And it’s still damn tasty. Such is life✨
12/04/2022
Our Holiday preorder is live🎄🌟🕎
We’re thrilled to bake up a very special menu for y’all this holiday season with some South African favorites and baked goods for whatever holiday you are celebrating this year. We hope you find something that excites you and your loved ones!
We will have two pickup days: Thurs, 12/22 for our South African Holiday Treat Box only. And Fri, 12/23 for our full menu. All of the ordering and pickup details are on the website (link in bio).
We are so grateful for your support this holiday season. Every purchase supports our mission to co-create a food industry and system that dismantles patriarchy and builds stronger communities💛
12/03/2022
We’re back from a restful week off and are ready to bake for you! The preorder menu for both our Thursday and our Dec 23 holiday bake are live and on the website!
This week we’re baking my favorite gingerbread cake with bourbon cream cheese buttercream😋 This item is also on our holiday menu in full cake size, so it’s a good week to give it a try if you’re interested in for the holidays.
Orders for Thursday pickup close on Monday at 10 pm. Pickup is on Thurs from 5-7 pm or porch pickup afterwards.
11/23/2022
The last cinny rolls are coming out of the oven! See y’all at pickup… 4-7 pm today.
Hope y’all have a marvelous and delicious Thanksgiving with your loved ones. Thank you for supporting us this holiday season❤️
11/22/2022
Tomorrow’s the day! Our Thanksgiving pickup is on Wednesday from 4-7 pm at our cottage bakery.
We have an early morning and big bake ahead of us. This year’s Thanksgiving bake has felt like a breeze so far, thanks to lots of early planning and prep and the help of .
It’s our fourth Thanksgiving baking for y’all, and it still feels magical. We’re grateful to be part of your holiday and hope it’s extra special💛✨
11/14/2022
We’ve got lots of yummy pastries & sourdough loaves to warm you up this week.
It’s definitely soup weather, so make a big pot, grab a loaf, and cozy up! Or you could just grab a ham & cheese croissant for Thursday dinner so you don’t have to cook hehe.
Preorders for our Thurs bake close tonight at 10 pm. We’ll have extras at on Thurs to go alongside your rotisserie chicken.
Andddd Thanksgiving preorders close tomorrow at 10 pm! Woo, lots happening! Stay warm, dry and safe if you’re driving around town today.
11/12/2022
Our preorder menu is live for our Thursday bake🤗 And, we’re just a few days away from Thanksgiving order cutoff on Nov 15. Link in bio to place your orders!
This week’s menu:
- Sourdough Baguette
- Country Sour
- Seedy Sour
- Apple Kugen
- Pumpkin Cream Kouign Amann
- Twice Baked Ham & Cheese Croissant
- Kuluntu's Autumn Granola
Psst.. this is also a good week to stock up on bread to use in your Thanksgiving stuffing. Freeze it, thaw, cube it and let stale a few days before Turkey Day. Easy peasy and makes for the best stuffing!
11/08/2022
Warren became a dual citizen earlier this year and got to vote for the first time this election!
I know you’ve been inundated with reminders to vote, so I will say this… please do not take your right to vote for granted and do not become apathetic. The system is so broken that it feels like nothing can fix it, but the truth, this is how politicians want us to feel so that they can remain in power.
We have the power to make a difference. We have the power to fix this broken system. Through voting, yes, but also through our daily actions and the decisions we make. If we all try to be a little kinder, give each other a little more grace, a little more thoughtfulness, social responsibility, and collective action, we can make a difference✌️💛
11/07/2022
Thanksgiving Preorder🥧🧡✨
Our Thanksgiving preorder is open, and we will be accepting orders until November 15 at 10 pm. Pickup is on Wednesday, November 23 from 4-7 pm at our cottage bakery near Bishop Arts.
We know that you make a choice when you support our nonprofit cottage bakery. Every baker good you purchase supports our mission to co-create a food industry and system that dismantles patriarchy and builds stronger communities.
This year, we are offering 10" galettes, sourdough loaves, rolls, pastry boxes, and granola jars (which make a wonderful host gift, if we do say so ourselves!)
11/07/2022
Last night’s wild yeast tasting was a blast! Big thank you to my friend for pouring the wines and sharing his knowledge on natty wines and to for graciously hosting us. And thanks to all those who came out and shared the evening with us! We had so much fun with y’all💛
11/05/2022
Our preorder menu is live! We’re doing a smaller menu this week because life has been hitting us hard & fast lately, and we need to take it easy this week. Plus, I’m not sure if I can get the butter I need for laminating yet🫠
Anywho! I hope you find something delicious to get yourself from the menu this week. Preorders close on Monday at 10 pm.
And don’t forget to get your Thanksgiving order in by Nov 15!
11/03/2022
Swipe to bake🤤
Pickup is tonight from 5-7 pm! We’ve had something come up, so if you are picking up after 5:30 pm, it will be porch pickup. Thanks for understanding!
10/29/2022
Our preorder AND Thanksgiving menus are live!
We are so grateful to be able to bake for our community each week and especially for the holidays. Profits from all our baked goods are used to support our mission to co-create a food system and industry that dismantles patriarchy💛✨
Thursday bake 👉 Preorders are open now and close on Monday 10 pm. Pickup on Thursday 5-7 pm at our cottage bakery near Bishop Arts. We’ll have pastries & sourdough loaves at from 4-8 pm, first come first served.
Thanksgiving preorder 👉 Preorders are open now until Nov 15 with pickup on Nov 23. All the details can be found on our website under Order -> Thanksgiving Preorder.
This week’s menu:
- Country Sour
- Jewish Deli Rye Sour
- Caramelized Onion Focaccia
- Cape Spiced Sticky Bun
- Malva Pudding w/ Stewed Fruits
- Pear & Almond Croissant
- Pastry Box (one of each of the above pastries)
- Kuluntu's Autumn Granola
10/28/2022
✨Meet the Kuluntu Team✨
Introducing Becca Little Alley, Kuluntu’s Board Secretary. Becca joined the board one year ago, and she immediately filled the missing puzzle piece on our small but mighty team.
Becca cares deeply for building and participating in inclusive communities. After more than ten years fundraising in the nonprofit sector, she left the field to pursue her current passion, providing no-cost, quality mental health care to workers in the nonprofit industry.
We are so grateful for the compassion, thoughtfulness and deep empathy that Becca brings to this work❤️ .little.alley
10/27/2022
I have a special helper in the kitchen today — my sister in law, Melissa❤️ Melissa is visiting us from England for the next month, and we’re so happy she’s here. If you see her at pickup, please give her a warm welcome!
See y’all at tonight’s pickup from 5-7 pm!
10/24/2022
Very excited for y’all to try these trick or treat blondies which is one of ’s recipes. Y’all, it’s SO good. Gooey inside with crispy edges and filled with South African candy bars😚
Preorders for our Thursday pickup close tonight (Monday) at 10 pm. We’ll also have the blondies at on Thurs!
10/22/2022
Hi friends! Our preorder menu is live on the website, and it’s full of all the tricks & treats👻
This week’s menu:
- Country Sour
- Black & White Sesame Sour
- Pumpkin Cream Kouign Amann
- Trick or Treat Blondie
- Twix Tartlet
- Butternut Squash, Sage & Goat Cheese Galette
- Pastry Box (one of each of the above pastries)
- Kuluntu's Autumn Granola
Orders close on Monday at 10 pm for our Thursday evening pickup. We’ll also have loaves & pastries available first come, first served at on Thurs!
10/17/2022
✨Meet the Kuluntu Team✨
Introducing Taylor Hall, Kuluntu’s Board Chair. Taylor has been with us as our first board member since we set up shop in Dallas, and we are so lucky!
Taylor Hall has a passion for people and service, leading her to work in the non-profit sector for the past decade. She is a vision to reality translator, by way of innovative, strategic execution. Taylor’s current work includes strategic project management, organizational development, and cross-functional leadership. She enjoys fashion, trying new eating establishments, and Kuluntu’s cinnamon rolls😋
We became close friends with Taylor in graduate school where we both studied nonprofit management. She is from Oak Cliff and brings with her so much local knowledge. We are grateful for her strategic direction, vision and commitment to community💛
10/16/2022
Our preorder menu is live!
A few weeks ago, we had a little croissant mishap which resulted in a freezer full of croissants. So, we are giving them a second life this week with a seasonal bourbon pecan croissant bread pudding🤤 it’s decadent and gives all those warm autumn fuzzies!
Preorders are open until tomorrow (Monday) at 10 pm for our Thursday pickup. We will also have loaves & pastries up at every Thursday, first come, first served.
This week’s menu:
- Country Sour
- Polenta & Pumpkin Seed
- Rosemary & Sea Salt Focaccia
- Pecan Pie Croissant
- Apple, Caramelized Onion, Cheddar Galette
- Bourbon Pecan Croissant Bread Pudding
- Pastry Box (one of each of the above pastries)
- Kuluntu's Autumn Granola
10/13/2022
Pickup this evening from 5-7 pm! It smells like fall in here, and I can’t wait for you to get a whiff at the pickup window💕
If you didn’t preorder, we’ll have sourdough loaves, pain au chocolat, and pear & almond brioche buns up at around 3:30!
10/12/2022
🫧 Wild Yeast: A Natural Wine & Sourdough Tasting🫧
We’re pumped to be partnering with our friend Thanh Nguyen for a natural wine & sourdough tasting (our two favorite things!) at the best coffee hangout in town .
November 5 at 6 pm. Tickets and all the deets can be found at the link in bio. It’s gonna be a fun night! Can’t wait to eat, drink & be merry with y’all🍷🍞✨
10/08/2022
Our preorder menu is live!
We have some new folks on here (welcome!), so here’s a reminder of how it works:
- Preorders open on our website every Saturday at 10 am and close on Monday at 10 pm.
- Pickup is on Thursday from 5-7 pm or porch pickup afterwards at our cottage bakery near Bishop Arts.
- We will also have loaves and pastries at on Thursday starting in the afternoon until their 8 pm closing. First come, first serve.
- Our menu is rotating and changes weekly. We always have country sours, another sourdough flavor and an assortment of pastries and desserts.
- We accept custom orders for cakes and dessert. More details for that found on our website.
This week’s menu:
- Country Sour
- Spiced Maple & Roasted Apple Sour
- Pain au Chocolat
- Pear & Almond Brioche Bun
- Mieliepap & Almond Cake Slice w/ Rooibos Tea Glaze (GF)
- Roasted Carrot, Feta & Za'atar Danish
- Pastry Box (one of each of the above pastries)
- Kuluntu's Autumn Granola
Thanks for being here and supporting us💛
10/03/2022
Ham & cheese, baby! We bake up our croissants the day before bake day, then on bake day, we fill them with a schmear of garlic-onion bechamel, Black Forest ham and aged Irish white cheddar. Give it a dusting of parm and then another bake right before pickup to melt the cheese. Paired with fresh salad, they make for a perfect little dinner. We love how much y’all love these💛
Orders close tonight (Monday) at 10 pm! Link in bio to order.
P.S. our website is now .org not .com. It’s supposed to be auto transferring you to the new site, but we’re having some technical difficulties with that. So, be sure you go to the link in bio or type in .org!
10/01/2022
Thank y’all so much for all the love and support after making the announcement of our nonprofit! It means so much to hear your excitement! And it makes us that much more excited for this journey and vision.
Our weekly bake continues, and the preorder menu is live! This week we’re baking up a Leichtle family favorite - apple kugen.
It’s a bit of a peculiar dessert, but just trust me on this one. It’s served in bar form with a yellow cakey crust, a layer of roasted cinnamon apples, and a tangy sour cream topping. I’m so excited to share this one with y’all!
This week’s menu:
- Country Sour
- Rosemary & Garlic Sour
- Apple Kugen
- Cinnamon Roll w/ Browned Butter Cream Cheese
- Pumpkin Kouign Amann
- Twice Baked Ham & Cheese Croissant
- Pastry Box (one of each of the above pastries)
- Kuluntu's Autumn Granola
Orders close on Monday at 10 pm and pickup is on Thursday 5-7 pm (or porch pickup after) near Bishop Arts.
09/24/2022
Our preorder menu is live! More cozy, fall flavors headed your way this week, like this salted caramel & brown sugar cake slice🤤 uff it’s perfect.
Y’all know the drill… preorders close on Monday at 10 pm and our pickup is on Thursday from 5-7 pm.
This week’s menu:
- Country Sour
- Date, Walnut & Cardamom Sour
- Caramelized Onion & Herb Focaccia
- Espresso Glazed Croissant Knot
- Twice Baked Chocolate & Almond Croissant
- Salted Caramel & Brown Sugar Cake Slice
- Pastry Box (one of each of the above pastries)
- Kuluntu's Autumn Granola
09/23/2022
Happy autumn, friends🍂 This time of year is my favorite seasonal shift. I love the coziness, the cooler temps (soon, hopefully!) and the holidays.
It seems that we’ve officially entered our busy season which is crazy, exhausting, delicious and rewarding. I love it. We have a super fun event that we’re working on for November as well as a big announcement next week. Stay tuned! It’s going to be a fabulous spooky season!
09/21/2022
Rosh Hashanah begins this coming Sunday at sundown, and we’re baking up our orange blossom, honey & olive oil challah for you! This is a special challah only bake with porch pickup on Sunday from 4-6 pm.
You can place an order by going to the website and clicking the drop down menu under the Order tab. Orders close on Friday at 10 am.
Psst.. you don’t have to be celebrating the holiday to snag a fluffy challah round, just sayin’😉
09/19/2022
Our seedy sour is packed with sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, sesame seeds and oats, making for a hearty loaf! I always forget how much I love this one but am quickly reminded when I have a slice. Definitely a favorite for slathering with nut butter or avo!
Our preorders close tonight at 10 pm for Thurs pickup. We still have a good amount of country and seedy sours, but pastries are running low.
09/17/2022
Our preorder menu AND Rosh Hashanah challah bake is live! We’ll be doing our normal Thursday bake and a special challah bake for Rosh Hashanah with pickup on Sunday, 9/25.
Challah info can be found on our website under the “Order” drop down menu. Preorders for that will close on Friday, 9/23.
This week’s menu for Thurs bake:
- Country Sour
- Seedy Sour
- Pain au Chocolat
- Cape Spiced Sticky Bun
- Roasted Carrot, Feta & Za'atar Croissant
- Apple & Honey Galette
- Pastry Box (one of each of the above pastries)
- Kuluntu's Granola
Preorders close on Monday at 10 pm, and pickup is Thurs from 5-7 pm or porch pickup after.
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Bread & pastry pickup is going down this evening from 5-7 pm! See y’all soon💫
Our Thursday bake menu is live! In honor of Mother’s Day next weekend, my mom helped me pick out this week’s menu, and it has all of her favorites💕
And when mom requests a banana pastry, she gets it! Bananas foster kouign amann is on the menu🤤
This week’s menu:
- Country Sour
- Rosemary & Garlic Sour
- Lemon, Lavender & Walnut Sou
- Bananas Foster Kouign Amann
- Almond & Raspberry Croissant
- Cheesy Artichoke & Leek Bun
- Pecan Millionaire Tartlet
- Kuluntu's Granola
Orders close on Monday at 10 pm on the website (link in bio)! Enjoy this gorgeous day🌞
Pickup this evening from 5-7 pm!
I will never get over the beauty of these edible flowers, and everything else, grown by my neighbor @cymulcahy 🌸✨🌼💫
Lots of feelings about 2021. This was a challenging year for me, and I know so many others. Lots of mental lows, lots of work, lots of frustration, tears, waiting and hoping. But there was beauty and growth in all of it too!
To be truly honest and a bit cheesy, y’all really did help me get through this year! Chatting at our pickup window every week gave me a feeling of connection and community. Knowing that I was baking for people who love our work and our treats, gave me purpose and drive. So, thank you, truly💛
I’m hoping that 2022 brings renewed energy, inspiration, joy, balance and rest. Aside from baking, our team/board has been working very hard on our path forward, and I can’t wait to share more of what’s to come in the new year.
We are baking this week, so be on the lookout for the menu in your inbox tomorrow morning and on here. Have a happy, safe and joyful new year✨
Pecan pie croissant is back! Orders are live for our Thursday bake. We have bread, seasonal treats, and some lovely gift options🎁 AND it’s the final week to get your Christmas preorders in!
This week’s menu:
- Country Sour
- Honey, Cinnamon & Raisin Sour
- Pecan Pie Croissant
- Gingerbread Cake Slice w/ Bourbon Cream Cheese Buttercream
- Gift-wrapped @designbysociety Bread Basket + Loaf
- South African Holiday Treat Box
Cutoff for Thursday bake is Monday at 10 pm. Cutoff for Christmas bake is Thursday at 10 pm.
Have a great weekend, y’all!
Happy Thanksgiving, friends! Wishing you a pie-filled day with loved ones❤️✨
Pretty dang excited to share that we were voted second best bakery in DFW by @dallasnews 🎉 Big thank you to everyone who nominated and voted for us! Your support is incredible, and we are so grateful to be able to bake for you💛 #bestindfw
Happy Monday! Counting down the days until we’ll be breaking bread around the Thanksgiving table. In the meantime, preorders for our Thursday bake close tonight at 10 pm. We’ve got my favorite fall loaf on the menu — spiced maple & roasted apple sourdough🍁
Thanksgiving preorders close Thurs at 10 pm! We’re excited to bake for you this holiday season🤗
Our preorder menu is live and we’ve got some special Halloween inspired treats like our Twix tartlet and Bounty Bar!
We will have trick or treating for your little ones if they would like to come up to our delivery window. Feel free to dress them up or not🎃
This week’s menu:
- country sour
- spiced maple & roasted apple sour
- bounty bar
- apple-pear kouign amann
- Twix tartlet
- roasted carrot, feta & za’atar croissant
Apple + cheddar dreams come true💫 See y’all soon for pickup! Tonight from 5-7 pm.
Building community through baking & breaking bread...
The meaning of “kuluntu” is “community” in isiXhosa, a South African language of the amaXhosa people. The mission of Kuluntu Bakery is to build community through baking & breaking bread.
We work towards our mission by:
Teaching baking workshops focused on sourdough bread and seasonal treats
Hosting Ubuntu Supper Club – an evening focused on cultural awareness through breaking bread together
Partnering with like-minded organizations to teach workshops at their venue
Kuluntu Bakery is a cottage food business located in Dallas, Texas near Bishop Arts District. Our dream is to open a brick and mortar bakery that will be focused on women’s empowerment through education, baking training, and community enrichment activities, using the collective impact model.
We love to provide desserts and bread for any kind of occasion. If you are interested in making an individual order, please contact Kuluntu Bakery directly.
About the Baker:
My name is Stephanie Leichtle Chalklen, and I’m a native of Coppell, Texas. My journey has been unique, and I hope to share my story through Kuluntu Bakery. After graduating from Texas A&M University with a Master of Public Service and Administration and a Bachelor of Sociology, I was inspired to set off on my own and live in the big city. I moved to New York City with no job and few connections. Fortunately, I found work quickly and spent several years working for various international and local nonprofit organizations.
Like most New Yorkers, I had a side hustle – baking! For 2 years, I baked out of my Queens apartment and even spent a summer selling my sweets at a popular street market in East Harlem. I soon decided that I needed more formal training and switched careers to go work in a bakery. I was fortunate to work in two French-style bakeries, learning from some of New York’s top pastry chefs.
At the end of 2017, my husband, who is from Johannesburg, South Africa, and I decided to pack up our tiny apartment and move across the world to Cape Town, South Africa. This is where Kuluntu Bakery began. During our short time in Cape Town, I spent my time learning local recipes and ingredients and teaching bread making classes with several nonprofit organizations.
I’m excited to bring these many beautiful pieces of my life together in my home city, through Kuluntu Bakery.
"The quiet revolution taking place within American bread baking may have predated the pandemic, but this strange moment saw the whole thing go wide.
That hunger for outsourcing, coupled with bakers also being cooped up at home with time on their hands, led to an absolute explosion in the cottage baking industry, with some of the best bread many of us will have ever tried coming out of the kind of oven you can buy with a few clicks."
Sending shout outs to three Texas-based bakeries that made the list:
Born and raised in , Stephanie's journey took her to NYC after graduating from Texas A&M University. Like most New Yorkers, she had a side hustle - baking! - which she did out of her Queens apartment. She soon began to sell her treats and eventually got formal training.
At the end of 2017, Stephanie and her husband, who is from Johannesburg, South Africa, decided to pack up and move across the world to .
This is where Kuluntu Bakery began. During their short time in Cape Town, Stephanie spent her time learning local recipes and ingredients and teaching bread making classes with several nonprofit organizations. They moved back to the Dallas area in July of 2018 and have been building a deliciously popular, based bakery & brand ever since. 💛
Always a man of action, Chef Baker jumped at the chance to be a part of this cause! A huge thanks to Kuluntu Bakery for mobilizing Dallas bakers in this effort. Preorders open Saturday at 10 am at https://kuluntubakery.com/product-category/loaf-of-the-week/.
・・・
From Kuluntu Bakery: We’re so pumped to be participating in the Bakers Against Racism Virtual Bake Sale next week alongside some fabulous local bakers. For next week’s Tues & Thurs Loaf of the Week, we will be offering a baker’s box which will include six baked goods from Bresnan Bread and Pastry, Joe the Baker, David Madrid, Crumb & Kettle DFW, Full Circle Bakery, Flores Bakehaus, and us. Each box will be $25 and all proceeds will go to Dallas Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation to support their work in building a radically inclusive city.
Let’s join together to support organizations like Dallas Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation who are fighting for racial justice!
"I would walk through the desert, I would walk down the aisle, I would swim all the oceans just to see you smile."
Tune in for the next Slow Food DFW Lunch Break on Tuesday, June 2nd at 12:00 noon. Hosted by Seth Brammer and streaming on Facebook Live, this edition will feature two guests ... James Brown of Barton Springs Mill and Stephanie Leichtle of Kuluntu Bakery.
The apparent consumer flour shortage will be discussed, and how flour makes it from the farm to your home kitchen - plus, the sudden rising popularity of homemade bread.
Your online class has given me the confidence to keep on bread baking. My husband can probably rival Warren in the ability to eat a loaf in record time. 😂
If you're not planning to dine in at restaurants now, we don't blame you. Stick with cooking at home but support local eateries like Asian Mint, Sushi de Handroll and Kuluntu Bakery by buying some of their fun DIY meal and bread kits!
Thank you Stephanie Leichtle-Chalklen for a great sourdough bread baking class - making bread was so intimidating- you made the class fun & easy. This is my morning bread baking today. Thanks
Thanks for the class yesterday! It was a lot of fun. Even though my dough looked nothing like it should, I have actual bread today!
And now they’re married! Congratulations Emily & Matt!
Coordination by Emerald Aisles Weddings & Events
Catering by Vestals Catering
Floral by Teri's Floral
DJ Isaiah Wafer
Cakes by Kuluntu Bakery & The London Baker
Photography and Videography by EPIC FILMS
