This local baker is combining Indian flavors with classic desserts, creating delectable treats

Soumya Seemakurti started baking when she was a teenager.

Her mom had just passed away, and she picked up the hobby to help her deal with the loss.

Her first bakery pop-up was selling chocolate at her school’s fair back in India.

She made a good amount of money, but as she got older her passion for baking was put on the backburner.

She graduated from college, fell in love with her husband, had a daughter and worked as an accountant. Through it all, her love for baking still lingered in the background.

It took a few years, but back in October, Seemakurti set up her stand in Rillito Park just like she did as a teenager. A banner with the name ‘Gully Bakehouse’ on it hung in the background as a variety of cakes and cookies were spread across her table.

This time though, it wasn’t her classmates indulging in her sweets, it was a long, long line of Tucsonans eager to taste whatever delectable masterpieces she prepared.

Seemakurti runs Gully Bakehouse, a cottage bakery, where she combines Indian flavors with classic desserts, creating treats that taste like nothing you’ve had before.

In 2014, Seemakurti and her husband moved to Tucson for work. She started out as an accountant, but in 2024, she decided to follow her heart and dive headfirst into baking.

“No matter where I went, I had to have an oven, and nothing got me more excited than baking,” Seemakurti said. “After waiting for nearly 20 years I said, okay, this is it, I'm going full in. So, I quit my job and just started baking.”

That same year, she started her first venture, which she called Cozy Crumbles. It was during this time that she began testing out what worked with customers, and what didn’t. During one of her pop-ups in the Tucson Mall, she was offering a tres leches cake that was made with rose and saffron. 

She said a child walked up to her booth, tried a taste and begged their parents to buy it. That’s when Seemakurti knew she'd struck gold, and pivoted to Gully Bakehouse, a bakery that serves classic treats with an Indian flare.

“I always work with fusion,” Seemakurti said. “After two days of Indian food in a row, my daughter says, 'why so much Indian food?' So fusion is kind of our thing. I fell in love with the concept.”

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Part of Seemakurti’s house soon became Gully Bakehouse. She could be found in the kitchen working her magic, crafting the softest chocolate chip cookies with the brightest flavors weaved in. She even gets some help from her sous chef, her daughter.

Since people in Tucson may not have experienced classic Indian flavors, so Seemakurti likes to take those flavors and incorporate them into desserts people may be more familiar with. For example, some items on her menu include saffron tres leches, rose litchi tiramisu, gujiya truffles and pumpkin coconut kataifis.

One of her popular menu items are her chai chocolate chip cookies. Once you’ve had a bite, you’ll never want to go back to plain old chocolate chip cookies.

Seemakurti has mastered the ratio of spicy and sweet. You get all the warm notes of cinnamon, cardamom and clove that make the cookie burst with flavor. Then you’re hit with the creamy, rich chocolate chips that perfectly compliment the spices.

It’s a cookie that feels like a nice, warm hug. Who doesn’t want that?!

Another one of Gully Bakehouse’s fusion treats are her mango lassi white chocolate cookies. Though it’s a cookie, Seemakurti somehow captures the all the creamy goodness of a cup of mango lassi. The white chocolate combined with the mango is sweet, fruity and addicting!

Seemakurti’s biggest market yet was Tucson Foodie’s Asian Night Market back in October. She had a line that stretched far from her booth, and worked like a madman to serve all her hungry customers. Before she knew it, her table had been wiped out, not a single saffron tres leches in sight.

That sold-out event is a testament to Seemakurti’s talent when it comes to baking.

Seemakurti is truly a master of flavors, she knows exactly what to fuse together to create something totally unique and mouthwatering. You can taste that love and dedication in each and every treat from Gully Bakehouse.

“There are long days, but the minute people enjoy my desserts, I am like, 'okay, that's 1,000% worth it,'” Seemakurti said.

To learn more about Gully Bakehouse or want to place an order, visit her website. You can also find her selling her treats at Made in Tucson on November 30.