Hess goes ‘psycho’ at Des Moines Farmers Market
9/3/2025
Patrons of the Des Moines Farmers Market might have noticed a wild-looking mascot during this season’s farmers market, courtesy of Jennifer Hess, owner of Psycho Sweets.
Like many, Hess learned to bake from her mother. While her mom perhaps didn’t show her the wild side of what treats can be, thanks to Hess’ imagination, that is where her love for baking started.
“My mom always baked, and I was always under the counter, and she would feed me,” Hess says. “She’s since passed away, but it’s just always kind of like a comfort food for me, you know, it just makes you happy.”
Hess got started with her own baking during last year’s RAGBRAI, where she sold her goods on the route. She drew inspiration for the name from those who participate in the cross-state bicycle ride.
“I wanted to be a part of it, but I didn’t know what to do. Cookies seemed easy. So, I started baking cookies, and it ended up being that people liked them. And, with it, I created a billboard that was about 12 feet tall, where the cyclists could take pictures along their journey. That’s where the psycho came into it, because I’m like, ‘Anybody who rides across Iowa in seven days has to be a little psycho’ — in a good way,” Hess says.
Hess says she has received great reactions from people taking in the logo, but the responses she has received from people trying her baked goods, for her, are even better.
“The best part is when they try it in front of you and you see their faces light up,” Hess says.
Hess, whose normal trade is not a baker, but instead is a psychology teacher who also teaches exercise classes, decided she wanted to continue making cookies for others to enjoy. That led her to the Des Moines Farmers Market. At first, she was unable to get into the summer market due to the large number of applicants. She was referred to the Des Moines Partnerships Spark DSM Business Incubator program, which helps early-stage and small businesses.
“That’s been really amazing. I love it. Like, how they give us business classes and then help host us to be in the Des Moines Farmers Market. It was a really wonderful opportunity,” Hess says.
Now far removed from her first time selling cookies during RAGBRAI, Hess says she continues to receive several messages from those who enjoyed her treats.
“One person wrote me this year. They had messaged me saying they love the trail mix cookie. I gave them the recipe, and they made it for themselves this year,” Hess says.
Many may not be willing to give up one of their recipes, but not Hess. After some research, she found out that the best number of choices to give people at her stand is six. More than that, and people start feeling overwhelmed. And the most popular?
“There’s the almond sugar. A popular one is the cherry almond and the peanut butter cup. We’ve done pumpkin before. Monsters are very popular, double chocolate,” Hess says.
One specific flavor might scare some and intrigue others.
“Troy, my boyfriend, who does the stand with me, developed what he calls a cherry bomb.”
Hess explains that this is her cherry almond sugar cookie ground up with a bit of frosting, so it turns into the inside of a truffle. They then put (The Sweatshop Pepper Farm) cherry habanero spice in it and coat it in chocolate.
“They’re little balls,” she says. “You bite into it and taste the cherry almond cookie, and it’s super sweet. And then you always see it hit the people after a second or two. Then, they’re like, ‘Oh,’ and it starts to kick in,” Hess says.
Their first time at the farmers market was almost a disaster, according to Hess. One of their coolers fell and squashed a large portion of their cookie-dough sandwiches.
“The people who work the farmers market ran up and were helping. They happily took the squashed ones, so it worked out,” Hess jokes. ♦
