Baking Spirits Bright 2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back by popular demand….Last year’s cookie was such a hit that we’re baking it again this year!

Holiday Shortbread Squares

Anna Fine, Kirkland – Juanita

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New Baking Tip for 2024 from Anna Fine!

In a moment of recent baking panic, Anna discovered she could easily fit a batch of shortbread into her bread-baking schedule!

Here’s how it works:

    1. Mix and bulk ferment bread dough. At the end of bulk fermentation, preheat oven to 350, then divide up/pre-shape bread loaves.
    2. During their 20-minute rest period, mix up and get a pan of shortbread into the oven.
    3. Shape bread loaves while the cookies bake – 5 loaves took just about 20 minutes.
    4. Set loaves aside to rise, pull cookies out of the oven, add the toppings, and set the cookie pan in the fridge.
    5. Around 45 minutes later – bread is ready to bake, and cookies are ready to be sliced and frozen for future boxing.

* She also ordered Brach’s pre-crushed peppermint this past weekend from Target as a little shortcut.

 

About the Competition (2023)

What an incredible competition! 19 contestants, emerging from all corners of the Community Loaves region, submitted an incredible array of delicious cookies in the hopes of being this year’s Star Bakers! And they are all Stars in our book! Our 15 volunteer judges had the overwhelming task of evaluating each one.

The scoring was weighted to favor Taste and Ease. Every entry was truly divine, and I’m so grateful for the enthusiastic, festive, and “all-in” competitive spirit of our 19 contestants. Tough cookie decisions had to be made, there can only be one winner. And this year’s crowning Star Baker goes to Anna Fine of the Kirkland Juanita Hub.

In honor of the holidays, and because we know how much you love to bake, every participating recipe is featured below! Maybe you’ll find yourself scheming for next year. It isn’t too early to begin planning!

 

The Top Three cookies for 2023:
#1 – Anna Fine, Kirkland – Juanita, Holiday Shortbread Squares
#2 – Cathy Martin, Shoreline – Richmond Beach, Thumbprint Cookies
#3 – Mary Pacher, Port Townsend – Cape George, Rosenmunnar

For Your Baking Pleasure

 

Cathy Martin, Shoreline – Richmond Beach

Thumbprint Cookies

Mary Pacher, Port Townsend – Cape George

Rosenmunnar

Karin Chickadel , Shoreline – Richmond Beach

Fab Four Slice and Bake Cookie

Penny Hazelton, Bothell

Cherry Nib Cornflake Cookies

Joy Cooper, Capitol Hill

Dark Chocolate Orange Cranberry Cookies

Gail Danforth, Redmond

Rock Star Rocky Road

Jolyn Leslie, Federal Way

Hello Dolly Cookies

Mitzi Adler, Sammamish Hub

Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookie

Ginger Petersen, Bainbridge – Battle Point Park

Pistachio Drop Cookies

Kirsten Kaplan, Kirkland Mothership

Community Holiday Cookie

Randy Cummings, Federal Way

Turkish Ginger Lime Cookies

Cecelia Wogan-Silva, Oakland

Alfajores

Donna Blankinship, Shoreline – Richmond Beach

Soft and Chewy Cranberry Orange Cookies

Shannon McCullough, Kirkland Mothership

Goody Goody Gumdrops

Judith Smith, Wedgewood

Lemon Squares, French Style

Breanna Hott, Enumclaw

Christmas Morning Cookies

Ken Roscoe, Greenwood

Sally’s Favorite Pecan Cookies

Vanessa Galasso, Central

Brown Butter Dulce Delights

Katherine Kehrli