13 bake from scratch
contributors
Sophia Jones
Managing Editor“
Growing up, all my cousins would come
over for a reindeer cookie-decorating
contest. We’d gather around the kitchen
table—with the spiced aroma of freshly
baked gingerbread lingering in the air—to
adorn our Dashers, Dancers, Comets, and
Blitzens with colorful designs. I can still
see us now, hands (and usually clothing)
covered in icing smatters, proudly holding
up our cookie masterpieces.
”WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE
HOLIDAY BAKING MEMORY?
“
I’ll never forget the fi rst dessert I prepared
for my family’s Christmas dinner. I was
about 7 years old and my sous chef was
a 4-year-old family friend. We set out to
make ambrosia salad. I don’t know that I’d
ever tasted the fruit- and coconut-fi lled
dish before, but it sounded important—
even legendary—and its cool creaminess
was welcome on that particularly humid
holiday in southern Alabama.
”
Brooke Bell
VP Culinary & Custom Content“
Every Christmas for as long as I can
remember, my whole family gets together to
bake Italian cuccidati and biscotti. We sing and
yell (we’re Italians after all) and eat so much
raw cookie dough Mimi threatens that we
won’t even have enough to bake. And while
the cookies are still my most favorite holiday
treat, the best part of the day is getting in
the kitchen with my crazy, noisy family and
arguing over who gets to put their hands in
the cookie dough. (It’s usually me.)
”Alex Kolar
Editorial Assistant“
Growing up, in the chaos of cooking
Christmas Eve dinner and getting ready
for midnight Mass, my family would bake
my Grandmom Lundberg’s from-scratch
peanut butter blossoms and snickerdoodles
for Santa. As the years went on, everyone
got busier and we started using cookie
mixes. But this Christmas, we’re going back
to my grandmother’s recipes, continuing
the tradition in her honor and teaching my
nieces and nephews to bake them, too.
”Meg Lundberg
Copy Editor“
Every year, my parents took my sister and
me to stay at my grandparents’ house for
the weeks leading up to the holiday. My
grandmother always kicked off the season
by baking gingerbread men (and women!)
for my sister and me to decorate. The
three of us would make a whole day of
it, icing ‘clothes’ onto the gingerbread
people, giving them gumdrop buttons,
and even piping accessories like handbags
or jewelry.
”Lillie Mermoud
Assistant Editor“
It’s not necessarily a baking memory,
but it’s still sweet. My mom would
always order special sugarplums from
the Vermont Country Store catalog for
us to eat on Christmas Eve night, right
before going to bed and waiting for Santa.
They’re rich dark chocolate truffl es that
had a sophisticated fruity fi nish. She still
orders them for me—no Christmas is
complete without them.
”
Kyle Grace Mills
Associate EditorThe Bake from Scratch team shares their sweet baking holiday memories—and precious childhood
photos—for your nostalgic enjoyment!