Throughout her childhood in Northeast Wisconsin, Laura enjoyed being in the kitchen, whether it was helping her mom make cookies or simply as the official “taste tester” of mom’s dough. She also loved expressing her creativity, mostly through arts, crafts, and sewing. Laura eventually earned a degree in clothing design at the University of Minnesota and has been designing menswear professionally ever since. She began baking in her free time about five years ago, gifting decorated sugar cookies to friends and loved ones. Perfecting her favorite sugar cookie recipe was as rewarding for her as it was for the recipients who were surprised with detailed and delicious samples. She loves being able to express her design skills and eye for detail in different mediums -- clothing by day, and cookies by night! Follow Laura on Instagram
Q&A with Laura
When did you start baking, and why?
I started baking with my mom as a young girl. I don't remember the age, but I always loved helping her in the kitchen. I love creating things, so the kitchen was another place for me to explore. We baked the most around the holidays, but she made chocolate chip cookies every week, or at least it felt like it! My favorite part, aside from eating the cookies or dessert, was giving the treats away, and to this day, it still is! If something as small as a cookie can bring a smile to someone's face or make their day, then that's all I need.
What are the specialty ingredients you can’t live without?
The specialty ingredients I can't live without are powdered sugar, meringue powder, my gel food colors, almond extract, and a good vanilla extract!
What’s your signature dish?
People know me best for sugar cookies. I love trying new recipes, but those take the cake!
Who do you love to bake for?
I love to bake for my friends and family. More recently, I have baked cookies for people I don't even know, and it still makes me so happy when I've created something that makes their day or event more special.
What does holiday baking mean to you?
To me, holiday baking means family, traditions, and lots of laughter. We make our favorite recipes, and I'll try new ones, too! Baking around the holidays is my favorite. Growing up, the kitchen was a gathering place, and it is even more so during the holidays. It's really the one time of the year where my whole family is together, and I absolutely love it.
What’s your favorite holiday baking memory?
My favorite holiday baking memory won't seem out of the ordinary, but to me, it was a perfect afternoon. It was a snowy Saturday, sometime close to Christmas. My sister, my mom, and I were in the kitchen making Christmas cookies. "Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland" was playing on the cassette player (so I was young, haha!), and my sister and I kept dancing around the kitchen while cutting out Christmas cookies, likely making a mess. Nothing significant really happened, but I look back on that moment and remember being simply happy. I've always felt that Christmas is magical, and that afternoon was just perfect.
