After seven long years of attending every cookie exchange, sometimes winning prizes, but never achieving the big prize, Sarah Ohls finally met her destiny last night.
Ohls submitted a Orange Cheesecake Spice Cookie that the judges felt was beautiful, tasty, and original. This unofficial taster found it a very balanced and not too sweet blend of orange and spice in a soft, good-sized cookie, with a creamy orange filling. Delicious!
Other winners were:
Runner up for best in show:
Best Tasting:
Runner up to Best Taste:
Best Appearance
Runner Up for Best Appearance
Most Original:
Runner Up to Most Original
You can see all the cookies here:
Black Santa by Renata Barnes 
Cardamom Gingersnaps by Katie Stevens – Runner up for Best Appearance 
Mexican Spicy Hot Chocolate by Dana 
Coconut Chocolate Pinwheels by Megan Gabe 
Candy Cane by Lisa Smith 
Merry Christmas Madeleines by Nikema Missouri Almond-roca by Theresa Miller – Best Taste 
Coconut Cocoa Snowballs by Susan Danser 
Mojito Mint with local rum and fresh lime glazes by Hannah McCollum Cran-rosemary by Sara Huddleson – Most Original Jolly Ginger by Lisa Salacz – Runner Up to Best in Show 
Lemon Blueberry by Cynthia O’Connor 
Butterbiss by Lauren Cavanaugh 
Toasted fluffernutter snowdrift by Teresa Gruber Double chocolate chestnut with smoked bourbon caramel sauce by Catherine Cahill – Runner up for Best Tasting 
Baklava by Megan Blair 
Turkish Coffee by Jennifer Roberts 
Orange Cheesecake Spice by Sarah Ohls – Best in Show 
High on the Hog by Catherine Fulmer-Hogan 
Stamped pretzel cookie with salted caramel crunch by Mary Kolb 
Tortoises by Joanne Pawelko 
Cardamom Gingersnaps by Katie Stevens – Runner up for Best Appearance 
Rum Fruitcake by Reba Holley Matcha white chocolate macaron by Sara Thibeault – Best Appearance 
Cit yr us down by Jackie Conard 
Margarita cookie by Jacqui Genovesi White pepper cherry cookies by Lori Ashcroft – Runner up for Most Original
We want to say a huge thank you to our hosts, Anne Nixon Ellery and Mike Ellery, owners of Glenmoore Farms. It is a beautiful venue for any big event you might have and we are so grateful for the Ellery’s generosity in letting us party there!
Thank you to our sponsors!
We are so excited to welcome our first corporate sponsor – Stark & Stark Attorneys at Law – cookies will be arriving at their office Monday morning
Also a big thank you to:
Bent Spoon
Dandelion Wishes
Gingered Peach
Heather’s Pet Care
Hopewell Township Mayor Julie Blake
You guys are so awesome for helping us with prize gifts and underwriting of this event. With the sponsors’ generosity and that of our contestants, we raised a significant amount of money, which will be split between a local resident who was adversely affected by the Hurricane Ida Flood and Rolling Harvest, a fabulous local charity that helps get farm produce to residents with food insecurity.
Thank you to our judges, who bravely ate 26 cookies in two hours and made the grueling distinctions between what was best in the four categories! They are: Donald Ade, Hopewell Township Mayor Julie Blake, Gabby Carbone and Matt Errico of the Bent Spoon, Joanne Canady-Brown and Shanara of the Gingered Peach, Mike Ellery and Anne Nixon-Ellery of Glenmoore Farm, Dr. Rosetta Treece, Alex Treece, and Heather Scott of Heather’s Pet Care.
Last but not least, thank you to our tireless assistants, Lisa Wolff, Paul Kinney, Dawn Cook, Anita Williams, Alicia Galiano, Ron Rukenstein, and Sheila Reynartson, who kept us laughing and helped keep things running even though it is kind of crazy!
Renata and Amie already had a deep discussion this morning about what we are planning for next year. It’s going to be great!
Happy Holidays everyone – from Renata, Amie, and Mary
More photos here:
