Seattle Met Taste Test: Holiday Cookies
Three Girls Bakery Oolalas are made with shortbread, pistachios, and dried cranberries.
Tasters’ notes One taster loved the texture that dried fruit and nuts leant to these funky treats.
Ordering information $1 each; call the Pike Place Market location at 206-622-1045. Cookies are available daily; for specific orders call a few days in advance.
Why they’re great holiday cookies “The cranberries are so red, the pistachios are so green. Plus cranberries are a winter holiday tradition,” says Three Girls owner and chef Atarah Levy.
Three Girls Bakery Santa’s Elves
Tasters’ notes Santas Elves got big points for their "charming and whimsical" appearance "crunchy" texture. "Plus: chocolate hats!" wrote one sampler.
Ordering information $1.75 each; call the Pike Place Market location at 206-622-1045. Cookies are available daily; for specific orders call a few days in advance.
Why they’re great holiday cookies “It’s a sugar cookie with the flavors of the holiday, plus they’re delicious when dipped in chocolate. The cookie is divine, but you have to buy them because they’re so cute. I like to make things that look like the holidays. The first thing that hits you is art and beauty, and the second thing is the delicious flavor. The spicy cinnamon buttons add a little extra too," says Levy.
SECOND PLACE WINNER!
Three Girls Bakery Ginger Folks
Tasters’ notes "Classic and artistically done," one panelist noted. "The cutest of the bunch and tasty too," wrote another.
Ordering information $1.25 each; call the Pike Place Market location at 206-622-1045. Cookies are available daily; for specific orders call a few days in advance.
Why they’re great holiday cookies “They’re tradition. To me gingerbread is something quintessential to the holiday season, and style-wise they look very European," says Levy.
Columbia City Bakery Almond Raspberry Thumbprints
Tasters’ notes These gorgeous rounds won points for "great almond flavor," and the moist texture of the jam filling.
Ordering information $.75/each, $9/12-pack; available daily and for sale individually or in boxes of 12. For purchasing three or more boxes, order two days in advance by calling 206-723-6023. For purchases of four or more, pre-payment is required.
Why they’re great holiday cookies “They seem like a traditional thumbprint, but the fancier, almond decoration makes them a little different," says pastry chef Karra Wise.
Columbia City Bakery Cranberry Orange Pistachio Biscotti
Tasters notes One sampler suggested serving these crisp cookies with coffee or tea, since they’re "not too sweet." Everyone loved the holiday flair of dried fruit.
Ordering information $.75/each, $9/12-pack; available daily and for sale individually or in boxes of 12. For purchasing three or more boxes, order two days in advance by calling 206-723-6023. For purchases of four or more, pre-payment is required.
Why they’re great holiday cookies “They’re Christmas-y looking with an orange twist,” says Wise.
Columbia City Bakery Cardamom Shortbread Cookies
Tasters’ notes Our tasters were divided on these: Some loved the cardamom, others found the texture prohibitively crumbly.
Ordering information $.75/each, $9/12-pack; available daily and for sale individually or in boxes of 12. For purchasing three or more boxes, order two days in advance by calling 206-723-6023. For purchases of four or more, pre-payment is required.
Why they’re great holiday cookies “They fit the simple, no booze, no chocolate shortbread cookie, which is a Christmas tradition. But with the cardamom and brown sugar it’s still rich," says Wise.
Columbia City Bakery Tipsy Rum Cookies
Tasters’ notes "Nothing says holidays like a hit of booze at dessert," noted a fan of these drunken sweets.
Ordering information $.75/each, $9/12-pack; available daily and for sale individually or in boxes of 12. For purchasing three or more boxes, order two days in advance by calling 206-723-6023. For purchases of four or more, pre-payment is required.
Why they’re great holiday cookies “Dark and rich, they satisfy the boozy need at Christmas.” says Wise.
FIRST PLACE WINNER
Dahlia Bakery Chocolate Truffle
Tasters’ notes "How I would prefer to die," wrote one hyperbolic tester. "Death by chocolate. I would eat these every day but they’re not very festive. They look like cowpies!" Other tasters loved the gooey, rich consistency.
Ordering information $2.50 each; available on a daily basis, but for special orders, call 206-441-4540 or visit tomdouglas.com to submit an order form online.
Why they’re great holiday cookies “They’re all so delicious and handmade with love,” says marketing manager Robyn Wolfe of the Chocolate Truffles and subsequent Dahlia Bakery submissions.
THIRD PLACE WINNER!
Dahlia Bakery Butter Pecan Sandwich
Tasters’ notes "Salty and sweet, dark and different" wrote one sampler.
Ordering information $2.50 each; available on a daily basis, but for special orders, call 206-441-4540 or visit tomdouglas.com to submit an order form online.
Dahlia Bakery Peanut Butter Sandwich
Tasters notes Everyone loved the filling in Dahlia’s take on a classic Nutter Butter, one person declared it "the perfect peanut butter cookie."
Ordering information $2.50 each; available on a daily basis, but for special orders, call 206-441-4540 or visit tomdouglas.com to submit an order form online.
Dahlia Bakery Snowflake Sugar Cookie
Tasters’ notes These snowflakes got docked for a consistency some samplers considered too crisp and crunchy, but others liked how the straightforward decoration and thinness recalled the holiday cookies of their youths.
Ordering information $2.50 each; available on a daily basis, but for special orders, call 206-441-4540 or visit tomdouglas.com to submit an order form online.
DeLaurenti Specialty Food and Wine Chocolate Chip
Tasters’ notes "A chocolate chip cookie is always nice," said one taster, "but it’s not seasonal." Still, everyone seemed to like the smooth, soft consistency and ample chocolatiness of these thick classics.
Ordering information $2 each; can be bought individually at DeLaurenti, or purchase the dough and make them at home. Special orders are accepted, but must be placed 24–48 hours in advance. Call 206-622-0141.
DeLaurenti Specialty Food and Wine Chocolate Chunk
Tasters’ notes "These are fabulous" noted on sampler. "I love the nuttiness of the hazelnuts."
Ordering information $2 each; can be bought individually at DeLaurenti, or purchase the dough and make them at home. Special orders are accepted, but must be placed 24–48 hours in advance. Call 206-622-0141.
Why it’s a great holiday cookie “It’s great because it has raw, loosely hand-chopped hazelnuts. The chocolate is a giant bar broken into pieces. It’s my personal favorite,” says chef Garrett Abel.
DeLaurenti Specialty Food and Wine Peanut Butter
Tasters’ notes One taster loved the sweet-and-salty contrast of these peanut butter cookies, another called them "too dry."
Ordering information $2 each; can be bought individually at DeLaurenti, or purchase the dough and make them at home. Special orders are accepted, but must be placed 24–48 hours in advance. Call 206-622-0141.
Why they’re great holiday cookies “They’re made with organic peanut butter, the best ingredients. Everything we do is about simplicity and quality,” says Abel.
Sugar Bakery and Cafe Holiday Sugar Cookies
Tasters notes "Exactly what I want in a cookie," exclaimed one person. "Melty, buttery, this is what I would serve at a party."
Ordering information $2.25 each, $3.50 for three-pack, $22/dozen; most are available daily, but to ensure an order call the bakery in advance at 206-749-4105. Twenty-four hour notice is preferable. These cookies, along with other holiday varieties, are also available on an assorted cookie platter (from 15–20 cookies), priced at $22.
Why they’re great holiday cookies “They’re festive. And religiously neutral,” says owner and chef Stephanie Crocker.
Sugar Bakery and Cafe Mexican Wedding Cookies made with buttery pecan shortbread, cinnamon, rolled in powder sugar
Tasting notes "Nutty and cinnamony," a sampler described, "almost melts in your mouth." Another loved the contrast these would add on a platter of various kind of cookies.
Ordering information $3.50/four-pack, $22/dozen; most are available daily, but to ensure an order call the bakery in advance at 206-749-4105. Twenty-four hour notice is preferable. These cookies, along with other holiday varieties, are also available on an assorted cookie platter (from 15–20 cookies), priced at $22.
Why it’s a great holiday cookie “It looks like a snowball,” says Crocker.
Sugar Bakery and Cafe Peppermint Bark Shortbread, chocolate shortbread dipped in white chocolate and crushed candy canes
Tasters’ notes Peppermint divided us. "Love it," wrote some, but one taster said it conjured toothpaste.
Ordering information $2.25 each; most are available daily, but to ensure an order call the bakery in advance at 206-749-4105. Twenty-four hour notice is preferable. These cookies, along with other holiday varieties, are also available on an assorted cookie platter (from 15–20 cookies), priced at $22.
Why they’re great holiday cookies “Peppermint bark is something you’ll find often, so it’s good to see it in a different form,” says Crocker.
