Burbank, Glendale bakers in the top 10 for L.A. Times Holiday Cookie Bake-Off
This fall, the L.A. Times asked readers to share their special cookie recipes for the third annual Holiday Cookie Bake-Off, and then to help narrow down their favorites to the top 50.
And this year, Glendale and Burbank staked out a strong showing in the top 10.
The Times received close to 200 submissions, and more than 2,500 votes were cast. The top vote-getters were taken to Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Pasadena, where students spent one Saturday morning baking batches of cookies.
L.A. Times Food Editor Russ Parsons, Test Kitchen manager Noelle Carter and features Web producer Jenn Harris joined Lachlan Sands, dean of the cooking school, and culinary student Donna Feoranzo to taste and test each cookie, narrowing it to their top 10.
Below are the local bakers who made it into the top 10 this year:
Laurel Gillis, Glendale
Almond Sweeties
“My 98-year-old mother was a wonderful baker, and this was one of her specialties.”
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Kelli Abrahamian, Burbank
Rosemary apricot bars
“I just moved to Los Angeles this past summer, leaving family, friends and a wonderful group of food bloggers in Minneapolis. This will be my first sunny Southern California Christmas, and I know I will make these bar cookies and remember the loving friendships I have across the miles.”
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Christina Conte, Glendale
Snow cookies
“When I was a little girl in Scotland, my mother used to make a very simple yet delicious snow cake, which was topped with white icing and shredded coconut.”
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For the full list of winning recipes:
-- Los Angeles Times; compiled by Jason Wells, Times Community News