All those nights spent watching holiday baking championships have finally paid off.

Ms. Krein invited me to be a judge of the faculty cookie contest on Monday, December 11. The contest consisted of two categories: cookie and non-cookie. Considering most of the contestants liked to cheat and vote for their own, I took on the role of the unbiased judge.

When I walked into the faculty lounge, I was greeted by an assortment of sweets galore laid out across the tables. As I scanned my choices, I talked with eager teachers, not so subtly, urging me to vote for their baked creation.

This annual tradition has lasted even during quarantine, and this served as a great way to share holiday recipes and enjoy a baked good during a long day of work.

As I tasted, I made a list of my top five creations in the cookie and non-cookie category.

Starting with number five, I chose the tiramisu cookies. These were the first ones that caught my attention considering my Italian background. The cookie had a good texture with a mix of denseness and softness. The icing on top helped add decoration and an extra hint of flavor. While it was tasty, it did not quite match the taste of an authentic tiramisu. The icing had more of a buttery finish to it, which still harmonized with the rest of the flavors the cookie had to offer.

Number four was the peanut butter Ritz crackers dipped in chocolate. This non-cookie surprised me when I first tasted it. I had the assumption that because it was a cracker and peanut butter, it was going to be more on the savory side. I was proven wrong when the sweetness of the chocolate enhanced the sweetness of the peanut butter and overtook the saltiness of the cracker. The decorations of snowflake sprinkles added to the winter festive look and overall it was good, but didn’t outdo any of the other favorites I had.

Number three was the infamous spicy pretzel. The other teachers trying each cookie all said the same thing: the spicy pretzels were their favorite. Of course after hearing this, I had to try them to see where they would rank on my list. Since I have an affinity for spicy foods, I was intrigued at this savory gem in the midst of all the sweetness. The holiday shapes added a bit of festivity to the pretzels as they were all sorts of snowflake designs. This treat was not only a popular favorite, but served as an interesting palate cleanser after all of the sweet treats.

Number two was not a cookie or anything savory. It was something called “Grinch Dip.” This ranked high on my list for three reasons: It was creative and unexpected among all the treats; it was festive, and it was tasty. The dip tasted mostly of whipped cream, which was expected since it was the primary ingredient. It paired nicely with graham crackers, which allowed the focus to be on the dip and didn’t clash with the flavors.

My number one vote was the container that was nearly empty when I arrived. It was the macarons with cheesecake and raspberry filling. The baker that made this treat is famed for her uniqueness and creativity with his different cultural tastes. Last year she made conchas, which were a hit among the teachers. This year went the same way. There is a reason why this baker is always winning each year, and after tasting his macaron, I understood why.

As I left the lounge, I knew I was not going to be able to eat my lunch after the abundance of baked goods. After that contest, I had had my fair share of sweets for the day. Being the only student judge served as a great opportunity to prove my unbiased abilities and provide a fair judgment to the close competition. My taste buds and I are grateful to be a part of this tradition.

The winner of the 2023 teacher and faculty cookie contest was Ms. Rice (Language Department) with her cookie creation of Raspberry Cream Cheese Macarons. Second place was Mrs. Anderson (English Department) with Apple Butter Snickerdoodles, and third place was Ms. Seeberg (English Department).

The winner of the non-cookie category was Mrs. Provis (Counseling Department) with the Grinch Dip. Second place was Mrs. Whelan (English Department) with Spicy Pretzels, and third place was Mr. White (Theology Department) with Gooey Butter Cake.

All entries that I tried were fantastic and are a must-make for any holiday get-together that you might have this season. Be sure to ask these bakers about their recipes!