Q: How did Mama Bayer Cookies begin?
A: It started with a family trip to New York City. We stopped at this gourmet store—and I saw cookies shaped like a taxi cab and the Statue of Liberty. I was in awe. I checked a book out of the library when we got home, taught myself, and practiced until I got it right.
Q: You mentioned baking was also a kind of healing for you.
A: In 2007, my daughter and I were hit by a car. After that, and later losing my mom, baking became a place of comfort and joy for me. My mom was so proud of what I was doing, and focusing on cookies helped me heal.
Q: When did it shift from a hobby to a business?
A: It became a business after a friend asked me to make football cookies for a high-school team. People saw them, asked for my name, and it snowballed from there. Working at Maine Med, I’d bring cookies in for coworkers, and soon I was making them for Christmas, birthdays—everything.
Q: Why cookies?
A: Cookies connect us to childhood. My mom used to take us to a bakery in Minneapolis that made simple Christmas-tree cookies with sprinkles. They were magical. Cookies make people smile—especially men! They’re small, personal, and joyful.
Q: What’s your favorite part of the process?
A: The moment it all comes together. I tell my kids, “It ain’t over till it’s over.” You plan, mix, bake, wait—and then see it come to life.
Q: What has baking taught you?
A: That I’m more patient than I thought! Everyone wants things fast, but I love the rhythm of baking. It’s a process that slows you down. I’ve also learned to tune into what people want—the feeling they hope cookies will bring to their celebration.
Q: Why does slowing down during the holidays matter?
A: Because chaos steals joy. When you slow down—share a cookie, have coffee, talk—you remember what’s real. We all crave simple, genuine moments.
Q: What do you hope your cookies give people?
A: Warmth and connection. Every platter is personal. When people see cookies made just for them, they feel seen—sometimes they even cry. It’s a simple way to make someone feel loved.
Q: What’s the most memorable story you’ve heard about your cookies?
A: A family friend loved my cookies so much she displayed them in her living room year-round. When she passed, her family buried her with one of my Santa cookies. This still means the world to me.
Q: What does your busiest week of the year look like?
A: Around Christmas, I probably sleep three hours a night. I put on a podcast and bake all night. It doesn’t feel like work—it’s creating little pieces of art. I make between 35–50 dozen every holiday and bake year-round. Thirteen years in, I’ve made hundreds of thousands.
Q: Do you have a most-requested cookie?
A: No, but I always include one religious cookie—like a Nativity at Christmas or a cross at Easter. Once someone asked me to leave it out, and I said, “Nope, that’s part of the platter.”
Q: Favorite cookies to make?
A: Snowmen, Santas, and anything with faces—people or animals—because they have personality.
Q: How have you evolved as an artist?
A: I’ve learned so much from other cookie artists across the country. I’ve also learned simplicity matters—for example, four complementary colors look better than using every color in the box.
Q: Why try cookie-making?
A: Because it’s fun, imperfect, and full of laughter. My early cookies were terrible, but that’s part of it. Don’t take yourself too seriously—embrace the mistakes. And it brings people together.
Q: What do you always keep on hand?
A: Butter—about 30 pounds! Lots of flour, confectioners’ sugar, meringue powder, gel colors, sprinkles, edible gold paint, silicone mats, ribbon, cellophane bags, and 400 cookie cutters from around the world—for starters.
Q: Quick tips for holiday bakers?
A. 1. It’s the thought that counts. 2. People love homemade gifts. 3. Packaging is everything.
Q: Why do cookies make great gifts?
A: People don’t want more things. Cookies make people feel emotion—but they don’t have to put them away. They’re a moment of specialness. I include a handwritten thank-you with every order.