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Holiday Baking Tips

Don't Wait Until the Last Minute This Year—Simply Sweet by Lauren Offers Advice to Simplify Your Holiday Baking

If anyone knows how to manage her time it's Lauren Warmke, owner of Simply Sweets in Hillsborough. She operates under a unique business model where Monday through Friday her bakery is open by appointment only, then on Saturday she holds retails hours from just 9 AM to 1 PM. 

Opening a boutique bakery was not originally in Lauren's life plans. She started baking as a hobby when her daughters were young as a way to make something special for their birthdays. At the time, her goal was to have fun preparing for their big day and to create family memories. Eventually, tinkering in the kitchen with her daughters evolved into baking for her friends and family events. Before she knew it, these events took on a life of their own. Although not classically trained, Lauren spent countless hours expanding her skill set. This has helped her continually improve her craft and deliver the best possible products. Somewhere along the way, her hobby turned into a viable business.The first big event Lauren did was her brother's wedding and it took off from there!

Family is a priority for Lauren, and that is why she is grateful to have a business that fits into her lifestyle, not the other way around. It was never part of Lauren's business model to be open seven days a week, which is pretty unusual for a bakery. She wants to be able to be there for her children, so operating under these hours is what works best for her and her family. Lauren also has a commitment to quality and attention to detail that you can not only see but also taste. Everything that Lauren creates is from scratch using the best ingredients available. You can taste it for yourself by pre-ordering online at simplysweetsbylauren.com.

This year you can take the stress out of your holiday baking by following Lauren's pro tips.


1.  Keep it simple.

Stick with cookies that are decorated and baked all at once. For example, you can cut sugar cookies and sprinkle sugar before baking. This way, when they come out of the oven they're done and no additional decorating is necessary.

2.  Know what your family enjoys.

If there are a few staple cookies that you know your family loves such as chocolate chip cookies, pignoli cookies and coconut cherry squares, then make these three kinds in multiple batches! It's better to make a lot of your best treats than to spread yourself thin and wind up with subpar results.

3.  Prepare what you can early.

Holiday baking can be a marathon session. If you are making dozens and dozens of cookies, you can freeze them in advance. Many items freeze nicely as long as you package and wrap your treats properly; then, come the end of December, you won't be running yourself ragged!

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