Restaurant News: Cottage food businesses ready to serve you for the holidays

We are so lucky to have a variety of creative cottage food businesses in Edmonds—many of them are bakeries which means there are great opportunities to purchase tasty cookies, cakes, pastries and breads from someone in your own neighborhood.

You may remember that Conor O’Neill, owner of the Cottage Bakery, started his endeavor as a cottage food business in 2018. He launched The Cottage at Blue Ridge in his Lynnwood home and began practicing and perfecting each loaf he baked. After a year of trial runs and recipe testing, Conor started to give away bread to neighbors at the base of his driveway in May 2019, with just seven bread options and a few small treats, all placed on one small table-cart. A few months later, The Cottage began expanding its selection of products and started hosting Pop-Up events in Perrinville, just blocks from where the bread had been baked fresh that morning. Lines of neighbors and bread-lovers eagerly waited to purchase sourdough breads and pastries on the corner of Olympic View Drive and 76th Avenue each Saturday morning. The Cottage Bakery opened its first storefront in Perrinville in December 2021.

A cottage food business is a licensed and permitted operation through the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA), allowing for the preparation and sale of products from a home kitchen and residence. Unlike standard commercial food facilities, cottage food operations follow a specialized application and approval process specific to the national cottage food industry. A Cottage Food Permit allows a Washington resident to make non-hazardous foods like baked goods, jams, and dry spice blends in their primary kitchen. You can learn more at Cottage Food | Washington State Department of Agriculture. Please note that some of the places mentioned in this column are small businesses that rent space in commercial or commissary kitchens and are technically not “cottage food “businesses.

Here are a few of the local food businesses where you can order delectable treats for everyday enjoyment as well as for the upcoming holiday season.   Many of these proprietors require advance pre-orders and some of them have pop-ups around town and at local markets.

www.misssemisweet.com: Miss Semi Sweet, the cookie company, was officially founded in 2025 by Morgan Bradley and Cher Myers and proudly operates out of a licensed cottage kitchen in Edmonds. But the story begins much earlier, in 2012, when Morgan was studying at Le Cordon Bleu in San Francisco. Inspired to combine her love of media, her passion for vintage recipes and pinup fashion, and her growing culinary skills, she launched Miss Semi Sweet as a YouTube channel and creative persona. Over the years, Miss Semi Sweet has evolved from a playful YouTube channel into a full-fledged cookie company, but some things haven’t changed: her devotion to delicious treats, her passion for creating, and her desire to share joy and sweetness with every bite.

cakesbyfrosted.com: Stephanie’s story: “My life is cake. From a young age, baking has always been something I loved to do. I grew up in the kitchen with my Italian mother learning how to appreciate the art of making desserts look and taste amazing. I started my professional baking career as a pastry chef at a small restaurant in downtown Edmonds called Olives Café & Wine Bar. From there, I went onto managing a catering company, which exposed me to weddings and wedding cakes. It was through this unexpected exposure, I found a passion for creating wedding cakes and more. After working as a catering manager for a few years, I found myself at a crossroads. The catering company was closing, and I had the option to find another job or take a chance and start my own company. I founded Cakes by Frosted in the summer of 2010, one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! I bake for a living, and I love it!”

www.rumblyinmytumblypieco.com: Shannon McDowell is the owner and pastry chef who creates a plethora of pies that you pre-order and pick up in Lynnwood. Here is a lovely recipe for Starbucks knock-off Butterhorns that she shares on her blog — and that you can make at home. 

Butterhorns by Rumbly in My Tumbly Pie Co.

Ingredients:

Dough:
2 cups flour
2 sticks (1 cup) of cold butter, cut into one-inch cubes
1 egg yolk
3/4 cups sour cream
1/8 teaspoon salt

Filling:
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
4-6 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Place your cold, chopped butter and your flour and salt into a food processor fitted with a blade, and pulse for about 15 seconds, until butter is cut into the flour and you have pea sized lumps.(If you don’t own a food processor, you can cut the butter into the flour and salt with a fork or pastry cutter)

Add the sour cream and egg yolk and pulse for 15-20 more seconds until large chunks of dough form . You don’t need it to be one large ball, just large chunks. (If you don’t have a food processor, you can stir in the egg yolk and sour cream gently until combined.)

Divide the dough into 5 equal parts, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least two hours.  You cannot skip this step; the dough must be well chilled to get a flaky pastry.

When dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface (parchment paper if you have it) roll out each ball, one at a time, into an 11-inch circle, keeping the other balls in the fridge until you are ready for them.

Once you have an 11-inch circle, use a pizza cutter or a knife to cut the circle like a pizza into 8 equal sections. Sprinkle each circle with about 2 tablespoons of cinnamon sugar mixture. Starting at the widest end, roll each one tightly up to the point, and place it onto your prepared baking sheet, bending it slightly into a crescent shape. These do not spread much at all so you can place them quite close together.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the edges are slightly browned. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack with paper underneath (to avoid messiness). Mix your glaze ingredients together until smooth and dip the top of each warm cookie into your glaze, placing it back onto the baking rack to cool.  Serve warm or cool and store in an airtight container.

thisispapernapkin.com New online cookie bakery created by Edmonds couple Kat and Brent Woodham, Paper Napkin creates decadent cookies in their Woodinville commissary kitchen and delivers them to customers in the Edmonds area.  Current flavors include: Dark Chocolate, Triple Chocolate Chip, Bourbon Oatmeal, Peanut Butter, and Naked Cookies.

www.wildwhiskbakery.com/home  In her own words, pastry chef and owner Rozann Grunig describes her new venture as “A Recipe for Reinvention”: “I’ve had a lot of life experiences — running my own business, working in a corporate legal department — but something was always missing. I kept asking myself, “What do I want to do when I grow up?” It seemed like a silly question to be asking in my 50s and 60s, but I’m living proof it’s never too late to follow your passion. At 62, I traded boardrooms for baking sheets and enrolled in the Pastry Arts program at Edmonds Community College. Two years, countless pounds of butter and a whole lot of flour later, I finally found what had been missing all along. Baking fills my soul in a way nothing else ever has, and I knew I had to share that joy with others. Baking is both an art and a science, but for me, it’s also a wild adventure! Every whisk of the batter, every sprinkle of sugar, and every bold new flavor combination is part of the creative journey. That’s what Wild Whisk Bakery is all about: fresh ingredients, handcrafted, small-batch treats made with curiosity, care, and just a touch of whimsy. Now, I spend my time dreaming up new flavor combinations, fine-tuning recipes, and sharing the joy of fresh-baked delights with my community. From flaky pastries to decadent cakes, I hope my baked creations bring warmth and happiness to your table!”  You can find her at pop-ups around town as well as order online.

www.mycustombakes.com/lilbitzofsweetness:  Natalie Campbell is a sugar cookie artist located in the Picnic Point, Edmonds. Here is her story: “I am a stay-at-home mom to an energetic 4-year-old. A couple years before becoming a mom, I decided I needed some creative time after enduring my first Pacific Northwest winters. Little did I know that taking a cookie decorating class just months before a world-wide pandemic would give way to something I have come to absolutely love. When my little one finally decides to go to sleep at night, I use my creativity to help design special treats for special occasions.”

www.boyhowdybakehouse.com: Melissa Osborn has created a neighborhood home bakery, serving up sourdough bread with local and organic grains and other baked goods crafted in the Picnic Point area of Edmonds. Boy Howdy Bakehouse runs on preorders. The standard ordering menu opens Friday at 10 a.m. and closes Tuesday. Thursday is your fresh bread pick-up day! Special requests and custom orders are always welcome. She graciously shared a bread recipe for my readers who have an active sourdough starter.

Skagit Forge Sourdough Bread Loaf

Ingredients 

475g Fairhaven Mill T85 Skagit Forge Bread Flour

380g warm filtered water

95g bubbly & active starter

9g salt

Instructions

Process: Mix flour, water & starter until a shaggy dough forms. Let sit 30 minutes. Add salt with a splash of water & mix well. Perform 5 sets of coil fold or stretch and fold every 20 minutes. Let bulk proof 5-12 hours (will depend on ambient temperature). Shape and place in banneton. Let cold proof overnight in refrigerator.

Bake: Preheat a lidded Dutch Oven in a 460 degree oven. Score loaf and spritz with water. Bake in a preheated dutch oven for 25 minutes with the lid on. Remove the lid and continue to bake for 20 minutes or until deep golden brown. Let cool completely before slicing.

Where the Wind Blows Bakery is in Edmonds’ Seaview neighborhood. Malissa Vosejpka Hall created an online bakery that makes custom cakes and cookies. You must pre-order.  She makes fabulous trays of holiday cookies in November and December and is known for her teacher’s appreciation gifts as well.

Down the Line Bakery located in Edmonds is owned by Pastry Chef Sarah Hill. According to her website: “Born and raised in Lafayette, Indiana, Sarah studied at Purdue University. It was during her time in college that Sarah realized that baking was her true passion and decided to turn this passion into a career. She left Purdue and enrolled in the Culinary Institute of New Orleans where she graduated in 2002. Sarah Hill’s pastry journey began in the heart of New Orleans at Emeril’s Flagship Restaurant, where the city’s vibrant energy and deep culinary roots first sparked her passion for sweets.

“In 2005, she carried that spark to Portland, Oregon, where she refined her craft in some of the city’s most celebrated kitchens. Over the years, Sarah’s creations have graced the menus of The Heathman Hotel, Roux, Masu East, Lucier Restaurant, The Nines—Urban Farmer and Departure—and Higgins Restaurant, where her desserts became a reflection of both precision and heart. At Little Bird Bistro, Sarah’s devotion to seasonality shone through in desserts that danced in harmony with Chef de Cuisine Marcelle Crooks’ and three-time James Beard Award winner Executive Chef Gabriel Rucker’s inspired dishes.

“After moving to the Edmonds area in 2021, Sarah took on the role of Executive Pastry Chef at the iconic Fairmont Olympic Hotel in downtown Seattle, where she elevated the pastry program with her signature blend of classic technique and modern whimsy — before expanding her craft into the confectionery side of the cannabis industry. Rooted in a deep love for the Pacific Northwest, Sarah cherishes her close relationships with local farmers and purveyors, weaving the region’s bounty into every dessert she creates.”

On her website, Sarah offers Sourdough Sandwich Loaf, Brioche Loaf, Sourdough Dinner Rolls, English Muffins, Pies and Pastries, Quiche, Coffee Cake, Fresh Fruit Tart, Cheesecakes, Cookies, Specialty Cakes and Specialty Tiered Cakes. She operates out of her home and from a commercial kitchen.

Petal Confections Floral Cakery is the creation of Vanessa Wright, who creates custom designed floral Cupcakes, Cakes, and Cookies for special events-offering traditional, vegan, non-gluten and dye-free options. She is based in the Norma Beach area of Edmonds.

Moon Rabbit Bakery is located in Brier, but Chef Zoë Sonoda often has pop-ups at Ono Poke and Il Viale in Edmonds. She offers cakes, cookies and pastries with interesting and delicious flavor profiles.

Heyday Bakery is a pop-up and mail order cookie and brownie bakery created by Carly and Katie, two graduates of the Seattle Culinary Academy. They work out of a commissary kitchen in Woodinville and ship their baked goods directly to you. You can order either a “Build Your Own Box” – Pick your favorites, mix and match, and get exactly what you’re craving — or a “Baker’s Choice Box” with a hand-picked selection of cookies and brownies. Available in two sizes (6 and 12 items) and free shipping to anywhere in the U.S.

Cookie Box Bakery: Cookie Box is a gluten-free licensed bakery started by Sara Conley in her certified Edmonds home kitchen.

Here is Sara’s story:  “About 10 years ago, I had to remove gluten from my diet and was constantly disappointed by the gluten-free cookies that were available. Cookie Box was created with the intent of bringing homemade, better-tasting, gluten-free cookies to those who can’t eat gluten — or anyone who just wants a good cookie! While my specialty is cookies, I also make cinnamon rolls and scones. In 2019, I decided to pursue my love of baking and obtained my pastry certificate through Edmonds Community College. Armed with my existing pastry knowledge, and tired of not being able to eat what I made, I decided to branch out into the world of gluten-free baking. I spent the next few years perfecting my cookie recipes through lots of trial and error and feedback from my gluten-eating peers.”

Cookie flavors rotate regularly and can be pre-ordered through hotplate!​ Sara will be holding pop-ups for the holiday season. Check the website for dates and locations.

Deborah Binder lives in Edmonds with her family. She loves to cook from scratch using produce from the gardens she created with her husband. She attended culinary school and worked for restaurants, caterers and culinary schools. Her current interest in food is learning to eat for health and wellness, while at the same time enjoying the pleasures of the table. Deborah loves experimenting and developing new recipes. As Julia Child once said, “Everything in moderation including moderation.” Deborah can be contacted at jaideborah@yahoo.com.