Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
It was a sugary sweet Saturday at Cass Scenic Railroad State Park as the Christmas celebration continued into its third week with a new and fun little competition held at the community center.
A dozen bakers pulled out their favorite cookie recipes and baked up a storm to enter the first ever Christmas Cookie Bake-Off. In addition to making cookies for the competition, cookies were also baked for Cookie Bingo, which was held in the evening.
The winners were selected by community members and visitors to the state park. They sampled the treats and selected their favorites.
It was stiff competition, with classic flavors and unique combinations, but, in the end, there was a clear winner.
Prior to the announcement of winners, the room was abuzz with the same question, “who made the hot cocoa cookies?”
The crowd soon found out when J.T. Arbogast, co-coordinator of the event, announced that first place was won by Summer Cohen, of Monterey, Virginia, for her hot cocoa cookies. Cohen won an overnight stay on one of the Cass houses and two tickets to ride the Whitaker run train.
Second place was won by Gracie Faubert, of Cass, who used her grandmother’s recipe for peanut butter chews, a “hometown favorite,” Arbogast said.
Third place winner was Jessica Walton, of Dunmore, with her pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.
The event was hosted by the Friends of Cass organization which also coordinated the cookie Bingo held after the bake-off.
