Designing a new graham cracker: Sachs had previously baked a s’mores tart and really liked the graham cracker crust. But she wanted to add more depth when she adapted that recipe to form her cookie’s crunchy base. “The breakthrough was realizing that I don’t like honey in a graham cracker, and molasses brings it that bitterness that makes it delicious,” she said. “That’s the thing about Christmas cookies, right? All those spices, flavors, it’s a little bit more complex.”
Holiday baking is for everyone: You don’t have to celebrate Christmas to love holiday baking. Sachs, who is originally from Israel, is Jewish. “I didn’t grow up making holiday cookies, but baking Christmas cookies has always sort of been one of those things I aspire to,” she said. “To me, Christmas is a time of celebration and indulgence and festivity. So I was in the mood for something special, and a little bit more elaborate.”
A scientist’s approach to baking: Sachs is a doctor and a scientist with a research lab that specializes in leukemia, which might have something to do with how she meticulously tested and wrote her recipe. “It’s a terrible illness, and I have very precise protocols for how to treat my patients, so I’m used to telling people very specifically, ‘Do this, don’t do that,’” she said. “It does carry over” into the kitchen, all in the pursuit of the perfect cookie. “That’s why I love to bake, because you can be precise and have terrific outcomes.”
Judges’ comments: Judges agreed that this cookie is the right amount of challenging for holiday baking, and while we would (and did) eat all the components separately, together they are a flavor powerhouse. It’s also the excuse you need to buy a kitchen torch.
Baker’s tip: You can bake the chocolate cookies right away, but Sachs prefers letting the dough chill in the refrigerator for several hours up to several days. “It improves the flavor and the texture,” she said.