Cookie Craze

Janie Olson arranges a dozen miniature pine tree-shaped cookies on a tray, grabs a bag of green frosting and begins piping the sweet cookie covering.

First, she traces an outline along the edges before filling in the middle. Next, she zigzags a thin line of yellow, creating tinsel and finishes with red and blue icing, adding pops of color for ornaments.

After more than two decades of decorating cookies, Olson - along with sisters Nancy Claussen and Joyce Miller - have mastered the art of frosting holiday goodies at Three and Company Baking in Clearwater.

So have three long-time assistants: Chris Bolling, Liz Kight and JoAnn Olson.

By now, they have the routine down pat. Miller bakes cookies and Bolling serves as chief decorator.

After decorating, cookies are placed on trays and placed on racks, allowing frosting to dry overnight.

The next morning, Bolling boxes cookies from the previous day so there's room for the next day's batches to dry.

Two years ago, bakery employees filled orders for 486 dozen cookies, 12 dozen mini muffins, 10 loaves of bread, 20 dozen cinnamon rolls, 27 dozen donuts, 76 dozen assorted cookies, 26 cakes and 3,000 mints.

"That's a lot of flour and sugar," Miller said.

Last year, the bakery, located at the corner of Custer and Montana streets, baked 4,488 regular-sized sugar cookies, 1,872 mini cookies and 1,134 assorted cookies during the holiday season.

Years ago, the bakers followed one rule: If you break a cookie, you eat it.

"We don't do that anymore," Claussen said. "Now we put them in a pile and take them home to grandkids."

"After the first week, you're sick of cookies," Bolling added.

"I'd rather have a monster cookie or a chocolate chip cookie," Miller said.

What's in a box of assorted cookies?

Peanut butter with stars, chocolate chip, M&M and monster cookies, according to Miller.

Gingerbread men are another popular choice.

Decorated sugar cookies can be made in a variety of shapes, including Santa, snowflakes, bells, angels, holly and trees.

The sweet treats have been shipped to destinations as far away as South Carolina. A batch will be mailed there again early in December.

They rely on special packing materials to keep cookies tight in boxes.

"By the time we're done packing them, they're not going anywhere. They made it to South Carolina without breaking one cookie," Claussen said.

During December, the bakery delivers to Norfolk on Thursdays.

"Sometimes, it's Tuesdays and Thursdays," Claussen said, "If we're really busy."

Orders for holiday cookies come in early, especially from repeat customers.

"People who get them one year are already asking to be put on next year's list," Claussen said.

Miller baked the first batch of 2019 cookies the week before Thanksgiving for a family who celebrated early this year.

The last day to order any items for the holidays is Dec. 14.

The best advice is to order as soon as possible.

Claussen said that gives everyone a day off before they begin filling orders.

Then, let the baking frenzy begin.

An average day begins early for Miller, who arrives in the middle of the night to start baking.

The rest arrive in the morning to start decorating and packaging cookies.

Most days, the group of decorators work until 7 p.m., although they have worked as late as midnight.

Miller joked that there have been times she has gone home to take a nap before returning around 1 a.m.

"She's back before the bar closes," Claussen joked.

Three and Company Baking also offers do-it-yourself cookie kits, for individuals who want to decorate cut-outs but may not have time to bake and make frosting.