As the festive season approaches, Christmas decorated cookies come alive, bringing joy and sweetness to homes and celebrations across the country.
From intricately designed gingerbread men to shimmering snowflake sugar cookies, bakers, both professional and home-based, are crafting edible masterpieces that capture the festive spirit.
One such baker is Happy Wong, the dedicated creator behind Favour By Happy, who has become a Christmas staple with her intricately crafted cookies.
“We only use gingerbread because it’s Christmas and has a unique flavour, which isn’t commonly found in Kuching. Although many people make these cookies, not many use gingerbread as a base,” she explained.
“However, we have adapted our gingerbread creations to suit the local taste buds, making them kid-friendly as well,” she said in an interview with Sarawak Tribune.
A work stemming from passion, Favour by Happy Christmas Decorated Cookies are icing-based and exclusively made for the festive season.
Meanwhile, Myra Ahmad, founder of Munchie By Myra, built her company on a foundation of passion for the craft and a keen sense of creativity, finding joy in experimenting with unique recipes shared by others.
“It makes me want to try them out myself. Plus, it’s such a fun way to get into the holiday spirit and put my spin on what I see online,” she said.
One of Myra’s standout creations is the beloved “Gingy” cookie, a soft ginger sugar cookie coated in white chocolate.
“It has this perfect balance of warm spices and sweetness. It’s been a huge hit, and customers tell me it reminds them of Christmas in every bite,” she said enthusiastically.
The Cookie Craft and Customer Preferences
During the Christmas festivity period, Favour By Happy focuses solely on gingerbread production and does not mass-produce them.
“So usually every year, we only do a certain number of sets. Everything we do is special and limited edition. Once it’s sold out, it’s sold out.
“For our cookie designs, we use meringue powder instead of egg whites. While egg whites would be cheaper, we opt for meringue powder for its better taste, smoother texture, and longer-lasting quality, despite being more expensive,” she explained.
Despite the higher cost of ingredients, she shared that her customers valued the quality of her cookies.
“Our customers are usually repeat customers or those who seek quality products. Although our cookies are not popular due to their prices, the flavours justify the costs,” she added.
Starting her business seven to eight years ago, she pointed out the differences between the early cookies made with egg whites in 2017 and the more refined designs created with meringue powder, showcasing the evolution of her work.
Founder Myra Ahmad also shared her efficient approach to ensuring her creations were always fresh for her customers.
“I mass-produce my cookie dough in advance. I freeze the dough and then bake it fresh whenever there’s an order.
“This way, the cookies come out perfectly fresh every time. As for my other desserts, I make those upon order to ensure they’re always as fresh as possible. It’s a system that works well for me,” she said.
In addition to her seasonal Christmas offerings, Myra provides a variety of cookies throughout the year.
“The most popular choice is my ‘Milk Choc Chunk’ cookie, probably because it’s a classic that everyone loves.
“So far, my customers have been really happy with the festive box I offer, and it seems to meet their needs perfectly. It’s been designed to include a variety of holiday favourites,” she said.
The Essence of Christmas Cookies
As a self-taught baker, Wong said that Christmas Decorated Cookies had unique decorations.
“These cookies are all about personal preference and artistic expression. We use various cutters to create different designs, and each cookie can be tailored to a specific theme, whether it’s Christmas, baby showers, or even cake toppers.
“So basically, regardless of the base of the cookie, you can still use royal icing. It can be a sugar cookie at the bottom as well, or any other type of cookie you prefer. It’s essentially the decoration on top that matters. In other words, during Christmas, what matters is the decoration,” she said.
For Myra, the visual appeal of Christmas cookies is just as important as their taste.
“The shapes, like Christmas trees and snowflakes, are easily recognisable for the holiday season and reflect the festive spirit visually.
“The flavours are also a big giveaway when it comes to what makes a Christmas cookie festive. Ingredients like ginger, cinnamon, and caramel are classic holiday flavours that instantly remind people of the festive season.
These flavours make Christmas cookies stand out as a holiday treat,” she said.
The Process: A Labor of Love and Balance Between Cost
Self-taught baker Wong explained that baking decorated cookies was not a regular part of her routine as it was very time-consuming.
She shared that she did not bake cookies on a regular basis, and large orders usually required at least two months’ advance notice.
As such, she said that she only baked cookies for special occasions like Christmas, and Chinese New Year, and occasionally for other celebrations such as Hari Gawai or Hari Raya, as the production process was not a quick task.
Happy Wong’s cookies are as much about artistry as they are about flavour, with her four-piece sets priced at RM60, while single cookies are RM18.
Prices depend on size and detail, with larger cookies requiring more effort and icing. Despite rising costs, Wong has kept her prices consistent to ensure affordability.
“Decorated cookies are versatile, and we use different cutters and designs. It takes quite a few, on average
about three to four days. The process involves multiple layers of icing, with each layer needing time to dry before the next can be added. It’s quite labour-intensive,” she said.
Depending on the design complexity, she said that she produced 20 to 100 cookies a night, spending at least 15 to 20 minutes per cookie on average.
In addition, she also creates Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Cookie and Gingerbread House kits, born from her love for children.
“I love kids, so these are the things that I do because I have a lot of friends who have kids, or we have a lot of clients who have younger kids. We do this because it helps them release their creativity.
“You can decorate however you want. It’s like a Christmas activity that lasts a couple of hours. They can have fun with friends or with the whole family. It’s not just for kids,” she said.
She also mentioned that she had clients who bought kits for company team-building events, friends’ gatherings, and competitions to see who could decorate better.
“It’s born out of my love for kids, but it’s not necessarily limited to kids. We used to do the decorated cookie kits only, but in the last couple of years, we started doing gingerbread kits, like the gingerbread house. These are activities that both adults and kids can enjoy together.
“Technically, if you cover the gingerbread properly, it can last many years. This is one of the reasons why we use gingerbread cookies as they are more durable. In contrast, cookies made with chocolate or egg whites are more fragile and have a shorter shelf life,” she explained, showcasing her perfectly intact gingerbread house from 2022.
Meanwhile, as a solo baker, Myra also faces challenges managing large holiday orders.
“While it can be demanding, it motivates me to stay organised and work even harder. A trend I’ve been seeing is the popularity of festive boxes, which inspired me to try them this year.
“So far, the feedback from my customers has been positive, which makes all the effort worth it. For this holiday season, I offered a mixed ‘Festive cookie box’ at RM48, which is already a great value for 28 cookies.
“Each cookie is homemade by me with care, ensuring high quality and festive variety. It’s the perfect option for anyone looking to share or enjoy an assortment of holiday treats at an affordable price,” she said.
To produce the Christmas cookies, Myra said it could take about three to four hours, depending on the size of the order or how many she needed to make.
“The process takes time because it’s not just about baking, there’s also the cooling and decorating, which require care and attention to detail.
“For example, decorating a sugar cookie can take around three to five minutes, depending on how long it takes for the first layer of icing to set. For toppings, I use white chocolate, icing, biscuit pieces, and Christmas-themed sprinkles, especially for my festive cookie box,” she explained.
Future Plans
Looking ahead, Wong plans to expand her business and offerings by hosting more workshops for kids next year.
“And then maybe, we’ll have a few more pop-ups in the shop. For this year, we will be having our first pop-up store at Cornerstone, Kuching,” she shared.
Myra, a culinary school graduate with a lifelong passion for desserts, began her journey by sharing her creations with friends and family.
“I’ve always loved baking. When my family and friends started asking to buy my desserts, it inspired me to turn my hobby into a business.
“So planning, my focus is on expanding the variety of desserts I can offer for future holidays, starting with Chinese New Year. I want to create treats that align with the festive flavours of the season.
“For Christmas, I have the entire year to reflect and brainstorm, allowing me to improve on what I’ve done this year. My goal is to elevate the experience for my customers with even better cookies and desserts next holiday season,” she said.
For those interested in Christmas Decorated Cookies, they can visit Favour By Happy on Facebook or Instagram at @favourbyhappy, and Munchie By Myra on Instagram at @munchie_desserts.
