Cranberry Lime Snowballs, Gingerbread, Hot Cocoa Cookies, Molasses & Ginger. Just the names of the cookies are swoon worthy and lucky were the judges who got to taste every single flavor! At the end of the judging during Marketfest’s Christmas Cookie Challenge on Dec. 7, the winning cookie was the Double Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookie baked by Becca Thayer of Wiscasset.

This year’s judges were Lily Burt from Jodie’s Café and Bakery; Daphne Cromwell, owner of D-Zerts by Daphne; and Shane McCarthy, manager, Water Street Kitchen & Bar. According to Ann Clifford, coordinator with Monique McRae of the Cookie Challenge, the judges took their roles very seriously and spent time viewing and tasting the cookies and conferring with one another. 

Eleven local bakers took part in the Challenge with an age range from 8 to 84. Clifford said the 8-year-old was disappointed about not winning but declared her intention to return and try again in 2025. The location for the 2nd annual CCC was the first floor of AEkeir Brewing at 111 Main St. in Wiscasset Village. Owner Jeremy Meyers was pleased to host the event and opened early so volunteers could move tables, add holiday decorations and welcome the bakers.

After the judging, the public was invited to purchase the individually wrapped cookies for a donation. Clifford said the winning Double Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookie, which she described as “amazing,” sold out within minutes. And all the cookies were gone in about an hour. The purchase donations are given to Wiscasset’s Feed Our Scholars.

The local businesses underwriting Marketfest‘s community activities are Lead Sponsor, AmesTrue Value; Major Sponsors are Carriage House Gardens, First Federal Savings, First National Bank, J. Edward Knight & Co., Jodie’s Café & Bakery, Midcoast Federal Credit Union, Red’s Eats, Rock Paper Scissors, Sherri Dunbar/Tim Dunham Realty, and Water St. Kitchen & Bar. Additional support is from AEkeir Brewing, Bradbury Art & Antiques, M.W. Sewall, Red Bull Antiques, Sprague’s Lobster, and Water Lily Flowers & Gifts.

Wiscasset Holiday Marketfest is a program of Wiscasset Creative Alliance.