We have a winner! Carrie Lawrence's Oatmeal Peanut Butter Scotchies beat out more than 600 cookies in the nationwide Mrs. Fields 30th anniversary contest to emerge victorious. Read on to learn more about the winner—her must-have baking tool, favorite cookie and her biggest baking disaster.



What's your all-time favorite cookie?
Do I have to pick? Chocolate chip, of course.

What baking ingredients do you always have on hand?
Chocolate, flour, butter, sugar and vanilla. A dedicated baker is usually prepared to bake something at the drop of a hat—you never know when you'll be inspired.

What's the most adventurous baking endeavor you've ever undertaken?
I once baked for a colleague who was in charge of providing the food for her temple's events each weekend. She paid me to make dozens of cookies, sweet breads and cakes weekly. That was quite a challenge to keep up with that volume, plus work full time. I also made and decorated a huge chocolate cake for a going-away party at work. That was nerve-wracking since I hadn't done that before, but it worked out nicely and I lived to tell.

If you had one message or bit of advice for aspiring bakers out there, what would it be?
If you are making a new recipe for someone else or if it's for an important event, make a practice batch first. (That lesson learned in question #3).

What's the one baking tool/gadget you couldn't live without?
It's a toss-up between my favorite cookie sheets and my favorite mixing bowls. I'm pretty spoiled with a kitchen full of lots of baking toys and shelves full of cookbooks, so I don't know that I could pick if I really had to. Heck, the screensavers on my laptop are pictures of my baking toys. I'm kind of obsessed with baking tools. I can spend hours loitering in William-Sonoma and Bed Bath and Beyond, and I really should buy stock.

What was your biggest baking or kitchen disaster?
When I was a teenager, I made a batch of cookies that was soooo hard that you couldn't bite into them unless you soaked them in milk first. I did that with a batch of Rice Crispie bars a few years ago, too, and still haven't lived that one down. If I could figure out how I did those things, I'd probably make a fortune in the construction material business.

What was the first thing you ever baked, and how did it turn out?
I've always been fascinated with baking since watching my mom and grandma bake when I was a little kid. Technically, the first thing I ever baked was a little yellow cake in my Easy Bake Oven when I was 10 years old. But the serious baking came when my mom taught me to make chocolate chip cookies in a real oven when I was about 12 years old. I did the mixing/baking and she supervised. They sure turned out a lot better than my Easy Bake Oven creations!

Did you bake the other finalists' cookies, and what did you think of them?
Yes, I made all of the finalists' cookies and took them to work with me for my own informal taste test. Plus, I was just looking for an excuse to bake. I found it interesting that folks liked different things about all of the cookies. I loved the Seven-Layer Bars and thought that if I lost, it would be to them. I still make that recipe and it gets lots of compliments.

Did you think you were going to win?
When I entered, I really didn't think about winning since I've never won anything before. I just did it for fun. Plus, there were so many terrific recipes entered! It wasn't until I made it to the top 5 where I actually thought I had a shot. My friends and family seemed pretty sure I would win and their support has been incredible.

How did you find out you won, and how did you react?
I was on my honeymoon and was contacted by the Mrs. Field's representative by telephone. The honeymoon was great but this made it all the more sweeter. A loud noise escaped from my mouth and my husband rushed into the room to find out what was wrong. I've been full of excitement and anticipation ever since that moment.

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