What’s Happening at the Market: Cookie Daughters brings the sweets

For the social media savvy, Cookie Daughters has become a household name in Sequim. Sarah Harrington is well-known for cheery videos of her intricately decorating cookies.

These elaborate — and let’s face it, addictive — videos have received more than a million views on Instagram, in addition to being featured on the Food Network and showcased by Marie Kondo (after Harrington released a set of decorative cookies inspired the organization expert.)

In fact, in the pursuit of writing this article, a time had to be carefully selected to interview Harrington and accommodate the filming schedule of King 5 News, who recently shot a segment spotlighting Cookie Daughters.

As one could imagine, it was with particular excitement that the farmers market community discovered that Harrington was bringing her delicious creations to the Sequim Farmers & Artisans Market for the 2022 season.

The simplified explanation of Harrington’s craft is that she bakes and decorates one-of-a-kind sugar cookies.

As tasty as they are delicious, Harrington’s designs can take almost any shape, but she says she finds herself most drawn to hyper-realistic florals, plants, and novelty foods.

Photo by Emma Jane Garcia/Sequim Farmers & Artisans Market Sarah Harrington’s cookie designs can take almost any shape, but she says she finds herself most drawn to hyperrealistic florals, plants, and novelty foods.

Her signature flavor, which she credits as starting it all, is a vanilla lemon sugar cookie. She’s expanded the line to include vanilla bean, salted caramel, champagne, and endless others. She brings an exciting array of drop cookies and french macaroons to the market each week as well.

Harrington said she’s always excited to bring on new seasonal features.

“Pumpkin and some fun stuff for fall is on the horizon right now,” she says. “That’ll be the next big one to come up.”

Cookie origins

After spending years admiring videos outlining the processes of other cookie artists, Harrington says that by the time she was ready to give cookie baking and decorating a try, she was astounded by how much skill she had passively collected.

“When I did try, I realized I had a full knowledge base because of all the time I had spent watching these other artists and absorbing information,” she says.

Over time, her business grew. Harrington advertised a special Valentines Day cookie release on Facebook and was overwhelmed by the interest.

“I was amazed at the response they got from people. I was shocked by how many people wanted my cookies,” says Harrington.

“That was the very first time I did any type of large sale, so I was really just figuring it out as I went. I’ve learned so much since then. I’ve refined my process and gotten so much better.”

“I find so much joy in it. It’s such a cathartic experience to decorate cookies, I really enjoy the whole process,” says Harrington. “I’m not creating something like a drawing that only looks beautiful, but I’m also working with these flavors to enhance the experience. It offers something different that you don’t really see in the Sequim and Port Angeles area.”

As a stay-at-home mom, Harrington says she was drawn to the idea of launching a business that allowed her to spend time with her two daughters, ages two and four.

Photo by Emma Jane Garcia/Sequim Farmers & Artisans Market / Sarah Harrington greets customers at the Cookie Daughters booth at the Sequim Farmers & Artisans Market.

“It’s a company that started with the idea of being able to work at home and provide for my family while being present in their lives,” she says. “Cookies have become the perfect vehicle to get me there.”

Harrington’s daughters were also the inspiration behind the business name, paying homage to those whom she calls “the leading ladies of her life.”

“I was trying to come up with some type of name that would represent me,” says Harrington. “It just had to be my girls. They’re my inspiration for everything. So Cookie Daughters made the most sense to really honor them and what we were going to do together.”

Harrington says that preparing her large presentation of cookies for the market each Saturday is no easy feat.

“Manageable chaos is basically what I have happening in my home every day,” laughs Harrington. “I’m a stay-at-home mom during the day while my husband works.”

“I try to work when my littlest naps, which might be for an hour in the afternoon. Then I work when they go to bed. I start my second day around 8 p.m. and sometimes work until 1 or 2 in the morning. I would not say it’s been easy. It is a full production scale to get ready for that one market day each week.”

Harrington says her daughters have enjoyed seeing their entrepreneur mom at the market on Saturdays.

“It’s been really fun to have them come visit me at the market and get to see me in a little bit of a different element than being a mom at home,” says Harrington.

“They come running over screaming for whatever cookie they want. My kids are so cookie-d out that you’d think they’d be sick of them by now, but no! Their palettes are just increasing.”

Harrington says that her work has brought many different forms of fulfillment to her life.

“It fills a different tank within me. It fulfills a creative process, it offers a validation I don’t find as much in motherhood but that I can find in my own business. It just gives me a whole bunch of joy.”

A Sequim local, Harrington says that her business’s success has strengthened her sense of community connection.

“I’m from Sequim, I went to high school here and I have roots already established in this area. But starting this business has made them grow, and grow, and grow!”

“I’ve been able to connect with so many people,” she says. “Sharing my experiences as, not just a business owner, but as a mother and an individual.”

“The interactions that I have at the market are amazing. I get a lot of, ‘Oh my gosh, you’re real! I watch you on Instagram!’”

Cookie Daughters is at the Sequim Farmers and Artisans Market every Saturday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. through October. Visit your community market at Sequim Civic Center Plaza at North Sequim Avenue and West Cedar Street.

Be sure to tune in on Thursday at 4 p.m. to KSQM 91.5 FM for the live radio “Sequim Farmers & Artisans Market Update.”

Emma Jane Garcia is the director of the Sequim Farmers & Artisans Market.

Sequim Farmers & Artisans Market

Open: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays through Oct. 30

Location: Sequim Civic Center Plaza and Centennial Place, downtown Sequim

More info: manager@sequimmarket.com

On the web: sequimmarket.com