Room A3 was filled with delectable smells last Friday as six judges deliberated between the entrants of the annual Mirada cookie contest.

The top three entrants, seniors Julia Butterfield and Christy Rogers and junior Ilana Weisburg, worked hard to refine their recipes before the big day.

Senior Julia Butterfield tried many different cookies before deciding to make peppermint sandwiches.

After deciding on a recipe, she worked hard to refine and perfect the process.

“I just really like trying new recipes. Some of them work and some are total failures, but it is always lots of fun,” said Butterfield.

The three cookies were snickerdoodles, chocolate peppermint sandwiches and pumpkin caramel cookies.

Each of the Mirada judges were given a sample of each of them and were forced to decide based on taste, texture, appearance and something extra.

Although they were all delicious, Christy Rogers’ cookies were the favorite of the judges

Even though they were not as visually impressive as the others, the pumpkin caramel cookies were mouth watering and took her to an almost unanimous decision in her favor.

For Rogers, baking is not only fun, but also a way to spread love to anyone who eats her baked treats.

“I like the joy people get when they eat the treats I make,” said Rogers.

“It’s a way to spread happiness and give back to the community that has helped me so much.”

Christy, a member of the girl’s varsity tennis team, finds time between sports and school to make treats for her friends.

She helped lead the girl’s varsity tennis team to second in sections this year.

When she isn’t baking she spends her time playing tennis, running, and catching up with her friends and family.

Family is very important to Christy and she shows her love by baking any one of her delicious recipes.

“My favorite thing to make is probably chocolate chip cookies. I just love the simplicity,” said Rogers.

Rogers won the rights to a free edition of the 2012-2013 Tesoro.

Christy’s Winning Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• Frosting
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• Pinch of salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Stir in pumpkin. In a medium bowl, sift together the baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, salt and flour. Add to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

To make frosting: In a medium saucepan, combine butter, cream, and brown sugar over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture just begins to boil; remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool then stir in confectioner’s sugar. Spread frosting over cooled cookies.