A Day To Remember...The Dessert Episode

The Cookie Table: A Pittsburgh Tradition

In our last episode, I highlighted the amazing wedding of my niece Tara. I left out one important detail however, DESSERT! I loved this idea so much I wanted to give it a separate post. The Cookie Table!

Here is some history on this tradition, according to Wedding Cookie Table.com, (yes there is an actual website and its fun and informational):

Rooted deep in the history of Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Eastern Ohio lies the beloved cookie table. To the folks in these parts of the country, a wedding without a Cookie Table is like having a wedding without the Bride and Groom – pointless! Traditionally, friends and family of the bride and groom, with the mother of the bride taking the reigns, prepare these cookies. Quite regularly, hundreds of dozens of cookies end up on display during the big day…

Lemon Bars, Peanut Butter Cups, and Strawberry White Chocolate Chip made an appearance!

Salted Caramel Shortbread, Snickerdoodles, Chocolate Chip Shortbread, Oatmeal Scotchies, Spiced Bees tore up the cookie runway!

I travelled to Cleveland, the bride’s hometown, a few days before the wedding to help with some of the baking. All in all there were about 1000 cookies, baked by friends and family, all pretty, all delicious! Here are the varieties…

Jam Thumbprints, Chocolate Chip Shortbread, Peanut Butter Cups, Spritz Cookies, Buckeyes, Ginger Molasses, Snickerdoodles, Oatmeal Scotchies, Strawberry White Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Chocolate Chip, White Chocolate Macadamia Nut, Lemon Bars, Pecan Balls, Oreo Truffles, Peanut Butter Fingers, Macarons, Spiced Bees.

My favorites were the the Peanut Butter Fingers, a Pillsbury Bake-off recipe from 1961 (the year I was born), peanutty, chocolatey, with an oatmeal cookie crust, and these gems, Salted Caramel Shortbread (see pic below), sandy in texture with some oooey-gooey caramel and chocolate and sea salt, and Pecan Balls, nutty with a delicate sweetness, and a dusting of powdered sugar. These three recipes are here if you want to try them!

Slightly crisp shortbread rounds with caramel and chocolate drizzle and flaked salt,

If that wasn’t enough to satiate your sweet tooth, there were these delectable little beauties!

Heavenly small bites in these flavors: vanilla with lavender buttercream, chocolate with a cheesecake bottom, salted caramel, cookies and cream, funfetti, peanut butter chocolate. The bride Tara, also provided vegan cupcakes for some good friends and they were unique, tiny layer cakes with fluffy frosting with a floral accent!