INTRODUCTION

When this book goes to print, Crave will have celebrated twenty years in business. We are incredibly proud to share this collection of recipes with you. Each of these recipes has undergone thousands of hours of testing, from initial flavour concepts to being freshly baked in our bakeries each day. We know the recipes work, and we know they are delicious, based on the loyalty of the customers who regularly visit our bakeries. This cookbook guarantees delicious outcomes for everyone—from the beginner to the experienced baker—no matter the occasion. Whether you’re celebrating a first birthday or a ninety-ninth, celebrating a new job, or making snacks for lunches, you can trust these recipes will turn out delicious baked treats every time.

We grew up on a farm in southern Alberta outside of High River, surrounded by a family of talented bakers, including our mom, grandmothers, and aunts. Baking from scratch was the only thing we knew (Oreos were a rare treat!), and these traditions were passed down to us over the years. As we ventured out to pursue our own paths—attending university and then entering the workforce—we continued to share our love of baking for others. Whether it was baking cookies for friends or offering to make birthday cakes for co-workers, we have always had a passion for making people happy through baking. In fact, Carolyne once declared her dream job would be to open a bakery and bake for everyone.

In 2003 we came up with the idea to start a home-based cookie business. We had a friend create our first logo and menu, then we rented a commercial kitchen and baked cookies for our cousins to give as Christmas gifts to their corporate clients. We delivered pale-blue cookie boxes across the city and received follow-up orders.

Then came decision time: should we open a bakery? We explored other options, including a farmers’ market outside of the city, or converting a home basement into a commercial kitchen, but ultimately, we decided to open a retail bakery in Calgary. We worked on a business plan to sell cookies and cupcakes, then found the perfect location in Kensington. With a small loan from the bank, we set about converting what used to be an Internet café into a bakery. At every step, we worked with friends on the design and build, carefully selecting the perfect white paint that would complement our buttercream frosting colours to create an inviting store experience for the customers we hoped would walk through our door.

In September 2004, we opened the doors of Crave! With a mix of fear and confidence, we proudly baked and shared our cupcakes and cookies with the people of Calgary. Neither of us has had any formal baking training, but we knew how to work hard and get along with each other, and we had a true passion for sharing really great baking. We baked our beloved family recipes, and people came; we baked every day, sold out, hired some friends to help, kept baking, and kept selling out. We baked everything from scratch, cracking every egg, unwrapping one-pound bricks of butter into KitchenAid mixers, baking cupcakes and cookies, icing our cupcakes, and putting them on display for customers to purchase. In our business plan, we had set a goal to hire a pastry chef in five years—but we ended up hiring her in month five, and she still works with us today! (Thank you for sticking it out with us, Cynthia.) We were baking together, sharing our baking with so many people, and doing what we set out to do: bake cupcakes and cookies that tasted delicious. Humbly, we celebrated our wins, learned from our failures, and hired bakers and retail staff who shared our passion and love of from-scratch baking to meet the demand for Crave cupcakes. We knew we wanted Crave to have more than one location, and our growth plans started to unfold.

Together with many talented, smart, and hardworking individuals, we have grown Crave to six locations—four in Calgary, one in Edmonton, and one in Saskatoon—and we continue to set our sights on Canada-wide expansion. For the past twenty years, everything we have created and shared has been a labour of love. We continue to perfect our craft every day through our baking, and we have the honour of being part of people’s celebrations, both big and small. And now we are delighted to share our recipes with you.

We hope you enjoy baking and sharing these recipes as much as we do. Happy baking,
Carolyne and Jodi
Sisters and Crave Co-Founders