Interview: The Baker Behind The Internet's Favorite Watch Cookies

February 05, 2021

Toronto baker Lindsey Gazel has run her namesake business, Lindsey Bakes, for more than a decade C and in that time, she's made confections shaped like Larry David, Charlie Brown, Michael Jackson, SpongeBob SquarePants, the cast of?The Simpsons, a pack of Marlboro reds, and a Blackberry phone complete with keyboard. Brands hire her to reproduce their logo C and fans hire her to reproduce their favorite products C all in the form of a cookie.? Every so often, her mind-melting?Instagram page?lights up with delightfully surreal cookies modeled after a high-end mechanical watch. Below, she explains her process. In case you're wondering, the cookies are $4 apiece. Shipping to the States can get expensive, she says C though still a bargain compared to the watch itself.? HODINKEE: When did you start making these watch cookies? Lindsey: The first time I did it was about three years ago. My friend Josh has a really amazing vintage shop in Toronto, and he got me to do the Jacob & Co. C the Cam'Ron watch. I don't really know what the watch is called. I'm sure it has a special name. The colorful one.? And then I have a lot of customers who own nicer things C oftentimes people will get their significant other a variety of cookies of all their favorite things, and watches come up a lot. I've done it so many times. How does it typically work when somebody wants one? They send me a picture C that's about it. Then I just make them up.? Can you walk me through the process? Sure. So, I roll out the cookie dough, and then I'll cut it out with a knife. Just the shape. Where the knobs are is always different on the different styles of watches, and the shape of the bands is always different.? Then I bake it off. And then I'll pipe, which is just putting icing on with a piping bag. I usually do the face first, and then do the band C and then add all the little details. And then I use an edible shimmer powder mixed with peppermint flavoring. I brush that on. The alcohol in it evaporates, but it still has the shimmery gold or the silvery look. Then the cookies dry overnight, and then I package them up.? What kind of cookie are they? A sugar cookie. They last for like two months, but I know a lot of people that keep them forever.? How big are they? Probably about five inches tall. They're big, but I can do them any size. Just cut out the shape by hand.? What do they taste like? Oh, wonderful. What watch brands have you done? Rolex, Jacob & Co., Cartier those are the main ones. There's an Omega. And then I cant remember the name of the one with the leather band and the white face. I don't have any of these watches. What watch do you have? It was my dad's. It's a Bulova Accutron that his father gave him. I don't think it's worth anything. Just sentimental.? What are some other brands you've worked with? Stssy. Aim Leon Dore. Chanel. Herms. Rowing Blazers, I know they have vintage watches on their site as well. Who else? Honestly, everyone. It's crazy. And these are not requests by normal people saying, "Can you do me a Chanel piece?" This is actual Chanel saying they want a piece? Oh, for sure. But of all those brands, no actual watch brand has asked you. No, no, never.? I wonder why. I think maybe their clientele's a little more sophisticated. They're not gonna be impressed with a cookie.? This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.