ABOUT VERMONT MOONLIGHT COOKIES

The company’s mission is to sell the freshest cookies made of only the finest local Vermont ingredients. All cookies are handmade to order and shipped practically right out of the oven.

Barbara Bacchi, owner and chief baker at Vermont Moonlight Cookies, believes that cookies should never be kept on shelves for weeks or months before customers buy them. Her goal is to take an order, then bake and ship her cookies immediately, so they are the freshest possible.

 Barbara began baking in Brooklyn at the age of twelve when she and a classmate tried their hands at making holiday spritz cookies in between scenes of “The Wizard of Oz.” She had so much fun that her mom bought her a Mirro cookie press — one of the first presses on the market. Can you guess her age? Let’s just say that she was a Brooklyn Dodgers fan when they won the 1955 World Series. ‘Nuff said. So she has a few years of baking under her belt.

Through the years, she has made cookies on every possible occasion for her coworkers, friends, and family. Her perfectionism allowed her to offer only cookies that had no touches of over-baking or other flaws. She discarded those that did not meet her high standards. (Actually, “discarded” meant that her husband and children were allowed to eat them.) It became a running joke whenever anyone saw cookies in the cupboard — “Oh, these must be rejects for the family to eat.” No one complained as they munched away.

 Barbara and her husband moved to Vermont in the early 1970s, and she has continued her tradition over the years during the holiday season. The cookies became part of the packages she sent to her family and friends. A gift package wasn’t complete without homemade specialties.

 The idea of starting a gourmet cookie company presented itself several times over the years, but only became a reality after her three children were grown. When she became aware of all the cookie companies out there, she realized that in order to fulfill her dream her cookies had to be unique in order to stand out among the rest. So she began hand-cutting cookies with Vermont themes, using the freshest, richest ingredients. She gives the cookies whimsical names — such as her “Mud-Season Chocolate Chip”— that pay homage to the rural atmosphere of the Green Mountain State.

 Ultimately, Barbara’s goal is to initially impress her customers with exquisite packaging — a touch of country with a bit of elegance — and to then blow them away with her delicious cookies inside.