The Tony and Libba Rane Culinary Science Center is partnering with local baker Rebecca Pilgreen of Sugar Bakings to bring Auburn residents together in a sweet, new way this Valentine’s Day.
On Feb. 13 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Auburn’s culinary science center, participants of all ages are invited to attend the first ever community cookie decorating class. Pilgreen, Sugar Bakings owner and an Auburn alumna, will lead participants through the step-by-step process of using royal icing to decorate their own set of six sugar cookies.
According to Pilgreen, experience in the kitchen is not a requirement.
“Come one, come all. We will learn from the basics," Pilgreen said.
A special enhancement to the experience will also be offered — guests 21 and older will have the option to sip on a complimentary glass of wine while decorating their sugar cookies.
Director of Community Engagement & Economic Development Caitlin Myers claims that the culinary center’s one-of-a-kind exhibition kitchen provides guests with a fully immersive experience found nowhere else in Auburn.
“One aspect of my job is to invite the community in for amazing experiences where we activate our different spaces,” Myers said.
Myers also described how the center's fully-equipped exhibition kitchen will be utilized to best engage a large audience.
"It's tiered seating and a working kitchen up at the front of the room. It's equipped with all sorts of great technology, including cameras and TV screens, so that way, the guests from their seats are able to see the techniques demonstrated," Myers said.
While Valentine's Day celebrations in the community are often centered around couples, Myers believes that the class provides a perfect opportunity to celebrate friendship in the female community through Galentine’s.
“To me, Galentine’s is an opportunity for girlfriends to make time to see each other and celebrate that sort of friendship,” Myers said. “Girls' nights out are very popular and it’s just a fun break where people can immerse themselves in something fun.”
Pilgreen agreed that girlfriends are important.
“Friday night, go out with whoever you're dating, whoever you're married to. But Thursday, come hang out with friends," Pilgreen said.
Gentleman are still welcome to attend and will learn skills that that they'll enjoy as well, according to Pilgreen.
Pilgreen feels a special connection to the event's message of community, having just moved Sugar Bakings and her family of three to Auburn in 2024.
“We just moved here, so I’m building community. This is all new for me, but I’m so excited to meet different people," Pilgreen said.
Sugar Bakings began in Birmingham, Alabama, in 2020 when Pilgreen started baking as a hobby during the pandemic and found herself with extra time — and cookie dough — on her hands. Since successfully making the leap from passion to hobby, cookie decorating classes have become Pilgreen’s way to foster community in whatever stage of life she finds herself.
“You can do cookies for any event. So at some point, all of my friends have gotten married, had a baby, had a Bachelorette, had something and so I definitely have felt supported by all of them,” Pilgreen said.
Pilgreen believes that adding a little extra sweetness to events holds the power to bring community together.
“We're coming out of a cold January. But you know, we've gotten a hint of some warmer weather. So I think it'd be fun for students, faculty and people who live in the community to get out and be able to go do something with their friends,” Pilgreen said
According to Pilgreen, the best part of the event, aside from spending quality time with loved ones, is that attendees go home with cookies.
"I always tell people, no matter what they look like, they're gonna taste good," Pilgreen said.
Tickets are $75 each and available for purchase here.
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Camille "Millie" Ligon, junior in journalism, is a culture writer for The Auburn Plainsman.
