[EDITOR'S NOTE: My apologies for the delayed posting! Completely my bad, though I was in Morocco on vacation until this afternoon so I do have an excuse. 
Special thanks to Cookie Connection contributor @LisaF for covering for me and continuing to celebrate our members while I was away. ~ JMU]
In my area, summer still has plenty of juice left in it. The sun is shining, and the heat is plentiful. But . . . schools are getting ready to start. And, in some of the big box stores, Halloween candy and Christmas decorations are quickly replacing the pool floats. It's turning my mind into a tilt-a-whirl of emotions. I guess pumpkin-spice poolside is now a thing?!?!
I'm realizing that, whether I want to or not, I need to get my act together on fall baking projects even though I haven't completed (or in some cases even started!) what I planned to do this summer! I guess I should follow the example of the many returning students and reluctantly start work even if my thoughts are currently moving in a million different directions.
Judging from this week's hot list*, I'm not the only one with scattered thoughts. The trending clips are incredibly diverse, though one thing they have in common is that each and every one is amazing.
Let's get right to it . . .
#1: Four-Step Birch Tree Tutorial by Love Bug Cookies (This tutorial is such a pleasant reminder of the generous instruction and tips that so many members make available on Cookie Connection. Many thanks, @Love Bug Cookies!)
#2: Flowers! by Di Art Sweets (There is so much to appreciate here. Check out the detail on the square cookie platter, for instance. Congratulations, @Di Art Sweets, for having your work selected as the cover art for the second week in a row. Your color choices and picture-perfect piping really put these cookies over the top!)
#3: Snow Rabbit Valentine by iSugarfy (aka swissophie) (This lovely set was an entry by @iSugarfy (aka swissophie) in Practice Bakes Perfect Challenge #32 (Monochrome). Even if previous challenges have closed, all are still accessible on this site and offer fantastic inspiration.)
#4: Wedding Cookies by Evelindecora (These stunners were posted over five years ago and are trending once again - a testament to both Evelin's fine work and Cookie Connection's ability to draw eyes to photos long after they've posted. Congratulations, @Evelindecora!)
#5: Baby Nicole's Cookies by Silviya Mihailova (These cuties have over 9,200 views! Amazing, @Silviya Mihailova!)
#6: 70th Birthday Party by Gloriabakes (Such striking colors and design. Great work, @Gloriabakes!)
#7: Easter Bunnies with Straw Hats and Knit Sweaters by iSugarfy (aka swissophie) (These amazing creations were posted over seven years ago and are seeing a resurgence in interest yet again. Special congrats to @iSugarfy (aka swissophie), not only because of the longstanding appeal of this set, but also because this set marks her second appearance this week.)
#8: Icing Food Miniatures on Christmas Dessert Table Cookie by Evelindecora (This trending cookie has accumulated over 5,100 views since first being posted to the site, making @Evelindecora another two-time honoree this week!)
#9: Terracotta Pottery Artifacts by PUDING FARM (This photo is another entry in Practice Bakes Perfect Challenge #32 that is trending high once again. Amazing work, @PUDING FARM. The variation in textures creates such depth and interest.)
#10: The Butterflies Have Landed - on Cookies! by Cookies Fantastique (This clip was first featured in 2019 and has risen to hot list* status once more. I think you can see why! Well done, @Cookies Fantastique!)
How's that for a kaleidoscope of color, texture, and inspiration?!
Whether you're squeezing out the last days of summer or preparing for fall, I hope the upcoming weeks bring joy, sunshine, and baking opportunities!
So that no one has an unfair advantage in making it onto a hot list, the algorithm is secret even to site administrators. Only our platform developers know the code, which has been exhaustively tested by those developers and Cookie Connection staff.
All photos shown here are the courtesy (and copyright) of the designers listed.
To check out our other hot lists, at any time of day, visit our Hot Spot, also found in the site's main navigation line.
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Lisa Foss is a hobbyist cookie decorator. After careers in corporate communications and freelance writing, she focused her attention on the nonprofit sector. She spent more than a decade at various soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and prison reentry programs throughout New York City. Lisa’s cookie journey began in 2011 when she started making gingerbread houses. After getting a handle on construction, she focused on improving her decorating skills through books, videos, and online tutorials. This exploration brought her to Cookie Connection, which has provided her with an incredible community to learn from and grow with. Though she enjoys making cookies for family and friends, Lisa’s main focus is cookies for charity. For more information about Lisa and her work, please check out her Facebook and Instagram pages.
Byline photo credit: Shutterstock
Note: Saturday Spotlight is a weekly Cookie Connection blog feature written alternately by Lisa Foss and Julia M. Usher. Its primary intent is to cast a spotlight on the week's top-trending cookie posts, as determined automatically by the site algorithms described above. This article expresses the views of the author, and not necessarily those of this site, its owners, its administrators, or its employees. To see all of Cookie Connection's past Saturday Spotlights, click here.
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