Bridget - Georgia, Vermont
“I bake for two reasons. One, because I love it. I love the smells, I love the challenge, I love the taste of homemade... and I love the childhood memories it brings back. Now, however, the main reason I bake is because I have to. My son has Celiac Disease, which means he cannot have anything containing gluten. I make his bread, his cookies, brownies, cakes, pies, anything baked I make… and quite well, too, I might add!”

Bryan - Jamesport, Missouri
“Baking is a passion. To take bunches of raw ingredients, and watch them come together into a cookie or cake or pie is a creative endeavor only experienced by the creator.”

Betty - Birmingham, Alabama
“I bake because I love cookies, they’re the perfect little bites of crunchy deliciousness. I bake with my nieces because my Aunt Myrtle (who is 93 years old and still bakes) was generous enough to bake with me and my sisters when we were young. I bake as therapy, when I’m sad, it always cheers me up. I bake because I love a challenge, I’m on a mission to bake the world’s most perfect layer cake. I bake because it’s a way of passing down our food heritage. I bake because I like to see the smiles on everyone’s face when you share with them.”

Cynthia - Clinton, New York
“I need a reason????? It’s all about the love! Baking is the best way to show people I love them! So I bake cookies for college students, bread for dinner, cakes for no occasion, muffins for meetings...”

Denise - Wasilla, Alaska
“I’ve loved baking since I was young. Mixes are convenient, but I’ve always preferred ‘from scratch’ goodies. I took up bread baking in college--sort of a challenge to myself. My future husband’s roommate baked bread. If he could, then so could I. Now it’s even more important that I do my own baking, because I’m both diabetic and lactose-intolerant. It’s vital that I know exactly what’s in the food I eat. This way, I can still have a lot of the things I enjoy, but I’ve made substitutions and alterations that make them ‘legal’ for me.”

Natelie - Anderson, California
“Looking for gluten-free items. I have recently been told I am allergic to wheat-gluten and I am looking forward to creating some old favs into my new life.”

Isabel - Crestview, Florida
“It’s fresh, I know the ingredients, and when I do bake for an occasion, gathering, the faces on the people when they taste the item. It’s worth the effort.”

Irene - Smiths Station, Alabama
“It is satisfying to have other people enjoy what I have made and to know they are eating natures best and not preservatives and additives. I LOVE TO BAKE!”

Donna - Hannibal, Missouri
“I bake because it brings back memories of my grandmother, and all the long afternoons spent with her baking for the holidays. She had 2-kinds cookies she would only make during Christmas, and I continue with that, I am the mother of 3 boys (now grown) and they all can’t wait until Christmas to get those 2 kinds of cookies. And since I use King Arthur flour in making them, they are that much better. My reason is to carry on tradition, and for my family.”

Dianne - Gibsonville, North Carolina
“I taught cake baking and decorating for eleven years in a local community college. I love to bake and share treats with my grandchildren, friends and office co-workers. My four year old granddaughter loves to stand in a chair and help me and then watch the the baking process. She gets so excited. It’s just priceless. Your recipes are always GREAT!!!”

Tanya - Coshocton, Ohio
“My reason to bake is for pure pleasure.”

Gail - Westminster, Colorado
“It heals my soul.”

Nancy - Burke, Virginia
“I LOVE to bake because I find it to be therapeutic. The smells from the oven, sharing something you’ve made with friends & family, it’s food for the soul AND the senses!”

Arline - Quaker Hill, Connecticut
“Baking myself means using fresher ingredients and having the opportunity to tweak recipes to vary the types of flour used, or to make them non-dairy, or whatever the special need is at the moment. It also means I am eliminating additives that might be found in processed baked goods.”

Lurline - Richmond, Virginia
“It makes me relax. It is my De-stress moment!”

Angie - Newark, Ohio
“Baking at the holidays makes my family & friends happy! I plan on taking every Friday off of work between Thanksgiving till Christmas just to bake!!!!”

Margaret - Elgin, Illinois
“I have three reasons to bake. 1) I have arthritis and it has me moving and using my fingers. It has helped me a great deal since I started in February. 2) States and companies are making ingredient changes mandatory and like the eggs are good eggs are bad debate I decided I would not let anyone mandate the ingredients of my families diet and started making my own food from scratch. Everyone loves it. I even ship to my son at MSU. 3) It is so educational. I’ve learned to bake using the grill make pizza and why really good ingredients like KA has make a difference. I’ve even done side by side comparisons of different flours in the same recipe and found why they are different. It’s not just an art, it’s a science.”

Lisa - Tucson, Arizona
“Baking is my relaxer. It is almost like a calming agent for me and I am at my happiest when I bake. Baking is better than any spa any day. I love it.”

Joseph - Dryden, Michigan
“I’m a 45 year old, 215 lbs., 6'1" man’s man who has trained in the Martial Arts for 15+ years. All great warriors must learn to express themselves artistically. I cannot draw, paint, sing or dance. Ergo, I bake... did I mention that I like to write poetry? Go ahead... call me a sissy... I dare ya!”

Ann - Wellesley, Massachusetts
“Inherited a love of baking from my Swedish grandmothers. Enjoy carrying on the traditions and the flavors. My family appreciates it too!”

Gaye - Asheboro, North Carolina
“SOoooooooooooooooo many... willing to eat!!!!”

Laura - Los Angeles, California
“I bake to relax. I love it. Nothing feels better after a long day at work then setting up shop in the kitchen. Gathering ingredients, measuring, mixing, kneading or rolling out dough. It’s my favorite time to daydream and tune everything out. My husband loves the results and is usually happy to do the dishes, so it’s perfect all around. I’m almost sorry when the kitchen timer goes off. Back to reality :-)”

Paula - Palm Harbor, Florida
“I have always loved to bake. I give away most of what I make - taking it to church to the office staff, or to the library where I volunteer. My doctors also share getting cakes and cheesecakes when I visit them. I think that when I am stressed, baking relaxes me - it is probably my most enjoyable way of passing time.”

Jackie - Colfax, Washington
“I bake for our wonderful U. S. Military guys and gals, deployed overseas during the holidays. It’s my small contribution and way of showing how much I appreciate the sacrifices they make for us everyday. They are all heroes!”

Eunju - Las Vegas, Nevada
“I like the smell when I baking, and I can eat something what I know, and fresh.”

Sylvia - Amery, Wisconsin
“I work in a high-paced, high-tech organization. I love taking the time, and building the skills, to provide family and friends with hand-made hearth breads made slowly, with nurtured levains, organic ingredients, and lots of love.”

Pat - Sebeka, Minnesota
“My husband changes the oil in my car. I bake bread and goodies for him. What an excellent reason is that.”

Nancy - Fairbanks, Alaska
“I work in the ICU at our community hospital in Fairbanks Alaska. Every Weds my daughter and I have baked for the ICU nurses. This started when my daughter was 3 and now she is 13. It has become a tradition for us and it is enjoyed and looked forward to by all.”

Martha - Lincoln, Kansas
“Baking lets ME determine the ingredients. We like low-salt and low-fat items, things bought in a bakery don’t fit that description. Baking lets me avoid preservatives and all those other ingredients that no one knows what they are. Baking lets me use our own farm-grown wheat that I grind myself. Baking is therapeutic and entertaining.”

Teresa - Santa Margarita, California
“Baking is my therapy. It is my way to give of myself to the people I love and the friends I want to make. I feel so good after. I enjoy making bread and cookies. Baking is the best medicine.”

Gwen - Granite City, Illinois
“I bake for 2 reasons: 1. we are on a low salt diet, and 2. I use no artificial colors or preservatives.”

Deirdre - Omaha, Nebraska
“I bake for many reasons. I love the process of mixing, measuring and creating. I love the smells that are produced. I love having my kids tell me that I am the best baker (even if it is not true). I love seeing people enjoy what I have made. I love eating a little bit of what I have made. It is sharing a lit bit of my love and devotion with others. And it usually tastes great.”

Caroline - Simsbury, Connecticut
“Honestly? It is because my friends and family enjoy the results so much. You recently ran a special on sourdough - which I hadn’t tried before - and I am now getting rave reviews on those products. (Who knew you could make waffles and gingerbread with sourdough?!) Love making the folks I care about so very happy.”

Margaret - Whitman, Massachusetts
“I bake because my grandmother always had home-baked cookies when we went to visit. My mother always made cookies for us and I want my children to know the magic and memories of a home baked cookie.”

Erika - Coatesville, Pennsylvania
“To give my menopausal mom a tastes-good-feels-good alternative to store-bought chips and cookies when she has salty/crunchy and chocolate cravings. KA’s cheese cracker and brownie recipes are the best!”

Marya - Sacramento, California
“Why do I bake? I guess you could say the main reason I bake is selfishness. It makes me happy. No, I could never just bake for me and be happy. I bake for my friends and family. It’s the kind of gift I love to give. I like to set the stage for my husband, two sons, their wives and my grandchildren when they come over for dinner. Fresh, homemade bread is always served. The warmth and smell of my house, their favorite foods and warm, fragrant fresh baked bread helps to weave fond memories of grandmas house. Knowing they love my food and my baking is like medicine for my soul.”

Delma - Herriman, Utah
“I don’t NEED a reason to bake.”

Virginia - Pensacola, Florida
“When my husband passed, I was lost from 4 to 8 p.m. every day because he usually was home at that time. I started baking to pass the time, but gave it to friends and the church. I have become fairly good and have requests for my breads and desserts frequently. What a way to pass the time!”

Susan - Memphis, Tennessee
“I love to bake because it’s like therapy! I become completely engrossed in the project and every care in the world disappears!”

Gail - Northville, Michigan
“To make it worthwhile to ingest the calories!”

Amy - Canaan, New Hampshire
“My husband is a college athletic trainer, and I bake cookies to keep his athletes happy and to help them fight their homesickness.”

Tori - Tiverton, Rhode Island
“Each artist has their own medium. Some convey their art through clay, or paint, or even music. My medium is dough. I bake for the joy of creating edible art and the pleasure it brings to others.”

Rosemary - Athens, Ohio
“I bake because I can make sure of the quality of ingredients in the food I bake and because I believe that I can get better baked goods for my money if I bake them myself.”

Kathy - San Carlos, California
“I bake to spend time with my helping children, and to fill our senses - touch, smell, sight and taste! Quality time with quality outcome.”

Kate - Bandon, Oregon
“It makes the house smell so good! Also, from scratch baking is a money saver - very important as I am retired - and I bake better than I can buy!”

Jennifer - Villa Park, Illinois
“I bake because when life is chaotic, baking is something I do to restore order to me. It is methodical, logical, and most of all lets me be as creative as I want. There are no limits. Baking is something I can share or keep to myself. There is endless information and always much to learn. I bake to show the people I care about, just how much. Just like my German grandmother did. It brings me closer to her memory. I would not be me without baking.”

Linda - New York, New York
“Boring reasons. It’s fun!! I know what ingredients are in my bread and sweets. I can control the amount of sugar in each recipe--Mixes are mostly too sweet, yes even KA mixes.”

Beth - Albany, New York
“Fresh and healthy. My real 2 reasons I bake for my family. I know exactly what ingredients are put in and that my family is only eating what I put into my bread. I was tired of reading through all the ingredients on cookies, muffins and breads. Now, for instance, with my french bread, it’s just a few ingred. and I have my fresh bread! Nothing like it! The smell and taste!”

Sally - Belfast, Maine
“I love to bake and now that I am retired I have time to please all the people I love with my talent for baking!!!”

Nancy - Monument, Colorado
“I bake to do something special for the people I care about, because I think there is a little more love in a box of Christmas cookies than in a gift card. I bake because I enjoy putting everything together and creating something good.”

Anne - Roann, Indiana
“i bake because it is one of my passions--creating good food for people who enjoy it. my number one reason is my significant other who equates baking his favorite treats with my love for him. his is right. i do not do all that work for just anyone!!”

Lauri - Mound, Minnesota
“Holidays”

Kathy - Woburn, Massachusetts
“I bake because it makes me feel good to make something for my family that they enjoy which has ingredients I know to be healthy.”

Carole - Kingsville, Texas
“There are a number of reasons why I like to bake. It allows me a creative outlet and I do love to experiment. Of course, not everything turns out perfectly! But it’s never an expensive mistake, so I can indulge myself and play with some dough as often as the whim comes over me. Baking also brings me pleasure because when I share my warm delicious creations, I am forging closer relationships with others, and THAT is one of the greatest secrets of happiness. Whenever and wherever you break bread with others, there is love.”

SJ - Inver Grove Hts, Minnesota
“Baking bread or ?? makes me feel good. I feel like I’m doing something “natural” in this age of quick food prep.”

Priscilla - Weymouth, Massachusetts
“About half of my baking (twice a month or so) is done for the dementia-specific adult day care which my mother attends. Baking for both the clients and the staff (food for continental breakfast and/or dessert) is a way to let the staff know how much I appreciate the work they do. And a way to help the owner of this small, very specialized facility, off-set some of the expense of feeling the clients, for I have first-hand knowledge that this facility is barely breaking even in a time when expenses are rising and state funding is being cut back dramatically.”

Sandra - Lebanon, Connecticut
“I love to bake, the aroma it creates in my home, the delicious results that I can share with my family and friends and the pleasure of knowing that I use fresh ingredients in all my baked goods. All from scratch, even my pie crusts! Just made four apple pies yesterday, put in freezer for the holidays.”

Kathy - Hamburg, Iowa
“Think about this: Telling a good friend or loved one that you stopped by the store to pick up one of their favorite baked goods, or telling them, “ I baked your favorite tonight”... . Which one tells that person that you care about them ?... . . That is why I bake, for the love of my family and friends!”

Dinah - Chardon, Ohio
“I bake for my daughter and grandson. I live in Ohio they live in Utah the altitude there is high so her favorite and now Landon’s favorite - chocolate chip cookies never taste like home unless they come from MOM. It gives me pleasure to bake them all the memories of when she was a child and we would bake together and all the smiles and the love that went into each batch come flooding back into my mind fills my heart. I wish she and my little grandson lived closer to me, but since they can’t baking for them is one way of feeling closer to them.”

Rosemary - San Jose, California
“I bake because my grandkids think I am AWESOME!!! My grand daughter says she loves me so much that when I am old and have no teeth she will “feed me the soft rolls” like Heidi did for her grandmother. Do I have to bake the rolls?”

Beatrice - Bethesda, Maryland
“I bake because i have 2 “challenged” grandchildren and i want to control what they eat as far as colors, and flour additives. Your ingredients are healthful so that is what I use. I also bake because I like to and your books make the yummiest breads and cookies as well as super pie crusts... Bea “

Joyce - Groton, Massachusetts
“It’s simple! My family loves to eat everything I bake.”

Christine - Fort Collins, Colorado
“Baking is restorative -- I get a sense of accomplishment when I’m baking. I also like to eat the goodies when their done!”

Adrianne Sherry - Stratham, New Hampshire
“It calms me. It connects me with all the bakers in my family who have come before me. It allows me to invite company into my house and share a moment of old-fashioned socializing. It soothes my soul.”

Donna - Cookstown, New Jersey
“Friends birthdays are a good time to bake. Baking bread is a good way to relieve stress and tension”

Cindy - Carmel, Indiana
“I teach Developmental preschoolers during the week. These children have autism and developmental delays. Baking is a great stress reliever for me!”

Ellen - Coram, New York
“Why do I bake? If can’t pronounce an ingredient, or if I haven’t a clue what it does, I won’t buy it. Believe me, I’m no “crunchy granola, “ but I’d rather take the time to bake a loaf of your oatmeal bread, than to buy COW bread -- Crummy Old White. I get great satisfaction from baking, making a few ingredients into something delicious.”

April - Pasco, Washington
“I can take wholesome ingredients that in themselves are nothing & create some wonderful, healthy dessert or bread that I created.”

Betty - Metairie, Louisiana
“It’s fun to try new recipes and see the results. I’ve baked for years and enjoy sharing the baked goods with family and friends.”

Paul - Medford, Oregon
“As a father and grandfather, I bake cookies for my 3 grandsons and my daughter for Christmas. When I was young in my preteen days and teen days I use to always bake cookies for Christmas and so I am carrying on this tradition. I think that it is nice to have cookies to munch on at Christmas time.”

Judith - Berkshire, Massachusetts
“Baking reminds me of coming home from school and smelling the aroma of a freshly baked dessert waiting for me and my sisters as we came into the house. Baking is comforting to me. I enjoy the precision of it and the warmth it brings to my home and family. It is as if a miracle happens in the oven each time the timer rings - a planned surprise.”

Paula - Kansas City, Missouri
“To have healthy goodies around the house and to give good home made gifts to others.”

Judith - Brownsburg, Indiana
“My dearest friend was a home economics teacher. She was a true home ec teacher in every sense of the word. I learned to bake from her instructions and recipes. I have never had hobbies, just sewing, cooking and especially baking. With four kids two years apart, it came in handy. One of my sons was hyperactive before they even had a word for it. I baked, canned and froze almost all of our food to avoid preservatives. I now enjoy baking to share with friends who are too busy to bake or just “don’t have the knack for it” It is my reward and my therapy. Keeps the snow off of my driveway in the winter too!”

Joan - Canfield, Ohio
“I love to bake because it makes me feel sentimental. I had an aunt and grandmother who were excellent bread bakers. I remember them especially when i make bread. I make the harvest grains bread from your grain mix and recipe and everyone loved it. It just makes me feel good.”

Anne - Rochester, New York
“I bake to warm the house and the hearts of my family and friends. It is the best therapy I know for just about anything and I haven’t found a problem yet that I can’t solve over a warm slice of banana bread and a hot cup of tea.”

Jane - Jordan, New York
“My spouse is a sweet freak. He just endures the meal so that he can finish with something sweet. Plain and simple. I’ve been doing this for 52 years and he keeps expecting more of the same.”

Terri - Colorado Springs, Colorado
“I love feeding my family home-baked goodies after we all enjoy the smell of them baking. I’m also carrying on a family tradition as my sisters, mother, and both grandmothers are bakers. I’m continuing the legacy by teaching my daughter a love of baking and home baked healthy deliciousness.”

Karen - Santa Clarita, California
“I truly enjoy the art of baking. My family and I love the superior to taste to store bought products.”

Diane - Hamburg, New York
“I love to create art or baking it all the same.”

Julie - Kansas City, Missouri
“I bake to please others and simply to try something new. Baking has also become a creative outlet in the midst of my stay-at-home mother mania.”

Halley - Norwich, Vermont
“I like to eat.”

Kathryn - Charleston, Illinois
“Baking for me is a creative outlet as well as a way to make delicious goods for family and friends to eat! I am always looking for not only delicious, but healthy ways to bake. The King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour has been wonderful!”

Suzanne - Townsend, Massachusetts
“I bake because it is comforting and satisfying. I love creating something that other’s enjoy. And I especially love to bake bread because it reminds me of my grandmother. The smell of the yeast, the feel of the dough... it brings back memories. Baking relaxes me.”

Jane - Statesville, North Carolina
“I started baking my own bread a few years ago, when we got one of those many scares of “tainted” name brand bread. I threw my hands up and said “that’s it”. I figured how hard could bread be, my Dad used to make some periodically and as I remembered, it didn’t last even a day before it was gone. I invested in a bread machine {Zoe} and I haven’t turned back. I also am trying to get into the habit of baking for Christmas, as in presents, to keep my costs down. And my last reason is for my fabulous neighbor across the street who helps me when my husband is not around, I pay him in cookies.”

Carol - Fort Wayne, Indiana
“I love to bake but my husband and I don’t need the calories. The credit union we use has a bake sale several times a year to raise money to purchase items for needy families. Those are the times when I satisfy my urges to bake and usually try to come up with something new for them. They always appreciate contributions and I get to bake.”

Norma - Salida, Colorado
“Nutrition, freshness and flavor. I am diabetic and can easily adjust recipes to meet my dietary needs without sacrificing flavor or quality of the product.”

Silvia - Kokomo, Indiana
“I bake because I enjoy it, I love the way the house smells when there’s something delicious in the oven. I bake for all occasions and none in particular because my family enjoys it.”

Lauren - Chillicothe, Ohio
“I bake to give my family something warm and good to eat.”

Joan - Brooklyn, New York
“I just love it - & just the pride & accomplishment I get knowing that I can follow a recipe & the end result look just like the picture & my joy seeing everyone enjoy it.”

Lily - Boston, Massachusetts
“I grew up with parents who could bake, so I was always in the kitchen. But it turned into more of my own passion after a previously undiagnosed hole in my heart caused a stroke at the age of 33. How could I bake healthier better tasting food? With the products on King Arthur flour. com. From the variety of flours and the recipes, I add my own additions and spices to make each and everyone my own healthy version. I bake because I know that it can be done in a way that is both comforting and healthy, and it is not something that will keep me out of the kitchen, but instead bring me and my family into the kitchen.”

Ashley - Stockbridge, Georgia
“I bake because nothing gives me more joy than to be the person that makes people smile with my delicious treats. No matter what your day was like, you can always count on good food to brighten your day right back up, )”

Karen - Orange Park, Florida
“Because I can!”

Mary - Austin, Texas
“The food tastes better, much higher quality and healthier. Most of the time home cooked food is more cost effective.”

Halyna - Utica, New York
“I bake because it gives me pleasure in giving my family something good to eat. Secondly I just love the act of baking: the clatter of pans, the flour, the sugar, the wonderful smell in the kitchen. In the gathering and mixing and measuring, for me, I forget about other things, and I relax. I don’t think about other things and I zone into baking. I love the accomplishment and the great rewards of making something wonderful to eat or to pass on as a gift.”

Karin - Battle Ground, Washington
“I bake to relax! It’s great stress relief--especially kneading the bread dough. It’s kind of like “comfort food” without ALL the calories (OK, I have to eat some, too.)”

Donna - Del City, Oklahoma
“It is just comforting.”

Lillian - Foxfire Village, North Carolina
“Its most assuredly more healthy with all the wholesome ingredients. White wheat is my favorite and its so warm and welcoming when you walk into a home and smell the wonderful aroma. Thanks, Lillian.”

Patricia - Baton Rouge, Louisiana
“Baking transforms being at home into being in a world of love and caring. Starting with the aromas of freshly baked creations, to the look and taste of something unique, we create memories of home every time the oven is warming the kitchen.”

Betty - Lufkin, Texas
“I love to be in the kitchen cooking for friends and family, plus I think it really helps me to relax. My mother and both grandmothers are great bakers, I guess it’s the idea of creating something that everyone gets great satisfaction out of.”

Helen - Hampstead, Maryland
“One to bake, it’s very calming and relaxing. My family likes when i’m in the kitchen because they know something i’m baking will be good to eat.”

Bette - Brockton, Massachusetts
“it is a need to relate to my past, my mom and aunts, it brings me close to them now that they are gone. all those wonderful memories of good food, good times.”

Carmen - San Diego, California
“When I was a little girl, my grandmother, who was an Italian Chef, opened my eyes to the joys of baking. Thanks to her I am the only one in my generation who can cook. My grandmother passed away 20 years ago this year, but when I make her Christmas cookies, something no one else has been able to replicate, I feel like I am visiting with her again. It brings back the joy I discovered when I was a little girl. I will always be so grateful that she shared her special gift with me. I see the same joy in the faces with all I have shared her cookies with over these past 20 years. . and to this day I still give her all of the credit.”

Ray - Jonesborough, Tennessee
“I just recently discovered your flour and I have fallen totally in love with it. This is the best tasting flour I have ever eaten (all purpose). My biscuit recipe has improved twice-fold! You have earned a loyal customer in me. Thanks!”

Nina - Worcester, Massachusetts
“To relax, wax nostalgic, make the house smell delicious, create a warm feeling, see friends and family smile and to enjoy something that much of the country seems to believe is forbidden, making it that much more delectable and enjoyable.”

Margaret - Charles City, Iowa
“I like to know what goes into my food. It always tastes fresh and looks more appealing.”

Cindy - Colorado Springs, Colorado
“The snow is drifting past my window and I need heat in the house!”

Sherry - San Francisco, California
“I bake for the big smile I get when I deliver fresh baked goodies to my favorite fire station.”

Carol - Gariner, Montana
“I bake because I want to know that only natural and wholesome ingredients are in the food I feed my family and friends.”

Maria - Richford, New York
“Baking is fun and relaxing. It’s rewarding to create something wonderfully good, from ingredients I know are nutritious, like KAF. And my husband and son love it!”

Misty - Troutville, Virginia
“My son, Damien, is severely sensitive to artificial dyes, flavorings, and preservatives. This means that typical “sweets” such as candy and store-bought cupcakes are off-limits. As a result of his chemical sensitivities, we eat everything all-natural and most of it’s also organic. I know that if we did not eat this way, our son would be on one or more medications to control his behavior. I’m blessed that Damien is wholly cooperative and will pass up even the most tantalizing “artificial” foods when I’m not around. Other parents are amazed by his “self-discipline. “ But I believe the main reason he’s so cooperative is because I bake constantly: homemade breads, cookies, pies, cakes, candies, muffins, etc. All totally from scratch. This past week, for instance, I made homemade glazed donuts. And of course, these are all made with King Arthur flour. For me, baking means I can provide a “sweet” childhood for my son. I’ve worked hard to make sure he never feels deprived or left out because of his unique biochemistry. I’ve decided that when he brings home the girl ~I~ want him to marry, I’m going to share all his favorite recipes with her! =)”

Joanne - Far Hills, New Jersey
“I started baking with my mother when I was a child. I never got away from it and when I married and moved away from home I continued the tradition on my own. When my mother passed away 9 yrs. ago after a long illness I stopped baking because the very act made me miss her even more. Over time, I slowly got back into baking and now I do it quite often as the scents bring back wonderful memories of all the time we spent baking together. Cinnamon especially brings back memories of Christmas time when we would spend weeks baking dozens of cookies for friends and family. Now baking gives me a warm, loving feeling much the way I felt as a child when I baked with my mother at my side.”

Laurie - Crane Hill, Alabama
“Its all about the sharing. And of course, rationalization of having all those goodies in the house.”

Georgia - Canyon City, Oregon
“I bake for relaxation and creativity now that my kids are grown. When they were little, I baked with them to spend quality time with them. Holidays were always a big baking time, and I’m still expected to bake sugar cookies in appropriate holiday shapes! I have very fond memories of baking Christmas sugar cookies with them. I still use the same cookie cutters that I did when they were little, and if I didn’t, it just wouldn’t be Christmas!”

Ted - North Branch, Minnesota
“When I retired, I had some time to devote to new hobbies, one of which is baking bread. We enjoy the loaves of Caraway Rye, Whole Wheat, and Cinnamon Raisin I occasionally turn out. What I’d really like to get into is Artisan Breads.”

Linda - Albion, Nebraska
“with the holidays so commercialized these days, I have found out that it is less costly to make homemade gifts. they are much more appreciated and people like the idea of something homemade and not from a store”

Paula - Corpus Christi, Texas
“I bake because it reminds me of my grandmother who baked all the time. Every time I bake I feel the love that she showed us through her cooking.”

Linda - Omaha, Nebraska
“Traditionally, baking has brought my daughter and I together with the rest of the family during the holidays. It has been a passion and a therapy for my daughter, who has Cerebral palsy. The techniques in mixing ingredients and kneading breads create an Occupational therapy, much needed for the improvement of fine motor skills. All this fun, and we’re all unaware of how helpful it can be. The reward is much greater than the great taste of the product we have just produced!”

Krista - Espanola, New Mexico
“I bake so we can have healthier, fresher, more delicious bread than we can find in any local bakery, at about a quarter of the price. :)”

Mallory - Clearlake Oaks, California
“I have never baked much before this year. I have just never had the time. As I near retirement, I have found that I have more time. So I have been making cookies, many recipes from your site. I have always been afraid of yeast baking and have avoided it. But with your blogs and pictures I have felt that at last I know and I have practiced until I can use yeast without fear. (Before my dinner rolls could hurt you if you dropped it on your toe. )So, the love of exploration of the principles of baking and bread are the reasons I bake. Of course, the praise is really good too!”

Kimberly - San Francisco, California
“I bake to sooth my mind feed my family friends with treats. It’s a long passed down tradition for me and my family. Baking is a very therapeutic thing for me and if I don’t get to bake at least once a week I feel a bit antsy.”

Rudy - Ham Lake, Minnesota
“My other option is supermarket bread, but bread isn’t supposed to last three weeks before it develops its first spot of mold, and bread isn’t supposed to have the consistency of oily pillow stuffing. Expressing less levity, I bake because I appreciate good bread as being one of the finest things in life. It’s one of a few things that repays a small effort so generously. Nothing welcomes a friend to the table so well as the offering of good bread.”

Christine - Gaston, Oregon
“I love to make your “Crumb Coffeecake” recipe for a Saturday morning treat for the whole family (kids and grandparents included). It’s so simple and the perfect coffeecake. I usually prepare the ingredients the night before so it’s super quick in the morning. (We’ve been known to make it as a dessert once in a while, too).”

Karen - Melrose Park, Illinois
“I love to make new things for my family along with the regular things I make. some times they like something new and if they don’t like it I don’t make it again. I love to bake and look for new recipes all the time I have over 4 or 5 hundred cookbooks and still look on line for new recipes. its relaxing and comforting for me to try to make something I think my family will like”

Patrick - Sioux Falls, South Dakota
“I bake because it is therapeutic, it helps me relax.”

Melissa - Alpine, California
“My husband is a federal agent. I bake for him to take homemade treats to work to share with his coworkers. It is one simple, but special way that I can show how thankful I am for the hard work that my husband and his coworkers do everyday to help and keep our country safe.”

Lynne - Westbury, New York
“I bake mostly for other people’s enjoyment. Also, I feel that what I bake tastes better than store-bought, e. g. cheesecake, biscotti, apple and pumpkin pies and breads, etc. My baking always turns out as I expect, unlike my cooking! Thank you for all your great products, and lastly, all the great KAF recipes.”

Marti - Louisa, Virginia
“I need (knead?) to bake. It’s art, chemistry, creativity, economics and therapy rolled into one discipline. But the main reason? I love to get compliments!!”

Nitza - Chicago, Illinois
“I bake because I have a passion for it. Part of this passion is for me to share with my friends and family. This makes me happy and this is why I bake.”

Renee - Mount Juliet, Tennessee
“Fall is a season that instills a feeling of “warmth” in me. I love the smells and textures that it brings to us - the changing colors of the trees, the scent of a pile of raked leaves, a crispness in the air, the smell of a fading flower garden, and the rustling of corn stalks in the wind. While the air outside cools, my kitchen heats up! Fall is the time for breads, cakes, cookies and comfort food, recipes you have wanted to experiment with, but for which you haven’t quite found the time. Fall is baking time!”

Luc - Cornwall, Ontario
“The smells that fill the air when I bake, The weekends are my favorite times to bake, from the time that I wake up in the morning, with fresh bread and pancakes , to pies, or desserts for the upcoming week.”

Dorothy - Manhattan, Kansas
“To achieve excellence in aroma, appearance and most of all, TASTE.”

Elana - Lancaster, California
“It is something I can do with my daughters even if I have had a rough day that will bring us all joy. It is so nice to put in a little work for such a large reward.”

Greg - Lakeland, Florida
“Because I’m a father and my son loves homemade cookies and because that son leaves for his second tour in Iraq in less than 60 days. When he is away, I bake so I can send him and his friends morsel memories of home. I want them to always feel good inside when thinking of home, so they make sure to be as safe as possible while doing their jobs, so they will return to their loved ones--and so I can bake some more when they do.”

Wendy - Claremont, California
“When I am lonely or cold during the Winter, I bake up a storm of old family recipes to warm up the house and bring back wonderful memories.”

Kristine - Ellisville, Missouri
“It’s a great time to connect with my children and their friends. You know the Holiday Season is upon us when you smell freshly baked goodies!”

Carolyn - Folkston, Georgia
“Baking is a rewarding challenge. It gives a feeling of accomplishment when folks give raves about a special cake or other desserts or fresh baked homemade bread. Compliments are fulfilling! Also, I like to make folks happy with good baking made from “scratch”. King Arthur Flour helps me attain my best baked goods. Sincerely, Carolyn, “the contented baker””

Dave - St Louis, Missouri
“Five reasons:1) It is fun. 2) It is relaxing. 3) The kitchen and house smells wonderful. 4) I enjoy doing something special for my family, friends and neighbors who rarely indulge in the time to bake. 5) I am constantly amazed at the magic that occurs when I take dry ingredients, mix them with wet ingredients, add some heat and a new creation that is better than the individual ingredients comes out of the oven a few minutes later.”

Lorraine - Bel Air, Maryland
“Because I know what is in the food I eat. I know that there is no junk, and I can pronounce and identify all of my ingredients. Besides, my baked goods taste way better than anything I can buy.”

SueLynn - Monroe, Louisiana
“I love to bake because it calms me and makes me feel as if I am control of some time in my life. The bread turns out wonderful and the house smells like Grandmother’s. I had surgery 14 years ago and I had to stop many things in my life. I can always go to the kitchen and put on bread, a pot of soup, cookies, a birthday cake for family or friend.”

Heidi - San Bruno, California
“So many reasons! I know what’s inside (no phony ingredients), it makes the house smell good, it makes my family and friends happy, it gives me pleasure, it’s economical (baking’s a great way to use up all kinds of odds and ends in the kitchen). It links me to my heritage. It’s creative. I could go on, but you didn’t ask for an essay!”

Ray - Mineral Point, Wisconsin
“better taste, relaxation, show we can bake as good as one who get paid for baking”

Marcie - Aumsville, Oregon
“To remember the times I spent learning to bake with both of my grandmothers, who are both gone now.”

Donna - Gloucester, Massachusetts
“KAF has made it less complicated, with a higher degree of success than the older (Fleishmann’s) method. The only time I’ve bombed on a recipe was during the humid summer months. It is a delight to bake with you. Thanks, Donna.”

Marta - Tokyo, Japan
“There is nothing better than the smell of fresh baked bread. Baking is something that is part of my life since I was a kid, having been raised in a family of 10, my mother used to bake every 3 to 4 days several loafs of bread and all by hand. I’ve learned at young age the task of making bread, and watching the transformation of such simple ingredients becoming bread loafs, with the inherent smell and taste after being baked in a wooden oven that my father was patiently feeding with brush woods, maybe it is the reason behind why I love to put my hands in flour, water, salt and yeast and make a loaf out of it. This is absolutely magic!”

Bonnie - Monroe, Michigan
“As far as I am concerned there is only one reason to bake... . For the love of it. I bake to share with others.”

Laura - Lacchiarella (MI), Italy
“I bake for me, my husband and my sons. Its a great pleasure to bring to the table MY bread or MY muffins, sometimes they don’t look good but they are genuine and very good and tasty! And it’s very cheap! Bye, Laura.”

Marianne - Hartsville, South Carolina
“It captures the aromas and the warm feeling inside I had as a child baking along side my mom. Baking her traditional recipes brings out all the senses I had. I can feel the warmth and comfort of the holidays as if my mother was still here with me.”

Stefanie - Las Vegas, Nevada
“I bake because I like experimenting with new recipes and relaxing in the kitchen. I love to bake up goodies for my friends and family to make them smile.”

Veronica - New Haven, New York
“It wouldn’t be Christmas without my Mom’s “Golden Crown” coffeecake. It’s been a family favorite for almost 60 years. The aroma of cinnamon, yeast, walnuts and butter fills the kitchen. . everyone knows what’s in the oven! The recipe has traveled to other families as we’ve all grown older. . now it’s part of Christmas in many other homes. I bake to carry on a tradition.”

Linda - Roosevelt Island, New York
“When I roast a chicken it’s a chicken when I start and it’s a chicken when I finish. When I bake a loaf of bread, the end result is NOT flour and water and yeast. Baking is the closest thing to magic this side of Hogwarts.”

Bernadine - Kutztown, Pennsylvania
“I enjoy the smiles on peoples faces when they eat my baked goods. Its also great therapy for me.”

Kathee - Oxford, Massachusetts
“I have been baking since I was a little girl, I eventually went on to cook professionally after obtaining a degree in culinary arts from Johnson and Wales. Three years ago I found out that I have celiac disease, thus I had to change all of my baking habits as there are very few good gluten free products. Now I bake and cook gluten-free exclusively and people are hard-pressed to tell the difference!”

Elizabeth - Larchmont, New York
“I bake because of the smiles I get from my boys as they gobble up the still too warm cookies from the rack!”

Patricia - Bay City, Michigan
“The freshness and taste. It’s hard to find a piece of pie that I like as well as my homemade pie. Cookies, brownies and cake are so much better when they are fresh - & homemade!”

S37 - Kingston, Ontario; Canada
“Besides home baking being delicious, the house fills with a lovely aroma.”

Cheryl - Rehoboth, Massachusetts
“I have been baking since i was a little girl. My great-grandmother got me started from baking from scratch and i have never stopped. It has always been a family tradition and at the holidays i make my cookie trays for family and friends and believe it or not they look forward every year to this. I can’t thank my great-grandmother enough, god rest her soul, for making me the great baker i am. Plus i also enjoy baking, i find it relaxing.”

Kathleen - Baltimore, Maryland
“I bake because I love to do. I have been baking for so long and even when I had breast cancer and was going through chemo I didn’t stop baking. It was a therapy for me at that time.”

Elizabeth - Durham, North Carolina
“Because who can be sad when you hand them freshly baked anything? I bake to see the smiles, which makes me feel better too.”

Edith - Deposit, New York
“I bake because I like to know what is going into the things I make. And I bake with my grandchildren because it’s a very special time for us. Both the baking and eating.”

JoAnne - Deerfield, New Hampshire
“There are many reasons I love to bake. As a child I helped my grandmother bake bread and pies. when I was getting ready to get married I asked Grandma what her recipe was. She informed me that she didn’t have one so as she made her bread, I stopped her and measured what she was adding. So my first reason would be it is comforting to feel and smell the bread cooking. When my children were growing up was able to make many baked goods that I would never have been able to afford and also fill the house with wonderful smells. Now there is just my husband and myself and so I bake just for the knowledge of what I make is good for us. It is always good to smell the goodness of home.”

Fran - Henderson, Nevada
“My early years up to age 7 were in Prince Edward Island, Canada on a small farm. Our area didn’t get electric power until 1958. My mother cooked and baked for the family and then for a crew of men at potato picking time. They loved to work for my father since my mother was such a good cook and baker and she was lots of fun. I can remember coming downstairs in the mornings and seeing the bread pans rising under the wood stove in the kitchen. We were raised on home baking. She was a good baker. She made the best Lemon Meringue pies and molasses cookies. I baked for my children when they were at home and now my children bake. All three, one daughter and two sons, can and do make bread - they know it’s possible since they saw their Mother do it. When I bake, my Mother is with me. I walk in her footsteps in so many things that I do. I hope my children feel the same some day.”

Sheila - Sandwich, Massachusetts
“- quality, first and foremost - creating something, the task itself - variety of choice”

Joy - Lincoln, Montana
“I bake for lots of reasons, one is that I can make yummy things that are different for my hubby in his lunches since he has such a huge sweet tooth. Second I can bake things a little more healthy and another reason, especially in winter. . it warms the house up, but physically and smell wise.”

Lynn - Villanova, Pennsylvania
“It makes me happy!!!”

Jacob - Columbia, South Carolina
“Baking tastes good.”

Nancy - Silver Spring, Maryland
“Because my husband loves my oatmeal cookies and baking gives me a peacefulness in the making and the giving. I like doing something with an end result.”

Anne - Windsor Locks, Connecticut
“My three precious grandchildren!”

Patti - Wrightstown, New Jersey
“I love to bake for my family and holidays. It gives such a sense of family and tradition. There are certain things that must be baked for Thanksgiving and others for Christmas only. My sons now 20, 22, and 26 help me plan the holiday meals including their favorite baked goods. I love to cook and Baking is my passion. I enter the local Farm Fair Culinary contest every year and I am privileged enough to bring home a Blue Ribbon on at least one of my entries every year. Baking is Family.”

Karen - Elysburg, Pennsylvania
“I hated to give up baking as my family downsized so when I took a new position in the hospital with a larger department made up of smaller departments I knew baking would be a great way to bring everyone together. We have Karen’s Kakes every other friday!”

Nancy - Belton, Texas
“My left leg is in a cast after surgery for 6 weeks and baking is the only thing I can do on crutches to thank my friends who do favors to me- like driving me to the doctor.”

Carol - Estes Park, Colorado
“I love making people happy with delicious things I’ve made for them to enjoy! Making others smile, puts a smile on my face!”

Richard - New York City, New York
“I love getting better at bread baking. I love learning new things. I love serving baked goods to my family.”

Janey - Newton, North Carolina
“Having three children to raise I always made Birthdays, Holidays, etc special. These three have blessed our family with 11 soon to be 12 grandchildren so birthdays come every month. And every month or twice a month a very special cake is baked for someone very special. Thank you for caring why - Janey.”

Joan Helm - Hernando, Florida
“Because we like having control over what we are eating. We believe we should eat only ingredients that are natural, not imitations. Also, I have spoiled my husband. He believes everything I bake has to be made from scratch. He complained terribly about store bought products.”

Susan - Clifton, Virginia
“In a word... fun!”

Doreen - Lake Ronkonkoma, New York
“for my FAMILY!!”

Patricia - Norwalk, Connecticut
“My friends and family really appreciate my homemade treats. But, more than that, I find it personally calming and therapeutic. Baking is a very basic activity--it connects me to other women in the world. (Note: This is pretty mushy, isn’t it? But it is the truth!)”

Christine - Newport Beach, California
“For a healthier family! (I bake a wheat berry bread with stone ground wheat and no preservatives. )”

Lorraine - Blacksburg, Virginia
“Baking is the ultimate “comfort activity””

Ellen - Bensalem, Pennsylvania
“My passion for baking started at an early age. As soon as I was able to reach the counter in my mothers kitchen, I was helping her. She was an awesome baker and cook. The more I helped her, the more I learned myself. To this day, I still love to bake, whether it be for holidays, parties, or just for my husband and I. I know that he appreciates it, especially. In a nutshell, I do it for the ones that I love!!!”

Marybeth - Hopkinsville, Kentucky
“So many!! I bake to quiet my mind and my soul, to be creative without having to make a sound, to feel connected to the people who gave me the love of baking. I bake to nurture, surprise, delight, and care for others.”

Elaine - Lincoln, Rhode Island
“Pure joy! I bake every single day and use exclusively King Arthur Products. My children are grown up and it is my hope to open my own place. May be a bed and breakfast or a small coffee shop. Wedding cakes, Birthday cakes, Anniversary cakes is my current side line. The only problem I have is I have not mastered fondant. I can make flower with fondant or gum paste. When financial conditions improve for me I plan to take more courses with you, Rhode School of Design and Johnson and Wales. I have created baking recipes of my own and only one of one hundred is a miss.”

Stephanie - Kansas City, Kansas
“I bake to relieve stress. I can find no other way to revitalize after a hard day at work than the accomplishment of baking a treat for my husband and son. Baking takes me completely out of the office and helps me refocus on home. It doesn’t hurt that chocolate contains endorphins! Now I am teaching my son to bake. He’s only 2 but he loves to drizzle icing on cookies with a fork and play with sugar cookie dough.”

Daphne - Holland, Michigan
“I bake for Nostalgic reasons. It reminds me of my Mom. I grew up on a farm in Indiana -- way out in the country. We spent a lot of time baking -- especially when we were snowed in. Mom taught me and my sisters to bake at an early age -- she knew it would keep us busy and from getting bored. It also kept our minds off the snow piling up outside. She’s gone now and it makes me feel closer to her. I still hear her voice in my head telling me how to do it. Makes me smile.”

Adam - Topeka, Kansas
“It’s a necessary part of the natural order.”

Betty - Nashville, Tennessee
“The old saying “Nothin’ says lovin’, like something from the oven” is really true for me. Baking cookies, brownies and cakes has always been a great pleasure of mine, and something enjoyed by friends, family, and even strangers. KA mixes enable me to continue, even with bad health.”

Rhonda - Minneapolis, Minnesota
“I love to bake because I care about how I spend my time, and what goes into my body. If the things I make are not top quality, then I am wasting my precious time. I am especially working on low sugar goodies, using sugar substitutes for my specific dietary needs, and taste is important. I enjoy the quality of King Arthur ingredients.”

Vicky - Gaithersburg, Maryland
“The reason why I bake is because I am proud to say that I made this product from scratch and my mom is so proud to eat what I have made with my hands. My mom is always telling her family and friends how a great baker I am which makes me feel so good. I honestly have to thank my Home Economics teacher, Mrs. Federman, Alice Deal Jr. High, Washington, DC, who inspired me to cook!”

Barb - Plymouth, Minnesota
“Baking is a form of relaxing for me and my mother was always baking and I have great memories of her baking. I also have 3 sons and grandkids who are always looking for homemade rolls, cookies and breads as their wives are not bakers. I love all your products and you are the only ones that carry some of the products I use. I live for the vanilla dream cookies and the grandkids always expect cinnamon rolls using your bakers cinnamon filling.”

Jennifer - Vancouver, Washington
“For my family, because Mom used to bake for all of us and now she is not able to.”

William - Rio Hondo, Texas
“Because I cant buy a decent bread in this area so I bake it myself. Mostly sour dough. I prefer the type that the Germans call Baurn Brot. My greatest disappointment is my inability to duplicate the German Semmel Brot Even though I have the German Recipes I cant get the right flours. My local HEB does handle King Arthur but limited types only. They have 300 linear feet of shelf for Maza but no Rye flour-”

Lisa - Enumclaw, Washington
“Share a smile. Warm a heart. Create a wonder. Express a knack.”

Evelyn - Senoia, Georgia
“It gives me such great joy to do something that I really love. I want to make sure my family is getting the best of all foods.”

Francine - Manchester, Connecticut
“I bake so my family can have products that we all like the taste of and I know they are not filled with chemicals or preservatives.”

Kim - Houston, Texas
“I love to bake for friends & family and love to have them enjoy my baking. My husband was always my big fan, since he is no longer with me to “uh” and “ah” each time he tasted my bake, I thought my passion of baking was gone with him, but after 3 yrs. I start to get back to bake again. I like to try new recipes and have my love ones enjoy the new flavor of the food. it also a kind of challenge that I want to see if I can do it. I have a long story about one recipe of the POVATICA that my husband introduced to me when we married. I was dying to have the recipe, finally I got it, but the recipe was so brief that I was not sure how to begin. After 2 yrs trying and fail to make it right, I got some tips from the lady who gave me the recipe. Finally I made it successfully and have been baking this bread every year at Christmas since.”

Kathleen - Chicago, Illinois
“There are many reasons, so I will try to hit the ones most important to me. First, you just can not beat homemade for quality, nutrition, and cost savings. Second, I truly enjoy the activity as well as the rewards. Then, in particular at Christmas it has been a family tradition for as long as I can remember. I continue my mother’s legacy by baking ten or more varieties then pack and send them to family and friends each year.”

Kate - Santa Fe, New Mexico
“The whole process of baking something is fulfilling. Baked goods become a gift, both to the recipient as well as the baker. The items created are handmade as well as heart-made, bringing pleasure and satisfaction to all involved. Ultimately baking brings smiles to everyone’s faces and a sense of being connected.”

Susan - Colgate, Wisconsin
“to instill happy memories in my children. I want them to remember happy times with me in our home baking their favorite things, and the conversations shared while partaking. It’s tradition, it’s warm and comforting... . it’s LOVE.”

Gloria - Levittown, New York
“Gives me a lot of pleasure and is very gratifying. Every time I do reminds me of my very first baking:it was a flop, but my dad encouraged me to continue “keep going, practice, next time will be better, he said”. And it was, and still is. I am the family baker and enjoy the whole process, and now I can even experiment a bit. And when I get another flop I don’t get discouraged and just eat it with gusto, after all as my dad said: “with practice will get better”.”

Marjorie - Hoover, Alabama
“Love to bake, I bake bread for my family every week.”

Winny - The Woodlands, Texas
“Well besides loving anything freshly baked coming out of an oven... ... . . since I can remember I have always liked to be around the kitchen, in my grandma’s kitchen, my Dad’s and Mom’s kitchen, my aunt’s and uncle’s kitchens even family friend’s kitchen, I always wanted to learn something new from somebody. I’m from Venezuela and over there people cook pretty much everything from scratch so there is a lot of time spent in the kitchen, we also have very good bakeries, you don’t buy your bread and pastries already pre-packed from supermarkets, but freshly made from the bakeries, and I can go on and on about the smell of bread being baked at this places it is just intoxicating, I don’t know anybody that doesn’t like bread... now my interest go beyond just wanting to buy the bread and eat it, I always wanted to know how to bake the way this people from the bakeries could, so being a loaf of bread, a birthday cake, cookies or muffins anything that i may feel like baking not matter how complex or simple the task I always find a sense of accomplishment in baking and there is satisfaction in sharing it with family an friends : )”

Jessica - Niagara Falls, New York
“I bake for 2 reasons. First of all because I LOVE to. I love searching for new recipes and trying them. The second, I love watching people eat something I have baked. I love it when some thing I have made reminds them of another time in their life, like their childhood. I love the look on someone’s face when they bit into a cookie or muffin, or coffee cake and you can see it written all over their face that it is delicious.”

Dana - Minocqua, Wisconsin
“I love to bake, especially when I need to procrastinate or de-stress. Dana”

Marcia - Tucson, Arizona
“It’s hard to imagine an activity for all ages that provides an outlet for creativity, a link to tradition, a sensory wonderland, and an opportunity to prepare a gift for others. Baking does all that. When I bake, I think back to all the recipes I learned as a child, and use that experience as a springboard for my choices. I add in new ideas, technology, and ingredients to experiment with my recipes. When I work my way through the recipe, I fall in love with the feel of the dough, the smell of the raw and baked products, and the taste of my creation. Finally, I love the reaction I receive from my family and friends, who consider my baking to be something uniquely made for them, like love in a bowl. What else could I do that would give me that kind of satisfaction?”

Nancy - Ridgewood, New York
“My husband is a diabetic. Baking at home allows me to control what sugars go into his food. It enables me to take charge of the fiber and protein content as well as add seeds to his bread, which greatly effects his sugar levels in a positive manner. the money saved by baking my own breads has enabled us to give to some worthy causes. We save approximately $20 per week just baking at home... . and it certainly smells great around here with the bread machine working almost daily. Thanks King Arthur!”

Liz - Huntington, West Virginia
“I have no idea why I bake, I only know that I have to. One of my earliest memories is of standing in my grandmother’s closet pantry, feeling intoxicated from the smell of flour, and being fascinated by the picture on the front of the King Arthur Flour bag. Starting from my teenage years, I was drawn to bread baking, learning from a cookbook. I didn’t even know anyone who baked bread, yet I had to. When I was a college student I remember scrubbing down a wooden counter in the forgotten and neglected pantry of the 100 year old house I lived in, so that I could knead dough. Sometimes I would ride my bike to Kenyon Grist Mill in Usquepaug just so I could see the stone ground corn meal. Why does a musician have to make music, an artist have to draw, a writer have to write? All I know is that the smell and feel of flour excites my soul. As I anticipate my freshly baked product, I feel like one of King Arthur’s knights in a quest for the holy grail.”

Melissa - Cody, Wyoming
“Baking has been apart of every culture in some form since the beginning of time. It is something that mothers and grandmothers shared with their families and passed on to their children. This is how I fell in love with baking. My grandma would bake and cook with me when I was a child and it just stuck. I now bake for every occasion and sometimes make one up, but it is so rejuvenating because I just feel at home in my kitchen. The memories of standing on a chair next to my grandma just amazed at how adding things to a bowl or even pour flour on a work surface and making a volcano like form and cracking eggs inside, made these wonderful delights. Now I am joined by my daughters and sometimes my husband. Just keeping up the tradition.”

Mary - Duluth, Georgia
“To satisfy my love of eating and to create memories for my family and friends.”

Gayle - Hillman, Michigan
“I love to bake(and cook) good wholesome goods for my family that I know enjoy eating. They always ask for their favorites that I have used before.”

Dianna - Norris City, Illinois
“I have always baked for my family, to ensure good wholesome nutrition. After my husband had an aortic aneurysm I bake all our breads, rolls, and buns now with whole grains. I always bake with King Arthur because I trust the quality. What I can’t buy in the stores locally I will order from the web site. Thank You King Arthur for providing a quality product I don’t have to worry about serving my family”

Linda - Monroe Twp., New Jersey
“My grandchildren love my baking and when I bring a decorated platter of baked goods to a party they make such a fuss over how wonderful everything tastes. All of my friends and family look forward to my treats and it gives me such pleasure to do this for them. Everything I make from the King Arthur website is always so perfect. I look forward to the recipes and trying a new one.”

Sharon - Saint Jo, Texas
“My heart and hands go into baking for my family. I enjoy the wonderful baking smells that permeate my kitchen. Those smells make it fun to hear, “What’s cooking?” It’s important to me that what my family is eating comes from fresh ingredients with words that I can spell and pronounce.”

Susan - Kuna, Idaho
“My husband is on the worship team at our church. When he has practice, I send cookies for the group to show my appreciation for the time and the effort they put in each week to help the congregation become involved in the worship service.”

Melissa - Newton Centre, Massachusetts
“For relaxation and the joy of sharing sweet treats with friends and family!”

Cathy - Alpharetta, Georgia
“My reason for baking is simply the love of creating something wholesome for my family and friends in a time when most people do not take the time. It is also a great relaxation and satisfaction to do things I learned at my Mother’s hip.”

Deb - Oxford, Ohio
“I bake for the joy and delight I see on the faces of my loved ones when I present them with a special treat. My holiday treats always bring the biggest smiles and thank yous.”

Sue Vancouver, Washington
“It’s like breathing - you just want to! Nothing makes a home more homey than the smell of fresh bake bread or anything with cinnamon.”

Janet Marietta, Georgia
“I bake b/c my kids love the smell of fresh bread and cookies and I get to spend time with my kids in the kitchen. During the holidays I bake for all the teachers, my husband co-workers and my co-workers. Is a baking week marathon, is a way to say thank you I care about you.”

Elizabeth - Nashville, Tennessee
“Baking brings me a sense of creativity and contentment. It also brings surprise and joy to others. My family and friends always enjoy seeing me bring in a beautiful, delicious gift.”

Sheila Plain City, Ohio
“My reason for baking... I just love to!! It is my element, I feel relaxed and the recipient is usually very pleased. I have been baking since I was a very young girl and have been a baker in a full line, made from scratch bakery.”

Rae - Lisbon, Maine
“The obvious is better taste and I like knowing what ingredients is in there. The main reason is that I baked with my 5 children because it was cheaper and now I have a grand-daughter that lives close by and want to make wonderful memories with her.”

Pat - Poughkeepsie, New York
“There is nothing better than homemade. It brings family together, which is where it all really begins.”

Charles - Manchester, New Hampshire
“I am a Foster Parent and Home Care Provider for three developmentally challenged gentlemen. There can be some stressful days and I unwind by making something sweet and decadent, such as a cheesecake w/strawberries or Profiteroles with Cream and homemade Chocolate sauce, in the European style. Or something as simple as Toll House Cookies. These are my “relaxers”.”

Ellen - Eugene, Oregon
“think of baking as my Zen. I find it relaxing and creative. I also appreciate having a material result for my efforts that will exist only temporarily. I also love being able to give things to other people that they love to receive.”

Peggy - Redlands, California
“After taking early retirement in 2007, I have come to appreciate the home arts. I worked for 42 years and had little time for being a homemaker. Baking offers the opportunity for creativity and satisfaction, especially using starters and special techniques. It’s nice to be able to take my homemade bread to friends’ homes and share it with them, and of course my husband loves it!”

Christa - Pittsford, New York
“It is my only artistic release where I can be creative.”

Karen - Rhinebeck, New York
“I am good at it and it gives me an outlet or stress relief like a hobby. I enjoy savoring my baked goods and my family enjoys wolfing theirs down. I associate my baking with different holidays and memories we make every year as a family. I bake year round, but my frequency definitely increases at special times of the year. I always use King Arthur Flour and the result is always YUM! My baking is definitely calorie-worthy. I love to spoil my family and friends.”

June - Ellenton, Florida
“‘I love to cook and baking is one of my favorite things to do.’ I visited your store this past June while I was in Vermont and had a great time shopping. ‘Vermont is a beautiful state and I hope to visit again next summer.’ Thank you.’’’’’’’’ June”

Ann - Exeter, New Hampshire
“There is no other stress reliever for me that compares to baking. After a particularly hard day at work, I come home, find a recipe and start vigorously throwing ingredients into the mixer! I find that by the time the ingredients are added, mixed and poured into the pans for the oven, my stress has disappeared to be replaced by the comforting thought of a nice cup a tea accompanied by my home-baked treat! My husband also appreciates the rewards of my ‘stress reliever’!”

Kim - Strasburg, Virginia
“I bake because it’s Sunday, snowing, sunny, raining, cold, Monday, warm, Tuesday, windy, drizzling, Wednesday, sleeting, holiday, bored, Thursday, hungry boys in my basement, Friday, new recipe, KA flour on sale at the grocery store, Saturday... . . In the words of the King of Siam etc. etc. etc. !!!”

Mary - Kansas City, Missouri
“I love the smell and feel of bread dough as it’s fermenting and rising. The tactile experience is addicting.”

Marilynn - Media, Pennsylvania
“I have two reasons: I bake for my family, especially at the holidays, because they always love whatever I bake - especially when it is one of their favorites. It is great to see and share their joy. I bake for myself because it is a way to indulge one of my passions especially with my busy schedule. Nothing beats the aromas in my apartment when I am baking. I love to sit down with a cup of coffee, relax and savor the wonderful aromas coming from the oven. It is absolute comfort.”

Robin - Mcbee, South Carolina
“i always was in the kitchen with my grammy when she was baking so I taken to baking all the time now I also decorated cakes of all kinds i love the smell of baking in the air.”

Judy - Mansfield, Ohio
“I love seeing peoples faces as they taste something homemade instead of a box mix, and it’s very rewarding knowing I care enough to use the best ingredients too!!”

Linda - Merrimack, New Hampshire
“I have many reasons. I bake for the local animal shelter for open houses, for their craft fair, or just because they want some extra cakes or cookies for some function. I bake as thank yous for people I work with for picking up and working extra shifts.”

Ann - New Haven, Connecticut
“It’s a simple way to bring people together, nobody stays away when there’s a fresh plate of goodies! In an economic downturn, especially, anything that puts smiles on faces is a good thing.”

Mary - Burtchville, Michigan
“I just love when you take all the ingredients of a recipe and gradually bring them all together and come up with the most wonderful surprise of the finished product... and then passing the magic on to those you love. It feels so special when you know that they enjoy what you have created.”

Jessieann - Chino Valley, Arizona
“I love the smell & the warmest in the kitchen when it is cool and crisp outside. I enjoy sharing the baked goods with my family and friends. I enjoy the challenge of a recipe using new ingredients. I love the eating of yummy good homemade, quality ingredients, health filled love.”

Ruth - Lexington, Kentucky
“Baking is the ultimate in aromatherapy! Kneading a smooth dough, rolling cookies and decorating them with the kids, or eating warm pie around the kitchen table with the family, baking soothes and comforts like no store-bought food can do. Thanks, King Arthur Flour, for aiding us in the process of turning a bit of labor into works of art and love!”

Sue - Weyers Cave, Virginia
“It makes me happy to bake and it especially makes me happy to share my baked goods with others and brighten their day!”

Diane Foster, Rhode Island
“I am a charter member of the Mothers’ Therapeutic Baking Club - much cheaper than a therapist!”

Rose - Bluffton, South Carolina
“The best way to share a little bit of warmth and loved to the people who mean so much to me and make my life a cherished one!”

Arloa - Sloan, Iowa
“I enjoy creating something good for family and friends. My grown grandkids get homemade baked goods of their choice for their birthdays. I make cinnamon rolls for after church coffee fellowship and they just fly off the tray. I learned from my Mom who was a fabulous cook. She made angel food cakes in a wood burning stove. That’s how I grew up and it stayed with me. I have one daughter who is a cook at a day care and all of those there appreciate her hand at seasoning otherwise very bland foods. She also bakes a lot when she has time.”

Phyllis - Littleton, Colorado
“Baking is my therapy. It relaxes me and assures me that my family receives healthy and nutritious treats.”

Carol - Bentleyville, Pennsylvania
“My youngest has just gone off to college and he is my cookie monster. Besides it gives me a reason to keep a few back for myself”

Jillian - Argyle, New York
“I bake because my husband and his fellow soldiers in Iraq love getting that little piece of home in a care package.”

Trina - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
“Baking is my way of showing my family and loved ones how much I truly care about them. I control the ingredients for their tastes and specific needs and I control the quality of what I put in the baked goods. I know that I only use the best and there are no other products of unknown safety to contend with. My family is worth every minute that I spend in the kitchen. Besides I love the process of making something so beautiful and tasting so wonderful that their friends envy them.”

Janet - Cherry Valley, Illinois
“I bake because I enjoy the results, for the ability to create healthier and tastier diet and to save money. It also is a hobby that gives me a sense of accomplishment.”

Kristin - Oxnard, California
“I bake because I enjoy watching others indulge in fresh wholesome food. There’s a certain pleasurable expression or groan I love to hear when people eat my food and say, “This is really good!””

Shirlee - HoHoKus, New Jersey
“... . because my little three year old grandson loves “Kookies” as he calls them... . his face lights up each time I bring a batch to him... and tells me how much he loves MeMom’s cookies!!!”

Patricia - Fairfield, California
“MY reason: MY FAMILY, my biggest blessing! When my mom asks for cookies or 1 of my nephew’s call and ask Aunt will you bake me... they all want something different :)! I love to bake and it’s awesome watching them enjoy their own private baked request, especially during the holidays!”

Trudy - Winchester, Indiana
“I bake to relieve stress. Most everyone thinks this is odd, but nothing can make a bad day good, like getting into the kitchen and baking for family and friends. To me, baking is becoming a lost art, and I want to keep doing what I love to do!”

Nancy - Broadalbin, New York
“The reason I bake is because you can hardly pick up a baked food item in the grocery store that doesn’t have either partially hydrogenated oils or high fructose corn syrup as one or two of the ingredients. When I bake it myself at home, I can control what I am putting in my cupcakes, muffins, et cetera. I would far more prefer to use real sugar than high fructose corn syrup. With the processed foods, we have no idea where their flour came from. When I make the recipe myself with King Arthur Flour, I KNOW the origin of the flour.”

Eugene - San Ramon, California
“Brings contentment to me to bake because it does the dame for those who partake of my baking.”

Paula - Lowell, Massachusetts
“My husband loves sweets, so I love to experiment... . . all the treats that I make keep him happy! Plus the men he works with enjoy the left-overs.”

Valleri - Durham, North Carolina
“It’s one of the ways I show love to my family. When they come in the door and experience those delicious smells wafting through the house they smile! Nothing replaces home made with real ingredients and a heart full of love doing the baking!”

Julie - Redwood City, California
“Baking evokes growing up and my mom baking everyday because my dad had such a sweet tooth which I then carried on to my family which they then carried on to their families. Baking shows someone that you care, that you love them and baking creates memories that you will always have. Baking brings you closer to your children as you help them with their first batch of cookies which they serve with pride to anyone who will eat them. It brighten the day for co-workers, shut-ins, for friends and family. When I’m baking, my mood is always happy. I can think of a thousand reason to bake, but I can’t think of a single one not to.”

Rita - Tucson, Arizona
“When U bake at home it really taste and smell different and the most important thing is that you know what ingredient has been used to have a more Healthy Life... .”

Lori - Opp, Alabama
“To spend time with my son and help him develop a love of baking.”

Judi - Forks, Washington
“Everyone always says I make and bake beautiful pies and cookies! I think I like to hear that, because I heard people say that when I was very small about my grandmother’s baking!”

Maureen - Alexandria, Virginia
“It helps to relieve stress. When I’ve had a hard day at work, I come home and bake. It clears my mind and I get something delicious in the end.”

Cherie - Gainesville, Florida
“I bake to watch the smiles appear on my family’s faces as they come home and say, “We could smell something good baking before we even came inside!” I also bake to satisfy our sweet tooth without all of the unhealthy ingredients found in “store bought” baked goods.”

Grace - San Clemente, California
“It’s great mental therapy for me. It requires my undivided attention & I love creating new things and how it makes the home feel. I don’t like to keep sweets around the house as it easily tempts us but I love baking and sharing it with the community center staff, my husband’s office, neighbors, my daughter’s office staff and to charitable organizations. It makes others happy and that’s my joy.”

Roxana - Clay Center, Kansas
“The aroma of freshly baked breads, rolls and cookies fills the kitchen and provides fresh, wholesome food for family and friends, without the preservatives and other chemicals.”

Linda - Advance, North Carolina
“I bake because my family appreciates my homemade goodies. I am a New Englander so I have always used King Arthur flour. Everything I bake tastes better because of it. In the extended family everyone looks forward to my baking. My daughter once told me that buying from a bakery is not the same as having homemade. I use only butter never margarine and natural flavorings never artificial. My favorite King Arthur flour recipe is for Anadama bread. I still have the recipe that I cut from the flour bag. Many years ago I met a women who was looking for that recipe and she was so pleased that I had it. Your store in Vermont is like a bit of paradise. It is a bakers dream. Looking forward to many more happy baking years. Your devoted follower Linda Gallo”

Marsha - Indianapolis, Indiana
“Baking is relaxing. It is also in my feelings the ultimate expression of love to family and friends”

Robin - Newport, Rhode Island
“Baking to me is an act of love. I love the act of baking and the results. It fills the house w/sweet aromas that warm the home and the hearts of all who dwell in it. Christmas is my favorite time to bake. My baked goods are my gifts to my friends and family. As I said in the beginning, it is an act of love.”

Smile! - Beverly Hills, California
“My roasted pecan chip cookies (with KA flour, of course!) makes EVERYONE smile and that makes me so happy!!!”

Genev - Derby, Kansas
“Simple, my husband and I really enjoy eating delicious good food. That is why we exercise regularly.”

Janet - Tucson, Arizona
“I love to bake, simply because I enjoy the pleasure I see on the faces of the people that eat what I bake!”

Brenda - Chicago, Illinois
“There is nothing like the smell of a baked cookie, pie or cake etc. . Nothing like the joy of mixing, panning , baking and seeing the visually delectable finished product. I just love to bake because its like a work of art to me. I have a blank canvas to work with and when I finish with the formula(recipe) there’s a beautiful looking, smelling and tasty dessert!! Nothing can beat this craft “to me”... . Brenda A. Smith”

Susan - Overland Park, Kansas
“I bake for a stress reliever from work. After a hard day or week of working with at risk adolescents, the kitchen is my sanity. Once I smell comfort and homeyness in my home, it rejuvenates me for another week of week. I take a lot of baked good to work for the kids, as this may be the only home cooked bake product they may ever get!”

Mary - Hopwood, Pennsylvania
“Although I’ve always loved to cook, BAKING is my PASSION! Looking back on my life, I should have gone to culinary school and focused primarily on artisan baking. It is the one thing at which I truly excel. I’m not afraid of any recipe & I’m not a baking “snob”... I welcome all recipes - from the most humble to the most advanced. I have always loved the smell of yeast mixing in with flour - to this day I crave that smell and often tell my husband, “the housework can wait... I have to get my hands in some ‘dough’ today!” Ha! I’ve had my share of baking disasters along the way, but the “miracle” of putting together flour, yeast, salt and water to create something so wonderful, so magical and as delicious as bread... well, I just never get tired of it.”

Marylee - Purchase, New York
“When I bake, I feel that I am continuing a tradition of excellence because both my mother and grandmother were such outstanding home bakers. I believe that I am so lucky to recall memories of waking up each Wednesday to the smell of home-baked bread. And so, I am aware that I honor both of their memories by taking seriously the same care that they took in using top notch ingredients and creating masterful baked goods. I am now passing on this process to my daughter, who will be married this January.”

Paula - Boise, Idaho
“I love to bake for a couple of reasons. 1. The wonderful smells throughout the house reminds me of my childhood. I enjoy the fresh baked goodness of home baking and the pleasure it brings. 2. It seems to be my serenity. It allows me to take time to reminisce and think of my life, my family and the friends I’ve met along the way. The best part of an old recipe would be the remembrance of the person who is no longer with us but shared a favorite recipe, wishing they were still here. Baking is a Good Thing!”

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