Spring 2026

Carrie Owen, baker and owner of Little Fig Cookies, shares a batch of her imaginative and beautifully decorated cookies that taste as good as they look. Photo: Kelli Uldall C arrie Owen grew up baking with her mother and grandmother, and her hobby became an important stress reliever as the reg- istered nurse case manager navigated the pan- demic. Around that time, a friend asked Owen to make some decorated cookies. She pulled out an old family cookbook and started experimenting. Owen referenced social media videos, refined her recipe and ultimately perfected a sugar cookie with a crumbly shortbread con- sistency. After launching Little Fig Cookies, that creation quickly became her biggest seller. “It tastes like home to me,” Owen says. Since moving from Virginia to Monterey nearly three years ago, Owen has crafted from-scratch, hand-frosted treats for baby showers, birthday parties, business openings and weddings. Her intri- cately decorated cookies took Best of Class hon- ors at the 2025 California State Fair, and she offers seasonal and special flavors ranging from brown butter chocolate chip to pecan pumpkin spice. Owen treasures the opportunity to help cli- ents celebrate their most important moments. “To me, cookies are such a simple gesture,” she says. “But to see that it just brings a little joy to people’s lives, no matter what they’re going through, has been something that I am very respectful of. I don’t take it for granted.” For more information, visit @littlefigcookie on Instagram. Monterey-Area Baker Crafts a Sweet Success Stor y B Y R ENE E B R I NCK S SHORT CUTS BUSINESS 88 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G 2 0 2 6