A Taste of Tradition, One Cookie at a Time: Angie Schenone

Sometimes a passion begins with something as simple as wanting to make a special birthday celebration a little more meaningful. For Angie Schenone, it began with a cookie.
Several years ago, Angie wanted to make alfajores for her daughter’s birthday. She wasn’t interested in simply finding a recipe online and calling it a day. She wanted the cookies to taste authentic, to capture the delicate texture and rich flavor she remembered and loved.
So she began experimenting.
For several days, Angie and her family worked on the recipe, adjusting and tasting until they were satisfied. The result was a delicate Peruvian alfajor: two light, almost melt-in-your-mouth cornstarch cookies surrounding a generous layer of dulce de leche.
Her family loved them.
But what happened next was unexpected. A friend was organizing a fundraiser for a single mother and her three children, and Angie wanted to contribute. She decided to make 300 alfajores for the event. She quickly discovered that 300 cookies was considerably more work than she had imagined—and after making the first 100, she still had enough dough for another 200.
Rather than let all that dough go to waste, Angie began telling friends about the cookies.
People wanted them.
What started as a birthday project and a gesture for a friend gradually became something much bigger.
But at the heart of it, Angie still approaches baking much as she did in those early days: with curiosity, patience and a desire to make something special.
Her alfajores are made by hand, beginning with the delicate cornstarch cookies and finished with dulce de leche. The traditional version is dusted with powdered sugar, while other variations incorporate coconut, almonds, chocolate and different shapes and colors. There is something wonderfully personal about baking this way. It isn’t simply about following instructions. It is about touching the dough, paying attention to texture, making adjustments and knowing when something is just right.
And Angie doesn’t bake alone. Her husband, Gino has been part of the process from the beginning, and her children have helped along the way. What began as something created for her daughter eventually became something the whole family could participate in.
Before baking became such an important part of her life, Angie spent 18 years working in real estate. Her path to baking wasn’t something she necessarily planned; it evolved naturally from her love of creating something that brought people together.
Perhaps that is what makes her story so appealing.
A cookie can be small. But the memories surrounding it can be enormous. A birthday. A family gathered around a kitchen. A friend who needed help. A recipe carefully perfected. And, eventually, a community discovering a little taste of Peru.
For Angie, baking isn’t simply about making something delicious.
It is about sharing something made with care, and watching someone enjoy the result.
You can find Angie at the Newhall Farmers Market during the holiday season, or on Instagram @houseoftheperuviancookie.

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