When my husband took this photo, I had just brushed buttercream out of my hair and wiped a confectioners’ sugar explosion off the floor. My daughter helped decorate this sprinkle-loaded 6 inch cake and we’re celebrating something huge!
Milestone.
A significant marker in our lives pinpointing a momentous event. This month, I reached one and I hope you’ll celebrate with me. Afterall, I wouldn’t have reached it without you!!!
In December 2011, I started a food blog that unbeknownst to me would someday host 1,200 recipes used by millions of bakers all over the world. I still cannot wrap my head around it.
I feel I could easily turn this post into a novel with all that has gone into building this career over the past 10 years, but I will keep it short because truly—what I want to convey is just how thankful I am for everyone who bakes, trusts, shares, and enjoys my recipes as well as everyone who helped me get to this point including my absolutely wonderful and mighty SBA team.
When I pressed publish for the first time 10 years ago, I had no idea how much weight that mindless click would hold. My intention was to put cookie recipes in a place for my friends and family to see them, a solution I thought would be easier than emailing recipes to loved ones. I had a full time job and was absolutely not looking for a career change—heck, I had no idea that people even made a career out of food blogging. (It was rare back then.) I took pictures of cookies on paper plates with my fancy new smartphone. I typed vague instructions on my blog, uploaded a photo, and forwarded the link to loved ones. That’s it. That was my food blog. Instagram and Facebook pages were barely new at the time—social media for content creators was in its infant stage. Recipe videos were mostly limited to cooking shows on TV.
So what happened in the past 10 years?
Well, I built a brand from scratch! In 2011, I had never picked up a fancy camera before, never wrote professionally, never owned a business, never managed employees, never wrote a book, and knew nothing about website development. But I had passion and grit—and I believe both are the secrets to entrepreneurial success. I began to build a community who would soon share my recipes with others and before I knew it 1 follower turned into 100 and then 1,000 and then 100,000 and now there are millions of bakers looking at my recipes and sharing heartfelt stories, memories, and traditions based around the content I’ve created.
IT’S SURREAL. THANK YOU.
It’s no secret that baking can spread joy and perhaps it’s become your hobby or an activity when you need to relax or escape. Thank you for making my recipes part of your world.
What’s next? A website refresh & redesign coming in January! Finishing my cookbook proposal so cookbook #4 can happen! Developing quality baking recipes, authoring my blog posts, taking all of my own photography, and managing a trusted and knowledgeable team! These are my professional priorities for (hopefully) more decades to come. But after 10 years of hustling, it feels remarkably rewarding to slow down and reflect on what I’ve created. And without YOU + my supportive family, friends, and team + all of the blogging friends I’ve met along the way, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.
Thank you so much for being here. Bake something delicious today!!!!
Happy Baking xo,
Sally
Cheers to you Sally! Your hard work and dedication to your brand certainly shows in all you do! Looking forward to all your future endeavors!
Congrats on 10 years Sally!! You have taught me A LOT about baking and you continuously inspire me to get in the kitchen. Your name is well known around my house. I wouldn’t be a bread baker and pie crust extraordinaire without you!
Here’s to 10 more!!
I have only been following along for about a year now, but MAN do I ever follow! This page has singlehandedly renewed my love for baking, and that is not an exaggeration. It really is just this site. I go looking at others now….. then come right back here and make your version of whatever I was thinking about making :-). 100% true!! LOL!! Every recipe is simple, beautifully explained, wonderfully thorough, and perfectly demonstrated. And they are GOOD!! Really really GOOD FOOD!! In no time at all I have become “The Maple Cookie Lady” at work thanks to one of your more recent recipes, and that’s not counting all the things I brought in through the spring and summer…. I just really, really, REALLY love this site. Thank you for all you do and for the joy you’ve brought me and many like me.
Congratulations!!! Here’s to 10 more!!! (at the very least 10 more)
Congratulations, Sally! I rarely trust any other recipes but yours for baking! Your thorough recipes and step by step instructions are always spot on and I never have to question anything I’m doing. When desserts are shared between my family and friends, we always say, “it’s a Sally recipe, of course!”. Congratulations again and cheers to many more decades of success!
Congrats Sally! You have been my go-to for years for all things baking!
Congratulations Sally!! I do hope you keep going for many many years. I absolutely love your recipes, and so do my family and friends. Always a hit.
Thanks for sharing your passion.
Congratulations! Looking forward to more xx
Congratulations Sally! Your first 10! I love your dedication, you excel your recipes. Thank you for sharing ❤
Congratulations on 10 years to you and your team. I love your recipes. Your blog is wonderful. I bought one of your books to give as a Christmas gift for a friend that loves to bake. Have a Merry Christmas to you and your family!
God bless. Thank you for all the love and support you give to everyone. May God continue to bless you many many years to come. Merry Christmas and a bladed New Year to you and your family.
Congratulations!!!
Congratulations, Sally! You and your family and team have much to celebrate and be proud of! I’ve followed your blog for many years and none of your recipes have failed…except decorating…I haven’t gotten that down at all. 🙂
Thank you for sharing your love with us.
Cheers to what lies ahead; it will be fabulous and festive!
Happy 10 Years!! You are an excellent blogger, baker, and teacher. Because of you I’ve discovered a love of baking. Thank you for sharing your gifts with us…and Merry Christmas to you and your beautiful family!
Congratulations! Thank you for helping me on my baking journey. I really appreciate your tips, tricks and knowledge.
Congratulations on your 10 years! You are my go to baking website! I have learned so much and I am learning so much more each time I look at your recipes and watch your videos. Thank you very much Sally and many more years of baking to you!
Wow, 10 years already!! I’ve been following you since I first started baking in high school and still go to you first whenever I’m trying out a new recipe! I still have your first cookbook (the recipe for apple pie bars is my favorite!) and plan on getting the rest when I move out of my tiny apartment. Congratulations, I can’t wait to see what other recipes you come up with for years to come!
Congratulations! Love your site and recipes! Always look forward to your emails filled with new fun recipes etc! Keep up the fantastic work!
Congratulations on this milestone! I absolutely love your blog and recipes! “Sally’s baking addiction” is always my go to when I need a recipe to bake. Thank you for your hard work and dedication.
Congratulations Sally. Simply love ur recipes. Always a success. Have gotten quite good in the kitchen thanks to you. So here’s to another 10!!!
Congratulations and thank YOU for sharing your passion, talent and heart with us. Cheers to you, yhe next 10 and the next!
Congratulations to you and your team I have tried several of your recipes and all of them have been exceptional good
Thank you
You are truly inspiring. Thank you for the joy you exude in your baking and making the recipes so accessible to many home bakers like me !
Congra Sally on your 10th year. I’ve tried some of your cookie recipes and received favourable feedback.
Thanks for sharing!
Congratulations Sally. I love your recipes ,I know they have been well tested and I am sure when I try them they are always successful.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year !
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU & YOUR AMAZING STAFF, HUBBY INCLUDED, on your 10 YEAR CELEBRATION!!!! WOW!!!
I am so grateful for your yummy recipes! I always pick SALLY’S BAKING ADDITION over any others, because I know it will be good! Thank you so much for making me a better cook! (Always room for improving)
Congratulations Sally!! I love your site, whenever I need a cookie recipe, you are the first one I look for! Over the years you truly have had some of the best recipes, I have made many of your cookies and trust you.
Well done! Congratulations I love your blog and your recipes. Can’t wait to add your new book to my collection.
A heartfelt, thank you.
I know each of your recipes I BAKE will be delicious…here is to 10 x 10 x 10
Congratulations to you and your team! Thank you for sharing your delicious recipes with us and showing us how it’s done with your very helpful videos! I wish the best for all of you!
Congrats on the best food blog!!! Every recipe tastes great, and I’ve learned so much!!! I DO have the confidence to cook and bake from scratch
Cheers to you!!!!