The Next Gen of Vegan Baking Featuring Maya Madsen of Maya's Cookies

Plant-based baking is having a major moment and no one is pushing the category forward quite like Maya Madsen, founder of the award-winning San Diego bakery Maya’s Cookies. In this demo, Maya spotlights two innovative tea-based cookies: Matcha and Chai.

Maya will walk attendees through how to build rich, indulgent cookie textures without eggs or with vegan dairy, how to layer spices + aromatics for deeper flavor, and how to work with high-quality ingredients that resonate with modern, mindful consumers. She’ll highlight premium components such as Keicha Matcha, grown in Kagoshima, Japan—home to the active Sakurajima volcano—and TCHO White Chocolate, a plant-based oat milk white chocolate featuring a perfectly balanced blend of creamy sweetness, vanilla beans, and a hint of sea salt.

Expect a vibrant matcha-forward cookie and a decadent spice moment that proves vegan treats can be every bit as luxurious as their traditional counterparts. Perfect for buyers, bakers, and plant-curious food lovers, this session highlights where vegan sweets are headed and why Maya continues to lead the trend.

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At Discovery Kitchen, California culinary techniques meet specialty food innovation as local chefs remix Winter FancyFaire* exhibitor products into delectable creations, live onstage. Head to Discovery Point (Booth 4631) to grab a seat and taste the magic of specialty foods.

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Maya Madsen is the founder and CEO of Maya’s Cookies, America’s #1 Black-owned gourmet, vegan cookie company. She started the business in 2015, after she struggled to find a gourmet, decadent vegan cookie that satisfied her sweet tooth so she started baking them herself. Maya’s Cookies is now an established national brand with two flagship stores and operates their own facility to ship their cookies nationwide. Maya works with non-profit organizations such as Kitchen’s for Good, Junior Achievement, and Fred Finch to give back and use her platform to provide resources to underserved communities.