A Celebration of Pi(e): Math is Cool but Pie Tastes Better

In honor of Pi Day, Macrina will offer individually sized mini pies in four favorite flavors for an entire week beginning on March 10 

Pi Day is an annual celebration of the famed mathematical constant, Albert Einstein’s birthday, and edible homonyms (aka tasty round things) — which is why we choose to celebrate it with a week-long celebration of pie. From March 10 to March 16, we’ll be offering individually sized mini pies in four favorite flavors at all our cafés. Last year, we sold out quickly, so don’t dilly dally. Here they are: 

For those of you looking to share, we’ll also have the Very Berry and Maple Apple as 9-inch pies. Whether you love math or love to hate it, come celebrate your love of pie at Macrina.

Let Macrina Cater Your Next Event Gathering

Macrina helps turn good moments into great ones, because food has that special knack for sparking conversation and bringing people closer. 


Check out our new catering menu!

Bagel platter

Macrina’s new catering menu is built around that spirit of gathering. If you’re planning a morning meeting or a family brunch, the bagel platteris a crowd pleaser. The organic naturally-leavened bagels have a caramelized crust, toothsome texture, and a tight, springy crumb that balances the mild sourdough with just enough malty sweetness. Available in Plain, Salted, Everything, Poppy Seed, Sesame Seed, Cranberry*, and Cheese*, the bagels are the perfect canvas for tangy cream cheese.  

*Cranberry and Cheese are not organic

Bagel Assortment

Sandwich Platter

Looking for something more substantial? Our sandwich platters are a must for midday crowds. Choose between Carne, Verdura, or a mix of both; either way, every sandwich is hearty and satisfying 

Quiches

Craving something warm? Macrina’s quiches — Carne or Verdura — are baked in a flaky crust that holds just the right amount of creamy fontina and egg custard, with fillings that change with the season. Pair one or several with a box of brewed coffee, and you’ve got the makings of a cozy gathering, or lunch meeting. 

Pastries & Cookie Platters

You also can never go wrong with an assortment of pastries—muffins, scones, cornetti, and coffee cake slices—or a selection of cookies: Olivia’s Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Oat Peanut Butter, Old Fashioned Peanut Butter, Mrs. D’s Vegan Cookie, Apricot Oatmeal Pecan, Ginger Molasses, and Snickerdoodle. 

Ordering is simple! Just call your nearest Macrina café at least two days in advance. Most platters are available after 8 a.m., and sandwiches are ready to go after 11 a.m. 

Treat Yourself: Free Crostini with Every $25 Purchase 

Free box of Cranberry Apricot Crostini with every café purchase over $25 while supplies last

There’s something special about stepping into a Macrina Bakery café. Whether you’re grabbing a quick coffee in Belltown, meeting an old friend in Queen Anne or at our bustling Aloha café on Capitol Hill, or exploring our newest spot in Maple Leaf, you’ll find the same warm welcome we’ve been sharing for over 30 years. With six cafés throughout the Seattle area, Macrina is never too far away.

We’ve heard tales of folks hiking miles just to savor a slice of Mom’s Chocolate Cake or a Ham & Gruyère brioche. We’ve also met people who shared their first kiss here, or discovered they were ready to turn a corner in life while seated at one of our tables. Our cafés are more than just bakeries — they’re convivial places to gather over great food. 

Wherever you find us, we aim to brighten your day, whether you swing in for your favorite loaf of bread, pick up those brioche buns that make your backyard burgers locally famous, or satisfy your craving for a slice of cake so good it’s worth the calories. Our attentive staff has long been at the heart of who we are, ready to pull a perfect espresso or help you with tough choices such as choosing between the Roly Poly and a Bialy Egg Sandwich (both!). 

While supplies last, when you spend $25 or more at one of our cafés, we’ll add a free package of our Cranberry Apricot Crostini — a must-have for anyone who likes to keep the fixings for great appetizers on hand. Think of them as crackers, only better. We brush thin slices of bread with olive oil and toast them.  

So come see us. Slow down for a moment, taste something delicious, and make a memory you’ll cherish. We’ll be here waiting to welcome you in. See you soon! 

Something for your Valentine? Macrina’s Monthly Subscription Club Makes a Great Gift

Looking for a gift that truly satisfies? Or a resolution you’ll actually want to keep? Macrina’s Monthly Subscription Club will bring guaranteed joy to you or your loved one. Sign up and receive a handpicked selection of both savory and sweet baked goods, thoughtfully chosen by our founder, Leslie Mackie — plus exclusive members-only treats. From artisan breads and delectable pastries to savory quiches, sourdough bagels, and specialty jams, you’ll enjoy the same handcrafted quality that has made our neighborhood café a beloved community gathering spot since 1993.

How it works: Sign up, and you’ll receive a curated selection of savory and sweet treats each month. You can have them delivered to your door (+$15) or pick up your box at our SODO café. You can skip a month, pause, or cancel your membership anytime.

Cost: $50/month for two people or $95/month for four people

What you get: A sample box might include (items change each month): Mini Baguettes with Butter & Jam, Ham & Cheese Brioche, Organic Sourdough White Bread, Rosemary & Tomato Focaccia, Blueberry Cornmeal Muffins, Olivia’s Chocolate Chip Cookies, Maple Apple Handpies, Raspberry Rhubarb Upside Down Cake, Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake, plus special members-only surprises!

Our subscription club delivery area

Butter Makes Everything Better: Introducing Our New Holiday Butters 

Flavored butters—known as beurre composé in France — are the culinary secret to adding an instant flavor boost to just about everything. Whether you’re building a sauce, enhancing the flavor of a dish, or simply spreading it on a crusty baguette, these compound butters make your food better. 

Just in time for the holidays, our new butters are among the most versatile things you can have on hand. Keep them in the fridge or freezer and add a slice to nearly any dish when you want to elevate the flavor. Fish, chicken, steak, mashed potatoes, vegetable dishes — all become a little more special with a touch of your favorite butter. 

We start with rich, European-style butter — its high fat content makes it ideal for carrying extra flavor — and whip it with one of our three festive additions: herbs, truffles, or honey. Then we roll them into logs. They present beautifully on a holiday table and make wonderful gifts, too. 

Herbed Butter 

Our rich butter, whipped and blended with rosemary, thyme, sage, and oregano for a savory, aromatic finish. Perfect for spreading or melting into dishes that could use a herbal lift. 

Truffled Butter 

Premium butter whipped with truffle sauce and a touch of truffle salt. Its rich, earthy flavor makes it an elegant spread or a luxurious addition to sauces. 

Honey Butter 

Smooth and creamy butter with honey and a hint of salt. This lightly sweet spread is great on biscuits or toast. 


July is Raspberry Month at Macrina

 

We’re partnering with the Washington state Red Raspberry Commission to celebrate the local berries. Throughout July, we’ll feature baked goods made with local berries.

Being able to get fresh raspberries year-round is one perk of modern life, but there’s still nothing like a local red raspberry picked at the peak of ripeness. To celebrate the local harvest, we’ll be featuring products made with Washington state raspberries in our cafés all July. 

Here’s what you’ll find: 

  • Summer Berry Charlotte: Our take on the mid-century classic, this ethereal, mousse-like charlotte is infused with fresh raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries. Served with a dollop of whipped cream. (Available Friday – Sunday beginning on July 6 in our cafés.)

  • Raspberry Cornetto: The cousin of the French croissant, our raspberry cornetto is formed from a triangle of our laminated dough rolled to create a crescent shape, brushed with egg wash and sprinkled with pearl sugar, filled with raspberry preserves, and baked to a deep brown. 

  • Raspberry Lemon Coffee Cake: By taste alone, you’d never know this decadent coffee cake was gluten-free! Bursting with local raspberries and lemon zest, the sweet cake is glazed with raspberry frosting. Available as whole Bundt cakes and individual slices in our cafés.

  • Vegan Raspberry Oat Scone: Oats add texture and a delicate flavor to these lightly-sweetened vegan scones. Moist raspberries flavor every bite, and a hint of orange zest rounds out the taste. 

The epicenter of Washington state’s raspberry crop is Lynden, a charming, historic town in Whatcom County near the Canadian border. Over 90 percent of Washington raspberries are grown nearby. Moderate daytime temperatures, cool evenings, healthy soil, and dry summers produce berries with excellent color and flavor. Through a state-of-the-art process known as IQF (Individually Quick Frozen), most of them are frozen. Unlike the frozen raspberries of the past that made baked goods soggy, these can be substituted for fresh raspberries and have all that just-picked flavor. 

Drop in and celebrate the local crop with one of our raspberry treats! 

Our New Ancient Grain Loaf

A hearty gluten-free loaf made for bread lovers (made in a gluten-friendly environment) 

At Macrina, in particular over the last decade, we’ve been baking with more and more heritage grains. We’re fortunate to have a close relationship with the renowned Bread Lab and Cairnspring Mills, both located nearby in the Skagit Valley. The quality, flavor and nutrition of the heritage grains they make available, many grown in-state, has led to thrilling possibilities. 

One goal has been to make a gluten-free loaf that celebrates different grains without compromising on flavor or texture. Leslie Mackie, Macrina’s founder, has spent months experimenting in our test kitchen to develop a loaf that rises to her standards. The result is our Ancient Grain Loaf. “This is unlike any other gluten-free loaf I’ve tasted,” says Leslie. “It’s highly nutritious, packed with fiber, minerals, and vitamins, and its excellent flavor makes it ideal for open-faced sandwiches or toast.” 

Teff and millet, two ancient grains naturally free of gluten, add flavor and texture. Brown rice flour and finely-ground oats round out the grains, to which we add organic flax and chia seeds, olive oil and honey for enhanced flavor and richness. A long, slow fermentation process allows the bread to develop a semi-dense texture while retaining plenty of moisture. The bread has a subtly nutty flavor with a hint of honey sweetness.  

At room temperature, the bread has a shelf life of two days, but refrigerated it will stay fresh up to a week.

Shrimp & Crab Salad Sliders for the Big Game

Macrina’s slider rolls, either brioche or potato, are the perfect bun for sliders. Of course, there are many great fillings. But for the big game, you want to bring your A-game. These Shrimp and Crab Salad Sliders are a guaranteed winner, especially with fresh Dungeness coming in from Washington’s Pacific coast. You can make the salad in advance and refrigerate it. Before serving, butter the insides of the rolls and sauté them to caramelize the bread and warm it through.

Makes 12 sliders

Shrimp & Crap Sliders for the Big Game

6 cups water
2 Tbsp kosher salt
1¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes, divided
1 lb frozen shrimp, 16–20 size, (deveined, shell on)
8 oz fresh crab meat, cooked
2 ribs celery, medium dice
2 tsp capers, chopped
3 tsp fresh tarragon, finely chopped
3 tsp shallots, finely chopped
½ cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
12 Macrina Brioche Sliders or Rustic Potato Sliders
Butter, softened

In a medium saucepan, add the water, salt and 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Add the frozen shrimp and return to a boil, cooking for 3–4 minutes or until the shrimp are just cooked through.

Strain the shrimp and transfer to a bowl. Quickly cover with ice cubes to stop the cooking process. Toss and let cool for 10 minutes.

Peel the shrimp and coarsely chop them in ½-inch pieces

In a medium bowl, add the diced celery, capers, tarragon, shallots, remaining ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Mix well. Add the crab and chopped shrimp. Stir to combine.

Cut the slider rolls in half horizontally and brush with butter. Pan sauté the interiors to caramelize the bread and warm it through. Divide the shrimp and crab salad between the slider roll bottoms and add a top each one. Serve with your favorite chips or green salad.

Enjoy!

 

Recipe of the Month: Hazelnut Raspberry Linzer Cookies

This is our Valentine’s Day version of the beloved Linzer cookie, made with ground hazelnuts rather than almonds. These shortbread cookies are great just as they are — tender, delicately sweet, with a subtle, nutty flavor and a hint of cinnamon — but with the raspberry, they’re divine. We cut these into heart shapes and make them into beautiful window cookies. In addition to the raspberry hearts, you’ll also wind up with smaller, chocolate-rimmed hearts. We like heart-shaped cookies all year long but feel free to adapt the shapes to any occasion or even enjoy the hazelnut shortbread in its pure, unadorned form. At the Macrina cafés, we are selling a Hazelnut Shortbread Cookie Mix, which is very similar and will make it quick and easy for you to make this impressive cookie.

Printable PDF of this recipe here.
Makes nine 3 1/2 inch cookies + nine smaller cookies.

Hazelnut Raspberry Linzer Cookies

½ cup light brown sugar
¼ cornstarch
1¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour (or substitute Bob’s Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp salt
½ cup hazelnuts, toasted and finely ground
8 oz (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into ¼-inch pieces
1½ tsp pure vanilla extract
½ cup raspberry jam
¼ cup powdered sugar
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup red and white crystal sugar

Line 3 rimmed baking pans with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, combine brown sugar and cornstarch on low speed for about 1 minute to remove lumps. Add flour, cinnamon, salt, and ground hazelnuts. Mix until combined.

With the mixer running, gradually add cubed butter and blend until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the vanilla extract and mix for another minute to allow the dough to come together.

On a lightly floured surface, press the dough into a 10-inch square. Divide in half and roll out each half to a 1/4-inch thickness, ensuring evenness. Cut out 9 large hearts from the first half for the bases and place them on one prepared baking pan.

From the second rolled-out half, cut out an equal number of large hearts. Then, using a smaller heart cutter, remove the centers to create heart frames. Place these frames on the second baking pan, and the small heart cutouts on the third pan.*

Chill the baking pans in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Bake cookies for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Let cool to room temperature.

To assemble the cookies, spread raspberry jam on the heart bases. Lightly dust the heart frames with powdered sugar and place one on top of each jam-covered base.

Melt chocolate chips in a water bath, double boiler or microwave. Dip the edge of smaller heart cookies in the chocolate and then in the crystal sugar. Allow them to set up on parchment paper.

Enjoy making someone feel special with these delicious cookies for Valentine’s Day — or any day!

*Note: Any dough scraps can be brought together in a ball, re-chilled, and rolled out again for extra cookies! 

 

Product Feature: Cranberry Apricot Nut Loaf

This is one of our most flavorful breads, shining especially bright during the gray days of winter. Its mild sour flavor results from our natural starter and a long, slow rise. The locally grown and milled coarse whole-wheat flour from Fairhaven Mills contributes to its hearty texture and natural sweetness. Turkish apricots, cranberries, walnuts, and pecans add flavor and crunch. You’d be hard pressed to identify the faint hint of anise and cloves — that je ne sais quoi that sets it apart — if they weren’t listed among the ingredients. The net effect is a bread with surprising balance and delicious taste.
The festive flavors make this loaf a natural for the holidays. Serve warm slices at your holiday brunch with creamy cheeses like Brie or ricotta, maybe a drizzle of honey. Or keep it simple: toasted and buttered is one of our favorite ways to enjoy it. But perhaps its highest and best use during the holidays is for the Prized Leftover Ham or Turkey Sandwich.

Prize Leftover Ham or Turkey Sandwich

Serves 4


¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup leftover cranberry sauce
½ cup leftover gravy
2 cups mixed white and dark turkey meat, leftover
2 cups leftover stuffing
8 slices Macrina Cranberry Apricot Nut Loaf, cut on the bias
2 Tbsp butter

In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise and cranberry sauce. Set aside.
Pour the gravy into a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Once the gravy is warm, add the turkey meat and cook until just warmed through, about 4 minutes.

While the turkey is warming, heat the stuffing. You can do this in a microwave until it reaches about 165°F, or in another skillet if you prefer.

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Butter one side of each slice of the Cranberry Apricot Nut Loaf. Place the bread slices buttered side down in the skillet and toast until just crisped, about 2 minutes each.

Assemble the sandwiches: Spread the mayo-cranberry mixture evenly over the non-buttered sides of all 8 bread slices. On four of the slices, layer the warmed turkey and top each with a quarter of the warm stuffing. Place the remaining bread slices, mayo-cranberry side down, on top of the stuffing to close the sandwiches. Cut the sandwiches in half and serve immediately.