North Carolina’s cottage food laws have opened doors for passionate bakers to transform their home kitchens into small businesses, and few embody this opportunity quite like Paulina McDonald.
Operating Paulina’s Pastries from her Highlands home while working as a pastry cook at High Hampton, she represents a new generation of food entrepreneurs who blend cultural heritage with local opportunity.
Paulina’s culinary foundation was built in Houston, where her Mexican immigrant family settled five decades ago. The values instilled by that heritage – resourcefulness, respect for ingredients, and the importance of feeding community – followed her through culinary school in San Antonio and into professional kitchens.
At Houston’s acclaimed Bludorn restaurant, she absorbed chef Aaron Bludorn’s approach to American cuisine elevated with French techniques and Gulf Coast influences, learning how cultural fusion creates something entirely new.
When she moved to the North Carolina mountains in 2023, Paulina brought this multicultural perspective to Appalachian food traditions. Working under James Beard-nominated pastry chef April Franqueza at High Hampton, she discovered how cottage food regulations allow her to channel her heritage and training into a home-based business.
“I’m super into preventing waste,” she explains, a philosophy rooted in her family’s immigrant experience and now expressed through her artisanal approach to baking.
These sourdough rosemary crackers perfectly capture that intersection of heritage and opportunity.
When local restaurateur Guy Davis expressed interest in house-made crackers, Paulina saw a chance to create “something funky, fun, and different” while honoring the resourcefulness that defines both her cultural background and North Carolina’s cottage food movement.
The result is a cracker that captures everything appealing about artisanal baking: the complex tang of fermented grains, the aromatic punch of fresh rosemary, and a satisfying crunch that makes store-bought versions seem lifeless by comparison. The technique borrows from laminated pastry – folding the dough like a simplified croissant – which creates delicate layers and ensures even baking.
What makes this recipe particularly brilliant is its flexibility. The measurements work as a starting point, but sourdough starters vary in hydration and flavor intensity. Don’t be afraid to adjust the flour if your dough feels too sticky or add a pinch more salt if your starter runs mild. The key is achieving a workable dough that rolls thin without tearing.
You can find Paulina’s breads at High Country Wine and Provisions in Highlands, or order directly through her website at bakesy.shop/b/paulinas-pastries. Her cottage bakery produces everything from macarons to honey buns, but it’s this creative approach to reducing waste that truly sets her apart.
Sourdough Rosemary Crackers
Makes about 3 dozen crackers, depending on thickness and size
Ingredients
½ cup leftover sourdough starter (unfed, discard is fine)
½ cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped, plus more for topping
Water, for brushing
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat.
2. Mix the dough.
In a medium bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the sourdough starter, whole wheat flour, softened butter, salt, and chopped rosemary. Mix until a smooth dough forms, kneading lightly if needed to bring it all together.
3. Divide and chill.
Divide the dough into three equal parts. Press each into a rough rectangle, wrap in plastic or parchment, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to relax the gluten and firm the dough.
4. Roll and fold.
Working with one portion at a time, roll the dough into a thin rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Fold the left third of the dough to the center, then fold the right third over it, like a letter — this helps create layers and a flakier texture.
5. Roll out and shape.
Roll the folded dough out again to your desired cracker thickness — Paulina prefers them quite thin for extra snap. Transfer the rolled dough to the prepared baking sheet.
6. Dock and season.
Use a fork to prick the surface all over (this prevents bubbling). Lightly brush the top with water and sprinkle with a little more rosemary and flake salt if you like.
7. Bake.
Bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown and firm in the center. Allow to cool fully on a wire rack. The crackers will crisp up further as they cool.
These crackers keep well in an airtight container for several days — if they last that long.
Pictured | Paulina McDonald
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