She’s the Frida Kahlo of cookie dough.

The proof is in Megan Warne’s latest creation, a Toronto-themed cookie that showcases Toronto’s ongoing battle against resourceful, trash-loving raccoons along with varied Canadiana, Raptors references and fine detail right down to the city skyline — including the CN Tower — on a tiny pair of sunglasses.

Megan Warne took second prize in an international cookie-making competition in Kentucky with an elaborate depiction of raccoons taking on a green bin. SUPPLIED PHOTO

The 11-inch-by-11-inch cookie, which hints at the famed Mexican artist’s penchant for bold, vibrant colours and magical realism, came with a ribbon and a $200 (U.S.) prize.

The cookie creation placed second in the advanced category at the recent CookieCon convention in Louisville, Kentucky — the largest gathering of cookie artists in the world — with even the event co-founder surprised it didn’t take the top prize, which went to Louisville native Preston Fouts along with $300 (U.S.) for a baked depiction of the Kentucky Derby.

This cookie depicting the Kentucky Derby won first prize in the Advanced Home Sweet Home category. SUPPLIED PHOTO

“It’s a shocker that it took second place because she (Warne) is amazing. But there are just so many great cookies and the competition is fierce,” said Karen Summers of Idaho Falls, Idaho, who along with husband Mike, founded the cookie convention in 2012.

Warne, a self-described “cookie artist,” started out making sugar cookies with her mom as a child. Her background is in architecture and design — skills she employs in her day job as a design manager for a real estate developer — but she got seriously into cookie decorating about six years ago and has been kneading and icing ever since.

Warne used her craft to subsidize the costs of her wedding, only to return from the honeymoon to find a prodigious stream of new orders. But after a brief foray trying to juggle two careers, she preferred to work it part-time.

“I’m selective with orders, I just do the ones that speak to me and allow me to be creative,” said Warne, 33.

She also teaches cookie decorating classes and takes on the occasional corporate client, working with YouTube show, How To Cake It, to render in dough Toy Story 4’s new Canadian character, Duke Caboom, for Disney.

“This is just kind of an additional artistic outlet and a stress reliever for sure. It’s my therapy. People think I’m crazy, but I will sit there and I will decorate a cookie for three hours and feel so invigorated after,” Warne said.

“I did years and years of hand drafting in school so I have so much love for little, tiny details and fine line work and all that kind of stuff,” she added.

Megan Warne, a self-described "cookie artist," started out making sugar cookies with her mom as a child. SUPPLIED PHOTO

Royal icing is the key ingredient in Warne’s creation, a medium whose constituency is altered by the amount of water used. There’s a lot of hand-painting involved using edible paint and marker. Edible wafer is the other main component in addition to cookie dough

Posting her newest creations on Instagram, where she has 61,700 followers, has also given Warne some unexpected notoriety.

“I don’t want to say I’m famous because of this, but I’ve been called a cookie celebrity just based on the following I have on Instagram,” Warne said.

Back when the Summers first got into the cookie business, Flickr was the go-to spot in the digital world but aficionados have since migrated to Instagram.

“(Cookie decorating) is such a visual thing so Instagram is just a perfect place for it where people can share their pictures,” Summers said.

One of the baked works of art by Darcey Peters at this year’s CookieCon. SUPPLIED PHOTO

In the real world, attendance has been rising like so much leavened dough at CookieCon, where attendance has grown from 200 at the inaugural meeting to 950 at the most recent — plus an additional 450 vendors, instructors and suppliers.

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“We’ve had people from all over the world. We have a big group from Australia and many of them are regulars. It’s amazing that they make that trek every year,” Summers said, adding the event also draws lots of visitors from South America and Europe.

A prize-winner in the In a Day's Work category features an Australian volunteer firefighter and a rescued koala made by Rebekah Hobson. SUPPLIED PHOTO

“We have quite a range as far as experience. We have beginners, we have people that are competitors, they’re on the Food Network, they’re in competitions that are televised. We have people that are hobby bakers that just bake up and decorate them for their kids’ birthday parties all the way to professionals that do it eight hours a day,” noted co-founder Mike Summers.

But what unites them all isn’t the sugar high, it’s the artistry, Karen Summers said.

This cookie by Becky O'Dowd earned a prize in the "All in a Day's Work" category. SUPPLIED PHOTO

“When we talk about our convention, people ask, ‘So do you eat a lot of cookies? Is it like chocolate chip cookies?’ It is absolutely an art show. It happens to be on cookies. And they do taste good. They work really hard to make their recipes good. But it is first and foremost art,” she said.

One of the intricately decorated prize winners by Carmen Urbano at CookieCon. SUPPLIED PHOTO

Warne, who won a first prize for her rendition of llama-themed domino cookies at her first biscuit fest a year ago, said she welcomes the chance to return.

“It’s such a crazy community we have. It’s like meeting up with your best friend that you haven’t seen in five years, but nothing’s changed,” Warne said.

As for the prizewinning cookie, Warne is keeping it in her personal collection. Because it was overbaked to ensure structural integrity, it would take a very tough set of chompers to enjoy it, she said.