In Roll with It, baking is a motif that becomes symbolic of understanding one’s family and friends. Ellie Cowan realizes when she bakes the Linzer cookies that they turn out well. However, she notices that most of those with whom she shares the cookies do not enjoy them. Several people do not even finish one cookie. As a result, she becomes concerned with what her family and friends enjoy. From there forward, she considers who she is baking for.

Baking also represents Ellie as an individual. This becomes obvious in the choices that Ellie makes about the pie for the bake off. She explains:

So I decided to make a pie that would speak to every part of me. I used [Julia Child’s] crust because it’s nice and sweet and a little fancy, and I used blackberries my grandma and I picked from her garden and canned last summer, because it’s still spring here and I thought people would like a taste of what’s ahead. And I glazed it all in lemon because lemon is my grandpa’s favorite and I wanted to make him smile (234-35).

Herein, she recognizes the traits and the people who help to make her who she is.