"Bee" Mine Valentine Cookie

Believe me, no artistic ability is needed to create this cute "Bee" Mine Valentine cookie.

The bee was created by pressing a cookie cutter into the cookie before baking. Then, all you need to do is trace the outline and amaze your loved ones with a beautiful sweet treat.

Here's how:

Cut out your cookie (I used a plaque-shaped cutter) and gently press your bee cutter into the dough to make an indentation.

It will look like this.

And it will look like this after baking.

Outline your cookie with piping consistency royal icing.

Also outline the bee.

Flood the cookie with flood consistency royal icing. You will need to use a skewer or scribe tool (pictured above) to move the icing to the edge and into the narrow areas.

When the flood icing is dry, add a yellow bee body.

Immediately add eyes and stripes. This technique is called wet on wet.

Keep working until all the bee bodies are complete.

Add pink icing to the wing area.

With an icing that is just a bit thinner than piping consistency, add your lettering. Practice piping on a plate first to be sure your icing is the correct consistency.

For more detail, add a bit of brushed embroidery to the bee wings. Outline the wings with piping consistency royal icing and then use a damp square tip brush to pull it inwards. Clean your brush off after every three or four strokes.

For even more pizazz you can add sanding sugar to the edge of the cookie. If you are planning on wrapping the cookies, I recommend skipping this step since sanding sugar can easily get knocked off and create a mess in the bags. I would only add this sparkly detail if the cookies are going to be served on a platter.

Once the cookie is completely dry, outline the cookie with piping consistency royal icing.

Have a plate of sanding sugar ready and gently dip your cookie in upside down.

Lift your cookie up out of the sugar and let it dry. Once the icing is dry you can use a soft brush to remove any stray sugar granules.

Here's a side by side comparison of the two designs. I think either would make your Valentine very happy.

Planning A Cookie

My current plans for a bumble bee sugar cookie.

For me part of the fun of sugar cookie decorating is the planning process.

Sometimes these plans change as I begin the actual decorating but they are a good starting point and help me visualize the cookies I want to create.

All you need is your cookie cutter and pen and paper — Just trace the cookie cutter onto the paper and start sketching.

It's also fun to involve your family in the sketching process. Ask them for their suggestions or give each family member a tracing to decorate and vote on the winner. Or, make a true family cookie using a combination of everyone's ideas.

It's also helpful to find samples of the colors you wish to use. Mixing colors can be tough but having a visual of what you are working towards is helpful. 

Cookie decorating is more fun when you take the time to enjoy the process and remember practice makes perfect but the truth is sugar cookies are delicious no matter how they are decorated.


Here's my favorite sugar cookie recipe:

Sugar Cookie Cutouts
(this recipe is from well-known pastry chef Emily Luchetti and was featured in the December 2004 issue of Sunset Magazine)

Makes about 4 dozen 2-inch cookies

1 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

 In a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until blended, then beat on high speed until creamy. Add egg, vanilla and almond extract and beat until well blended. Add flour and salt; beat on low speed until combined, then on medium speed until well blended. Divide dough into two equal portions. Place dough between sheets of plastic wrap. Press evenly into a disk and chill until dough is firm, at least 20 minutes. Working with one portion of dough at a time (keep remaining chilled), peel off plastic wrap and roll on a floured board until 1/4 inch thick. Cut with floured cutters and transfer onto bare baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees (325 for convection) for 7 to 9 minutes or until firm to the touch and slightly darker brown around edges. Cool on wire racks.