Shades Of Red Sugar Cookies

These bright cookies will be part of a red themed auction basket that is being put together by the Martha's Guild of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral and will be auctioned for charity.

The cookies were decorated with five shades of red, the lightest for the base coat and the other four for decoration. The ombre red cookie and the floral designs were both made using the brushed embroidery technique.

To create the shades of red, I put the same amount of white icing into five bowls and added one drop of red gel paste in the first bowl, two in the second, three in the third and so on. I find this is the easiest way to get the same color at different depths for ombre designs.

After mixing the icings, I used the lightest colored icing for the base coat and covered the remaining bowls with plastic wrap. I wasn't ready to use them until the base coat was dry.

Waiting for the base coat to dry.

This cookie was made by piping a line with the lightest icing and using a square tipped brush to pull it down and create ridges.  I then repeated this two more times with the lightest shade of icing before moving onto the next lightest shade and so on, ending with three rows of each shade. A piped border that matches the color sections finishes it off.

A piped border also nicely finishes off the floral brushed embroidery cookie.

Brushed Embroidery Valentine Cookies

I like how the hot pink flowers on these cookies look against the cream colored base - bright,  but still refined.

Brushed embroidery is easier than it looks. It just takes some practice and the correct consistency of icing.

The icing needs to be of a soft piping consistency so that it's soft enough to pull a brush through yet solid enough to show the ridges and edges of your strokes.

The best way for me to describe the desired consistency is that it's the same as sour cream. It's always a good idea to test the consistency by piping a bit onto a plate and testing it before decorating your cookies.

Be judicious when you thin your icing. A few drops of water go a long way and you can always add water but you can't take it away.

Only two icings are needed to make these pretty cookies.

Here's how to do it:

After your base coat of icing has completely dried, outline your flower.

Use a square-tipped brush that is slightly damp to pull in the edges of your flower. Periodically, clean and re-dampen your brush.

It will look like this. Notice how the brush never broke through the outside edge of the piping?

Pipe another layer of petals.

Pull that icing inwards just like before.

Pipe a center on the flower.

With the same icing, add a few random dots for interest.

Add dots around the border and that's all there is to it.

Fancy Sugar Cookies

I baked an extra batch of sugar cookies today just so I could experiment and have fun.

I combined two decorating techniques — brushed embroidery and honeycomb — to come up with these fancy cookies. I don't know what else to call them.

I think these would be great for a tea party. My husband thought they would be just the thing for a "Downton Abbey" viewing party. I agree and also think I should remake them in pink and red for Valentine's Day.

Bee Sugar Cookie

I finished decorating my bee sugar cookies today and I'm pleased with how they turned out. I especially like how the brushed embroidery technique added a lacy look to the wings.

Initially I had planned on using a darker yellow for the body of the bee but decided to use a softer hue to better compliment the wing color.

I also decided to make some simple brushed embroidery flower cookies to go with the bees. I think they look sweet together.

Here's how to make them:

Bake a batch of bee cookies.

Make royal icing and color it for the base of the wings. I used a tiny amount of Lemon Yellow and Chocolate Brown to make it cream colored. Thin the icing with a bit of water to make it "flood consistency" and put it in a piping bag with a #2 tip.

Outline and flood the wings. Let this completely dry before moving onto the next step.

I used a bit of Royal Blue and Super Red coloring to make a soft lavender color for the wing detail. Keep this icing stiffer for your brushed embroidery. Put the icing in a pastry bag with a #2 tip. Also get your square tip brush ready and fill a small cup with water.

Outline the wing and use your square tip brush to gently pull the icing inward. Work around the whole wing.

It will look like this.

Tint some icing yellow and thin it to "flood" consistency. Also get a small amount of black icing ready that is the same consistency. Put the black icing in a bag with a #1 tip. You will need have it ready to use right after this step. Outline the body of the bee and fill it in.

With your black icing make three stripes and two dots for the eyes.

 Looking good!

Here's a close up of the easy brushed embroidery flower cookies I made at the last minute. Be sure that your base coat is completely dry before attempting brushed embroidery.

Keep working until you are done. I like to put on some music and enjoy the process. Please don't stress out — Just have fun.

After the cookies are completely dry they can be packaged for giving.

Brushed Embroidery On Cookies

My latest attempt at brushed embroidery on sugar cookies.

For Valentine's Day this year, I experimented with brushed embroidery on sugar cookies. It was a technique I'd been wanting to try for some time but was hesitant because it seemed so complicated.
 

I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it actually was. And, I think the results of my first attempt are pretty good.

But there's always room for improvement and cooking decorating is a constant learning process. Sometimes you just need to bake a batch and practice.

My first attempt at brushed embroidery.

So taking my own advice, I thought today was a good time to give it another whirl.

What's most important when decorating with brushed embroidery is having the right consistency of icing.

You need a stiff icing for the outlining of your brushed embroidery so that when you pull the icing inward from the edges, you see the ridges and lines of your strokes.

And, the base coat of your cookie needs to be completely dry before even attempting brushed embroidery.

Don't skimp on the drying time or you'll be frustrated. Flood icing can take anywhere from 4 to 24 hours to dry completely.

It all depends on the humidity, the amount of coloring and the amount of water needed to thin your icing.

Wait for the base coat of flood icing to dry completely before attempting brushed embroidery.

Using a stiff icing and a #2 tip, squiggle the outline of flower petals onto the cookie. Using the side of a damp square-tip brush, pull the icing towards the edge of the cookie.

Experiment with different shaped flowers and leaves. I find that random placement looks best.

Different shapes and patterns look striking when placed together. And, a border around the edges finishes them nicely.