A Cookie As Good As It Looks

When it comes to taste, fancy decorated cookies unfortunately have a bad reputation.

"I love how your cookies look but I honestly didn't expect them to taste delicious too," is what I hear time and time again when I serve my creations.

There is good reason for the skepticism, because in all honestly,  most decorated cookies don't taste that great. They are often thin, dry, flavorless and over-iced, sometimes with more sickly sweet icing than cookie. And although they look pretty, I absolutely abhor cookies topped with gumpaste and fondant decorations. Ugh. It's like eating straight up sugar with an artificial aftertaste.

Because of the negative preconception of fancy cookies, I always offer samples when I sell my creations and surprise people when they discover that a decorated cookie can taste as good as it looks.

Making a delicious decorated cookie isn't hard, it just takes good recipes and consideration. Here are my best tips for making a delicious tasting decorated cookie:

*Most important is having a good cookie recipe.  My favorite tried and true recipe contains all-butter, not too much sugar and a good dose of vanilla and pure almond extract. Click here for the recipe.

*When I roll out cookie dough, I aim for 1/4 inch in thickness. I want to be sure to end up with a product that's more cookie than royal icing, 3:1 is ideal.

Quarter-inch thick cookies ready to be baked.

*If I want to make a cookie with an intricate layered design, I go the double-decker route by topping a base cookie with another cookie. It's essential to have more cookie than icing!

For these Gardenia cookies, I went the double-decker route and added layer of "cookie petals" to keep the flower design from being all icing and making the cookie too sweet.

*As for the royal icing, powdered sugar is a necessary ingredient so I cut the sweetness with some tablespoons of lemon juice. The addition makes a world of difference and compliments the vanilla almond flavor of the cookie. Click here for my royal icing recipe.

*Remember that less is sometimes more. I've learned from experience that it's very easy to take a cookie into the realm of being overdecorated. Practice restraint with your decorating because simple is often what's most beautiful.

Colorful dot cookies are simple and beautiful!

Here are some of my favorite designs but most importantly, these are also great tasting cookies!

Gingerbread Hearts

These Gingerbread Hearts are the perfect cookie decorating project for those who want to make cookies but want to start with something simple.

They come together quickly and the bonus is that baking them will make your house smell amazing and is sure to get you in the holiday spirit.

I made them using my favorite Gingerbread cookie recipe. The resulting cookies are soft and very gingery.

Use a small heart cutter to make them and then decorate them by just outlining and filling the cookies using medium consistency royal icing and a #2 tip. When I outline and fill small areas, I always use a thicker icing so that it's easier to control on the cookie. Aim for the consistency of yogurt. It isn't runny but is soft enough to not leave peaks and settles into place.

After filling the cookies you may need to use a skewer to scribe tool to move the icing and fill in all of the spaces. Give the cookie a gently shake to help the icing settle and that's it. Let the cookies dry completely before serving or packaging. 

Here are the recipes:

Gingerbread Cookie Dough
 6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup packed dark-brown sugar
4 teaspoons ground ginger
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon finely ground pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 large eggs
1 cup unsulfured molasses

Sift together flour, baking soda, and baking powder into a large bowl. Set aside.

Put butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until fluffy. Mix in spices and salt, then eggs and molasses. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Divide dough into thirds; wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface to a 1/4-inch thick. With cookie cutters, cut into desired shapes. Space 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, and refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.

Bake cookies until crisp but not dark, 10 to 14 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.

Royal Icing
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons meringue powder
6 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Food coloring, optional

In a large bowl combine meringue powder, water and lemon juice and stir until meringue powder is dissolved. Add powdered sugar and with an electric mixer on low speed, beat until evenly moistened. Then beat on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form. Divide and tint as desired and add water a few drops at a time to get desired consistency. 

Oregon Cookies

Our family is hosting a 14-year-old Japanese student named Mizuho for a few days so I thought she might like to bake and decorate cookies with me.  She told me she had never baked or decorated cookies before.

So on Saturday evening we made a double batch of Oregon sugar cookies for her to bring home to share with her family and friends. I found my Oregon cutter at a local shop called Kitchen Kaboodle.

It was hard to believe it was Mizuho's first time decorating cookies and using a pastry bag, she did such a wonderful job.  She had a steady hand and worked patiently and carefully.

Mizuho outlining the cookies with white royal icing.

We used a heart-shaped cookie cutter to press an indentation into the cookie before baking which made adding the green royal icing heart in the center so much easier.

To make these you just outline the cookie and heart with white royal icing and fill this outside area with white royal icing. Then you flood the heart with green icing and that's all there is to it.

Let the cookies dry completely before serving or packaging.

Here are the recipes:

Sugar Cookie Cutouts
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.

Royal Icing
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons meringue powder
6 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Food coloring

In a large bowl combine meringue powder, water and lemon juice and stir until meringue powder is dissolved. Add powdered sugar and with an electric mixer on low speed, beat until evenly moistened. Then beat on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form. Divide and tint as desired and add water a teaspoon at a time to get desired consistency.

Cookie Decorating 101

I'm in the midst of teaching a two-session cookie decorating class at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral and am having a lot of fun — Mainly because there are 15 students in the class who are all super nice and enthusiastic about learning how to decorate cookies.

In the first class session that was held last week, we covered just the basics of cookie decorating and did some hands on outlining and filling of cookies. In preparation for teaching the class, I put together a handout that covers the supplies needed, recipes and tips.

I'm including a copy of the handout here (see below) because I think it is helpful for anyone who is interested in giving cookie decorating a try.

At first, it does take some effort to get your supplies together and get started.  But once you get going, I think you'll find that cookie decorating really isn't that hard and is so much fun.

For me, it's my creative outlet and something I enjoy sharing with others.

Cookie Decorating 101

Five Decorating Tips

Take Your Time:
The best time to take on a cookie decorating project is when you have plenty of time to relax and enjoy the creative process. Also, decorated cookies need 8 to 12 hours of drying time so they are not something you can whip up last minute. It’s wise to take your time and think about what you want to create before heating up the oven.

Practice:
The only way to improve your decorating skills is to experiment and practice. Be patient with yourself and just keep working at it. And remember, a messed up cookie still tastes delicious.

Test the Consistency of Your Icing:
When trying to get the right consistency of icing for your cookies it’s always a good idea to test your icing by first piping onto a plate. The right icing consistency is paramount when it comes to cookie decorating. Also, be judicial when adding water to thin your icing. Add just a touch a time because if you get your icing too thin, there’s not much you can do to salvage it.

Have a Visual When Mixing Colors:
Choosing and creating colors is a huge part of cookie decorating and it can be frustrating when you have the perfect color in mind but you just can't seem to mix it up. Having a visual of the color you want makes all the difference. It can be anything — an object, a clipping from a magazine or a color chip from the paint store.  When you actually see the color you want, it is so much easier to mix. Also, add your coloring just a touch at a time. A little gel coloring goes a very long way.

Start Simple:
Your cookie decorating skills will continually improve with practice.  To avoid frustration, I think It’s best to start simple with a single color outlined and filled cookie. Next, try a two color cookie and just keep building on that. Before you know it you’ll be tackling decorative bead borders, brushed embroidery and lettering.
 


Basic Supplies:
Meringue Powder
Electric Mixer
Pastry Bags (I prefer disposable)
Couplers and Pastry Tips (#2 and #1 are the tips most often used)
Gel Food Colors (I recommend AmeriColor brand)
Wooden skewers or a scribe tool

Additional Supplies:
Lazy Susan
Food Writing Pens (AmeriColor brand is best)
Small Square Tip Paint Brush (for Brushed Embroidery)
Small Paint Brush set (for Painting and Adding Luster and Disco Dust)
Sanding Sugars
Disco Dust
Luster Dust
Decorative Sprinkles
Food Safe Cellophane Bags for Packaging Cookies



Sugar Cookie Recipe
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, peel off plastic wrap and roll on a floured board until 1/4 inch thick. Cut with floured cutters and transfer onto ungreased or parchment lined 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 rack.

Gingerbread Cookie Recipe
 6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup packed dark-brown sugar
4 teaspoons ground ginger
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon finely ground pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 large eggs
1 cup unsulfured molasses

Sift together flour, baking soda, and baking powder into a large bowl. Set aside.

Put butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until fluffy. Mix in spices and salt, then eggs and molasses. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Divide dough into thirds; wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface to a 1/4-inch thick. With cookie cutters, cut into desired shapes. Space 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, and refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.

Bake cookies until crisp but not dark, 10 to 14 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.


Royal Icing
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons meringue powder
6 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Food coloring

In a large bowl combine meringue powder, water and lemon juice and stir until meringue powder is dissolved. Add powdered sugar and with an electric mixer on low speed, beat until evenly moistened. Then beat on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form. Divide and tint as desired and add water a teaspoon at a time to get desired consistency.

Polar Bear Sugar Cookies

These polar bear sugar cookies are just the thing to make if you have never decorated sugar cookies before. The shape of the bear is easy to outline and there are only two colors of royal icing needed — flood consistency white and a tiny bit of a stiffer icing in black for the eyes, nose and paws.


Flood consistency royal icing is just icing that has been thinned with a bit of water, a few drops at a time, until the icing is loose enough to spread and smooth out over the cookie. To test your icing to see if it is the correct consistency, draw a line though it with a table knife. It should take between 10 and 20 seconds for the line in the icing to disappear.

I always use a #2 pastry tip for the outline and filling of my cookies.

Here are the steps in making the bears and my favorite recipe for royal icing:

Make and bake a batch of bear sugar cookies.

With flood consistency white royal icing, outline and fill the cookies. Let the icing dry for at least 15 minutes before adding stiffer black royal icing for the details — two dots for the eyes, a larger dot for the nose and a thick line on each foot for the paws.

Royal Icing
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons meringue powder
6 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Food coloring, optional

In a large bowl combine meringue powder, water and lemon juice and stir until meringue powder is dissolved. Add powdered sugar and with an electric mixer on low speed, beat until evenly moistened. Then beat on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form. Divide and tint as desired and add water a few drops at a time to get desired consistency.

Honeycomb Sugar Cookies

A cute little bumble bee cutter inspired me to try to create a honeycomb cookie to compliment them on dessert tray.

This was my first attempt so I'm feeling confident that I can do a better job next time. The one thing I think I can improve on is the definition of the honeycomb shapes. My icing was a bit too thin and it spread too much and distorted the shape of the hexagonal pattern.

Oh well, live and learn. They still taste great.

Here's my method:

The bee cookie cutter that inspired me.

Flood square cut sugar cookies with royal icing and let dry.

With a #1 tip and pastry bag, make straight lines across cookie about 1/4 inch apart.

Continue making straight lines.

Make short lines evenly spaced between long lines.

Stagger the next row of short lines. Try your best to keep them evenly spaced.

When you are done, it will look like this.

Make a zigzag line connecting the points of the shorter lines.

Continue making zigzags over the cookie.

Finally, add a straight line border around the cookie.

Four done, and lots more to go.

These aren't perfect, but they're still cute and delicious. When you have the time, just bake up a batch of cookies, practice and have fun.

Here's my favorite recipe for royal icing:

Royal Icing
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons meringue powder
6 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Food coloring

In a large bowl combine meringue powder, water and lemon juice and stir until meringue powder is dissolved. Add powdered sugar and with an electric mixer on low speed, beat until evenly moistened. Then beat on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form. Divide and tint as desired and add water a teaspoon at a time to get desired consistency.

Completed Easter Cookies

Here's a few photos of my finished Easter cookies. 

I added some extra details to the carrot — a lighter orange stripe to separate the segments and some leaf details with a darker green edible ink marker.
I like how the texture on the bunny tail and lamb turned out.

Here's my recipe for royal icing:

Royal Icing
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons meringue powder
6 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Food coloring

In a large bowl combine meringue powder, water and lemon juice and stir until meringue powder is dissolved. Add powdered sugar and with an electric mixer on low speed, beat until evenly moistened. Then beat on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form. Divide and tint as desired and add water a teaspoon at a time to get desired consistency.