Tidbits for Decorated Cookies You Can Make at Home

I wanted to share a few tidbits with you because:

1-Today is National Cookie Day

2-Tis' the season to make family memories

I created this very quick post based on the questions I get most often.

Q: What kind of cutters should I buy?

It really doesn't matter.  I use a variety such as plastic, metal, coated, non coated. 

My favorite size to use is about a 3 inch cutter.
I like metal cutters because most of the time it's a "crisper" cut.

You can buy cookie cutters at a lot of places right now.

Wal-Mart, JoAnn's (use a coupon!) , Michaels (use a coupon!), Hobby Lobby, 

and the grocery stores have many too! 

COOKIES

Q: How do you get all of your cookies to look the same size and shape?

You can find sugar cookie recipes everywhere on the internet and in cookbooks.

After I make my cookie dough, I roll it out on a piece of clear saran wrap so I make it into a big "slab".

I place about half of the dough in the middle of two wooden dowels (craft store)

and roll it out using the dowels as my guide for thickness.

I place the slabs in the refrigerator overnight or at LEAST and hour.

I find that chilled dough helps me to get shapes that keep their shape.

Once the dough has been chilled, I cut out my shapes (take off plastic wrap).

Since the dough is already in a big slab in the thickness I want for my cookies, its's easy to cut out shapes.

I also bake my cookies on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.

I have found that my cookies do not burn when I use parchment paper.  

The paper can be used a few times and then tossed out.  

Place your cut out cookies on a baking sheet about an inch apart in all directions

 (to allow for some spreading)

and bake.

Baking times vary based on baking temperature and oven, as well as thickness of cookies--

just keep an eye on your cookies while baking 

and when you notice the center of the cookie looks done, they probably are. 

I know that my cookies bake for at LEAST 8 minutes and sometimes up to 13. 

It is never the same so I start checking at 8 minutes.

I've bake a bazillion cookies over the past few years so I think I may have an internal

dinger that goes off when they're done!

I've only burned ONE batch of cookies--they were completely black!

Q: How thick or thin should the icing be?

ROYAL ICING/GLAZE

Again, there are many recipes available, just choose one that works for you.

Whatever icing recipes you decide to use,

the rule of thumb for me is to make it the consistency of shampoo. 

Once the desired consistency is reached,

you can scoop about a cup of icing into a separate bowl to create different colors.

There are several food color brands to choose from

Wilton and  Americolor are the two that I use.

You just need a dot  of color on the end of a toothpick to add color. 

 Keep adding dots and mix the icing until you've achieved the color you want.  

I pour my colored icing into the bottles pictured above.

You can buy bottles at a craft store or Wal-Mart.

ICING the COOKIE

I outline the cookies before I add icing all over the cookie.

I let the outline dry for a few minutes before adding all-over color.

  It creates a "dam" around the cookie and clean edge.

After the dam has dried a bit, 

I fill in the cookie.

I let the base coat of icing dry for at LEAST an hour before adding details.

Most times the base coat dries for about 3 hours.

After your base coat is dried, add the details.

You can use different colored icing or sugars like the ones pictured below.

Use the icing as if it were "glue".

Wherever you put the "glue",

 the sugar will stick to wet glue.

  

Most importantly

Have fun!

Make memories.

DISCLAIMER:

These are tidbits that work for ME!

I've learned so much by trial and error and there is not ONE method for doing any part of cookie-ing.

I'm sharing these tidbits because these are things that remain consistent in MY kitchen!

There are so many blogs and websites of great cookie artists who share what works for them as well!

JUST. HAVE. FUN!

Email me if you have further questions-

jackielee4@yahoo.com

Tools of the Trade--for me

When preparing to make cookie dough,

I like to have things in order.

I like to have all the necessary ingredients ready for my assembly line of ONE!

I usually prepare several batches at once, 

so having some ingredients measured

 and ready to go is very helpful for me.

EGG HOLDER

I take out the amount of eggs I'm going to need 

and place them in the nifty, yellow"egg holder" 

which holds enough eggs for 6 batches (1 dozen eggs).

I'm sure it has a fancy name but for me it's an egg holder. 

I bought it at Kohl's for about $5.00 after using a zillion coupons and Kohl's cash.

The price is actually $11.89

I also like to have my extracts/flavorings already measured

 so I use these cute little Asian cups.

I bought them at a local Asian market and they're actually used for Saki Bomber shots!

I've also seen them at restaurant supply store which had a huge assortment of Asian goods.

They're the perfect size for the amount of flavoring I use. 

These tools make the preparation of cookie dough a bit faster and organized for me.

What are your favorite tools for your trade?

What's Your Plan Little Elves?

When I was a teacher of 30 --3rd graders and it was time to make holiday crafts, I always came up with a PLAN.

Let's say we were making a googly-eye, Valentine heart creature, with long dangly arms and legs.  (I'm sure you remember those, right?)

I didn't like "crazy-ness" so I'd have everything prepared ahead of time.

-small white squares to cut out eyes

-big squares to cut out heart body

-long strips for arms and legs

-one gluestick per child

-etc.

Then I'd call the kids up in small groups to get their supplies.  Orderly.  Non-chaos.  Smooth.

A PLAN!  If all went well, each child would go home with a cute creature to hang on the fridge!

(I would always make the kids sign their artwork, write their age and the date so moms could cherish it forever!)

The same applies to when one MIGHT have to make over 35 dozen cookies in one week.

Rare, but it is true.

I get all of the ingredients ready so my little elves can come in and make the dough really fast!

This is where the magic happens for the elves.

 Butter soft, ready and out of packages.

Grab and go!

 Sugar scooped and pre-measured.

 Flavoring ready and pre-measured then poured into little cups

 Eggs cracked

 some whole egss and then just the yolks.

 Flour is measured and put into bowls-- ready to use.

 When I have everything ready, those little elves work really fast and things go smoothly!

Just the way I like it!

This was day 1. 

Day 2 and Day 3 were just the same. 

The elves quit on Day 1!

Bummer!

P.S.-Some of you gals probably have other ideas about how to make things run smooth.

This is what works for me!

Tools, tools, tools!

Since I'm in Kentucky getting educated about cookie decorating,

I figured I'd share a little tidbit with you!

There are MANY handy tools to use in the world of cookie decorating,

but I find cookie cutters to be on the top of my list!

Not just to cut out the main shape of a cookie,

but to add the details!

When I'm creating a cookie of a certain image or character,

I realllllllly like for all of the cookies to look the SAME. 

So...I use some tools. 

 This is the lion I was trying to create--cute huh!

 These are the tools I used to cut out the head

and

create a guide for the lions face.

I cut out the head just like usual

but I knew I could make a "guide" for his face by using other cutters 

I shaped the big part of the face with an oval

 then I imprinted the ears with a small oval

 

 Baked as usual

and

LOOK!

They all have the same imprint for me to follow!

Cheating I know!

I proceeded as usual.

outline

 flood

 add details

wrap him up with his pals

Send him on his way!

Like I said,

 tools are all around you!

Have a great weekend!

I can't wait to share details about the

Spring Fling in Kentucky!

Come back next week!