Cookie Decorating 101

                                 MAKING COOKIES should be easy and FUN! 

                        Make a cookie plan. Spread your project over several days.

 

Dough Recipe – Roll out as thick or as thin as you prefer (but be consistent). Baking time will need to be adjusted as needed. Dough can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator for a couple or stored in the freezer for a month.

Frosting Recipe – Royal Icing (contains meringue powder) vs. Glace (contains corn syrup) Most people use either one or the other. I use both. I find Glace tastier & easier to 'frost' with, so I use that for the base and then I use royal icing for decor. You should use whichever you prefer to work with and eat.  Make frostings ahead and keep in refrigerator, but bring all items to room temp before using.  Keep cookies level when frosting, moving, etc. to avoid getting cracks in the frosting.                                              

Roll out cookies – between two sheets of waxed paper, use rolling pin guides for consistent thickness. Make your own guides with a wooden ruler or have someone cut you a thin strip of wood to whatever thickness you desire. Cutout cookies can be frozen (wrap well), either baked (will be a bit more fragile) or unbaked. Can bake cutout cookies from frozen, but will need to bake a couple extra minutes. 

Cut out - cutters don’t have to be used only one way. Combine two shapes together, or cut off part of a cutout shape. Make your own template using a plastic lid or contact paper. Trace around the shape with a fondant cutting tool (like a little pizza cutter) instead of a knife so you don't cut through your waxed paper.

Bake – Bake on parchment (wipe and reuse several times). This recipe does not spread. Cookies can be placed about 1/4" apart. If they do touch when baking, use a zester to clean the edges after they cool. Rotate cookie sheets halfway through baking in case your oven has a hot spot. Keep an eye on these, it only takes 1 minute to burn! Keep cookies wrapped well until ready to decorate. Room temperature is fine for 3-4 days. Any longer, think about refrigerating or freezing them.

Decorate - use sugar, sprinkles, royal icing layons (make ahead of time) or fondant to decorate quickly. Pipe royal icing or glaze onto wet or dry cookies.  The base coat must dry for 24 hours before piping on top in a dark color to avoid bleeding. I prefer not to risk this.

Cookies frosted with glace do not freeze well.

 

I prefer to frost with glace, then immediately decorate with glace for a 'wet on wet' design.

Glace will 'sink' into the wet base frosting. If you prefer your decoration to 'sit' on top, decorate the top right away with stiff royal icing (or glace thickened with powdered sugar). If piping in white, you can wait just a bit before piping to make it sit on top, but you'll need to wait 24 hours in order to pipe in colored royal icing. The cookies need a full 24 hours to dry completely. Don't stack them before that. 

After frosting cookies, put them in front of a fan for 30 minutes or so to help alleviate butter bleed.

side note-in my effort to clear up any confusion re: glaze vs. royal icing and when to use, I may have made it worse.

Most cookie decorators are all one or the other. I'm different in that I use both for different things.

I always frost my cookies with glaze because I prefer the taste and I find it easier to get a nice smooth finish. Plus dipping is super quick! I then use pre-made decorations (on wet cookies) or stencil (on dry cookies) - all with royal icing. You do not need to use both. You can stiffen up glaze with extra powdered sugar to make it stiffer so it 'sits' on top. Just make sure not to pop your bags (you can double those up). 

You can also thin royal icing and dip it, or use it for the 'wet on wet' look.

Try both and see which you are more comfortable working with and which taste you prefer.

google 'frankenfrosting' and 'modified glaze' if you want more frosting options

Wilton Sugar Cookie – also known as No Fail Sugar Cookie ‘NFSC’

1 c. butter

1 c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

2 tsp. baking powder

3 c. flour

Mix in a Kitchen Aid, cut recipe in half for a hand mixer or you'll burn up the motor.

Bake at 350 for 10-11 min 375 8-9 minutes. Adjust to your oven of course. Rotate trays halfway through baking. The higher temperature you use, the closer you'll need to watch your cookies. I bake at 365 for 5 minutes, rotate, bake 4 more minutes, then I check every minute.

Dough can be used right away, refrigerated 3-4 days, or frozen for up to a month.

Microwave gently to make it easier to roll out.

 

Glace Frosting

2 lb. powdered sugar

½ c. water + extra as needed

1 tsp. clear extract of choice

I use clear butter flavoring

Add white food color (I use 12 drops) to limit butter bleed.

¼ c. corn syrup - I add this at the end

Make frosting a bit thicker until you get more comfortable using it. I use a small spray bottle to thin if needed.

Icing can be kept in the refrigerator. Bring everything to room temp. before using.

This frosting dries hard to the touch but stays soft to the bite. 

Keep frosting covered when not in use to avoid it thickening up.

Cookies need 24 hours (uncovered) to dry completely. 

Don't forget the fan for the first 30 minutes.

 

Small Batch Royal Icing

2 Tbsp. Meringue powder

¼ c. water

Mix well

Add 2 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. clear flavoring

Mix on low for 7 minutes

Try to avoid adding extra water unless you absolutely need it, then only a drop at a time.

Refrigerate leftovers, mix well prior to using as it tends to separate.

 

Here are a couple very helpful tutorials:

https://thebearfootbaker.com/beehive-royal-icing-transfers/

https://thebearfootbaker.com/beginners-guide-to-cookie-decorating/

Visit here https://terisdesserts.com/classes to see a video of me dipping a cookie.