I love adding texture to cookies. Texture introduces a new dimension to an otherwise flat cookie. Don't get me wrong- there's great beauty (and great skill!) in making a perfectly flat, flooded cookie. But my heart will always be drawn towards texture. And an added bonus of textured decoration? It can hide flaws in your icing!
Tequila. Salt. Lime.
Putting together a collection of cookies for a Cinco de Mayo birthday created a challenge. I wanted to include this quintessential indulgence in the set of cookies, but I didn't have a shot glass cutter. Cutter flips to the rescue! Ice cream cone cookies are a staple for sweet summer-time events, and you don't need a heat wave to make drippy ice cream cone cookies. Best of all, you can make an ice cream-inspired cookie using whatever shape you like! These cookies were for a sweet first birthday party, hence the "1" shape. No matter what shape you use, you can make some great drippy cones with this technique!
One of my tricks in creating new, cartoony designs is to exaggerate one or more qualities of the character. Big nose, little eyes, tiny body, big head- all of these characteristics can make your design cute and whimsy. Plus, it takes away some of the pressure to make proportions just right. You might just recognize the cutter I used to make this little chick! It's the round potted cactus from Sweet Sugarbelle! It makes the perfect fat chick in a little nest. Maybe they live down by the river? Sorry- I saw a Chris Farley clip the other day 😂.
FODDER SHOCK. What an unusual word!
Doesn't it sound like an expletive in another language? Just imagine the following scenarios: 1. Mumbling "oh fodder shock" as you're walking through magic doors at Target because you realized that the lengthy grocery list is still on the fridge at home. 2. In a moment of pain, you exclaim "OUCH! FODDER SHOCK!" after you stubbed your toe on the dining room chair leg. 3. You exclaim "FODDERRRR SHOCKKKK" as a full carton of eggs slips out of your hands and crashes to the floor. Royal icing transfers are a great way to use up extra icing, and can be stored indefinitely for future use. I like having these mini ruffled ribbon roses on hand because they can be quickly added to a cookie, speeding up the decorating process. And they're pretty, too! I used a PME 56R for these tiny blossoms. They can be made with a bigger tip, but keep in mind that a bigger tip makes them not only wider but taller, too.
Ice cream cones are a favorite summertime cookie design. Check out my spin on this cool treat. It's super easy! Bake your favorite ice cream cone shape. I really like this ice cream cone cutter from That's a Nice Cookie Cutter because of its size and flat bottom.
Do you know that the real-life versions of these beauties are called "Sugar Starfish"?! Honest! After studying many starfish pictures, I thought that I would try to recreate the texture with royal icing and nonpareils. Let me show you how I made them!
Sanding Sugars. Those tiny, sweet crystals that can add a little extra sparkle and depth to cookies. Like many other cookiers, I have a slight addiction to sanding sugars and sprinkles. It doesn't take long to amass a generous collection of these miniature gems.
I knew it would happen, I just wasn't ready for it. The day that my oldest son pulled away from my attempted motherly embrace in public, followed by the stiff arm and stink eye in my direction. Then, my heart sank even further when he called me "MOM", not "Mommy". I knew that we had turned that fateful pre-teen corner in our relationship. It was a sad day. Mind you, at home he returns my hugs and "Mommy" is still the preferred title for me, but I now understand the boundaries. So with Valentine's Day coming up, I wanted to make some cookies just for my growing-up oldest. I needed to avoid this nightmarish scene: he pulls out the lovingly decorated pink heart sugar cookie from his lunchbox and the students at his lunch table chime in with "Awwww, your mommy loves you" said in the most childish voice that they could muster. That would not be good.
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AuthorI'm Amy. Wife, Mom, former science teacher- and now full time cookie baker on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Pull up a chair and we'll create! I'll bring the coffee- maybe Mike (The Cookie Widower) will make it for us. Categories
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May 2021
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