Annual Christmas Cookie Exchange Party - Snowglobe Cookies

So I recently went to my annual cookie party, this time I made snowglobe cookies. This was definitely something different for me, never tried to do anything other than regular decorating. I used my normal cookie recipe and my normal frosting recipe. I used a snowglobe cutter to cut all the cookies.

I then took a smaller circle cutter and cut out the center of the "glass" part of the globes. I had bought some clear mints with red and green stripes from the store, so I hammered them into small pieces in a baggie  (I'm sure a food processor would have been amazing for this lol). I then spooned in enough mint pieces to fill the hole on each cookie after I had them on the baking sheets. 

Then I just went ahead and baked the cookies - as they baked the mints melted down into a smooth flat goo. Once they were done baking, I pulled them out and sprinkled some sugar on the bottom bit of the mint, and also added a couple small snowflake sprinkles as well (They just kind of sunk into the mint pretty easily). Then I just let everything set until cooled. (The mint pieces kept their red and green bit and it made a swirl of color.. if you could find plain clear mints they would just look more like glass)

Here's a photo of the mint part held up to the light.

I then outlined the cookie in medium blue piping, and flooded it with light blue. I let that dry overnight, then I tried out some edible glitter I had ordered in the past. (I actually ordered it from a lady on a cookie Facebook group- though most online shops do sell them, just be careful to get the food safe ones - some actually try to pass regular non-edible glitter off as food grade) The glitter I had read to mix with vodka... so I actually just poured a little into a shot glass of vodka and then used a small brush to paint it on the base of the snowglobe. (The vodka actually coats the icing and then the glitter spreads across the surface pretty easily) Once the vodka had dried off (it doesn't effect the icing), I used white icing to attach a couple snowflake sprinkles to the base, and then added small borders around the inside and outside of the snowglobe.

I ended up making 32 of these for the party, and they went over really well! Everyone said that the mint actually made it even better with the added flavor.

Next time when I give myself more time to plan ahead, I think it would be fun to either make a stained glass cookie or else some type of window with the mints.

New Icing Recipe! (My new go-to icing)

Hello again!!

So recently I traded out my old icing recipe (in the second post on this blog I believe) for one that I found on Sweet Sugarbelle's website!

This one is just so simple to make and turns out every time, and also makes just about enough for whatever I'm going to do. (I made one batch for the 4 dozen Peep cookies I made at Easter and that still didn't use it all)

Royal Icing

Yield: Approximately 5 cups

Ingredients

• 2 pounds {one bag} confectioner's sugar {907 grams}
• 5 tablespoons meringue powder {approximately 53 grams}
• 2-3 teaspoons oil-free extract or emulsion
• 1/2-3/4 cups warm water
• 
  

Instructions

1. Begin by stirring the flavoring into half the water.
2. Using a paddle attachment, gently mix the sugar and meringue powder. It's not necessary to sift the sugar beforehand, but you can if you like.
3. With the mixer on it's lowest setting slowly add the water/flavoring mix to the dry ingredients. As the water is added, the icing will become thick and lumpy.
4. Continue to add the remaining water {this may or may not be the entire amount} until the mixture reaches a thick, honey like consistency. At this point, turn the mixer to medium speed and whip 2-4 minutes until this icing is thick and fluffy. Mixing time can vary greatly so watch carefully and stop mixing when the icing is this enough to form a soft peak.

Notes

Don't be afraid to experiment by adding corn syrup, glycerin, or cream of tartar to the mixture. Use a fan for a smooth shiny finish. Royal icing can be affected by many variables. With a little time and patience, you will find your perfect match.

I'm also going to re-post my base sugar cookie recipe:

Sugar Cookies

• 2 sticks of UNSALTED butter (leave out about 30min to reach room temp, or microwave in 10 sec. intervals (I did this twice per stick))
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• 3 cups of flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla or any other type of flavoring extract (I bought some emulsions at WalMart and a cake supply store, and this latest run I used a full tbsp. of Princess flavor)
• 1 1/4 teaspoon of salt

Combine butter and sugar into mixing bowl. Mix on low speed until well mixed (will appear “creamy”). Use a spatula to scrape everything back down off the sides of the bowl.
Add in the egg and your extract and mix again on low. Scrape again and get everything back down into the bowl. Then add in the baking powder and salt and run mixer on low. Then add in the flour in parts ( I usually use a half-cup and add that much six times, so the mixer has time to mix the flour in, if you add it too quickly or too much at a time your mixer is liable to bind up on you). You may need to shut off your mixer at times and scrape everything down into the bowl, and turn the dough on itself to get all the flour well mixed in. Mine always tends to leave loose flour in the bottom of the bowl. Once everything is all mixed well, the dough should be firm enough to just pick up with your hands and knead a bit just to get it all the same consistency.

Lay out a piece of waxed paper to work on and have a second piece to use to cover your dough as you roll it out so your rolling pin stays clean. You can also use a couple of paint stirring sticks or dowels on either side of the dough to keep the thickness consistent.
Then cut out shapes with cookie cutters, or freehand with knives/toothpicks or however. I've never really had any issues with the dough sticking to the cutters, but if you do, try dipping the cutter in some flour to help the edges release from the dough.
You’ll want to arrange the cookies on a baking sheet, I put waxed paper on mine to keep them from sticking, and all it does is leave a bit of greasy wax that washes right off. Now bake for about 8-9 minutes at 375. They won’t look really done, as in browned, but the dough will be cooked and they will stay soft.

 

Welcome back!

So I've been away for a while now, but that doesn't mean I haven't been making cookies in the meantime! I recently bought some new cookie cutters too, so that's what I've been focusing on. My manager at work requested I make him some cookies with my new Fallout cookie cutter, so I had to comply.

The cutter was a little wonky, this was my first experience with a 3D printer cutter. The dough refused to come loose at first, then I inquired online and learned that I needed to drill a few small holes through the back of the cutter to create airflow so the dough wouldn't vacuum into the cutter. I also had to heavily flour the cutter and the dough to get it to come out halfway clean. So a heads up, 3D printed "whole" cutters are fun, but you gotta work with them a bit.
However I also just recently bought some 2-piece cutters from CrimsonManeCreations in Australia. Now these cutters are amazing! They're also 3D printed, but they are "plunger" type cutters. They are the easiest to use, and the details are amazing!! I haven't tried to decorate them yet, but I made basic sugar cookies with them.

                                  

Gingerbread Cookies!

So every year here in town we have our annual festival. It's a pretty big deal, but mostly because of the FOOD! LOL A lot of us townies have been every year so we go for our constant food tent staples. One of the best things I try to snag every year is the gingerbread cookies put on by the local Women's Club. Now these ladies know how to do cookies, so well that they sell out the first day almost every year and they now have been selling them by the dozens the past couple years. 

So if you manage to get ahold of some of these cookies each year, you lucked out!

I have faced the bitter disappointment of missing out on them a couple times, so I asked around if anyone knew the recipe...

Finally this year paid off! 

If this isn't exact, it's pretty darn close!!!

Gingerbread Boys

• 1 cup of Crisco shortening
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 egg
• 1 cup of molasses
• 2 tablespoons of vinegar
• 5 cups of flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon of powdered ginger

1. Cream together shortening, sugar and salt. 
2. Add and beat in egg, molasses and vinegar. 
3. Add all dry ingredients and mix well.
4. Chill for 3 hours or more.
5. Roll and cut, bake 8-10 minutes at 375.

Gingerbread Icing

• 2 lbs of powdered sugar
• 3/4 cup of Crisco
• 1/2 teaspoon of butter flavoring (emulsion)
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1/2 cup of water

1. Mix all ingredients well!

Thanksgiving Cookies!

So I finished up the Thanksgiving cookies I was working, the day before. So I took them to work on Thanksgiving and they were a huge hit!

I used a new icing recipe and it turned out amazing!!!
It's from Sweet Sugar Belle's website and it was super easy to use!

Royal Icing

Yield: Approximately 5 cups

Ingredients

• 2 pounds {one bag} confectioner's sugar {907 grams}
• 5 tablespoons meringue powder {approximately 53 grams}
• 2-3 teaspoons oil-free extract or emulsion
• 1/2-3/4 cups warm water

Instructions

1. Begin by stirring the flavoring into half the water.
2. Using a paddle attachment, gently mix the sugar and meringue powder. It's not necessary to sift the sugar beforehand, but you can if you like.
3. With the mixer on it's lowest setting slowly add the water/flavoring mix to the dry ingredients. As the water is added, the icing will become thick and lumpy.
4. Continue to add the remaining water {this may or may not be the entire amount} until the mixture reaches a thick, honey like consistency. At this point, turn the mixer to medium speed and whip 2-4 minutes until this icing is thick and fluffy. Mixing time can vary greatly so watch carefully and stop mixing when the icing is this enough to form a soft peak.

Buttercreme Cookie Icing

Found this recipe tonight, not sure how well it'd work for drying and not smudging/smashing. However I feel like it might be worth a try :D

Buttercream Frosting for Decorating Cookies:

Melt:
1 tablespoon butter

Add and beat until smooth:
3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar (sifted)
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

Add food coloring if desired. Yields 1/3 cup

*When I make this icing I do not always add the lemon juice.  I scale this recipe up, starting with 10 Tablespoons butter, mixed with 10 Tablespoons milk.  To this I added 2 pounds of sifted powder sugar and two Tablespoons butter.  From there I made separate colors, and with each color I made a thick frosting for outlining and lettering, along with a thin icing for flooding the cookies.

Good Morning!!

Welcome back!! So I've decided that not only am I going to post my own cookies and recipes here, but why not share others as well?? I've been finding some really good sounding stuff I just haven't gotten around to making yet, but maybe others would want to give it a go. So for now, I'm also going to post up random recipes for baked goods that I find particularly appealing!

Great video!! We called these “Icing Bullets” at my previous job! It does make cleanup super easy, and it also keeps you from having bits of dried up icing falling out everywhere when you use your bags. 

Recipes

So here are the recipes from my first post originally on my Tumblr account,

Sugar Cookies

• 2 sticks of UNSALTED butter (leave out about 30min to reach room temp, or microwave in 10 sec. intervals (I did this twice per stick))
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• 3 cups of flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla or any other type of flavoring extract (I bought some emulsions at WalMart and a cake supply store, and this latest run I used a full tbsp. of Princess flavor)
• 1 1/4 teaspoon of salt

Combine butter and sugar into mixing bowl. Mix on low speed until well mixed (will appear “creamy”). Use a spatula to scrape everything back down off the sides of the bowl.
Add in the egg and your extract and mix again on low. Scrape again and get everything back down into the bowl. Then add in the baking powder and salt and run mixer on low. Then add in the flour in parts ( I usually use a half-cup and add that much six times, so the mixer has time to mix the flour in, if you add it too quickly or too much at a time your mixer is liable to bind up on you). You may need to shut off your mixer at times and scrape everything down into the bowl, and turn the dough on itself to get all the flour well mixed in. Mine always tends to leave loose flour in the bottom of the bowl. Once everything is all mixed well, the dough should be firm enough to just pick up with your hands and knead a bit just to get it all the same consistency.

Lay out a piece of waxed paper to work on and have a second piece to use to cover your dough as you roll it out so your rolling pin stays clean. You can also use a couple of paint stirring sticks or dowels on either side of the dough to keep the thickness consistent.
Then cut out shapes with cookie cutters, or freehand with knives/toothpicks or however. I've never really had any issues with the dough sticking to the cutters, but if you do, try dipping the cutter in some flour to help the edges release from the dough.
You’ll want to arrange the cookies on a baking sheet, I put waxed paper on mine to keep them from sticking, and all it does is leave a bit of greasy wax that washes right off. Now bake for about 8-9 minutes at 375. They won’t look really done, as in browned, but the dough will be cooked and they will stay soft.

Royal Icing for decorating

• 2 lbs of confectioner's sugar/powdered sugar
• about 1 tablespoon of meringue powder
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1 tablespoon of extract flavoring

Add all ingredients to bowl (I used the stand mixer again for this one) and mix about 7-10 minutes on low. I actually added half of the sugar first, then added the rest after everything else was mixed.
This should make a very stiff icing once you let it set a minute. I use this for outlines and details.
If you want to thin this down to fill in areas when decorating, you can add a bit more water. I added about 1 1/2 teaspoons of water to make it runny enough to fill in the shapes. The icing should smooth out itself.