Decorating Cookies

 It's been a busy time for us here lately as I am sure it has been for all of you everywhere. In addition to all of our normal activities, we had the play, concerts, birthday celebrations and the shopping/wrapping/mailing of gifts and cards. The Scribbler has also been busy making over 40 dozen of her famous Ginger Cookies to sell at her dad's work.  She has done this in the past for a specific purpose, but hadn't planned on it this year. However, they were clamoring for cookies so she went to work.  We have had quite the production line here for both ginger cookies and biscotti too (not quite so famous as they ordered only 15 dozen). The girls were also tasked to complete their school work to a certain point and then they were FREE to do what they wanted (well, within our set parameters and guidelines, of  course!). They finished up that work so we have been able to play a bit more. (In fact, The Scribbler, completely finished her Geometry and she is now done with math for her high school career! She said that felt so weird to be done completely. However, she is hoping to CLEP College Math this year too......).
Anyhoo, getting back to my topic. I had hoped they would finish up early enough to divulge in some fun times with friends and with me and so they did. They were able to go caroling on Monday with a party afterwards with their Bible study group and shopping with me yesterday. On Tuesday, friends came over to help do some new and fun cookie decorating. I saw this idea on Pioneer Woman (of course!) and wanted to try it out.
I baked the cookies ahead of time to save valuable decorating time. I used their recipe from www.bakeat350.blogspot.com and I loved it. My favorite sugar cookie recipe by far. I am sharing it with you below.

Our stack of shaped cookies.

 Vanilla-Almond Sugar Cookies

3 c unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 c sugar (I use sugar that I've stored vanilla beans in) (she did this, I didn't have them)
 2 sticks (salted) butter, cold
 1 egg
 3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp pure almond extract

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine the flour and baking powder, set aside. Cream the sugar and butter. Add the egg and extracts and mix. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat just until combined, scraping down the bowl, especially the bottom.

The dough will be crumbly, so knead it together with your hands as you scoop it out of the bowl for rolling 

Roll onto a floured surface and cut into shapes. Place on parchment lined baking sheets (I recommend freezing the cut out shape on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before baking-I also forgot to do this part) and bake for 10-12 minutes. Let sit a few minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack.

I made the Royal Icing just a few minutes before they arrived. It was yummy, It kind of tasted like marshmallows. 

Royal Icing
(This will cover 2-3 dozen 3.5 inch cookies in 2 colors; I usually double this recipe.)

4 TBSP meringue powder
scant 1/2 c. water
1 lb. powdered sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp light corn syrup
few drops of clear extract (optional) I used almond

Combine the meringue powder and water. With the paddle attachment of an electric mixer, beat until combined and foamy.

Sift in the powdered sugar and beat on low to combine. (Do NOT skip the sifting!)
Add in the corn syrup and extract if desired. ( I think the corn syrup helps keep the icing shiny.)

Increase speed to med-high/high and beat for about 5 minutes, just until the icing is glossy and stiff peaks form.(You should be able to remove the beater from the mixer and hold up and jiggle without the peak falling.) Do not overbeat.
Cover with plastic wrap touching the icing or divide and color using gel paste food colorings.

This "stiff" icing is perfect for outlining and even for building gingerbread houses and monogramming.

Our color choices. We thought they looked more like baby shower colors than Christmas, but we liked them.

Outlining the cookies

Such concentration!

Once they were all outlined, we "flooded" our cookies. You just add water in 1/2 teaspoon increments to your royal icing until your icing is the consistency of syrup. This technique of filling a cookie with thinned icing is called "flooding."We colored some of it, but also used white a lot.  We were able to superimpose dots of other colors on top of the flooding for a really cool effect too.

Farmer Girl with "Em" or you  might recognize her as the bass player without the glasses.

 The Scribbler with "Kay" enjoying their creations. Both "Em" and "Kay" had the cutest aprons. I LOVE aprons!

I even did a few. I loved the effect gotten with the toothpicks for swirling or pulling.

I "think" these were some of "Em's"

 The Scribbler and Farmer Girls' cookies separated by a row of toothpicks....aah, sibling rivalry.

Our final creations. They got the cutest designs on the angel skirts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a wonderful way to spend an afternoon, made more sweet with fellowship and tea with dear friends.

I hope you all find time in your busy days to relax and fellowship with those you hold dear.
Love Ellie~