Bats and Brenna’s (Sugar Cookies)

Fair warning, this was my first attempt at decorating sugar cookies using the flooding method. It went better than I had hoped for, but I still have loads of room for improvement. Don’t be scared to attempt it, after all, what’s the worst that could happen? Even if the cookies come out looking like mangled icing blobs, they will still taste good. A few simple supplies will help you get started, all of which can be found at your local party or craft store. Start with cookie cutters that have a well-defined shape, and can be iced using one color. Don’t make your life any harder than it has to be, remember, you’ve got to learn slowly. Buy Icing Color Gel in a color that will work well with your cookie cutter shape and subject. In this case, the black icing color gel worked for both the bat and cat cookie cutters that I chose. You will need to invest in a Decorating Squeeze Bottle to use with your flood icing, but don’t worry, they are inexpensive and you will be able to find several other uses for them in your kitchen. I also purchased some White Sugar Pearls to use for the eyes on my Bats and Brenna’s, which I placed in the icing with a pair of inexpensive metal tweezers that I keep on hand for food use only. The most helpful tip I can think to give someone who is planning on learning to decorate sugar cookies for the first time would be to relax, take your time, and just enjoy the experience.

Sugar Cookie:

Ingredients:

1 1/4 Cups Unsalted Butter, Softened
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Egg
1 1/2 Teaspoons Vanilla
Zest of 1 Lemon
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
2 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour (Plus More for Dusting)

Directions:

Cream the butter and sugar together for 2 minutes, on medium speed.
Add egg, and mix for 1 minute.
Add vanilla, lemon zest and juice; mix 1 minute.
Add salt, mix 30 seconds.
Slowly add flour a little at a time on low speed; mix until incorporated. Be careful not to over mix, or the dough will become tough.
Form dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least two hours.
Roll out the dough with a rolling pin, and use cookie cutters to cut desired shapes.
Roll dough scraps into a ball, and repeat step 7, until all dough is gone.
Bake cookies for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the edges become golden brown.
Let the cookies cool to room temperature, and then decorate.

Outline Icing:

Ingredients:

1 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Tablespoon Light Corn Syrup
A Couple of Drops of Lemon Juice
Milk (1 Tablespoon at a Time)

Directions:

Mix first three ingredients together.
Add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time. You want a very thick icing, which will allow you to use a piping bag with tip or Ziploc bag.
Spoon icing into a Ziploc bag with a tiny piece of the tip cut off.
Outline cookies.

Flood Icing:

Ingredients:

2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1 Tablespoon Light Corn Syrup
1/4 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
3 Tablespoons Milk (More if Needed – 1 Tablespoon at a Time)
Icing Color Gel

Directions:

Mix first three ingredients together.
Add milk, 1 Tablespoon at a time. You want an icing that is the consistency of maple syrup; one that is not too thick, nor too runny.
Add icing color gel, to get your desired icing color.
Pour icing into a decorating squeeze bottle.
Fill inside the outline icing with the flood icing.
Use a toothpick to remove any air bubbles, or to help fill in any missed areas.
Let cookies sit overnight to harden.

Suggestions:

The dough will be very wet and sticky, make sure to use lots of flour on the surface you are rolling your dough out on, as well as your rolling pin, cookie cutters, and hands. Don’t be afraid to use too much flour, your cookies will still come out tasting fantastic.
I prefer grippy cookie cutters, as opposed to metal cookie cutters. They are more comfortable to use, don’t warp, and are dishwasher safe. I used Wilton’s 4-Piece Grippy Halloween Cookie Cutter Set.
Do not use liquid food coloring to make icing, it will make the consistency too watery.
Wear black clothes when decorating cookies; icing color gel will easily stain clothing.
Use a toothpick or stainless-steel spoon to add icing color gel to your icing.
Find a well-lit area to decorate, and a chair or stool that will allow you to look down on your cookies. You will be decorating for and extended amount of time, so make yourself as comfortable as possible.
Let the icing on your cookies harden overnight to 24 hours, before packaging in an airtight container or small plastic gift bags.
Pick a day to decorate, when your cat is not a complete psycho; it will eliminate the chances of getting fur in your cookies, or icing dye on your cat.

Improvements:

There are several different recipes and techniques for making sugar cookies. Do a little bit of research to help you feel more comfortable with the decorating process.