CHRISTMAS COOKIES

Back to Christmas Cookies

I don't actually have directions for these. I found this picture somewhere. But I'll do what I can to tell you how I think they were done:

METHOD FOR ALL COOKIES:
Roll out and cut cookie. Sprinkle crushed hard candy in the openings where indicated. Bake as directed for your favorite roll-out cookie recipe. (The candy will easily melt). I like to bake these on foil. When cooled, paint the white icing (recipe below) using a not very wide flat brush in most cases. Some require a pointed brush. Brushes here.

*The tops where a string goes have been painted over with gold icing then painted using gold highlighter dust. which has been added to lemon extract. METHOD: Put about 1-2 teas. lemon extract into tiny container and add about 1/2 ts. gold dust. (I am just guessing at amount so use your best judgment on this. It is not hard to do.)

DIRECTIONS: Snowflakes: #36091 Snowflake metal cutter tin including 5 sizes
ORNAMENT cutters HERE
Roll out and cut the snowflake. Sprinkle crushed hard candy in the openings. Bake as directed. (The candy will easily melt). I like to bake these on foil. When cooled, paint the white icing (recipe below) using a not very wide flat brush #309-8706.

DIRECTIONS: Ornament: 4 in. metal #2279/3279 (pointed lavender or green ornament) Inside Star of David here, Or other stars here. Paint lavender icing on cookie. Add white on the top. Sprinkle clear edible glitter over all. For the green one, Ice palest green then paint the heart on using a small pointed brush. Add tiny icing dots, tip 1.

DIRECTIONS: Christmas Ball #139 (round/flat ones)
TOP_LEFT: Using a brush, paint pink and white icing on. Add white icing dots, tip 1 in a small decorating bag.
BOTTOM LEFT: The star inside the rounded orn. has been cut out using your choice. Sprinkle clear crushed candy in the cutout opening. Ice cookie using very pale light green icing. Using tip #1 and green then red icing, add the trims.

DIRECTIONS: Ice cream cone: (upside down) 3-1/2" metal #3350 59¢ (the pink & white cookies on right). Using a brush, paint pink and white icing on. Add white icing dots, tip 1 in a small decorating bag.

DIRECTIONAL: Christmas surprise balls

Tiny heart cutters

*TIPS:
Lifesaver candies do nicely for the crushed hard candy in the cutouts.
Be sure not to over-bake your cookies. These will color nicer if the cookie is not browned.

My Favorite Cookie Icing
The best part of it is that you can stack these cookies but the icing doesn't get rock hard like royal icing would to suck all the moisture from the cookie. Royal icing ruins cookies. It sucks out all the moisture.

I made some big Gingerbread boys with this icing. They had to have a yellow hard hat with a logo on the tummy. I used frosting sheet to make 200 logos, stuck them on with this icing, spread yellow hard hat with knife, then put it in a bag to make the brim. I also put it in a bag to outline. These cookies (200) went to Port of Trinidad...2 got broken! That isn't bad at all. They emailed me back that they loved them.

This icing is like that used on petite fours. It will crust so you can stack your cookies. But it won't get rock hard like royal icing does. I find it easier and more fun to work with too. This icing (as opposed to royal icing) is very tasty!

Firm Cookie Frosting: Try this, its very easy and you'll get raves!
Fondant Cookie Icing...For icing cookies (and for decorating):
(links go to the products needed)
10 parts Dry candy Fondant *
to
1 part water
Flavoring or this
Food Coloring

You can make it thicker by adding more dry c. fondant. Or thinner by adding more water. Color or flavor as desired. I usually just add a little almond flavoring or vanilla extract. No beating necessary. Just stir until no lumps remain. This can be as thin as color flow and still won't run off the side of the cake.

I ice the cookies with this. You should have it thin, but not so thin that it readily runs off the cookie.
For decorations, I put some icing in a dec. bag with a tip #2 for drawing lines and detail. Or you can paint icing on to decorate too, using a medium soft paint-brush.
This icing is like that used on petite fours. It will crust so you can stack your cookies. But it won't get rock hard like royal icing does. I find it easier and more fun to work with too. This icing (as opposed to royal icing) is very tasty!

* Dry Candy Fondant, available via mail order HERE
Dry candy fondant is simply another sugar. It is not 'granulated, not brown, but fondant. It will keep like any other sugar.