Saturday, December 21, 2019

How to Make Edible Cookie Dough That’s Safe to Eat Raw

edible cookie dough vegan gluten free

This edible cookie dough recipe is safe to eat raw, not to mention vegan, gluten-free, and absolutely delicious—plus, you can bake it if you want a conventional batch of cookies.

We all know sneaking a bite of raw cookie dough can be the best part of baking, but it can also be legitimately dangerous (because of the raw flour). Luckily, there are people like Kristen Tomlan, founder of DŌ, Cookie Dough Confections, who have made edible cookie dough easier and more delicious than ever.

She shared her recipe for edible peanut butter snickerdoodle cookie dough with us from her upcoming book, “Hello, Cookie Dough: 110 Delicious Confections to Eat, Bake & Share.”

Hello, Cookie Dough: 110 Delicious Confections to Eat, Bake & Share by Kristen Tomlan, $15.99 on Amazon

Get your copy on October 15 or pre-order now.
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The Joys & Perils of Raw Cookie Dough

Tomlan became her family’s resident baker early on after learning from her mother (a cookbook author and culinary school instructor) and going through multiple Easy-Bake Ovens. Cookies have long been a passion of hers, but so has the unadulterated joy of eating raw dough.

Thing is, that can actually be dangerous—the raw eggs that often appear in cookie dough may pose a small risk of salmonella if they’re unpasteurized, but did you know raw flour can harbor bacteria like E. coli? Those organisms are killed by baking, but can potentially make you sick if eaten raw.

Cookie DŌ

The heart wants what the heart wants, though. Inspired by her love of that smooth, supple, sugary, unbaked goodness, Tomlan created her company, DŌ.

She’s been bringing safe-to-eat raw cookie dough to the masses at her Greenwich Village scoop shop and by mail order since 2017. Diagnosed with a gluten intolerance, Tomlan made sure to develop vegan and gluten-free options too.


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This is what we call rollin’ in the dough 💞⁠

A post shared by DŌ, Cookie Dough Confections (@cookiedonyc) on

While all the dough is designed to be eaten raw, it can also be baked, depending on what you’re in the mood for.

The Secret to Safe Cookie Dough

If you aim to eat raw cookie dough, using pasteurized eggs or no eggs at all is one important step, but you also need to heat-treat the flour to kill any microorganisms before you grab your mixing bowl.

You can buy it ready-to-use, but if you want to DIY, here’s how: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat, spread out two cups of flour (regular all-purpose or a gluten-free flour blend), and bake for about 5 minutes at 350° F, stirring a couple times to prevent scorched spots. Let it cool before using it in your recipe.

Heat-Treated Flour, $10.99

Keep some on hand for when you need raw cookie dough in a hurry.
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Stacy London-Approved Peanut Butter Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough

Back when Tomlan was still making all her dough and processing all her orders in a tiny Brooklyn apartment, she discovered she already had a famous fan—Stacy London (noted fashion expert and co-host of “What Not to Wear”). Her go-to order was the Chickpeanut Butter Chip, which you’ll find on page 179 of the book.

But when London requested another vegan option to take to a party at Whoopi Goldberg’s place, Tomlan whipped up this Peanut Butter Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough recipe. Stacy deems it “like crack. You’d never know it’s gluten-free and vegan!”

And the best part: You don’t even have to preheat the oven.

Peanut Butter Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough

Prep Time: 15 minMakes: 28 scoops
Ingredients
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 cups heat-treated gluten-free flour
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) vegan butter, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil
  • 1 1/4 cups peanut butter
  • 1/4 granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons soy milk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Make the cinnamon sugar: In a small bowl, whisk together the 1 cup granulated sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
  2. Make the dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together the heat-treated gluten-free flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the vegan butter on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the coconut oil and peanut butter and mix until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the 1/4 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar and mix on medium until light and fluffy; about 4 minutes will do the trick. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl. Add the soy milk and vanilla and mix until fully incorporated, about 3 minutes.
  4. Add half of the flour mixture and mix on low just until the flour disappears, about 15 seconds, immediately add the rest of the flour mixture and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl and mix a final 15 seconds.
  5. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber spatula to mix in 1/4 cup of the cinnamon sugar. Reserve the rest for rolling cookies or for using later. Once combined, fold in the chocolate chips.
  6. Stacy says—spoon this straight from the bowl!
  7. If you prefer to bake these, consult the Go-To Baking & Storage DOrections on page 48 of the book—but make sure to watch the time on these, as they bake fast!

Related Video: 4 Creative Things to Do with Cookie Dough (Besides Baking It or Eating It Off a Spoon)





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15 Must-Make Christmas Cookies

Christmas cookies

Christmas cookies are always a welcome addition to any holiday party, but the same old sugar cookies just won’t cut it this time around. Gingerbread men are passé, and there are so many other great options to test out that you could bake a new recipe every day for months and never run out of choices. Here’s a roundup of 15 recipes you should try before this holiday season is over—but no guarantees your mother-in-law will like them.

Related Reading: How to Make Keto Christmas Cookies

Lenox Happy Hollydays Cookie Jar, $35.15 on Amazon

Store your cookies in this festive jar.
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1. Super-Size Soft Ginger Cookies

soft ginger cookie recipe

LauriPatterson / E+ / Getty Images

These soft, chewy ginger cookies are a great alternative to crunchy gingersnaps. A classic cookie, this is delicious alone and even better dipped in a glass of milk. You can use light or dark molasses to alter the taste; try to use recently purchased ginger powder to guarantee freshness. Get the Super-Size Soft Ginger Cookie recipe.

2. Linzer Sablés

Linzer Sablés recipe

Chowhound

Our Linzer Sablés recipe is a new take on the linzer torte and has a whole cup and a half of finely ground nuts; try almonds, hazelnuts, or walnuts to figure out your favorite. These tiny sandwich cookies are delicate and addictive when filled with raspberry or apricot jam, but for a real show-stopper try filling them with a dollop of Nutella. Get our Linzer Sablé Cookies recipe.

3. Spicy Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cookies

Nik Sharma's spicy chocolate chip cookies

Nik Sharma

Flip the script on regular old chocolate chip cookies this year. Make spicy hazelnut flour cookies with roughly chopped dark chocolate, crystallized ginger, and a bit of black pepper for addictive kick instead. Get the Spicy Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cookies recipe.

Related Reading: The 15 Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes to Bake

4. Mexican Wedding Cakes

Mexican Wedding Cakes

Chowhound

Mexican Wedding Cakes are small pillow-like cookies known by many names throughout the world—and in any language, they’re delectable. These cookies are crunchy but light, with an entire cup of toasted pecans in the dough. Covered with confectioners’ sugar, they are amazing with a cup of coffee or an after-dinner drink. Get our Mexican Wedding Cookies recipe.

5. Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Peppermint Buttercream Filling

Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Peppermint Buttercream Filling recipe

Chowhound

Chocolate and peppermint are the perfect holiday combination. These chocolate cookies are really simple: You can freeze the cylinder of dough and keep it on hand for a last-minute gift or a weeknight dessert. The peppermint buttercream filling with crushed peppermint candies (or candy canes) is minty and refreshing. If you’re feeling extra festive, try adding some red or green food coloring. Get our Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Peppermint Buttercream Filling recipe.

6. Italian Tricolor Cookies

Anna Gass

Italian tricolor cookies (often called rainbow cookies) are both a nod to the Boot and a visual celebration of Christmas colors (red, green, and white). These cookies come together easily with a cake-like cookie, jam, and melted chocolate. Get our recipe for Italian tricolor cookies.

7. Vanilla Slice-and-Bake Cookies

Vanilla Cookie recipe slice and bake

Chowhound

This recipe is an incredible jumping-off point for a variety of beautiful and tasty holiday cookies. You can roll the logs of cookie dough in chopped nuts, sprinkles, chocolate chips, anything you can think of, and feel free to embellish the tops with frosting or more add-ins. You can also flavor the dough with a multitude of spices or seasonings and get as creative as you want. Start with classic holiday combos (nutmeg, allspice, ginger, etc.) and expand from there. Get our Icebox Sugar Cookie recipe.

Related Reading: Dorie Greenspan’s Genius Trick for Perfectly Round Cookies

8. White Chocolate Pistachio Cherry Crisps

White Chocolate Pistachio Cherry Cookie recipe

Chowhound

These festively colored cookies manage to include some healthy ingredients—pistachios and cherries (but feel free to swap in dried cranberries)—and kids can easily pitch in and assemble them with little supervision. This is a creatively and deliciously jazzed-up version of a simple holiday sugar cookie. Mix it up by substituting other types of chocolate chips, chopped nuts, crushed candies, and/or dried fruit; just keep the ratios the same. Get our White Chocolate Pistachio Cherry Cookie recipe. (Or try a slightly more labor-intensive but lovely White Chocolate, Pistachio, and Cranberry Cookie Wreaths recipe.)

Related Reading: Swap Basic for Baller with These Pistachio & Raspberry Cookies

9. Middle Eastern Millionaire’s Shortbread

tahini millionaire's shortbread recipe from Ottolenghi Sweet

Peden + Munk

Classic Millionaire’s shortbread combines all the best dessert elements: a crunchy shortbread crust, a layer of gooey caramel, and a smooth layer of chocolate on top. This version from Yotam Ottolenghi is a bit more sophisticated, with a rich and roasty halvah layer and a faintly bitter, slightly salty tahini caramel topping—another layer of semisweet chocolate would still be great to finish these off. In any case, these cookies are incredibly rich, so try cutting them in one-inch squares or rectangles. Get the Middle Eastern Millionaire’s Shortbread recipe.

10. Earl Grey Shortbread with Blood Orange Glaze


This recipe for Earl Grey shortbread coins contains actual loose tea leaves that delicately flavor the dough. Regular orange juice, milk, or any other liquid also works for the glaze if you want to focus on the tea flavor (and you can tint it red or green with food coloring if desired), but the hint of citrus is nice. Dipped in hot cocoa, coffee, or even tea, these cookies are an outstanding holiday snack and make a great hostess gift as well. Get the Earl Grey Shortbread with Blood Orange Glaze recipe.

11. Red and Green Icebox Pinwheel Cookies

red and green pinwheel icebox cookies

Erin Scott

Could these red-and-green-swirled cookies (from the fabulous “Holiday Cookies” book by Elisabet der Nederlanden) be any more cheerful? They look like edible ornaments, and are easier than you think. Get the Red and Green Icebox Pinwheel Cookie recipe.

12. Hot Chocolate Cookies with Aleppo Pepper

spicy hot chocolate cookie recipe with Aleppo pepper

Erin Scott

Another winner from der Nederlanden’s holiday cookbook, these hot cocoa-inspired cookies are topped with broiled marshmallows and an unexpectedly delicious sprinkle of fruity Aleppo pepper. They’re not ideal for shipping but are perfect for polishing off at a holiday party. Get the Hot Chocolate Cookies with Aleppo Pepper recipe.

13. Caramel Rugelach

caramel rugelach recipe

Chowhound

Hanukkah cookies work just as well in a traditional Christmas cookie mix too, and frankly, rugelach are too delicious to pass up any time, anywhere. This version is filled with caramel and pecans for a chewy, crunchy, buttery bite. Get the Caramel Rugelach recipe.

Related Reading: Great Hanukkah Food Gifts You Can Order Online

14. Mississippi Praline Macaroons

praline macaroon recipe

Chowhound

Naturally gluten-free, these airy, crisp meringue cookies (from “Matzoh Ball Gumbo“) get extra crunch and toasty flavor from pecans. Get the Mississippi Praline Macaroon recipe.

Related Reading: 11 Gluten-Free Holiday Cookie Recipes Everyone Will Love

15. Christmas Sugar Cookies

sugar cookies

Chowhound

Okay, okay, you can’t go wrong with this classic holiday cookie. Trust us, Santa (and your mother-in-law) will thank you. Get our Christmas Sugar Cookie recipe.

Related Reading: Foolproof Decorating Tips for Bakery-Worthy Treats

See our Ultimate Guide to Christmas Cookies for more sweet inspiration. And for even more holiday hacks, tips, tricks, and recipes, check out our Ultimate Guide to Christmas and Holiday Entertaining Headquarters.



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11 Gluten-Free Cookie Recipes for the Holidays

gluten free holiday cookie recipe

Christmas cookies, holiday cookies, winter treats—whatever you want to call them, they used to be the perfect gift. Everyone loved getting a little tin of homemade cookies. Coworkers, friends, neighbors, even the mailman and doorman were delighted!

No longer. The culprit was nuts at first. Then gluten. Or sugar (for those on keto and paleo diets). Suddenly cookies were unwelcome and rebuffed on every doorstep without careful screening of ingredients and allergens; plus, let’s be honest, who can keep track of which cousin can’t have Brazil nuts or that your office manager is gluten-free?!

To solve the problem of juggling allergies and intolerances, we’ve constructed the perfect roundup of allergen-friendly holiday cookie recipes to please everyone on your list—well, almost everyone; keto cookies are their own special category.

Related Reading: Paint the Colors of the Rainbow with this Recipe for Italian Tricolor Cookies

1. Gluten-Free Chocolate-Hazelnut Meringues

Gluten Free Chocolate-Hazelnut Meringues

Chowhound

Meringues are naturally gluten-free because they contain no flour or grains of any kind, so these are the perfect option for your low-carb friends. If you’re worried about nut allergies, skip the nuts and add toffee! Get our Gluten-Free Chocolate-Hazelnut Meringues recipe.

2. Gluten-Free Almond Crinkle Cookies

Gluten Free Almond Crinkle Cookies recipe

Chowhound

Chewy on the inside, crinkly on the outside, and totally gluten-free. Plus they look so festive! Pro-tip: Make sure your powdered sugar is gluten-free, as some can have a gluten-based starch additive. Get our Gluten-Free Almond Crinkle Cookies recipe.

USA Pan Half Sheet Pan, $19.99 on Amazon

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3. Gluten-Free Vegan Peanut Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies

edible cookie dough vegan gluten free

Evan Sung

This recipe from DŌ, Cookie Dough Confections is actually designed to be eaten raw—using heat treated flour makes it safe to eat without baking (and you can use the same trick for any other cookie dough you want to eat in raw dough form). But if you want a conventional batch of cookies, it does also bake beautifully, with melty chocolate chips and cinnamon sugar sparkling on top. Get the Vegan Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Snickerdoodle recipe.

4. Gluten-Free Peppermint Chocolate Cookies


Peppermint is the undisputed holiday flavor, so naturally you’ll need this one in the mix. Get the Gluten-Free Peppermint Chocolate Cookies recipe.

Related Reading: A Guide to Gluten-Free Flours

5. Mandelhörnchen (Chocolate-Dipped Marzipan Almond Horns)


Naturally gluten-free, these traditional German cookies use almond meal (or almond flour) in addition to marzipan. Get the Mandelhörnchen (Chocolate-Dipped Marzipan Almond Horns) recipe.

KitchenAid 6 Speed Hand Mixer, $29.99 on Amazon

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6. Gluten-Free Pistachio Citrus Bars

Gluten Free Pistachio Citrus Bars recipe

Chowhound

Admittedly, this is not the right cookie for people with nut allergies, but it is a sweet treat for those avoiding gluten since it uses tapioca starch and rice flour. To customize it, use any kind of citrus zest you’ve got, or get exotic: grapefruit, yuzu, lime—they’d all taste great! Get our Gluten-Free Pistachio Citrus Bars recipe.

Related Reading: 8 Gluten-Free Breads That Are Worthy of Any Sandwich

7. Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies recipe

Chowhound

Any friend or frenemy who has had to give up gluten invariably misses the cookie classics. This peanut butter cookie with hunks of chocolate will make their hearts grateful for your holiday baking. Get our Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies recipe.

8. Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe

Chowhound

The holy grail of cookies. Many gluten-free baking recipes are OK, but not quiiiite as good as the original. Often, the gluten-free version of these cookies is tough, off tasting, or doesn’t bake properly, but this recipe is actually, truly, real-deal, cross-my-heart, THE tastiest gluten-free chocolate chip cookie. They also happen to be fantastic as the exterior to an eggnog ice cream sandwich. Get our Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe.

9. Gluten-Free Ginger Molasses Cookies

Ginger Molasses Cookie recipe

Chowhound

Just the right amount of spice and chew balances this cookie’s sweetness. I genuinely believe that cookies like this were baked solely for late afternoons or evenings under a blanket, on the couch with something hot to drink, while reading or watching something lovely. Get the Gluten-Free Ginger Molasses Cookies recipe.

10. Gluten-Free Mississippi Praline Macaroons

Gluten Free Mississippi Praline Macaroons recipe

Chowhound

They just souuuund decadent! Just in time for the fresh pecan crop, these are seasonal, gluten-free, and light as a feather. Get our Gluten-Free Mississippi Praline Macaroons recipe.

Silicone Spatula 7-piece Set, $14.99 on Amazon

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11. One-Bowl Vegan Gluten-Free Coconut Snowball Cookies


These gorgeous little morsels use shredded coconut, coconut oil, and maple syrup for treats that are vegan and gluten-free. They are tall and round because they are full of Santa’s secrets, or so I hear. Get the One-Bowl Vegan Gluten-Free Coconut Snowball Cookies recipe.



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How to Soften Brown Sugar

It happens all the time: You peer into your cardboard box of brown sugar and find brown concrete instead. When you tap that solid mass with your measuring spoon, it’s like mining for gold with a pickax. Ugh. But you must make those cookies.

Why, oh why?! (Ummm … air.) It’s OK, though. You have solutions.

Employ the Help of a Plastic Container

If you have a day or two, or 12 hours minimum, place the sugar in a sealed plastic container and put some apple slices, bread, or a damp paper towel in there. Those items will absorb the hardened molasses a bit, softening and separating the sugar. The top layer of sugar may lighten but you can discard that part. Make sure to remove the bread or apple slices after two to three days or you could find mold.

Zap the Sugar in the Microwave

For those of us who need the brown sugar RIGHT NOW, there’s the trusty microwave. Place a damp (not dripping wet) paper towel over your bowl of brown sugar and heat it for 10 seconds a pop until the consistency is right. Or, place the sugar in the microwave next to a bowl of water and microwave for a minute, as needed, says Hanna Trafford of the Mama Knows online community. Be careful not to melt the sugar. It’s like buttah (ahem, butter). In your quest for speedy softening of either one, you can end up with a melty mess.

Bake It in the Oven

The oven is also there for you in this time of need for quick softening, Trafford says. Put the hard brown sugar on a baking pan and bake at 250°F for five minutes and then check on it until soft.

Invest in a Brown Sugar Bear

Put a Brown Sugar Bear in there. The terra cotta, food-safe fired-clay keeps brown sugar moist for at least three months. Soak it in water for 20 minutes and stick that cute little bear in not just brown sugar, but also baked goods, cakes, cookies, marshmallows, and dried fruit to soften and maintain moistness. You can also use the bear without soaking it first to absorb moisture and keep spices, salt, crackers, pretzels and chips crispy and dry.

Brown Sugar Saver and Softener, Pack of 3 for $16.79 on Amazon

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Keep Brown Sugar in an Air-Tight Container

To make sure this doesn’t happen again, seal your brown sugar in an air-tight container. Store it in a lidded plastic container, like Tupperware, or in a plastic freezer bag, Ziploc.

Let’s make this as basic as possible.

To soften brown sugar in fewer than 10 minutes, you will need:

  • hardened brown sugar
  • microwave
  • microwave-safe bowl
  • dampened paper towel
  1. Dump into a microwave-safe bowl that big, solid block of brown sugar that remains in the plastic packaging within the cardboard box.
  2. Rip off a paper towel sheet and sprinkle some water on it until damp, but not dripping wet.
  3. Spread the damp sheet over the bowl of hard brown sugar and place it in the microwave. Heat for either 10 seconds or 30 seconds at a time, checking the sugar after each interval. Don’t heat it until the sugar melts!
  4. Once the sugar is supple, take it out of the microwave and measure out the amount you need for your recipe.
  5. Place the remaining softened brown sugar in a plastic or glass container that has an air-tight lid. For extra measure, you could soak a Brown Sugar Bear in water for 20 minutes, dry it off and place the bear inside the container with the sugar.

Now that you have softened brown sugar, try baking one of these treats.

Related Reading: The Ultimate Guide to Sugar: How and When to Use Each Kind

Gingerbread Loaf

Chowhound

Instead of gingersnaps, make a moist, zingy bread with all the flavors of the season. You’ll need a cup of packed brown sugar. Get our Gingerbread Loaf recipe.

Spiced Pumpkin-Oatmeal Cookies

Chowhound

Enjoy that pumpkin flavor in a slightly different way, with rolled oats for some extra fiber to combat a sugar spike. Filled with the warming spices we love during the holidays, this cookie is a winner for adults and parents alike. You’ll need a cup of packed dark brown sugar. Get our Spiced Pumpkin-Oatmeal Cookies recipe.

Pecan Pie Tart

Chowhound

Buttery and caramelized, this tart is chock full of brown sugar goodness (but only ⅓  cup, not too much) and crunchy pecans. Make a classic in a new way. Get our Pecan Pie Tart recipe.

— Head photo: Mama Knows.



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Follow These Foolproof Cookie Decorating Tips for Bakery-Worthy Treats

Baking cookies is one thing, but decorating is a whole other story. Sure, you can whip up a batch of chocolate chip cookies without any fail, but when it comes to replicating the kind of buttercream cookie decorations that are ubiquitous in bakeries and even talented neighbors’ kitchens, it’s not always such an easy project. 

Related Reading: What Is the Difference Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder?

Luckily, there’s a cookbook for that. “Cookie Class,” by Jenny Keller of Jenny Cookies Bake Shop in Lake Stevens, Wash., is filled with over 100 decorating ideas, starting with sugar cookie dough as a vehicle. Easily decorate cookies with piped palm trees, diamond rings, and rainbows with Jenny’s step-by-step guides and photos, where she makes sure that there’s no guessing games on the decorating part. Throughout the book, Jenny provides an assortment of decorating tips—from investing in disposable pastry bags to opting for less is more.   

Cookie Class, $17.18 on Amazon

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Keep reading for all of Jenny’s cookie decorating tips, then get into the winter wonderland zone with her recipe for jolly snowmen cookies. Her version opts for perfectly round sugar cookies, swiped with a circle of white icing (infused with a bit of peppermint extract, if you like), a smattering of black dots to represent eyes and a mouth, and a quick loop of orange frosting for that cute carrot nose. The finished product will look impressive—as if a handful of snow gracefully fluttered into your kitchen—and when your friends ask, “Where’d you buy those cookies?” you’ll be quick to inform them that they, too, can craft bakery-worthy cookies with just a few tools.

Recipe and text excerpted with permission from “Cookie Class” by Jenny Keller, published by HarperCollins Publishers.

Decorating Cookies

Here comes the fun part! But first, some advice before beginning. 

When decorating cookies, always use disposable pastry bags. They are faster and easier to use than a knife and much simpler to use with children, and they make cleanup a breeze. I prefer to use 12-inch (30.5-cm) bags. They hold less icing but allow me to keep a steadier hand while decorating.

Photography by Kelly Clare Photography

Before attaching a decorating tip to your bag, consider using a coupler. Couplers make it easy to switch decorating tips without having to use a separate bag. Once your bag is ready to fill with icing, be sure to fill no more than half full to ensure a good grip and better control when piping. Overfilling your bag may result in a giant mess, with icing oozing out the top of the bag and giving your hand a cramp! The more icing you put inside the bag, the more icing your hand has to squeeze to pipe.

My number one decorating rule is to keep decorating simple. The more you add, the messier it can get. I typically keep faces and extra details to a minimum. Simplify decorating by using only two or three colors of icing. You’ll save on cleanup time and still get gorgeous designs. You can also use one color and make three shades of it to give your cookies a gradient look.

When covering a cookie in icing, I always outline the cookie before filling it in. I prefer not to decorate all the way to the edges, leaving some of the cookie to show so that when it is transferred to a display piece or packaging, the cookie icing doesn’t smear.

Photography by Kelly Clare Photography

You only need a few decorating tips to create hundreds of designs. Each decorating tip is numbered, but different brands have different numbering systems. I love to use Wilton decorating tips. A standard round decorating tip will likely be your new best friend. Wilton’s #1 and #2 tips are great for writing and fine detail, while #3 and #4 tips are used more often for outlining and filling in shapes. Star tips (#16 and #18) are great for creating texture in cookies. I use them to make animal fur, snowflakes, types of food, and flowers. Flower designs in particular might require a bit more advanced decorating skills, but you don’t need a lot of different kinds of tips to create pretty blossoms. For example, using the Wilton #104 tip can make several different designs; simply change the way you angle the bag and tip, from 45 degrees (see page 28) to vertically straight up and down and more.

Cookie Decorating Supplies, $10.99 on Amazon

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The final piece of advice I can offer is this: When decorating cookies, do not stress about making your cookies look perfect! Give yourself a break and have fun with it. The more you decorate, the better you’ll get. If you make a mistake, just scrape it off with a knife and start again—or better yet, eat it!

Note from Jenny

When snipping the tip of a pastry bag, don’t cut off too much! It’s always better to cut less and adjust or else your decorating tip or coupler may slide right out of the hole, especially when you exert pressure on the bag.

When to Break Out Couplers

Before you fill your pastry bag(s) with icing, decide how you plan to decorate. If you’ll be using one color with just one tip, then snip the tip of the pastry bag, insert the decorating tip, fill the bag with icing, and get started! But if you want to use the same tip with more than one color, it’s time to break out the couplers.

Photography by Kelly Clare Photography

Couplers are a two-part plastic piece that allow you to change out tips on the same bag of icing. Snip the tip of the pastry bag, insert the coupler base so that it pokes out of the hole a bit, fit the desired tip on the base, and then screw on the coupler ring to hold the tip in place. When you want to change tips, simply unscrew the ring and repeat. 

Sprinkles!

Photography by Kelly Clare Photography

  • Sugar cookies become all the more whimsical with sprinkles, nonpareils, sanding sugars, and more. To make sure they stick, add them when the icing is not yet dry. 
  • Use sprinkles to disguise mistakes or messy decorating. Simply dip the decorated cookies into a bowl of sanding sugar or sprinkles and voilà!
  • Add sprinkle accents to cookies by using them as elements on the cookie. Nonpareils become fans on a football field or the coat of a llama, brown sprinkles resemble Big Foot’s fur, and a mixture of sprinkles stands in for candy. Get creative!
  • Combine sanding sugar, nonpareils, confetti quins, pearls, and sprinkles to create a personalized sprinkle mix.

Jolly Snowmen Recipe

Give these snowmen cookies a holiday flavor by adding peppermint extract to the icing before decorating.

Jolly Snowmen

Ingredients
  • 1 batch Sugar Cookie Dough
  • 2½-inch (6.35-cm) round cookie cutter
  • 3 pastry bags
  • 1 Wilton #1A decorating tip
  • 1 Wilton #2 decorating tip
  • 1 Wilton #3 decorating tip
  • 1 batch buttercream Icing (page 26), divided and dyed as follows
  • ½ cup (120 ml) black
  • ½ cup (120 ml) orange
  • Remainder undyed (white)
Instructions
  1. Follow baking instructions for sugar cookie dough.
  2. Fit one pastry bag with the #1A decorating tip and fill with white icing. Fit one pastry bag with #2 decorating tip and fill with the black icing. Fit one pastry bag with the #3 decorating tip and fill with orange icing.
  3. Using the white icing, pipe a large dollop onto the cookie to cover the entire surface. If your icing ends up shaped like a chocolate kiss, gently tap the cookie on the counter to encourage the icing to settle.
  4. Using the black icing, pipe the snowman’s eyes and mouth.
  5. Using the orange icing, pipe a nose to resemble a carrot.


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