In my early days of attempting to bake pies and sugar cookies, the dough would stick in gooey clumps to my fingers and stubbornly adhere to the rolling surface. It didn’t take long before I gave up altogether.
Then one day my life turned in a new direction. A friend shared a link to Annie’s Eats food blog to share a sugar cookie recipe. And oh-my-God, Annie’s decorating skills made my jaw drop. This gal outdoes her talent every time she decorates a batch of cookies; just check out her butterfly designs –stunning! And her other works of art: Easter, snowflakes, Halloween, wedding, baby….
I yearn to decorate sugar cookies like Annie. I’m not there yet but am making progress. And having fun. And experimenting.
Annie provides tutorials (listed below) for decorating the cookies with royal icing. It’s like using a liquid sugar pencil to create masterpieces that pop off the cookie and cause people to say, “Your cookies look professional.”
My first foray into decorated sugar cookies worked. Meaning the dough rolled out smoothly and easily lifted from the counter–due to the malleable dough, to a generously floured work surface, and to a very thin spatula used to lift cutouts.
For Thanksgiving, I entered the arena of sugar cookies with simplicity, decorating with a star design and using only white so I could experience this royal icing technique. It worked!
For Christmas, I ventured into holiday trees, gingerbread men, and stockings. I added a few more colors and got better at drawing with the liquid sugar.
These flowers are my third attempt at decorating sugar cookies and although they are not stunning like some of the designs I’ve seen, I’m pleased enough to finally post a picture of my artwork.
Rather than recreate what I’ve seen posted, check out the following links for recipes and tutorials:
- Lemon & Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookie Recipe (my favorite: light, fresh taste)
- Almond Sugar Cooke Recipe (I liked but not as much as the lemon recipe above)
- Spiced Brown Sugar Cookie Recipe (I liked this flavor–spicy, cold-weather flavors)
- Chocolate Sugar Cookies & How to Marble Icing … and make dots (I haven’t tried this one yet but will soon)
- Royal Icing Recipe
- Royal Icing Tutorial
- more stunning designs from Bake at 350 (and she has tons of tutorials and links, too)
Annie
Jun 16, 2011 @ 19:00:00
I’m so glad my posts have been helpful to you. Your cookies look truly beautiful!
Scrumptious and Sumptuous
Jun 16, 2011 @ 21:37:35
Thank you, Annie! Your blog inspired me to start my own, plus your tips and tutorials have greatly improved my cooking and baking skills. I’m thrilled to have a comment from you.
Linda Darling
Sep 18, 2011 @ 08:28:20
you said you didnt think these cookies were stunning but I have to dissagree with you. I think they are stunning!
Linda Darling
Scrumptious and Sumptuous
Sep 18, 2011 @ 09:00:20
Thank you. I guess I’m just comparing my cookies to some of the striking designs I’ve seen on other blogs.
bridget {bake at 350}
Jun 17, 2011 @ 06:10:40
Thank you for the shout-out! I love your yellow and orange flowers!!!
Scrumptious and Sumptuous
Jun 17, 2011 @ 06:18:35
And thank you for the inspiration of your designs and tutorials. I’ve learned quite a bit from your site and visit often.
Carolyn Jung
Jun 17, 2011 @ 07:56:13
Third one’s the charm! These are so gorgeous that I would have guessed they came from a fancy, pricey bakery. You have mad skills.
Nish
Jun 17, 2011 @ 10:28:05
They look absolutely stunning!
teacher-chef
Jun 17, 2011 @ 12:34:47
CONGRATS!!! I too followed those tutorials this week (I do not think I followed well enough though) but did not have as much luck as you did. Mine might not even get posted, the person I gave them to enjoyed them, but I was disappointed! Beautiful work here
Scrumptious and Sumptuous
Jun 17, 2011 @ 13:21:18
One of the wisdoms I gained from Annie’s blog is to keep trying, which has greatly inspired me with this cookie decorating as well as trying many other recipes! Keep at it and I hope to see some designs from you this summer (yay for summer!).
cookies
Aug 09, 2012 @ 01:00:26
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Scrumptious and Sumptuous
Aug 09, 2012 @ 08:09:04
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