These cookies are not only beautiful, but they are so delicious, but so easy for anyone to decorate. Stripes, dots, outline, flowers. Once you start, you’ll be hooked.
I haven’t done to much decorating with a pastry bag and icing, but with a little practice, the cookies come out looking really beautiful. Let me show you what I used and how I decorated the cookies. First thing to remember, they don’t have to be perfect. And, if you make a mistake, or you just don’t like what it looks like, wipe it off and start again. You will have time before the icing hardens.
On the left are the supplies that I used to decorate. Pastry bag, coupler, tips and plastic squeeze bottles. I picked up all these supplies at my local Michael’s.
On the right is a closer look at the tips that I used to decorate these cookies.
The first thing that you must do is practice. See what each one of the tips will do. I practiced going in a straight line, then I went back and forth in the line. I also tried to create a different kind of line. After that, I practiced making stars and small flowers. The way you would make the stars and flowers that I used is to put the tip down on the paper, squeeze out some icing until you have the size you are looking for. At that point, stop squeezing the icing bag and move the tip down then up to break off the icing.
I used Wilton products. If you go on their website, you will see that there are lots of tips and techniques that can be used to make all sorts of elaborate flowers, designs and pictures on cakes and cookies. I practiced on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper, but there is a practice board on the Wilton site that looks great.
The icing that I used is typical Royal Icing. There are two ways that you can make Royal Icing. Either way is fine. I used the meringue powder. Royal icing gets hard pretty quickly, so if you aren’t going to use it all right away, you MUST cover it tightly or put it in a plastic ziploc bag so it will stay soft until you want to use it again.
I divided the icing, keeping half white and the other half red. I used red Wilton Icing color to make the icing really red.
Royal Icing
1 Lb Confectioners Sugar
3 Egg Whites
1/2 tsp Cream of Tarter
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Royal Icing
1 Lb Confectioners Sugar
3 TBSP Meringue Powder
5 TBSP Warm Water
For this one, i used an outline tip for the center, then used the edging tip to go around the outside of the small heart in white icing. Then, using the flower tip, I filled in the middle. For the dots, I used the outlining tip and went down and up with the decorating bag to create dots.
For this one, I made a big heart in red, the edging tip to go inside the red heart, then with the outlining tip, I made a smaller red outline inside the pink cookie. I filled it in with icing that was thinned out, then sprinkled the inside heart with red sugar.
This one was so easy, I outlined the pink heart. Then, I used the flower tip and went all around the edge of the cookie.
For this one, I put a very thin layer of red icing, then I went back over it with a thicker layer of red stripes. Red sugar on top, and its done.
I used a typical Sugar Cookie recipe to make the cookies, and used food coloring for 1/4 of the dough and rolled them out to 1/4 inch thick. I used 2 heart cookie cutters to make the heart shapes, one medium size and one smaller. As you can see, I kept some of the dough white, some red/pink and some multi color. The most important thing is not to cook the cookies to long. Just when they start to turn light brown, take them out.
Rolled Out Sugar Cookies
2 Eggs
2/3 Cup Shortening
2/3 Cup Soft Butter
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
3 1/2 Cups Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Vanilla
Beat eggs in a large mixer bow. Add all remaining ingredients. Mix on low speed until completely combined and dough forms. Flour surface of board and turn out dough onto board. Form a ball and divide in half. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Roll out to 1/4 inch. Cut with cookie cutter. Bake in 375º oven for 7-9 minutes or until golden brown.
This Stromboli is amazing. When I put this out, it is devoured within minutes.
The first thing you need to do is roll out the dough until it is rectangular in shape. You can use a rolling pin or just stretch it with your hands. I did this one by hand. Its easy and fast that way.
Now I have everything piled on and it’s time to roll it up. Unfortunately, I didn’t take a picture after I rolled it. Sorry. I’ll try to remember to take it next time. You know there’ll be a next time, because I love these. Anyway, roll it long ways. It’s easy to roll, everything stays together. At the end, put the seam side down on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. 
Wow, that looks scrumptious. I can’t wait to make it again.
